WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:09.909 --> 00:00:12.112 Secretary Mayorkas: Well, thanks for taking a few minutes to 00:00:12.278 --> 00:00:13.213 speak with me today. 00:00:13.213 --> 00:00:15.115 Deanne Criswell: Secretary, my pleasure. Thanks for having me 00:00:15.115 --> 00:00:15.415 over. 00:00:15.648 --> 00:00:18.318 Secretary Mayorkas: So the first time I met you in person was for 00:00:18.318 --> 00:00:23.223 your swearing in. And you forewarned me that you would be 00:00:23.223 --> 00:00:28.361 bringing a Flat Stanley to the event for photographs for your 00:00:28.862 --> 00:00:34.634 grandson, if I remember correct? And it reminded me of what a 00:00:35.068 --> 00:00:39.939 Flat Stanley was. But how many- How many kids do you have, 00:00:40.106 --> 00:00:40.507 Dianne? 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:43.176 Deanne Criswell: I have two boys, and then five 00:00:43.176 --> 00:00:43.943 grandchildren, 00:00:44.911 --> 00:00:47.881 Secretary Mayorkas: They're grandchildren of each son? 00:00:48.181 --> 00:00:51.351 Deanne Criswell: Three with my oldest son, and then two with my 00:00:51.351 --> 00:00:52.085 youngest son. 00:00:52.585 --> 00:00:54.487 Secretary Mayorkas: And when they were growing up, were you 00:00:54.487 --> 00:00:57.891 in the emergency management arena? 00:00:58.391 --> 00:01:00.994 Deanne Criswell: So when they were growing up, I was still a 00:01:00.994 --> 00:01:05.265 firefighter as they were in their young ages, working 24 00:01:05.265 --> 00:01:09.636 hour shifts, but then moved into emergency management as they 00:01:09.636 --> 00:01:12.372 entered into the junior high in high school ages. 00:01:12.806 --> 00:01:13.807 Secretary Mayorkas: Did you travel a lot? 00:01:14.374 --> 00:01:16.676 Deanne Criswell: I traveled a lot, not just from the fire 00:01:16.676 --> 00:01:18.812 department. But I was also a member of the Colorado Air 00:01:18.812 --> 00:01:22.182 National Guard while they were growing up, and I traveled a lot 00:01:22.182 --> 00:01:22.682 with them. 00:01:22.682 --> 00:01:25.151 Secretary Mayorkas: And you were deployed during that time, if I 00:01:25.185 --> 00:01:29.155 emember correctly to Iraq and o her places? 00:01:29.722 --> 00:01:31.357 Deanne Criswell: I have deployed, yeah, I deployed a 00:01:31.357 --> 00:01:34.961 couple of times. First time right after September 11th. They 00:01:34.961 --> 00:01:39.699 sent me over to al-Jaber Airbase in Kuwait, for an undetermined 00:01:39.732 --> 00:01:43.470 amount of time, as we were trying to stabilize the region 00:01:43.470 --> 00:01:46.272 there. So I went there in November, ended up only staying 00:01:46.272 --> 00:01:51.611 about four months. But then back in 2010, I deployed again, over 00:01:51.611 --> 00:01:54.581 to Qatar was my home base, but travelled quite a bit between 00:01:54.581 --> 00:01:55.748 Afghanistan and Iraq. 00:01:56.216 --> 00:01:59.786 Secretary Mayorkas: So that, you know, that type of sacrifice in 00:01:59.786 --> 00:02:03.990 the service of mission, I think is emblematic of the sacrifices 00:02:03.990 --> 00:02:07.460 that a lot of our colleagues throughout the department make. 00:02:08.394 --> 00:02:12.098 Just reflecting on that experience and certainly the 00:02:12.499 --> 00:02:17.237 challenge of travel and being away from families, not only not 00:02:17.237 --> 00:02:20.907 only in the past, because you now have the same challenge, I 00:02:20.907 --> 00:02:27.514 think, in this current position, what lessons would you share 00:02:27.514 --> 00:02:30.583 with our colleagues in the department? What words of 00:02:30.583 --> 00:02:33.686 encouragement would you have for them, because it's tough? 00:02:34.254 --> 00:02:35.889 Deanne Criswell: It is tough, you know, and I think the 00:02:35.889 --> 00:02:38.725 biggest thing that I would say is, you know, for part of that I 00:02:38.725 --> 00:02:42.896 was a single parent. And I always struggled internally with 00:02:42.896 --> 00:02:46.065 whether or not I was depriving them of something right as we 00:02:46.065 --> 00:02:49.269 were growing up, and as they were growing up and trying to 00:02:49.269 --> 00:02:52.839 find that work life balance, but I always made it a priority that 00:02:52.839 --> 00:02:56.943 when I was in town, to be present, and to make sure that I 00:02:56.943 --> 00:03:00.880 was there for them and attended everything that I could. And as 00:03:00.880 --> 00:03:03.750 I was nominated for this position, and they attended my 00:03:03.750 --> 00:03:06.886 confirmation hearing, I recognize that for them 00:03:06.886 --> 00:03:11.858 publicly, the sacrifices that they made, and they have been 00:03:11.925 --> 00:03:15.862 incredibly supportive and proud of me throughout this journey 00:03:15.862 --> 00:03:20.266 that I have been on. And I think the key with that was just 00:03:20.300 --> 00:03:23.469 always having that open dialogue and communication and 00:03:23.469 --> 00:03:26.606 understanding where they were struggling at the same time, but 00:03:26.606 --> 00:03:29.642 recognizing my own struggles with trying to find that balance 00:03:29.642 --> 00:03:33.880 for them. And so my advice would be just recognize that it is 00:03:33.880 --> 00:03:37.917 hard, it is a sacrifice on both sides. But if you focus on that 00:03:37.917 --> 00:03:41.020 sacrifice, I think that you have the ability to make that 00:03:41.020 --> 00:03:42.488 difference in your children's lives. 00:03:43.056 --> 00:03:49.495 Secretary Mayorkas: You know, I think it underscores the truth 00:03:49.529 --> 00:03:54.801 of the statement that the contributions of one are not 00:03:54.801 --> 00:03:58.705 possible with the contributions without the contributions of 00:03:58.705 --> 00:04:03.009 many, in other words, what we can accomplish as an individual 00:04:03.009 --> 00:04:10.917 is because of the people around us. In the family, as well as in 00:04:10.917 --> 00:04:19.492 the work as a workplace. One of the things that I always have 00:04:19.492 --> 00:04:24.864 thought about is, you know, I talked to our daughters about 00:04:24.864 --> 00:04:29.135 what one can do in one's professional life to make a 00:04:29.135 --> 00:04:36.242 difference for others. And I think in just seeing myself grow 00:04:36.609 --> 00:04:41.614 older, I see sometimes certain characteristics of my parents in 00:04:41.614 --> 00:04:48.488 me that I didn't even know. And probably 35 years ago, would say 00:04:48.488 --> 00:04:52.925 gosh, I hope I don't adopt that characteristic, because I have a 00:04:53.192 --> 00:04:56.329 I seem to be a magnet for their faults as opposed to their 00:04:57.730 --> 00:05:05.772 wonderful qualities. The power of example, cannot be 00:05:06.873 --> 00:05:11.511 overstated. You know I can talk as a father about what one can 00:05:11.511 --> 00:05:16.182 do what one can be. But when one is doing meaningful work, the 00:05:16.182 --> 00:05:19.919 impression on our children is so profound, I think. 00:05:20.053 --> 00:05:22.288 Deanne Criswell: I think that's just an incredible insight. And 00:05:22.288 --> 00:05:24.857 I think, you know, when I reflect back on your last 00:05:24.857 --> 00:05:28.194 question on, you know, working with my children, they knew the 00:05:28.194 --> 00:05:32.365 passion that I had for the work that I was doing. And as they 00:05:32.365 --> 00:05:35.134 were now developing their own ideas for what their career 00:05:35.134 --> 00:05:39.138 could be, it was about helping them find their own passion, so 00:05:39.138 --> 00:05:44.143 they can be successful. And they, they still love to share 00:05:44.143 --> 00:05:47.680 their successes, but also want to know about mine as I continue 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:50.783 to go through my journey. And I think that relationship has been 00:05:51.250 --> 00:05:55.388 really influential in helping them get to the status where 00:05:55.388 --> 00:05:56.222 they're at right now. 00:05:56.489 --> 00:05:59.158 Secretary Mayorkas: Dianne you, for a period of time, if I 00:05:59.158 --> 00:06:02.795 remember correctly, you were in the private sector as well, you 00:06:02.795 --> 00:06:04.564 were public service. 00:06:04.597 --> 00:06:05.498 Deanne Criswell: For a couple years. 00:06:05.798 --> 00:06:12.105 Secretary Mayorkas: And what did you miss most about government 00:06:12.105 --> 00:06:15.174 service, about public service, when you were in the private 00:06:15.174 --> 00:06:15.708 sector? 00:06:16.175 --> 00:06:18.745 Deanne Criswell: The thing that I absolutely missed the most was 00:06:18.745 --> 00:06:22.115 that direct connection with helping people. I think that 00:06:22.181 --> 00:06:25.284 that's I am a public servant at her, I have been a public 00:06:25.284 --> 00:06:30.690 servant almost my entire career. And that ability to directly 00:06:30.690 --> 00:06:35.528 influence and help the lives of others, is what drives me to 00:06:35.528 --> 00:06:38.798 continue doing public service work in that time in the private 00:06:38.798 --> 00:06:43.903 sector while I had influence, and I had kind of a secondary 00:06:43.903 --> 00:06:47.073 impact on that it wasn't the same. And so I almost 00:06:47.073 --> 00:06:49.575 immediately started looking for opportunities to get back into 00:06:49.575 --> 00:06:52.211 public service, just so I could have that connection with 00:06:52.211 --> 00:06:52.612 people. 00:06:53.079 --> 00:06:55.615 Secretary Mayorkas: How much do you think our colleagues in the 00:06:55.615 --> 00:07:02.054 Department who've never left public service, which is just a 00:07:02.054 --> 00:07:07.460 testament to their commitment, how much do you think on a day 00:07:07.460 --> 00:07:12.465 to day basis they really appreciate their profound 00:07:12.665 --> 00:07:18.237 impact? Do you think it's sufficiently uppermost in mind? 00:07:18.738 --> 00:07:20.907 Deanne Criswell: I think that's a good question. And I think it 00:07:20.907 --> 00:07:24.310 actually probably depends on the role that they're playing, 00:07:24.310 --> 00:07:28.147 right? I think those individuals that have a direct connection 00:07:28.147 --> 00:07:30.616 with the public feel it more, and they recognize the 00:07:30.616 --> 00:07:33.753 importance of that role more. But those that have more of a 00:07:33.753 --> 00:07:37.089 supportive role, I think it's important for us as leaders to 00:07:37.089 --> 00:07:40.293 help make sure that they are seeing that connection. I mean, 00:07:40.293 --> 00:07:43.529 I'll use a great example of when we started the FEMA Corps 00:07:43.529 --> 00:07:49.168 program at FEMA many years ago, bringing on 18 to 24 year olds 00:07:49.168 --> 00:07:52.004 to have this opportunity to give back and doing your public 00:07:52.004 --> 00:07:55.475 service. The one thing I heard from them most is their, their 00:07:55.475 --> 00:07:58.511 question was I don't know how I'm connecting to the survivor. 00:07:59.011 --> 00:08:02.615 And so it made me step back and reflect on how do we map that 00:08:02.615 --> 00:08:05.918 out. So they understand that the thing that they're doing today, 00:08:06.219 --> 00:08:08.588 what that impact is for the survivor, and I think we need to 00:08:08.588 --> 00:08:11.491 do that for all of our employees to make sure they understand 00:08:11.824 --> 00:08:14.760 that the role they're playing whatever it is, is incredibly 00:08:14.760 --> 00:08:15.428 important. 00:08:16.162 --> 00:08:19.732 Secretary Mayorkas: You know, so it's interesting, I know, just 00:08:19.732 --> 00:08:23.002 from my years being in the Department before, before now, 00:08:23.102 --> 00:08:26.639 people have yearned for the opportunity to do different 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:32.245 things across the Department to have that exposure, both from a 00:08:32.245 --> 00:08:38.284 learning perspective, and also to contribute in a different 00:08:38.284 --> 00:08:43.689 way. It's hard operationally to make that happen. On the scale, 00:08:43.689 --> 00:08:49.996 I think that we'd like to and that I think we should, but we 00:08:49.996 --> 00:08:52.265 really need to double down on that effort, I think. 00:08:52.698 --> 00:08:54.600 Deanne Criswell: I think it's really important for people to 00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:59.205 find opportunities to challenge themselves. I often tell my 00:08:59.205 --> 00:09:02.308 staff if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't help you grow. 00:09:02.341 --> 00:09:04.877 And so we need to find those opportunities to challenge 00:09:04.877 --> 00:09:09.382 ourselves both intellectually as well as educationally so we can 00:09:09.382 --> 00:09:12.785 learn new things because it does help us grow as individuals. And 00:09:12.785 --> 00:09:16.455 it helps us relate back to the work that we're doing so we can 00:09:16.455 --> 00:09:17.890 be better public servants. 00:09:18.958 --> 00:09:23.963 Secretary Mayorkas: Dianne, as we head into hurricane season 00:09:23.963 --> 00:09:33.072 now, the pressures increase on FEMA. You all have done such 00:09:33.072 --> 00:09:37.476 extraordinary work, even outside your core mission to help others 00:09:37.777 --> 00:09:44.083 across the federal landscape address challenges. How do you, 00:09:44.650 --> 00:09:48.454 as a person, handle that increase in pressure? 00:09:49.322 --> 00:09:51.724 Deanne Criswell: You know, I find time for myself I have to 00:09:51.724 --> 00:09:56.762 have that that moment in time where I can have my own space 00:09:56.762 --> 00:09:59.398 and my own thoughts. And that's typically for me a run in the 00:09:59.398 --> 00:10:03.636 morning, a long bike ride on the weekends, that gives me that 00:10:03.636 --> 00:10:07.940 opportunity to reset internally so I can come back with a clear 00:10:07.940 --> 00:10:11.844 mind. I think the other part there, too, is recognizing when 00:10:11.844 --> 00:10:15.648 you come into work that you have to set the tone for everybody 00:10:15.648 --> 00:10:19.285 else and set the example and making sure you're taking that 00:10:19.285 --> 00:10:22.488 time for yourself. So others will do the same. Because so 00:10:22.488 --> 00:10:25.725 many times, and I'm sure you've seen this right, where they're 00:10:25.725 --> 00:10:28.928 going to follow your schedule, right? And so if we don't make 00:10:28.928 --> 00:10:32.798 sure we're taking that opportunity to demonstrate work 00:10:32.798 --> 00:10:36.035 life balance, then our staff won't do that either. 00:10:38.571 --> 00:10:41.307 Secretary Mayorkas: How do you blow off steam? Is it the run? 00:10:41.307 --> 00:10:42.208 Is it the bike ride? 00:10:42.241 --> 00:10:45.778 Deanne Criswell: It is! That is that is my way to decompress and 00:10:45.778 --> 00:10:49.949 de-stress: run, bike ride. I love to do triathlons. And so I 00:10:49.949 --> 00:10:53.386 like to mix things up. I've completed three Ironman 00:10:53.386 --> 00:10:54.487 triathlons. 00:10:54.487 --> 00:10:58.491 Secretary Mayorkas: You've done three and a half? I have worn 00:10:58.491 --> 00:11:00.192 the Timex Ironman watch! 00:11:00.993 --> 00:11:01.794 From time to time. 00:11:03.796 --> 00:11:11.470 So I will tell you that I used to do the sprints. There was a 00:11:11.470 --> 00:11:14.507 great one when I lived in California. That was a great one 00:11:14.607 --> 00:11:23.582 at Malibu Beach. Very short. Half-mile swim. I came out of 00:11:23.582 --> 00:11:26.619 the water. I was in one of the first sets going in the 00:11:27.253 --> 00:11:32.758 water/ocean. I was in one of the first sets going in, just by 00:11:32.758 --> 00:11:38.864 dint of my age and, you know, other factors. I don't know. I 00:11:38.864 --> 00:11:42.835 don't think I was the last out of the water. But I think that 00:11:42.835 --> 00:11:48.741 that maybe the three people that were behind me were taken out of 00:11:48.741 --> 00:11:52.912 the water on a gurney. I was such a poor swimmer. You've done 00:11:52.912 --> 00:11:53.546 three Ironmans? 00:11:53.546 --> 00:11:53.913 three Ironmans? Deanne Criswell: I have but I can relate to your story because 00:11:53.913 --> 00:11:56.115 Deanne Criswell: I have but I can relate to your story because 00:11:56.115 --> 00:11:58.250 I was asked by a friend to do an Ironman and I did not know how 00:11:58.250 --> 00:11:59.351 I was asked by a friend to do an Ironman and I did not know how Secretary Mayorkas: Is my memory serve me correctly? 2.1 mile 00:11:59.351 --> 00:12:03.756 Secretary Mayorkas: Is my memory serve me correctly? 2.1 mile to swim. So I took a couple of swimming lessons a year later I 00:12:03.756 --> 00:12:07.827 Secretary Mayorkas: Is my memory serve me correctly? 2.1 mile did my first Ironman and some of my- a year later. 00:12:07.827 --> 00:12:14.867 Secretary Mayorkas: Is my memory serve me correctly? 2.1 mile 00:12:14.867 --> 00:12:20.673 swim? 2.1 point one mile swim. 110 miles, right? 00:12:20.673 --> 00:12:25.344 Deanne Criswell: 112 mile bike ride. 2.4 mile swim. 112 mile 00:12:25.344 --> 00:12:25.678 bike ride. 00:12:25.678 --> 00:12:30.616 Secretary Mayorkas: And a 26.2 mile marathon? Did you ever do 00:12:30.616 --> 00:12:31.117 Hawaii? 00:12:31.717 --> 00:12:33.953 Deanne Criswell: I did not. So I'm not fast. And you do have to 00:12:33.953 --> 00:12:37.189 qualify for Hawaii. But my favorite was in Sonoma County 00:12:37.189 --> 00:12:41.026 through wine country. It is hilly. I like hills. 00:12:41.694 --> 00:12:43.062 Secretary Mayorkas: I like running downhill. 00:12:43.629 --> 00:12:44.730 Deanne Criswell: You have to earn that. 00:12:46.499 --> 00:12:49.335 Secretary Mayorkas: I can roll downhill very fast. Wow. That's 00:12:49.335 --> 00:12:52.171 amazing. And do you keep you keep up the swimming? 00:12:53.038 --> 00:12:55.508 Deanne Criswell: I do. Yeah. It's I've learned to love 00:12:55.508 --> 00:12:59.311 swimming. Because it's it's truly a time of solitude. Where 00:12:59.645 --> 00:13:04.150 you're just in the water. And my favorite place here to swim is 00:13:04.150 --> 00:13:07.186 over at Henderson Hall. They have a wonderful outdoor pool. 00:13:07.686 --> 00:13:10.489 And it's just a really nice way to start your day. 00:13:11.056 --> 00:13:13.292 Secretary Mayorkas: Do they have a very slow lane that I could 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:14.794 possiby enjoy from time-to-time? 00:13:14.794 --> 00:13:17.029 Deanne Criswell: They do qualify the lanes as slow, medium and 00:13:17.029 --> 00:13:18.197 fast. 00:13:18.297 --> 00:13:20.232 Secretary Mayorkas: Well, when they build out the pool and 00:13:20.232 --> 00:13:22.268 there's a very, very slow lane. 00:13:23.869 --> 00:13:25.771 Deanne Criswell: Sometimes there's a walker lane. So that 00:13:25.771 --> 00:13:26.572 might work for you. 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:29.575 Secretary Mayorkas: I will tell what fascinated me about the 00:13:29.575 --> 00:13:37.383 triathletes. The level of discipline that goes into the 00:13:37.383 --> 00:13:41.954 training, not just for the elite, but really for everyone. 00:13:42.521 --> 00:13:45.558 It's really extraordinary. And I love that type of stuff. 00:13:45.891 --> 00:13:48.594 Deanne Criswell: And I think with with any event that you 00:13:48.594 --> 00:13:52.464 decide to sign up for it creates a level of discipline in order 00:13:52.464 --> 00:13:55.734 to complete that event. And what I love about triathlons is it 00:13:55.734 --> 00:13:59.038 just mixes it up, right? It's not just running all the time 00:13:59.038 --> 00:14:01.440 you get that opportunity to do different things. 00:14:01.841 --> 00:14:03.809 Secretary Mayorkas: Well, I'll be sure not to wear my Ironman 00:14:03.809 --> 00:14:07.513 watch around you. Call me out as a complete fraud. 00:14:08.113 --> 00:14:10.649 Deanne Criswell: Never. As long as you've thought about maybe 00:14:10.649 --> 00:14:12.518 doing one then then you're entitled. 00:14:13.085 --> 00:14:15.454 Secretary Mayorkas: That's amazing. Well, we learned 00:14:15.454 --> 00:14:19.325 something new about one another. Everyday. That's the beauty of 00:14:19.992 --> 00:14:22.428 the chance one of the beauties of the chance to get to work 00:14:22.428 --> 00:14:22.828 together. 00:14:22.862 --> 00:14:23.629 Deanne Criswell: Absolutely. 00:14:23.662 --> 00:14:24.263 Secretary Mayorkas: Thanks a lot. 00:14:24.597 --> 00:14:25.698 Deanne Criswell: Thank you, Secretary. 00:14:25.731 --> 00:14:26.232 Secretary Mayorkas: Thanks.