The 2020 Secretary’s Award for Exemplary Service is granted to employees who have achieved outstanding performance in all aspects of their work, warranting special commendation. Employees in administrative, technical, clerical, and general support positions throughout the agency are critical to meeting the department’s goals. This award provides an opportunity to honor these employees whose deeds often go unrecognized.
Sarah Jacob
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
For enhancing the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s capacity to protect critical infrastructure, mass gatherings, and the private sector from small unmanned aircraft system threats.
Daniel J. Niesman
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement
For excelling at maintaining inventory accuracy and accountability and ensuring the serviceability of all field office property despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kendrick L. Melville
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement
For demonstrating unparalleled motivation which resulted in seamless processing and yielded an impressive number of personnel security suitability and security determinations well ahead of the established standard.
Amy Palacio
Management Directorate
For demonstrating excellent customer service and maintenance of customer confidence with development of a COVID-19 research guide and assistance for multiple components and offices including Science and Technology Directorate, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, United States Customs and Border Protection, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Rashur Singh
Transportation Security Administration
For playing a pivotal role in TSA academy’s successful transition from in-person to virtual delivery for the Transportation Security Officer Basic Training Program Phase II which allowed over 2000 newly hired officers across the country to graduate and serve the mission during COVID-19.
Maria Franco
Transportation Security Administration
For outstanding service at the Federal Air Marshal Service Newark Field Office exemplifying the DHS mission of “with honor and integrity we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values”; consistently acting as a mentor to those around her, and being a “go to” on the administrative team for any project or task.
Craig Oravitz
United States Coast Guard
For displaying superior performance of duty to the Dominican Republic where he provided maritime law enforcement and counter-trafficking training to military personnel from seven partner nations while serving as a member of Tactical Law Enforcement Team South. He also led and participated in several international drug interdiction efforts seizing several thousand pounds of illegal drugs.
Matthew D. Alexander
United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
For his efforts that resulted in USCIS having an authoritative dataset of pending cases by performing data analysis of approximately 12 million cases that appeared to be pending in computer systems dating back to the 1980’s to identify and trigger systemic closure of approximately seven million electronic records.
Kaleb Filis
United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
For his integral role in the front-end identification efforts, triaging, lead creation, data collection and file monitoring of nearly 500 Malaysian fraud scheme immigration filings at the National Benefits Center.
Brittany M. Orr
United States Secret Service
For unparalleled dedication and innovation to design protocols to provide accurate and timely information to enhance situational awareness during emergencies.