Col. Steven L. Coffee

Col Steven L. Coffee is a career military officer. He entered the Air Force in 2001 after graduating from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, and commissioning through the Tennessee State University AFROTC program in Nashville, TN.  His staff assignments include three Combatant Command tours, two National Security Agency/ Central Security Service tours, the Joint Staff, and Headquarters Air Force.  He commanded the Force Support Squadron at the National Reconnaissance Office. 

Colonel Coffee earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Morehouse College, a Master of Arts in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University, a Masters in Clinical, Quality, Safety, and Leadership from Georgetown University, and a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. Additionally, he has completed Joint and Combined Warfighting School through the National Defense University, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College through the Air Force, Air University.

He deployed in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, FREEDOM SENTINEL, SPARTAN SHIELD and INHERANT RESOLVE and served as a military aide to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack H. Obama on the social staff. As a White House Military Social Aide, Colonel Coffee facilitated the planning and execution of all social events and official functions on behalf of the President and First Lady of the United States. 

Colonel Coffee is married to Sezanne Coffee and has one child Steven Coffee II.  His passion and purpose for improving patient safety and becoming a patient activist was birthed following a delay and ultimately misdiagnosis of a metabolic condition in his newborn son; subsequently causing him to receive a liver transplant at eight-weeks old. 

He is a founding member of the Patients for Patient Safety US chapter of the World Health Organization. Colonel Coffee served as a charter member and first community Chair of the MedStar Georgetown Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality and Safety, and sits on Patient and Family Advisory Councils for the MedStar Health System, the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine, Sentrics E3, and Hope for Henry foundation.  Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors for Hope for Henry foundation, and Liver Mommas and Families foundation. He is an adjunct professor with the MedStar Institute for Quality and Safety Academy for Emerging Leaders in Patient Safety. Additionally, he serves on a technical expert panel with the Yale New Haven Health Services Corporation/Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and was a featured panelist during a CMS, Person and Family Engagement Affinity Group Pacing Event.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with one oak leaf cluster)

Meritorious Service Medal (with one oak leaf cluster)

Joint Service Commendation (with one oak leaf cluster)

Air Force Commendation Medal

Joint Service Achievement (with one oak leaf cluster)

Air Force Achievement Medal

Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with one oak leaf cluster)

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Ribbon