Reston, VA – September 1, 2021 – Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm redefining workforce optimization, announces its cofounder and partner, Valerie Langstaff, has been welcomed into the Women Divers Hall of Fame™ (WDHOF).

 

WDHOF is an international non-profit professional honor society recognizing the contributions of women pioneers, leaders, and innovators in the many fields of diving. Langstaff is one of five women who will constitute the Class of 2022.

 

Langstaff was one of the first women in the Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) diving field. In fact, she was the first enlisted woman to complete diving/EOD training in 1982. She went on to do 350 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) dives during her 21-year Navy career, earning her the rank of Master Chief – the top enlisted rank.

 

“Val is a trailblazer who opened up opportunities for those who came behind her,” said Jeff Fowler, GKG president and retired Navy Vice Admiral. “As a career submarine officer, I have a unique appreciation for the importance of divers supporting our Navy. EOD divers take on the most dangerous and vital diving challenges, to include removing torpedoes stuck in a 21-inch diameter torpedo tube, as Val did during her distinguished career. This stuff is not for the faint of heart.”

 

Langstaff has continued to utilize her vast EOD experiences and work in antiterrorism/force protection at GKG. The workforce optimization company has supported over 50 federal departments and agencies with their strategic, operational, and organizational challenges, including the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and National Reconnaissance Office.

 

“It’s an honor to be inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame™, alongside incredible leaders in diving” said Langstaff. “The backgrounds of this elite group range from research, medicine, arts, science, underwater archaeology, education, conservation, and recreation to first response and the military. Our collective love for diving and the use of this unique skillset in our work continues to change the world, regardless of our areas of expertise.”

 

Langstaff and women in her class will be officially inducted into WDHOF in person in 2022.

 

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Since 2002, Golden Key Group has served more than 50 federal departments and agencies, helping customers solve their strategic, operational, and organizational challenges. GKG is Redefining Workforce Optimization™ by integrating human capital, technology, and policy design across the lifecycle of work.

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Contact: Lynsee Gibbons  |  lgibbons@goldenekeygroup.com |