On Thursday, July 24, thirty participants graduated from the Executive Leadership Program (Cohort 2402), marking 12 months of cross-disciplinary learning, expanded professional networks, and growth as effective leaders.
Among the graduates was Johanna Conroy, Assistant Commissioner from New York City Emergency Management. She said her experience in the ELP program went above and beyond just “leadership training.”
“It wasn’t about ‘here’s how to lead’—it was about how to incorporate a growth mindset into how you lead,” she said.
That shift in mindset, combined with learning alongside a diverse cohort, was a central takeaway for many participants. The class represented a wide range of professions, including emergency management, law enforcement, academia, and public administration.
For Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy Jr., the program offered the same “growth mindset” as it did for Conroy.
“I’ve attended a lot of executive education programs, but they’ve been primarily law enforcement-centric. This program exposed me to professionals across all levels of government, and that was transformational. The higher up we go, the fewer peers we have to collaborate with. This network has been invaluable.”
The knowledge, skills, and relationships built through ELP not only empower individual participants but also deliver a strong return on investment to their agencies. Graduates return equipped with practical tools, a broadened perspective, and access to a national network of peers—all of which strengthen their organizations’ ability to respond to emerging challenges.
Francisco Sanchez Jr., professor at the University of Houston and former Small Business Association official, emphasized the value of staying ahead in a rapidly evolving field—and the importance of sharing that knowledge.
“The homeland security and emergency management landscape is changing by the hour,” he said. “Being in a room four times a year with this level of expertise—that’s where the real learning happens.”
Jon Radus, Chief of Police for the Fullerton Police Department and Ellen Gordon Award recipient, also appreciated the cross-disciplinary collaboration. Engaging with peers from outside law enforcement broadened his perspective and reinforced a key theme of the program: that leadership growth happens through diverse viewpoints.
“It’s important to go to these programs and talk to people who have different opinions, to learn from those differences, and see things through a different lens. That’s what this program did for me,” Radus said, adding, “This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come here.”
ELP Program 2402 Participants:
- Kristen Byerts – Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist, FDA/OC – Charleston, SC
- Kyle Cerfoglio – Director of the Joint Staff, Nevada National Guard – Sparks, NV
- Marlon Cobar- Chief, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, U.S. Department of Justice- Washington, DC
- Johanna Conroy – Assistant Commissioner, Interagency Coordination, New York City Emergency Management- Brooklyn, NY
- Alexa Daniels-Shpall – Program Manager, Santa Clara County Office of the Sheriff – Santa Clara, CA
- Jeff DeGraffenreid – Fire Chief/Director of Emergency Management, Olathe Fire Department – Olathe, KS
- Marcia Deppen – Director of Consequence Management, Maryland Department of Emergency Management – Hanover, MD
- Manpreet Dhanjal – Special Assistant, Refugee And International Operations (RIO), International and Refugee Affairs Division (IRAD), DHS – USCIS – Washington, DC
- Spencer Fisher- Chief Counsel, CISA – Arlington, VA
- Sean Gallagher – Assistant Chief, United States Capitol Police – Washington, DC
- Kalyani Ganjam – Branch Chief, TSA – Herndon, VA
- Robert Geeslin – Director of Security, Walt Disney World (Security) – Lake Mary, FL
- Charles Goodwin – Commissioner, Worcester Dept of Emergency Communications & Emergency Management – Worcester, MA
- Megan Hoskins – Assistant Director, NH HSEM- Concord, NH
- Genevieve Isom – Citywide Counterterrorism Coordinator, New York City Police Department (NYPD)- New York, NY
- Janell Jimenez – Deputy Superintendent of Field Operations/ASHER Liaison, Boston Emergency Medical Services – Boston, MA
- Mike Kennedy – Fire Chief, City of Ann Arbor – Ann Arbor, MI
- Mario Lara – Chief Finance Officer, Development Finance Corporation of Belize – Belmopan, Belize
- Sharon Luce – Deputy Administrator / Chief, Nevada Office of Emergency Management/Homeland Security – Las Vegas, NV
- Roy Luongo – Chief Information Security Officer, United States Secret Service – Laurel, MD
- Steven Marquette – Deputy Assistant Director, Department of State/Diplomatic Security Service – Washington, DC
- Kenneth McCoy Jr. – Chief of Police, Tempe Police Department – Tempe, AZ
- Kevin McInerney – Northern California Commander, California Department of Cannabis Control, Law Enforcement Division – Sacramento, CA
- Bennie Mims – Special Agent in Charge, DOJ-ATF – Dallas, TX
- Brierley Ostrander – Chief of Prevention, USCG Sector Southeast Alaska – Juneau, AK
- Tonya Price – Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations – Minneapolis, MN
- Jonathan Radus – Chief of Police, Fullerton Police Department – Fullerton, CA
- Robert Reardon – Chief of Department, Duxbury Fire Department – Duxbury, MA
- Francisco Sanchez, Jr. – Former Associate Administrator, Office of Disaster Assistance, Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance – Houston, TX
- Susan Terrey – Deputy Secretary/Undersecretary for Homeland Security, Executive Office of Public Safety and Security – Boston, MA
