She held the positions of chief of naval education and training (CNET) (1996–98), Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy (1998–2001), and director of navy staff from 2001 until the time of her retirement on October 1, 2004.

She graduated from the Academy of Mount St. Ursula High School in 1966 and from The College of New Rochelle with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics.

Tracey's initial assignment in the United States Navy was to the Naval Space Surveillance Systems in Dahlgren, Virginia, where she qualified as a command center officer and orbital analyst.

Following a tour on the staff of the Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet, she served at the Bureau of Naval Personnel as the placement officer for graduate education and service college students.

From 1980 to 1982, Tracey served as an extended planning analyst in the Systems Analysis division on the Chief of Naval Operations’ staff.