Veteran, Project Recover leader Derek Abbey to speak at OSU-Cascades’ 24th commencement ceremony

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Derek Abbey, a retired military veteran and president and CEO of a nonprofit that helps repatriate the remains of U.S. service members, will give the address at the Oregon State University–Cascades commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 15.

“Derek has dedicated his military career and now his professional career to making our country and world better through leadership and service to veterans,” said Sherm Bloomer, chancellor and dean of OSU-Cascades. “As a nonprofit leader, an OSU alumnus and a Central Oregonian, Derek will have a timely and valuable message for OSU-Cascades’ graduates.” 

Raised by a single mother who died when he was 13, Abbey lived with family following her death, but struggled to find a sense of home as a teen. He ran away at 17 and joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He served for 23 years, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. He retired from the Marines in 2014 as a major. 

Abbey earned a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State, a master’s degree in higher education leadership and a doctorate in leadership studies, both from the University of San Diego. While earning his advanced degrees, Abbey led programs at the University of San Diego and San Diego State University that connected student veterans to college opportunities.  

He joined Project Recover in 2004 and became president and CEO in 2019. The nonprofit organization leverages science and technology to locate the more than 80,000 Americans missing in action around the world so that they can be repatriated.

In 2024, Abbey was appointed to the board of directors of the Oregon State University Alumni Association.