Yale

Recruited to play basketball, Lynch earned four letters in that sport while also playing on Yale's inaugural softball team. She won Ivy League titles in both of those sports and was a member of the volleyball team. After earning her B.A. from Yale in 1981 she earned her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1984.
 
Lynch was appointed as a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral in October of 2016. She served on active duty in the Navy Judge Advocate General Corps from 1986 to 1993 and went on to serve as Deputy Judge Advocate General (Reserve Affairs and Operations) (DJAG) and Deputy Commander of the Naval Legal Service Command and retired with over 33 years of service. As the DJAG, she oversaw a multi-million-dollar budget, providing worldwide legal services to military commanders, Sailors, and their families. She leveraged technology to ensure legal assistance was provided to those in remote locations, ensured legal representation for sexual assault victims as part of the Victims' Legal Counsel Program, executed the first-ever inter-agency support mission to the Department of Justice, prioritized legal support to the Office of the Military Commissions, and molded long-term policy to ensure legislative proposals preserved veterans' retirement benefits and the transferability of GI Bill benefits for Reserve members. Throughout her career, she sought out, and was assigned to, the most challenging duties, including serving on the USS LEXINGTON (AVT-16), at the time, the only aircraft carrier in which woman were allowed to serve. Exhibiting the team concept she honed at Yale, she mentored countless female judge advocates and other personnel on the opportunity to meet the rigorous challenges and corresponding career benefits of sea duty. She was selected to serve as Commanding Officer of two legal reserve units, charged with developing and implementing military justice policy and providing Appellate Defense service to military members. Her numerous honors include the Distinguished Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (four-time recipient), the Navy Commendation Medal (two-time recipient) and the Navy Achievement Medal (three-time recipient).
 
Lynch serves in a civilian capacity in the Department of the Navy as Counsel, Naval Education and Training Command, the Navy's largest shore command, and is licensed to practice law in Florida and Massachusetts.