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The Secretary’s Award for Excellence recognizes outstanding individual achievement or innovation by an employee engaged in work to advance the mission of the Department of Homeland Security. This work may have resulted in superior performance, significant operational improvements or notable innovation in support of Department of Homeland Security missions.
This year's winners are listed below, along with a description of their contributions and achievements:
For innovation in installing hydrographic survey equipment on Coast Guard Cutters that has sped up hydrographic survey work in the sub-arctic region.
David M. Seris, USCG Juneau, AK
For providing outstanding support to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas and the Karnes Family Residential Center in Kansas City, Texas.
For leadership in planning and conducting 54 cybersecurity exercises in direct support of DHS mission to lead the national effort to secure and enhance the resilience of the Nation's infrastructure.
Jennine Gilbeau, NPPD Arlington, VA
For exemplary performance and collaboration within DHS and the wider law enforcement community through innovations that have led to the development of several new programs and improvement of many more.
Emilio Hernandez, NPPD Brunswick, GA
For leading his team in transitioning numerous critical mainframe applications and associated data using new and improved technologies.
Gregory A. James, USSS Washington, DC
For outstanding service in the areas of digital forensic, data storage, and data recovery policies and strategies in support of USSS’ investigative mission.
Glen E. Terry, USSS Washington, DC
For outstanding leadership of the West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters Bridge Project, resulting in the construction of 17 bridges with over 300 more on the list to be built.
Lorra Michelle Breeland, FEMA Philadelphia, PA
For issuing Department-wide guidance about how and when information regarding immigration and the Violence against Women Act may legitimately be used.
Instruction – Disclosure of 1367 Information Team Washington, DC
For developing an innovative multi-faceted tipping and cueing process to alert inter-agency partners to illicit and suspect maritime and air activity along the California Coastal Region and Baja, Mexico.
Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center, Intelligence Watch Officer Team Alameda, CA
Lieutenant Timothy S. Williams, USCG Lieutenant James D. Phillips, USCG Lieutenant Jeffrey T. Melville, USCG Lieutenant Alfonso V. Kealy, USCG Lieutenant Justin A. Parker, USCG Lieutenant Judge Michael R. Vives, USCG Ensign Thomas E. Peebles, USCG Christopher M. Henry, USCG Gilbert Lopez, CBP Daniel Brick, CBP
For fielding a new and innovative conveyor-based radiation scanning system that will result in significant operational improvements in scanning transport cargo containers.
TraPac Radiation Scanning for Automated Operations Team Washington, DC
John W. Beck, DNDO John Blackadar, DNDO Brian Daw, DNDO Kenneth A. Maddox, DNDO Todd Pardue, DNDO Paul F. Spraggs, DNDO Antonio R. Bello, CBP Calvin Coleman, CBP Raymond P. Kraft, CBP Fred D. Owen, CBP Paul H. Summers, CBP Lafonda D. Sutton-Burke, CBP Laura M. Tapia, CBP Marion Cordova, OGC
For working diligently to ensure maximum usage of on-campus dormitory resources and the highest quality off-campus hotel rooms for students.
Glynco Lodging Team Glynco, GA
Luke Rhaney, FLETC Anthony Overstreet, FLETC Eric J. Sizemore, FLETC Angel A. Melendez, FLETC Michael Harris, FLETC Diana M. Pomeroy, FLETC Sheila Henley, FLETC Annie A. Price, FLETC Erin Wofford, FLETC Sheryle Wood, FLETC Sharon D. Bodford, FLETC
For outstanding accomplishment in improving customer service and creating an annual savings of more than $5 million dollars.
USCIS Checklist Team Dallas, TX
Jason A. Tarbet, CIS Steven Douglas, CIS Michael L. Kane, CIS Harriett M. Hufford, CIS Tracy Ware Odetunmibi, CIS Eva M. Daniel, CIS David P. Badger, CIS Felicia M. Cameron, CIS Michael M. Rehor, CIS Robert M. Corleto, CIS
For establishing the TSA Incident Command Center, an initiative that has brought together government and industry to reduce passenger wait times during air travel surges.
Incident Command Center Washington, DC
Benjamin Sears, TSA Lalit Lal, TSA David Siegmund, TSA Rashad Smith, TSA Julian Williams, TSA Andrew Johnson, TSA Joseph Illar, TSA Mohamad Mirghahari, TSA Randy Cotton, TSA Paul Wisniewski, TSA
For significant contributions in establishing the ICE Insider Threat Program.
ICE Insider Threat Group Washington, DC
Michael G. Tirrell, ICE Joseph Arnold, ICE Richard Balfour, ICE
For outstanding collaboration in creating a program resulting in demonstrable improvements in operational security in ICE's counterintelligence mission.
ICE Counterintelligence Team Washington, DC
Christopher R. Pascua, ICE Jason A. Axley, ICE Jessica L. Nelson, ICE Carlos L. Romero, ICE Errol B. Van Ommeren, ICE Sean R. Sullivan, ICE Brian M. Hahn, ICE
For outstanding management in moving 550 participants from a traditional office setting to a new mobile work environment.
Mobile Workplace Phase 2 Project Team Washington, DC
Trent Frazier, CBP Cortne Sherwood, CBP William J. Scott, CBP Anna Counihan, CBP Kaitlin Seale, CBP Trina Dixon, CBP Kwame Lawson, CBP Darlene Leavell, CBP Mailyn Tapscott, CBP James Daniels, CBP Robert Corbin, CBP Deivy Casso, CBP Sherrees Willis, CBP
For demonstrating the ability to quickly adapt to a change in deadline from 4 months to 9 days, while seamlessly continuing collection operations at ports of entry without reverting to manual collections actions.
Electronic Collection Team Indianapolis, IN
Dean Baker, CBP Kim Cochenour, CBP Abigail Hake, CBP Morgan Jones, CBP Emily Morris, CBP William Smith, CBP
For providing outstanding support to secure surrounding federal facilities following the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.
Response Team: Umpqua College Active Shooter Roseburg, OR
Michael Foster, NPPD Dustin Smith, NPPD Glen Patrick, NPPD William Turner, NPPD Douglas Rommes, NPPD
For successfully integrating new fire sprinkler systems into FEMA's Manufactured Housing Units within a strict timeline while maintaining full compliance with U.S Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Fire Administration standards.
Manufactured Housing Unit Team Washington, DC
Abraham D. Gunn, FEMA Matthew D. Rabkin, FEMA Robert W. Hawkins, FEMA Edward E. Taylor, FEMA Brenda L. Taylor, FEMA Rashaan A. Edwards, FEMA Lawrence A. McKenna, Jr, FEMA Edwin E. Martinez, FEMA
For providing the framework for a safe place in which acquisition staff can experiment with, and share innovative procurement techniques resulting in more efficient processes across DHS.
Procurement Innovation Lab Team Washington, DC
Eric Cho, MGMT Dave Clemens, MGMT Karlos Morgan, MGMT Amira Reiss, MGMT Laura Auletta, MGMT Soraya Correa, MGMT
For contributions to the DHS Data Framework as the DHS solution to increase data access and information sharing while improving protections and safeguarding data.
DHS Data Framework Team Washington, DC
Donna Roy, MGMT Paul Reynolds, MGMT Shantelle Coleman, MGMT Benjamin Phelps, MGMT Yentzu Chen, MGMT David Bottom, OIA Charles Aaron, OIA Lori Vislocky, OIA Benjamin Stefano, OIA Mary Petersen, OIA Debra Danisek, OIA Andy Fausett, OIA Miriam Moore, CRCL James McNeely, CRCL Johannes Knudsen, CRCL Jennifer S. Brand, CRCL Bonni Berge, CRCL Andrew Durkot, PLCY Jennifer Murray Kellie Riley,PRIV Tina Glover, CBP
For successfully responding to the OPM data breach by significantly advancing technological solutions, changing security training culture, and implementing business processes to address security gaps.
Cybersecurity Team Washington, DC
Matthew Z. Smith, MGMT Teresa Proctor, MGMT Chelsea Lemons, MGMT Mary Pickering, MGMT C Hemant Baidwan, MGMT Shila Cooch, MGMT Paul Beckman, MGMT Wendell Bonvillian, MGMT Gladys Garcia, MGMT Kathryn Hazelwood, MGMT Tamara Lilly, MGMT Thomas DeBiase, MGMT
For conducting superior outreach to state, local, tribal, and territorial customers with regard to the potential ways to identify and mitigate the threat from violent extremists.
Homegrown Violent Extremist Mobilization Indicators and Outreach Team Washington, DC