Earning recognition as industry leaders, the Center for Homeland Defense and Security and several people with CHDS ties won prestigious awards at the American Security Today organization’s annual ASTORS Homeland Security Awards Luncheon on Nov. 17.
CHDS was named the 2021 Excellence in Homeland Security Education Platinum Award winner for its mission to offer programs in partnership with FEMA’s National Preparedness Directorate aimed at assisting current and emerging Homeland Defense and Security leaders in developing the “policies, strategies, programs, and organizational elements needed to defeat terrorism and prepare for and respond to natural disasters and public safety threats across the U.S.”
The following CHDS faculty member and alumni were honored with awards at the ceremony:
Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, who is a CHDS adjunct faculty member and thesis advisor, earned several awards, including the 2021 ASTORS Extraordinary Industry Leadership & Innovation Person of the Year award, as well as awards for organizations and firms with which she is associated as follows: PWPORG, which won the Excellence in Public Safety & Community Enrichment award; NEC Corporation of America, which won the Excellence in Innovation for Airport/Aviation Safety award and the Excellence in National Security for Traveler Security Management award; and NEC National Security Systems, which won the Best Federal Government/DoD Access Control Management award;
Washington D.C. Police Foundation executive director Patrick Burke (Master’s Program cohort 0801/0802) and his organization earned the Excellence in Public Safety & Community Enrichment award;
FDNY Chief of Department Thomas Richardson (Master’s Program cohort 0901/0902) earned the Excellence in Public Safety award;
FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations Richard Blatus (Master’s Program cohort 0701/0702) earned the Excellence in Public Safety award;
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief of Police Jeffrey Carroll (Executive Leaders Program cohort 1901) and his organization earned the Excellence in Public Safety Award.
In addition, TSA Administrator David Pekoske, who regularly serves as a CHDS guest speaker, earned the 2021 ASTORS Extraordinary Government Leadership & Innovation Person of the Year.
Now in its sixth year, the ASTORS Awards are known as the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security awards program and recognizes industry leaders in physical and border security, cybersecurity, emergency preparedness management and response, law enforcement, and first responders, as well as federal, state, and municipal government agencies in acknowledgement of their efforts to keep our nation secure.
