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Current State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Government Coordinating Council Members


Chair - Cherrie Black, Bureau Chief, Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, NJ

Cherrie Black, an Assistant Attorney General, is the Bureau Chief for the Infrastructure Protection Bureau in the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. She has served in that capacity for the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and its predecessor, the Office of Counter-Terrorism, since November 2002. She coordinates activities relating to the identification, classification, assessment and protection of New Jersey’s critical infrastructure. In that capacity, she works closely with the private sector, the Department of Homeland Security and State, County and local government liaisons. AAG Black served as a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s State and Local Working Group for the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, the Regional Steering Committee for the Radiological Pilot Project Office, and is the State Coordinator for several state and federal homeland security initiatives. AAG Black is a member of the State, Local, Tribal, Territorial Government Coordinating Council and co-chairs the SLTTGCC’s Chemical-terrorism Vulnerability Information (CVI) Working Group, which provides State and Local government input and recommendations to the Chemical Security Compliance Division on protocols and processes for sharing CVI with State and local homeland security officials, law enforcement and first responders.

Prior to her appointment to the New Jersey Office of Counter-Terrorism, she was Chief of the Financial Investigations Unit in the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice. As such, she had primary responsibility for implementing the anti-money laundering program and chairing the State Anti-Money Laundering Working Group.

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Vice Chair - James Battese, Director of Public Safety, Miami Nation

Mr. Battese is the director of the Department of Public Safety for the Miami Nation and has been in that position since 2001. The Miami Nation is located in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, with headquarters in Miami, Oklahoma.  Department of Public Safety addresses both law enforcement and the nation’s homeland security concerns. 

Mr. Battese also administrates the nation’s road program. He was appointed to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Tribal Advisory Board by Governor Brad Henry and serves as vice-chairman.

Mr. Battese serves on the Miami Nation’s governing body in the 2nd Councilman position.

Mr. Battese established the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation’s Tribal Police Department; its departmental policy and procedures, standard operational policies, hiring standards, equipment, vehicles, communications and facilities. Mr. Battese served the Potawatomi Nation five years as chief of police. The Potawatomi Nation is located in Mayetta, Kansas. Mr. Battese worked with the Kansas Legislation to obtain statutory state law enforcement status for tribal police.  In 2003, Senate Bill 9 was enacted and gave law enforcement status to tribal police officers.

Mr. Battese held special agent positions with the Santa Fe Railway Police Department for 18 years. These positions were in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, Olathe, Wichita, and Newton, Kansas. During Desert Storm, Mr. Battese was regularly assigned to the protection of military equipment shipments. Mr. Battese has extensive knowledge and experience in railroad operations.

Mr. Battese held deputy sheriff and under-sheriff positions with the Jackson County Kansas Sheriff Department.

Mr. Battese worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in clerical positions in the Kansas City, Missouri field office.

Mr. Battese served in US Air Force as an aircraft mechanic.

Mr. Battese attended college in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Robert Bodisch, Deputy Director, Texas Homeland Security

Robert “Duke” Bodisch has been Deputy Director of Texas Homeland Security since 2007 and Assistant Director of Texas DPS since 2009. As Deputy Director he oversees Texas’ efforts to prevent terrorism, combat criminal enterprises such as transnational gangs and violent Mexican Cartels operating on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border, protect critical infrastructures and key resources, and responding to and recovering from all disasters.

Mr. Bodisch has worked in Law Enforcement for 37 years and holds seven law enforcement certificates and 15 professional awards. He has served as a Patrolman with the Harris County Sheriff’s office, Lieutenant Investigator with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Director of the Law Enforcement Programs and Texas Narcotics Control Program and later Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security with the Office of the Governor, Director of the Criminal Justice Management systems at Sam Houston State University, Director of Education and Training, and Special Services and Operations Divisions at the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education, Bureau Chief and later Deputy Program Manager for DOJ’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program in Iraq, and Senior Criminal Investigator and Assistant Director of the Office of Special Investigations at the Texas Attorney General’s Office. He has spent seven years working as a Senior Political Consultant.

In addition Mr. Bodisch has spent numerous years serving our country in the Military. He has served in the United States Marine Corps, Infantry and Combat Intelligence, the United States Marine Corps and Navy Reserves, and is currently a Brigadier General in the Texas State Guard.

Mr. Bodisch holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and a Masters Degree in Quality Systems Management. He is certified in Homeland Security- Level III and a graduate of the FBI Command Institute for Law Enforcement Executives.

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Francis Bradley, Police Chief, Hualapai Nation

Chief Bradley has been serving in Indian Country Law Enforcement for over 27 years now with a majority of his career spent working for the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement. He began his career in 1981 working his way up in the ranks to being the acting chief of police for the Navajo Nation Police Department until December 2002. He has been actively involved in public safety in Indian country teaching prevention programs to community and youth groups, basic and advance police programs for the Navajo Police Academy and other Arizona Academies. He is a board member for the National Indian Youth Police Academy and recently graduated from the 232nd Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. His current position as the chief of police for the Hualapai Police Department has allowed him to continue on in promoting professional law enforcement services in Indian Country with the emphasis on public safety for the Indian communities of his jurisdiction.        

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Sam Cochran, Sheriff, Mobile County, AL

Sheriff Sam Cochran is serving his second term as Sheriff of Alabama's coastal county of Mobile. Beginning his career as a police cadet, Sheriff Cochran spent the next 30 years working his way through the ranks of the Mobile Police Department to the rank of Chief of Police. As Chief, he provided leadership during multiple hurricanes that have made their way to Alabama's coast.

In 2006 Sam Cochran was elected as Sheriff after retiring from the Mobile Police Department as its Chief for 10 years.  Sheriff Cochran recently won his second term in office in November of 2010.

As Sheriff, Sam Cochran continues to provide leadership throughout the coastal region of Southwest Alabama on the many security issues facing the nation's 9th largest sea port.

Mobile County is made up of nearly a half a million people spread throughout some 1,500 square miles including miles of coastal areas and the 2nd largest River Delta in the United States.

Sheriff Cochran holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice and is a graduate of the FBI’s National Academy and the FBI’s National Executive Institute.

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Michael Corwin, Commander/ACAMS Administrator, Kansas City Police Department, MO

Captain Michael Corwin has 26 years experience in law enforcement, 23 years with his current employer, the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. Captain Corwin has been assigned to several units with a variety of missions over the years. Captain Corwin’s current assignment is the Commander of the Homeland Security Unit, CSTAR, (Comprehensive Strategic Team Accountability Review), and the Perpetrator Information Center.

Captain Corwin is directly involved in many local, regional, state, and federal homeland security initiatives focusing on prevention, deterrence, response and recovery from all hazards, including natural and terrorist. Regionally, many of the initiatives Captain Corwin is either responsible for, or participates in, are directly related to the Kansas City Urban Area Security Initiative. Some of the initiatives are a Counter Terrorism Patrol Strategy, Asset Protection and Response System, the Kansas City Terrorism Early Warning Center, and the Area Maritime Security Committee. Captain Corwin has either developed or managed the development of several high profile projects over the years. A few of the projects are the strategic plan, the 10-4 Shift Program, the Field Training Program, Problem Oriented Policing, and Community Policing.

Captain Corwin holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Management and Human Relations and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He has attended, developed, and facilitated a wide variety of training courses and conferences. Some of the topics are police patrol tactics, police cyclist training, community policing, problem solving, grant applications, basic terrorism awareness, advanced terrorism awareness, counter terrorism patrol strategies, critical infrastructure protection, and critical incident response. He has been involved in a wide range of community service projects from the United Nations to coaching girls’ softball. He is currently a member of the following homeland security related committees: Member, The Kansas City Metro Regional Homeland Security Coordinating Committee, (RHSCC); Member, The RHSCC Law Enforcement Sub-Committee; Chair, Regional Critical Infrastructure Workgroup; Project Manager, Asset Protection and Response System; Chair,  Kansas City Area Maritime Security Committee; Co-Chair, Kansas City Terrorism Early Warning Center; Member, STLGCC - National ACAMS Working Group; Member, Emergency Operations Center Advisory Committee; Member, the Local Emergency Planners Committee; Member, Missouri State Hazmat Committee, and Member, Missouri State Critical Infrastructure Work Group.

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Bill DeLong, Director, Homeland Security Division, Maine Emergency Management Agency

Bill joined the Maine Emergency Management Agency in September 2007 and was assigned the responsibility as the state’s critical infrastructure protection officer with the Maine Information & Analysis Center.  He was promoted to Director, Homeland Security Division in the spring of 2009 and assumed responsibility for all Homeland Security Grants as well as the State’s overall Homeland Security Strategy.  Bill is a primary advisor to the Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency and Maine’s Homeland Security Advisor.

He also sits as an alternate on the Coast Sector Northern New England Area Maritime Security Committee.

Additionally, Bill is the assistant Emergency Management Director for the town of Durham, Maine.

Bill retired in 2006 from the United States Navy as a Chief Petty Officer following a 20-year career as a Spanish and Quichua linguist within the U.S. Intelligence Community.  He served on two aircraft carriers, logged more than 1400 flights hours aboard P-3 Maritime Patrol Aircraft and several shore commands.

Bill graduated with honors from American Military University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2009.

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Jeff Dulin, Deputy Chief, Charlotte Fire Department, NC

Jeff Dulin joined the Charlotte Fire Department in 1983. Jeff was assigned to the department’s heavy rescue company for five years until he was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1988. Jeff served three years in the Training Division as both a Recruit and In-Service Instructor. Jeff developed both the Regional Hazardous Materials Team and the Urban Search and Rescue Team for Charlotte. Jeff was the lead in the development of the department’s swift water rescue program in 1992 which was one of the first in the country to be a department wide initiative. In 1996 and in 2007, Jeff received the Higgins and Langley Swift Water Award from the National Association for Search and Rescue. In 1997, Jeff was promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief and became active in the National Fire Academy’s first class on Terrorism Response training for First Responders. Following an attempted Biological Devise attack at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in 1998, Jeff led the development of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Advanced Local Emergency Response Team (ALERT), a multi-agency, multi-discipline Anti-Terrorism Unit. This team was in place and actually conducting an exercise with the FBI on the morning of September 11, 2001.

In December 2001, Jeff was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief and placed of all Special Operations. He currently oversees the Training Division, Communications Center, EMS Liaison, Special Operations and the Emergency Management Division for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Jeff serves as the Point of Contact for the Charlotte Urban Area Security Initiative, the DHS designated Homeland Security Program. Jeff has deployed to nine federal disasters as part of an Incident Management Team Member including Hurricane Katrina where we worked the Gulfport, Mississippi EOC. Jeff’s educational background includes an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science from Central Piedmont Community College, a Bachelors Degree in Fire Administration from the University of Maryland, and a Masters in Homeland Security from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. His thesis was titled “The components necessary for successful information sharing”.

Jeff has taught Incident Command Systems for over twenty years and is certified in all of the Incident Management Team positions. Jeff serves on the DOJ Interagency Board, the DHS Emergency Services Sector Working Group, and is the chairman of the ESS Information Sharing Working Group. Jeff served as a co-chairman of the National Urban Areas Security Initiative’s annual Conference for five years. Jeff teaches and conducts exercises around the country and works closely with DHS on several initiative programs. Jeff has developed a robust Infrastructure Protection Program for the Charlotte UASI and works closely with both DHS IP and I & A. Jeff has for the last five years, worked with the United Kingdom’s Chief Fire Officers Association in the development of their national disaster response program. Jeff has traveled to Britain, Scotland and the Netherlands to speak on this subject. In 2008 Jeff spoke in Parliament to the All Parliamentary Committee of National Disasters. Jeff’s initiatives in Charlotte and the State of North Carolina center on the need for information sharing systems needed for both Public and Private Partners.

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Carlos Echevarria, Deputy Chief, Tulalip Tribal Police Services

Mr. Echevarria began his law enforcement career with the Tulalip Tribal Police Services in 2001. Since that time he has held the rank of Officer, Corporal, Detective, Sergeant, Patrol Commander, and finally his current rank of Deputy Chief.

In his current role, Mr. Echevarria is responsible for the assisting the Chief of Police in the daily operations of Tulalip Police Services and is the direct supervisor of the patrol sergeant’s; managing, directing, as well as providing leadership and guidance to the daily patrol operation. He also represents Tulalip Police Services at the Quil Ceda Village monthly meetings and is the direct supervisor for all law enforcement activities occurring within Quil Ceda Village.

Mr. Echevarria is a an Advisory Committee Member for the Community Erasing Drug Abuse on the Reservation (CEDAR) Group as well as an Advisory Committee Member for the Tulalip Tribal Aftercare Program.

Mr. Echevarria is also a certified tribal, state, and federal law enforcement officer.

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Greg Engle, Homeland Security Program Director, Office of Justice Assistance, State of Wisconsin

Greg Engle has been serving as the Homeland Security Program Director since 2007.  In this capacity he is responsible for directing, developing, and implementing statewide emergency preparedness initiatives.  These initiatives include a statewide public safety interoperable communications system, regional emergency response teams for collapse rescue, SWAT and bomb response, a statewide volunteer registry and management program, public/private partnerships for emergency responders and government officials and an emergency operations center management system.

Mr. Engle is currently a member of the Governor’s Homeland Security Council, the Center for Human Performance and Risk Analysis Advisory Board, the National Counter-Drug Training Center Homeland Security Advisory Group, and the Wisconsin Emergency Management Association.  He is also a former member of the SAFECOM Emergency Responder Council.

Mr. Engle earned his Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin in 2009.

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Jay Etheridge, Chief of Domestic Security, Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Jay Etheridge began his law enforcement career in 1982 with the Tallahassee Police Department where he served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Narcotics Investigator, D.A.R.E. Officer and was a five-year member of the Tactical Apprehension and Control Team. In 1990, Jay joined FDLE as a Special Agent in the Protective Operations Section during Governor Lawton Chiles’ administration, later serving as a special agent investigating narcotics, violent crimes and fugitive cases. He served nine years on the Special Operations Team, completing his tenure as the team leader.  In 2000, he was promoted to Special Agent Supervisor for the violent crimes and narcotics squads, where he served until his promotion to Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FDLE’s Orlando Regional Operations Center in 2002. In 2003, Jay helped Central Florida develop and implement Florida’s first Child Abduction Response Team.

During the 2004 hurricane season, Jay was involved in the law enforcement response to four major hurricanes.  He served as the Regional Incident Commander for Hurricanes Charley and Frances and Field Commander for Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne. Then in 2005 he was appointed as the Deputy Incident Commander for Hurricane Katrina, overseeing all law enforcement response for the six devastated coastal counties in Mississippi. During this assignment, there were over 1,200 law enforcement personnel providing response and recovery assistance in those six counties.

In January 2006, Jay was appointed as Chief of Investigative Field Services in the Investigations and Forensic Sciences Program Office at Headquarters, where he assisting the Deputy Commissioner with coordinating, implementing, assessing, monitoring and administering the operational activities of the Investigations and Forensics.

In 2007, Jay was promoted to Special Agent in Charge of the Pensacola Region responsible for FDLE’s resources and efforts in ten counties. As the Special Agent in Charge, Jay served as the Region 1 co-chair on Florida’s Domestic Security Oversight Council and chaired Florida’s Law Enforcement Response Committee for the Department of Homeland Security’s State Homeland Security Grant Program.

In 2010, Jay was again assigned to the Investigations and Forensic Sciences Program Office at Headquarters as the Deputy Homeland Security Advisor for Florida. In that position, Jay manages Domestic Security Preparedness, Seaport Security, Critical Infrastructure program, Systems Administration and Florida’s Computer Crime Center (FC3). Domestic Security Preparedness is responsible for coordinating, planning, organizing and directing Florida’s efforts to ensure domestic security. Seaport Security ensures all of Florida’s 14 public seaports maintain security plans and activities that meet minimum standards mandated in Florida Statute 311.12. The Critical Infrastructure section identifies, prioritizes, and assesses Florida’s most critical infrastructure including facilities, systems, other assets and events. Systems Administration administers, maintains and provides user support for automated systems including:  Automated Investigative Management System (AIMS), InSite (statewide law enforcement intelligence sharing database), Factual Analysis Criminal Threat Solution (dFACTS), and Leads Tracking. FC3 conducts complex cyber investigations such as exploitation of children involving the Internet, network intrusions, denial of service attacks and other computer related crimes.

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Jeffrey Friedland, Director, Emergency Management/Homeland Security, St. Clair County, Michigan

Jeffrey Friedland has been the director of emergency management/homeland security for St. Clair County since 1988. He has been involved in the field of emergency services his entire career and has the opportunity to serve as president of two statewide organizations, the Michigan Emergency Management Association and the Michigan State Fireman’s Association.

Mr. Friedland has received three degrees; an associate’s in law enforcement and bachelor’s in business, a master’s in security studies through the Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. He is recognized as a professional emergency manager by the state of Michigan. 

Jeff was appointed to the Michigan Public Safety Communications System Advisory Board by Governor Granholm in 2005. He served as the Chairman of the Tactical Interoperability Planning Committee, which was charged with developing the state plan.

During his journey as the director for St. Clair County, his accomplishments include planning, preparing and coordinating numerous international exercises; forming a county-wide response team; creating planning districts; implementing GIS into the planning and response process. He has been responsible in obtaining numerous public and private grants for various homeland security projects. Currently his focus is on continuity planning, cross border planning and meeting residents' expectations of the emergency services program.

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Peter Gaynor, Director of the Providence, Rhode Island, Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security

Mr. Gaynor began his current role as Director in 2008 where he is responsible for managing a variety of emergency and major special events for the Mayor. Mr. Gaynor led the efforts to achieve accreditations under the Emergency Management Accreditation Program, which made Providence the first city in the nation to meet national standards of excellence.

Mr. Gaynor implemented the use of social media and other technology to improve alert, warning, and notification to the public and has conducted numerous media briefings with local TV and radio on various emergency situations.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Gaynor had a 30 year career in the United States Marine Corps. During this time he managed and coordinated continuity of operations (COOP) efforts and the Joint Emergency Evacuation Plans for Headquarters Marine Corps during September 11th.

Mr. Gaynor is a graduate of the Naval War College and is a Certified Emergency Manager.

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Jimmy Gianato, Director, Division of Homeland Security/Emergency Management, State of West Virginia

Mr. Gianato was designated as the Homeland Security Advisor for the State of West Virginia by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin on December 1, 2010 and has been the Director of the Division of Homeland Security /Emergency Management for the State of West Virginia Since 2005.  In this capacity, he has operational and planning responsibility for the state’s response to all emergency and disaster operations and consequence management for incidents involving weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. During federally declared disasters, he serves as the State Coordinating Officer and the Governor’s Authorized Representative to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He also serves as the Chairman of the State Emergency Response Commission.

Mr. Gianato has been involved in emergency services for over 35 years.  Prior to his current accepting his current position, he served as the Director of 9-1-1 and Emergency Services in McDowell County, West Virginia.  While working in McDowell County, Mr. Gianato was assigned to work as a sworn member of the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office to help assist with a growing arson problem in the county.  He has also been an active member of the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department since 1972, where he held the position of Chief for over 15 years.  Mr. Gianato has also served as an emergency medical technician for the McDowell County Emergency Ambulance Authority where he was a member of the Board of Directors.  Before becoming Director in McDowell County, he served as the General Manager of Gianato Pontiac Buick GMC Chrysler Plymouth Dodge, Inc. and graduated from the GM University of Automotive Management held at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA. Director Gianato has been an active member of the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department since 1972, serving in various capacities including serving as Chief for over 15 years. Mr. Gianato was an EMT serving as a volunteer for the McDowell County Emergency Ambulance Authority (MCAA) and also a member of its Board of Directors.

He serves or has served on several boards and commissions including the West Virginia State Retirement Board, the Commission for National and Community Service, the McDowell County Economic Development Authority, The McDowell County Community Corrections Board and is currently the Region 3 Vice President of the National Emergency Management Agency.

Mr. Gianato is a graduate of Welch High School and holds a degree in Applied Science from New River Community and Technical College.

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Danielle Hale, Coordinator, Nueces County Office of Emergency Management, Texas

Danielle Hale has lived in Rockport along the mid Texas Coast since the mid 1980’s. She began her public service as an emergency telecommunications operator for the Aransas County Sheriff’s Office in 2001. After finding a calling in public safety, she began work to earn her Paramedic certification and served in dual roles with the Sheriff’s Office and Aransas County EMS for several years.

As a Paramedic, she worked to enhance community and youth based education and outreach programs while serving as the Community Education Coordinator and Explorer Post Coordinator. During her time with Aransas County EMS, she became an active instructor in their training academy and also instructed advanced cardiac and pediatric life support courses at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi to base clinicians.

In her role as Community Education Coordinator, she also began what has been a long relationship with the Coastal-Bend Texas Regional Chapter of the American Red Cross serving as an instructor for many years and volunteer. She currently serves the Chapter as a member of their Service Delivery Committee and provides oversight to all programs including education and disaster services.

In 2004, Danielle joined the Fulton Volunteer Fire Department where she still serves an active role as an Associate Member and Fulton Oysterfest Board Member. In her fire service role, she helped to develop state curriculum implementation for the State Fireman’s and Fire Marshal’s Association Certification Board and instructed at several area schools. She also served on the South Central District Firefighters Association Executive Board for numerous years and helped bring the State Convention to Corpus Christi both in 2004 and 2010.

Danielle began the transition into emergency management in 2005 working as a Homeland Security/Emergency Management Planner for the Coastal Bend Council of Governments that served the 12 counties of the Governor’s Planning District 20. She worked to increase the regions training capabilities, provided oversight to regional communications interoperability implementation projects and served key coordination roles for numerous other regional planning initiatives. She also created the first Regional Citizen Corps Council and served as the Regional Citizen Corps Coordinator. She also helped develop the Regional Catastrophic Coordination Plan and served as a liaison between local, state and federal representatives as part of the Regional Multi-Agency Coordination Center. She served a key planning role during Hurricane Katrina to assist with the mass care needs of evacuees flown to Corpus Christi as a result of the devastation unfolding in New Orleans, LA.

Danielle became the Regional Liaison Officer (RLO) for the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management in 2007 where she provided a direct link between local and state emergency management organizations. The RLO is known as the “eyes and ears of the Division” throughout the state providing guidance and oversight for all phases of emergency management and direct onsite incident management for major events and disasters wherever they may occur. She served in key leadership roles during the devastating 2008-09 Wildfire Season, San Angelo FLDS Incident, Starr County Flooding, Breckenridge Tornado, and Hurricanes Dean, Dolly, Eduardo, and Gustav. Additionally, she was responsible for the air evacuation and movement of special needs citizens out of the Coastal Bend Region in anticipation of Hurricane Ike and coordinated the movement of hundreds of buses, ambulances and aircraft under the direction of the Disaster District Chairman. She also responded to Southeast Texas to assist in the largest state/federal response in the state’s history as part of Task Force Texas.

As RLO, Danielle also became a member of numerous State and Regional planning initiatives and is most proud of her work involving special needs evacuations and WebEOC implementation. She was invited to join the USCG Sector Corpus Christi Area Maritime Security Committee where she still serves today and is active in the Port Security Working Group.

Just prior to the 2010 hurricane season, Danielle accepted a position working for Nueces County Judge Loyd Neal as the County’s Emergency Management Coordinator. Her first major victory in her new role was the development and adoption of the Regional Catastrophic Hurricane Reentry Plan that leveraged the unique needs of the private sector, critical infrastructure/key resource partners and public interests following the impact of a major hurricane making direct landfall along the Mid-Texas Coast.

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Michael Hamilton, Chief Information Security Officer, City of Seattle, Washington

City of Seattle Chief Information Security Officer Michael Hamilton has accumulated more than 20 years of experience as a practitioner, entrepreneur, consultant, and in governance. Employers and clients have included retail, manufacturing, aerospace, transportation, academic, law enforcement, publishing and financial sectors, from Fortune 100s to small non-profits. Now in the public sector, he speaks frequently on the dependence of critical infrastructure on the information technology operated by local government, and the potential impacts to utility, transportation management and public safety systems.

A sampling of his current responsibilities include providing leadership to a matrix team across more than 20 departments, for coordinated response and consistent application of policy across a 15,000 user network; maintaining the city's PCI compliance effort across ~30 credit-card payment exposures; providing technology project oversight for enforcement of standards, supplemental security requirements, and test plan design; and reducing the city’s threat surface through implementing design changes to e-mail and web content controls.

He is the architect of the PRISEM system, which is designed to monitor logical security events over multiple public entities in a metropolitan region, and has taken a leadership role to improve security on Washington State's inter-governmental networks. Mr. Hamilton provides regular security briefings to a number of cities and counties throughout the state.

Formerly a NASA/JPL Ocean Scientist tasked with algorithm development for hyperspectral remote sensing, Mr. Hamilton is a graduate (BS, MS) of the University of Southern California.

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Jennifer Harper, Co-Director of the Information Sharing and Analysis Center, New Hampshire Department of Safety

Jennifer Harper began her current position as Co-Director of the Information Sharing and Analysis Center in 2010.  In this capacity she is responsible for the coordination of the day-to-day operations of the Information and Analysis Center (IAC) for all-hazards.  She is also responsible for coordinating the State Critical Infrastructure Protection Program as well as Regional Catastrophic Planning Grant priority projects with internal staff and other state agencies.  Ms. Harper also provides management oversight for the Advisory Council on Emergency Preparedness and Security and is the Designated Security Manager for the IAC.

Prior to taking on her current role, Ms. Harper spent six years as the Bio-Terrorism Coordinator for the New Hampshire Department of Safety-Homeland Security & Emergency Management.  There she coordinated the Center for Disease Control Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant and the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response Hospital Emergency Preparedness Grant.

Ms. Harper also coordinated all-hazard emergency preparedness planning between the Department of Safety, Department of Health and Human Services and local entities, assumed Operations Officer and other upper management positions as necessary, in the State Emergency Operations Center during activations and provided technical support for special projects and events for the agency.

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Wesley Kleene, Director, Office of Drinking Water, Virginia Department of Health

Dr. Kleene is currently the Director of the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water (ODW) with 20 years of experience in the area of water quality, information solutions, and critical infrastructure security. He is currently responsible for executing the ODW mission of providing clean safe drinking water to the citizens of the Commonwealth.

In addition to his current duties with the Virginia Department of Health, Dr. Kleene serves as an active member of various national and state working groups relate to emergency preparedness and security including the Government Coordinating Council on Critical Infrastructure (Water), Virginia Critical Infrastructure Protection Work Group, EPA/AWWA Waterworks Security Committee, and the DHS Human-Induced Hazard Mitigation Working Group.

Dr. Kleene has provided guidance on emergency preparedness and critical infrastructure protection to state and federal agencies including the DHS, FBI, VSP, EPA, and the Virginia Commonwealth Critical Infrastructure Protection Working Group.

In addition to conducting vulnerability assessments, Dr. Kleene was selected as the program manager for the EPA Vulnerability Assessment Review project conducted in Washington, D.C. As the program manager, he was responsible for managing the review process; coordinating information transfers with DHS, EPA, and ORD; and the development of classified documents for congressional review. During this program, all individuals were required to maintain classified information at the Secret level.

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John Madden, Director, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Alaska

Mr. Madden has served his state and his country for more than 40 years. Governor Sarah Palin appointed him in January 2007 as the director of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the State of Alaska. This followed a year as the deputy director for Homeland Security within the division. His state service follows a distinguished career in seven federal agencies.

Madden began his public service career at 17 with service in the U.S. Army, including 20 months in Vietnam. After his military service, he joined the U.S. civil service with the Department of the Navy. He worked in program and project management with the Naval Weapons Engineering Support Activity, Naval Electronic Systems Command, and the Joint (Navy/Air Force) Cruise Missile Project Office. After earning his degree in political science, he joined the Department of Energy as a program and policy analyst working on fossil fuels programs and alternative fuels.

In 1982, he elected to move to Alaska with the National Weather Service and supported its operations throughout Alaska. He next worked for the Alaskan Region of the Federal Aviation Administration as Executive Staff to the Regional Administrator. He also ensured continuity of operations for all FAA operations against all hazards. He supported FEMA in several exercises and served in several Disaster Field Offices, most notably in Puerto Rico and Florida in response to Hurricane Georges. He also served with the Transportation Security Administration as Deputy Federal Security Director for Anchorage International Airport and eight other Alaska airports.

He is a member of several state, regional, and national organizations including:

  • National Homeland Security Consortium
  • National Governors Association Homeland Security Advisory Council
  • Advisory Council of Alaska
  • Alaska Partnership for Infrastructure Protection
  • Regional Consortium Coordinating Council (Public/Private Partnerships for Infrastructure Protection)
  • State, Local, Territorial, Tribal Government Coordinating Council (Infrastructure Protection Policies)
  • Western Regional Emergency Management Advisory Council
  • National Emergency Management Association – Regional Vice President for Region X
  • Regional Advisory Council for FEMA Region X
  • Western States Seismic Policy Council – Board of Directors

Mr. Madden is proud to have served from 2005 to 2008 as the Honorary Commander of the 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron (AWACS) of the 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.

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Tim Maestas, Sergeant, Office of Preparedness and Security, Colorado State Police

Sergeant Tim Maestas is currently serving as the Critical Infrastructure Protection Manager, assigned to the Office of Preparedness and Security under the Governor’s office of Homeland Security. Sergeant Maestas is responsible for managing several programs to include

  • coordinating Colorado’s efforts in critical infrastructure protection with local, state and federal agencies,
  • coordinating the Rubicon critical infrastructure assessments,
  • coordinating Colorado’s buffer zone protection plans,
  • coordinating CIP efforts with the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC), and
  • acting as the System Administrator for Colorado’s efforts to implement the Automated Critical Asset Management System (ACAMS) portal throughout the State.

Sergeant Maestas is a Colorado native and has spent the last 15 years in public service serving with the U.S. Air Force, Vail (Colorado) Police department, and the Colorado State Patrol.

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Mike McAllister, Deputy Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness, Virginia Governor's Office of Commonwealth Preparedness

Central to the mission of the Commonwealth of Virginia is ensuring that communities, businesses, and government are safe, secure, and prepared. Pivotal to the success of this mission is the ability to protect the Critical Infrastructure (CI) and Key Resources (KR) of the Commonwealth.

Mr. McAllister’s role is to guide the enhancement of CIKR protection and resiliency to ensure that essential governmental missions, state services, and economic functions are maintained in the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other type of significant incident. The Virginia Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resiliency Strategic Plan is being implemented by Mr. McAllister as directed by the Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness. Accordingly, Mr. McAllister works with federal, state, and local officials, as well as private sector partners to provide a seamless, coordinated, security and preparedness strategy and support implementation plans, as mandated by the General Assembly and the Code of Virginia.

Mr. McAllister is a retired naval officer with over 40 years of experience in the field of security including management of international programs in Denmark, Italy, and Indonesia. He was also the State Security Director, Virginia Department of Transportation and led many of the early Commonwealth efforts working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop and implement security programs on a nation-wide basis. He is continuing this work as a member of the Governor’s Office of Commonwealth Preparedness. Virginia is recognized as a leader in homeland security, including efforts to deploy an emergency responder credentialing program, establishment of fixed and mobile radiological/nuclear detection capability, deployment of the Automated Critical Asset Management System (ACAMS), and many other security related initiatives. Mr. McAllister chairs the National Capital Region Critical Infrastructure Protection Programmatic Working Group and recently completed the first private sector focused CIKR Interdependency Seminar for that region. He is also co-chair of the Commonwealth of Virginia Private Security Working Group, and the All Hazards Consortium Critical Infrastructure Protection Committee.

Mr. McAllister has worked on special assignments with Oak Ridge National Laboratories; Transportation Research Board Continuity of Operations Plan for Transportation Agencies, Chair; Committee on Critical Transportation Infrastructure Protection, Member.

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Kathy McKeever, Director, Office of Infrastructure Protection, California Emergency Management Agency

Kathy McKeever was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as Director of the Office of Infrastructure Protection for the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) in January of 2009 upon the merger of the Governor’s Offices of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Prior to being named director, Kathy served for Governor Schwarzenegger as Assistant Deputy Director of Infrastructure Protection for the California Office of Homeland Security since 2005.

In these roles, Kathy implemented and developed California’s Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) Protection Program.  Her responsibilities include establishing state policies for the identification, prioritization and protection of California’s critical assets, developing security measures for prevention and protection, as well as analysis and review of security processes and procedures for critical infrastructure.  Responsibilities also include oversight of California’s vulnerabilities, and consequence assessments on California’s infrastructure.  Kathy works closely with other state and local agencies, and the private sector to formulate strategy for developing “best practices” for protecting California’s critical infrastructure within each of the 18 sectors to ensure the objectives within the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) are carried out in California.  Kathy also has oversight of the Emergency Partnership Advisory Working Group which is a statewide public-private partnership promoting activities associated with homeland security/emergency management efforts.

Prior to joining the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security in 2005, Kathy was a Bureau Chief at the Department of Consumer Affairs where she was responsible for policy and operations of the Bureaus including licensing, enforcement, and overall staff supervision.

Between 2001 and 2004, Kathy served with the California Department of Insurance as Assistant Director for Legislation.  Prior to that position, Governor Pete Wilson appointed her to be Chief of Legislation for the Office of Criminal Justice Planning (OCJP) in 1993.  In that position, she was responsible for all criminal justice legislation sponsored by Governor Wilson.  During her tenure at OCJP she also served as the Planning and Evaluation Division Chief and the Program Division Chief for the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Children’s, and Victim-Witness program branches.  

Kathy is a Vice Chair and on the Board of Directors for The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP). She also is an Executive Board member for the Los Angeles World Airports Airport Security Advisory Committee.  Kathy received her Bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University, and her Master’s in Criminal Justice Planning from Oklahoma City University.  She also is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School Executive Leadership Program, and the USC Executive Leadership Program in Counter-Terrorism.

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Bill Minear, Director, West Virginia Critical Infrastructure Protection Task Force

Bill Minear is a member of the West Virginia National Guard - Military Authority, serving as Deputy Director – Critical Infrastructure Protection Programs for the Joint Interagency Training & Education Center (JITEC). Bill has 35 years of public safety (law enforcement, fire/rescue, emergency medical services) and private industry (security, safety & health, industrial hygiene) experience. He has provided leadership and guidance to organizations and companies in all facets of protective services and emergency preparedness, planning and response. He is currently assigned to provide leadership support to the critical infrastructure and key resources programs for the state of West Virginia.

Bill graduated from West Virginia University-Parkersburg in 1983 with a degree in Fire Science and Safety Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in 2002 from Glenville State College. He has continued his education by earning his Master of Science – Strategic Leadership in 2006 from Mountain State University. Bill is currently pursuing his Doctor of Executive Leadership at the Charles H. Polk School of Leadership & Professional Development at Mountain State University.

A Board Certified Protection Professional with ASIS International, Bill currently serves in a volunteer leadership position as Vice Chairman of the Fire & Life Safety Council. In March 2011 he was selected as a member of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's State, Local, Tribal, & Territorial Government Coordinating Council (SLTTGCC), serving two years prior as a subject matter expert for critical infrastructure programs. He is a 1982 graduate of the West Virginia State Police Academy - 42nd Basic Class, and a 1997 graduate of the Executive Protection Institute - Class 41, earning certification as a Personal Protection Specialist. Bill holds adjunct faculty positions with the West Virginia State Police Academy, Mountain State University, and West Virginia Department of Education - RESA Public Safety Training.

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Calvin Moss, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigation Division, Atlanta Police Department

Deputy Chief Calvin W. Moss is a Michigan native who moved to Atlanta in order to become an Atlanta Police officer in 1981. During his tenure he has served as a patrol officer, sergeant, and lieutenant prior to his appointments to major and deputy chief. He currently serves as the commander of the department's Criminal Investigations Division.

As a patrol officer, Deputy Chief Moss worked as a beat officer in Zones Three and Four prior to his assignment to Background Investigations. There he conducted investigations on potential police applicants, determining their suitability for employment and was a member of the team honored for outstanding performance by the Commissioner of Public Safety for hiring more than 200 new police officers in a single year - a first for the department.

Deputy Chief Moss has commanded the In-Service and Specialized Training Units at the Atlanta Police Academy where he managed the annual training of all Atlanta Police officers and instilled the "Training Toward Excellence" philosophy still employed by the academy staff today. He served for eight years as executive officer to the chief of police, managing the daily activities of the chief's office. There he coordinated the department's public affairs function and assisted in the development a specific career ladder for employees. He also assisted in coordinating law enforcement media relations for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games and developed the media response protocol for Super Bowl XXXIV.

As the department's night commander in 2003, Deputy Chief Moss was responsible for all personnel assigned to the Field Operations Division during evening hours. He assumed command of the Special Operations Section in August 2003 where he oversaw the Atlanta Police Motorcycle Unit, Hit and Run/Fatality Unit, DUI Task Force, Helicopter Unit, Mounted Patrol and SWAT/Bomb Disposal Teams. He led a contingent of more than 200 Atlanta Police officers to assist in securing the G-8 Summit in Sea Island, Georgia in 2004 and was successful in negotiating the agreement that resulted in the Georgia State Patrol handling traffic accidents on Atlanta interstates. He also studied counter terrorism practices with law enforcement and military counterparts in Israel.

In January 2010, Deputy Chief Moss was appointed to his present rank and is currently responsible for managing the Criminal Investigations Division. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Brenau University and is the final stages of completing a Master's degree in criminal justice at Saint Leo University. He is a Summa cum laude graduate of both the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville and the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

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Rafael Muñoz-Cintron, Director, State Homeland Security Office, Government of Puerto Rico

Rafael has served at various levels of Puerto Rico's state and local governments.  After his Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Air Force (Active Duty) in 1993, he went on to serve as Special Assistant at the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico.  There he served as liaison and coordinated several events related to the National Governors' Association (NGA) and the Council of State Governments (CSG).  On 1996 he was appointed as Community Officer of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration's New England Regional Office.  He returned to Puerto Rico on 1998 and immediately was recruited as Executive Aide to State Senator Luisa Lebron.  During his tenure in the Senate of Puerto Rico, Rafael also served as Executive Director of the Senate's Public Safety Committee.  From 2001 to 2008 he worked at the Municipality of San Juan (Capital City) where he last served as Director of the Integrated Service Center. 

On January 2009 he was appointed to serve as Deputy Director of the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency. After the CAPECO Fuel Depot explosion in Guaynabo, PR on November 2009; Rafael was designated as Deputy Director of the State Homeland Security Office and Deputy State Administrative Agent. Subsequently, he was named Director of the State Homeland Security Officer on July 1, 2010 by the Governor. He is a member of the US Coast Guard's San Juan-USVI Executive Area Maritime Security Committee.  He also holds the rank of Auxiliary Captain of the Puerto Rico Police Department, an Honorary Commission as Lieutenant of the US Navy (Operations Support Center PR) and Honorary Naval Aviator (US Harry S. Truman CVN 75).  He is also a member of the National Eagle Scout Association. 

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Irene Navis, Emergency Manager, Clark County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Nevada

Irene L. Navis, AICP, was recently appointed Clark County’s Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Irene was a Planning Manager with the Clark County, Nevada, Department of Comprehensive Planning for 9 years. Irene has nearly 23 years of progressive responsibility and experience in Clark County government. She has led Clark County's Nuclear Waste Oversight Program since 2001. Under Irene’s leadership, the team has received several awards recognizing innovative planning and public outreach accomplishments. She received her certified planner designation in 1996 from the American Institute of Certified Planners. Irene has earned Bachelor’s degree in Management and Leadership.

Irene has made presentations regarding various aspects of Yucca Mountain oversight at several conferences and meetings including International High Level Radioactive Waste conferences, Waste Management Conferences, the Harvard School of Public Health, the National Academy of Sciences, the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, and the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future.

Irene has authored or co-authored several papers on Yucca Mountain oversight, community indicators, socioeconomic impacts, sustainability, and public outreach. Irene serves as the Chair of Clark County’s Yucca Mountain Advisory Committee, was recently appointed Chair of Clark County’s Local Emergency Planning Committee, and Co-Chair of the State Homeland Security Grants Working Group. Irene serves as a member of the International Advisory Committee (IAC) for the Wessex Institute of Technology (United Kingdom), and is involved in conference planning activities related to Sustainable Tourism (2008, 2010), Ecosystems and Sustainable Development (2009 and 2011), and Water and Society (2011).

Irene is a member of the American Planning Association, and the American Institute of Certified Planners. She is a member of the American Society for Public Administrators, and served as President of the Southern Nevada ASPA Chapter’s Board of Directors for 2008-09. Irene performs volunteer community service as an arbitrator with the State Bar of Nevada Fee Dispute Committee.

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Gilbert Orrantia, Director, Arizona Department of Homeland Security

Gilbert Orrantia became the Director of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security in June, 2009. Prior to heading Arizona’s Homeland Security efforts at the State, he served in the FBI for 26 years.

Mr. Orrantia brings a national and global perspective on counterterrorism that is gained from vast counterterrorism experience including the supervision of an FBI Counterterrorism squad in Phoenix, and serving eight years as a Supervisory Special Agent. For four years he headed the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Phoenix, Arizona which is located at Arizona’s fusion center, known as the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC).

Recognized as an expert in investigations of terrorism, drugs and violent crimes, Mr. Orrantia’s FBI successful law enforcement career is reflected in the numerous awards and commendations he received. Among them are two of the FBI’s highest commendations: the Medal of Valor and the FBI Star. These awards were made to Mr. Orrantia for his role in the deadliest firefight in FBI history- a gun battle known as the "Miami Shootout" in which two fellow FBI agents were killed.

Mr. Orrantia has lectured to members of the members of the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia on officer safety and survival and continues to share his expertise in surviving a deadly encounter with numerous law enforcement agencies.

Mr. Orrantia, a native Arizonan who is fluent in Spanish, was raised in Mesa, Arizona. He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Secondary Education.

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Susan Palchick, Manager of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Hennepin County, Minnesota, Health Department

Susan Palchick is the administrative manager for Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Assessment and Public Health Emergency Preparedness at Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department in Minnesota. She has been with Hennepin County for 11 years and also serves as the environmental health director for Hennepin County. Prior to coming to Hennepin County, Susan was the program manager for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) for 10 years. MMCD is a special local governmental unit covering the cities and seven counties surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Susan has been a public health representative to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) for several years and also served on the Bioterrorism and Emergency Preparedness Committee, National Association of County & City Health Officials, 2002-2006. She serves on several state and local public health emergency response workgroups. She is the principal investigator for an Advanced Practice Center (APC) grant from NACCHO awarded to Hennepin County in collaboration with Minneapolis and Ramsey County. This APC project is focused on environmental health emergency preparedness. Susan also completed FEMA’s Integrated Emergency Management Course as well as numerous Minnesota emergency management courses.

Susan received her Ph.D. in medical entomology from the University of California-Davis in 1986; master's of public health in epidemiology from the University of California-Berkeley in 1983; M.S. in entomology from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1981; and B.S. (with honors) in agricultural journalism-natural science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1978.

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Curtis Parsons, Homeland Security and Emergency Coordinator, County of Lenawee, MI

Mr. Parsons is a twenty-five year veteran of the fire service with fifteen years as a chief officer. He is a certified fire fighter, fire officer, instructor, and licensed fire code inspector with the state of Michigan. He founded the Lenawee County CISD team and served on the county technical rescue team. In a career running parallel to his evolvement in the fire service he was also employed at a chemical manufacturing facility. As site safety trainer he instructed employees in hazardous materials, response & mitigation, incident command as well as confined space entry and rescue procedures. He retired from the chemical industry after thirty-five years to accept his current position with Lenawee County.

Curtis is a member of the Michigan Emergency Management Association (MEMA), The Michigan Fire Inspectors Society and the national All-Hazards Incident Management Team Association. He sets on the local county planning committee, the county medical control authority, county health and American Red Cross board of directors. He holds a Bachelors degree in public safety, Masters Degree (MA) in Leadership with a concentration in emergency management from Siena Heights University and has earned the designation as a Professional Emergency Manager (PEM) with the Michigan State Police. He serves as the Michigan Region one committee chair for the development of a regional all-hazards incident management team and the board's executive committee.

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Ralph Reichert, Director of the Homeland Security Division, Georgia Emergency Management Agency

Ralph Reichert is the Director of the Homeland Security Division within Georgia Emergency Management Agency. He is responsible for state’s terrorism planning and operational response effort, as well as the overall management of critical infrastructure protection, fire services (search and rescue and HazMat), training, exercises and the homeland security grants process. Ralph’s leadership and forward-thinking directly contributed to development of states’ robust bomb, HazMat and urban search and rescue capability.

He enlisted in the United States Army in 1968, served in Viet Nam for 20 months where he was awarded the Bronze Star. He began his career in law enforcement as a deputy sheriff in Illinois in 1975 and relocated to Georgia in 1982 where he continued service in law enforcement as the Northwest Area District Director for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. He joined GEMA in 1997 as the Exercise Training Officer, and has held positions as the Atlanta Area Field Coordinator and was the agency’s Consequence Manager when the attacks of September 11th occurred.

Ralph has a degree from Southern Illinois University in Sociology and Human Services, and a Masters in Public Administration from Kennesaw State University. He has served on numerous advisory committees for the Department of Homeland Security, and is an adjunct instructor for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

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Kurt Reuther, Homeland Security Advisor, Department of Homeland Security /Emergency Management Agency

Mr. Reuther was appointed to the position of Homeland Security Advisor for the State of Delaware in 2010.  Prior to his appointment he had worked in and with Delaware’s law enforcement community for nearly 25 years. 

Mr. Reuther began his career with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) in 1983 with the Division of Parks and Recreation. In 1992, he was named DNREC Regional Environmental Enforcement Officer for the Division of Air and Waste Management. In this capacity, he managed environmental and hazardous material emergencies.

In 2004, Reuther was named Chief of Air and Waste Management Enforcement. He also served a co-manager of the DNREC Emergency Response Team and served as State On-Scene Coordinator for environmental and hazardous material incidents involving unified command and federal authorities.

Mr. Reuther holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Delaware and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. He is also certified Police Academy Instructor.

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Susan Palchick, Manager of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Hennepin County, Minnesota, Health Department

Susan Palchick is the administrative manager for Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Assessment and Public Health Emergency Preparedness at Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department in Minnesota. She has been with Hennepin County for 11 years and also serves as the environmental health director for Hennepin County. Prior to coming to Hennepin County, Susan was the program manager for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) for 10 years. MMCD is a special local governmental unit covering the cities and seven counties surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Susan has been a public health representative to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) for several years and also served on the Bioterrorism and Emergency Preparedness Committee, National Association of County & City Health Officials, 2002-2006. She serves on several state and local public health emergency response workgroups. She is the principal investigator for an Advanced Practice Center (APC) grant from NACCHO awarded to Hennepin County in collaboration with Minneapolis and Ramsey County. This APC project is focused on environmental health emergency preparedness. Susan also completed FEMA’s Integrated Emergency Management Course as well as numerous Minnesota emergency management courses.

Susan received her Ph.D. in medical entomology from the University of California-Davis in 1986; master's of public health in epidemiology from the University of California-Berkeley in 1983; M.S. in entomology from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1981; and B.S. (with honors) in agricultural journalism-natural science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1978.

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Clayton Rives, Deputy Director, Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

Clayton Rives was appointed Deputy Director of Homeland Security in the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) by Director Mark Cooper on June 16, 2008.  Rives oversees the Homeland Security, Preparedness, and Regional Support Sections and is responsible for the coordination of all homeland security and emergency management training, exercises, counterterrorism, and field response operations for the State of Louisiana. Rives also serves as the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Grant Administrator for the state.  During times of natural or man-made disasters or emergencies, Rives provides operational guidance to Governor Bobby Jindal and the State Unified Command Group serving as the night operations senior leader for GOHSEP. Rives also serves as the Commander of the State Forward Coordination Center overseeing the operation and management of the state’s response during the activation of regional evacuation plans.

Rives began his career as a criminal justice professional in 1989, working for the Louisiana State Police in the Bureau of Information and Identification. In 1991, Rives accepted a position with the Governor’s Office, where he was assigned to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice. He joined the staff of the Louisiana Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, Investigation Division, in 1994. In 2004, Rives was appointed Deputy Director of the Investigation Division and managed activities of the state-wide investigative, forensic, and support sections.

In 2005, Rives was selected by the Attorney General to serve as the Commander of the Attorney General's Hurricane Task Force and lead the teams’ emergency field response for both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Since working for GOHSEP, Rives has worked numerous incidents including Hurricanes Gustav, Ike, and Mississippi Canon 252.

Rives holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Master of Public Administration from Louisiana State University (LSU). He is a graduate of the 122nd LSU Police Training Academy and the 2005 LSU Command College.

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Shelly Schechter, Director, Office of Public Health Preparedness, Department of Health, Nassau County, New York

Shelly Schechter is the director of the Division of Community Health for the Nassau County Department of Health, Long Island, New York. The division includes the Office of Emergency Preparedness, which manages all preparedness grants awarded to the Health Department including the CDC Public Health Preparedness and Response to Bioterrorism Grant, the New York City and New York State Cities Readiness Initiative, pandemic influenza funding, and the Medical Reserve Corps that is designed to operate as a public health model. This office is responsible for strategic planning and policy development, education and planning within the Health and Human Services departments and integration of preparedness planning with the County Office of Emergency Management. 

Shelly is a member of the Homeland Security Information Network Advisory Council and several county, city and state level healthcare emergency preparedness and response planning organizations.             

A Board Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist in Community Health, she received a B.S. from Boston College, a M.S. from Adelphi University School of Nursing, and a M.A. in Security Studies from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. 

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Ulie Seal, Fire Chief, City of Bloomington, Minnesota

Chief Seal has 33 years of experience of service in volunteer and career fire service, with extensive training in technical rescue and hazardous material response.  He has achieved the designation of Chief Fire Officer from the Commission on Chief Fire Officer Designation, and Executive Fire Chief from the National Fire Academy.  He served for 27 years with the Minneapolis Fire Department, progressively obtaining higher rank and responsibility, including that of Captain, Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief and Assistant Chief.  Simultaneously with his service in the Minneapolis Fire Department, he served in the Bloomington Fire Department, all volunteer department.  Chief Seal also progressed in rank in the Bloomington Department, serving as Captain, Deputy Chief, and Fire Chief.  He retired in 2007 from the Minneapolis Fire Department, after eight years of service as the Assistant Chief of Operations, to become the first full time Fire Chief and Emergency Manager of the City of Bloomington.

In addition to his departmental duties, Chief Seal has been an active member on numerous state and federal CIKR and homeland security boards, working groups, and councils.  He is a recognized leader in communications interoperability efforts, having served as a Governor's appointee on the Minnesota State Radio Board, the State Radio Board Interoperable Communications Committee representing the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs, and the FEMA Region V Regional Communications Coordinating Work Group.  He also serves in a variety of capacities in the Minneapolis - St. Paul UASI, including as an incident management coordinator. Chief Seal is the immediate past Chair of the SLTTGCC.

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Jane Shunney, Manager, Office of Public Health Preparedness, Southern Nevada Health District, Las Vegas, Nevada

Jane has been with the Southern Nevada Health District for over 20 years. She has served as assistant to three chief health officers and is currently the manager of the Office of Public Health Preparedness.  Jane has been involved in many programs at the Health District within nursing, EMS, the hospital emergency departments and the emergency management community. 

Jane has served on the State Homeland Security Grants Subcommittee, is vice-chair for the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and serves on the LEPC Grants Subcommittee. She has attended several FEMA courses at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland since 1994 including the seven-day course for ICS Incident Management Team training in 2006, and recently completed the SMI Management Course for Clark County, Nevada 2008. She is a member of the FEMA Comprehensive Planning Guide Working Group. By invitation from the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Jane served as a public health nurse advisor on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Call Center Advisory Panel. They developed a model for adapting community health call centers to support outpatient healthcare and monitoring in a major healthcare crisis.  

Jane is a B.S.N. graduate of Loyola University in Chicago and holds an M.S. in healthcare administration from University of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois. 

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Mark Sloan, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Coordinator, Harris County, TX Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management

Mark Sloan is Homeland Security & Emergency Management Coordinator for Harris County, Texas, serving nearly 4 million incredibly diverse residents covering over 1,770 square miles.  Because of Harris County's large population, port operations, transportation infrastructure, and concentration of petrochemical plants, the Department of Homeland Security has identified Harris County as a Tier 1 region. To meet the growing expectations responsibilities of  emergency management, Sloan is streamlining regional emergency response coordination through the use of automated flood warning systems, traffic management systems, broadcast media capabilities, first responder and citizen alerting, Doppler Radar imagery, GIS mapping systems, and regional interoperable communications.

As the Director of the Harris County Citizen Corps, an innovative, award-winning citizen preparedness initiative, recognized as a National Best Practice, he coordinates all aspects of the program.  Working with a team of County technology experts, he developed one of the first websites devoted to the sharing of citizen preparedness volunteer opportunities and tracking of volunteer hours.

During the Katrina relief effort at the Astrodome, Mark was assigned to the Unified Command to coordinate the volunteers.  During the 21 days over 60,000 volunteers received various assignments that helped over 65,000 evacuees from New Orleans.  On September 9, 2005, Mark was recognized for his efforts by ABC Nightly News as the Person of the Week, and at the 2006 National Hurricane Conference in Orlando, he received the Special Award; Texas' Response to Katrina Evacuees, for leadership and coordination.  He also, received "The Presidents Call To Service Award" in September of 2007 recognizing the accomplishments of the Harris County Citizen Corps and for coordinating the volunteer response during the Katrina relief effort.

In the fall of 2008, Mark was recognized by the Houston Texans football team on Reliant Stadium's 50-yard line and later received the John C. Freeman Weather Museum's Hurricane Hero Award for his exemplary leadership during Hurricane Ike.

He also served as the chairman of the Harris County Department of Education ALERT Task Force.  The goal of this initiative was to strengthen and improve school/campus safety (crisis) plans by identifying and utilizing partner resources to implement emergency response and crisis management trainings emphasizing mitigation/prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

In 2003 he worked closely with the Super Bowl XXXVIII (38) Executive Host Committee to coordinate County resources as needed for highly successful weeklong celebration. 

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Joseph W. Smith, Captain, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department

Mr. Smith was born in upstate New York, graduated from high school and college and immediately thereafter joined the New York State Police in Peekskill, New York.  After 4 months basic training he was assigned to field officer training in Watertown, New York and thereafter several patrol stations throughout New York.  During that time he served on several special State Police details including commercial truck enforcement, interstate radar enforcement and hazardous material enforcement.  Mr. Smith was promoted to sergeant in the uniform force in 1986, station commander/sergeant in 1987 and zone sergeant in 1993.  His duties required the command and supervision of as many as 100 troopers.  Mr. Smith retired from state service in 1999 after 31 ½ years.

Mr. Smith joined the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department in 2002 as a police officer and rose to the rank of Investigator in the Bureau of Investigation in 2005.  He was promoted to Lieutenant in the uniform force in 2006 and Captain in 2008.  Serving as a Captain in a department consisting of 43 sworn and civilian personnel, he has the direct responsibility over the uniform and plain clothes departments, training and internal affairs departments, and supervision of all major criminal investigations.  Mr. Smith also represents the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department on the Tribal Justice Committee of the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET).  USET is an organization of Native American tribes meeting three times a year to coordinate efforts for the betterment of Native Americans.  This organization has most recently made significant contributions to the recent Congressionally passed law, HR 725, Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments Act of 2010 (Tribal Law and Order). 

In 1979 Mr. Smith joined the United States Army Reserve and served for the next 26 years.  He is a combat veteran of the Gulf War, Desert Storm, serving in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.  Additionally, he served 14 months in the second Gulf War, stationed in Baghdad, where his unit, the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, received a presidential citation for our service.  He retired from the military in 2007 with the rank of First Sergeant.

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Keith Squires, Homeland Security Advisor, State of Utah

Colonel Keith D. Squires started his career with the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) in November of 1989. He began as a Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) trooper patrolling Utah’s Uintah basin area in the northeast portion of the state. During that time he proposed and coordinated several multi-agency public safety projects. He served as a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer teaching to elementary school students in the Uintah School District. Col. Squires recalls his years as a trooper with great fondness and enjoyed his opportunities to work closely and build relationships with all public safety agencies in the area. He views the field positions at DPS as the most vital link to providing exceptional services that ensure a safe and secure environment for everyone in Utah.

In 1994, Keith was promoted to sergeant in the UHP’s Salt Lake County field section. In 1998, Deputy Commissioner Ferris Groll requested Keith to serve as an investigative sergeant in the DPS internal affairs division. In 1999, Keith was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and commanded the UHP south-central section in Richfield. In January of 2001, Keith was appointed as the bureau captain overseeing UHP operations in the central and southern portions of the state. As a DPS Captain, Keith also served as the deputy director of the Utah Division of Homeland Security and as the director of the State Bureau of Investigation. In 2006, Colonel D. Lance Davenport promoted Keith to serve as an assistant superintendent with the rank of Major.

In September of 2007, Colonel Squires was appointed by Governor Huntsman and Commissioner Scott T. Duncan to serve as deputy commissioner of DPS. He continues to serve in this role for Commissioner Davenport. He is also the State Director of Homeland Security responsible for overseeing the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Statewide Information and Analysis Center. Keith holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Columbia College of Missouri and a Master of Arts Degree in Homeland Security and Defense through the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Ca. He is a 2005 graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session #216, Quantico, Virginia.

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Curt Sullivan, Asset Protection Planner, Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management

Curt Sullivan joined the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division in December of 2004 and is currently assigned to the Threat Information and Infrastructure Protection Program (TIIPP). Curt oversees the statewide asset protection program to include critical asset identification, vulnerability assessment programs and integration of CIKR programs in the Iowa Fusion Center. Additional duties include collaboration with state and local public/private sector partners and project officer for asset/infrastructure homeland security grant programs.

Previously he held the position of Homeland Security Regional Planner under the Preparedness Bureau. In this role, he helped develop the Continuity of Operation and Continuity of Government (COOP/COG) program for state agencies, was the project manager for the State Hazard Mitigation Plan, and was a planning liaison for local County Emergency Management agencies.

Curt began his career with Northwest Iowa Planning and Development Commission in 2001 as a City Planner. He provided technical assistance to county and local jurisdictions on hazard mitigation planning, grant writing, land use planning, and zoning ordinances.

Curt holds a bachelor’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University.

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Brian Wright, Director, Critical Infrastructure Program, New York

Brian K. Wright is assigned to the New York State Office of Homeland Security and is responsible for the Critical Infrastructure Division. In this capacity, Brian oversees the statewide assessment of the vulnerability of the state’s critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) to terrorist attacks. 

Brian most recently served as program associate in the Office of Secretary to the Governor, with responsibility for issues related to Office of Homeland Security, Division of Military and Naval Affairs, New York State Police, New York State Emergency Management Office, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, New York State Department of Civil Service, New York State Division of Human Rights, New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs.  Prior to his service for the secretary to the governor, he served for six years as a legislative assistant to the counsel to the governor.

Brian draws on his public policy background to develop and implement the collaborative counter-terrorism efforts of critical state agencies, departments, and authorities and works with local government and the private sector to enhance security through effective stakeholder partnerships. He is a co-chair of the Mid-Atlantic State Critical Infrastructure Protection Working Group, under the All Hazards Consortium. 

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John Yarboro, Homeland Security Branch Chief, NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety

Mr. Yarboro began a second career in public service in 2005 after 25 years of successful private-sector corporate management and consulting. As Homeland Security Branch Chief, he is responsible for managing North Carolina’s State Homeland Security Program, including the State Infrastructure Protection Program, Homeland Security Grant Program, Port Security Grant Program, State Homeland Security Strategy, State Preparedness Report and other related DHS programs and activities. John advises senior state officials on homeland security issues, including the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor and the State Emergency Response Commission.

The Homeland Security Branch currently administers over $200 million in active federal homeland security grants and works with federal and state agencies, 101 local jurisdictions and other homeland security stakeholders to meet program objectives. 

John, a native Tar Heel, has degrees in history and political science from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended graduate school at East Carolina University.

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Bob Zehentbauer, Director, Office of Public Health Preparedness, Columbiana County Health District, OH

Mr. Zehentbauer currently serves as Director of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Planning for the Columbiana County Health District. Working with the critical infrastructure and manufacturing industries of Northeastern Ohio, Bob is responsible for developing vulnerability and public health assessments to improve all hazards, bioterrorism, WMD, and pandemic response. From April 2009 to April 2010, he was the Director of the H1N1 Mass Vaccination Response Unit for Columbiana County Health District. Serving as Incident Command Planning Section Chief and Public Information Officer, he was responsible for directing a multi-agency and Columbiana County Health Department support team during the 2009-10 H1N1 public health emergency.  

Bob is active on several federal and local committees; among them include appointments to the Homeland Security (SLTTGCC) State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Government Coordinating Council and to The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Project Public Health Ready Program. He is also a member of the Columbiana County Homeland Security and Local Emergency Planning Committees, Pandemic Flu Task Force, Tri-State Emergency Consortium, and is Chairman of The American Cancer Society for Columbiana County.

Prior to his current position, Bob was employed with United Airlines at Washington-Dulles International Airport. Working within the flight operations division for over 20 years, he was responsible for maintaining the safety and security of passengers and aircraft for onboard operations at United Airlines.    

Bob was elected and served a four-year term from December 2006 to January 2010 as Hanover Township Trustee of Columbiana County, Ohio, providing fiscal accountability and board supervision of a $1.3M budget.        

Additionally, since 1996, Bob has been the Owner and Operating Manager of Eagle Pass Golf Course, East Rochester, Ohio.

Mr. Zehentbauer received a bachelor’s degree in 1985 and is a lifetime member of the Alumni Association of The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

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