After six months of rigorous academics, innovative problem-solving, and collaboration with peers across the homeland security enterprise, 29 professionals celebrated their graduation from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s (CHDS) Emergence Program on August 22, 2025.
Graduates gathered in the La Novia room at Hermann Hall to mark the culmination of their studies, honor their achievements, and celebrate their induction into the CHDS alumni community. Excitement and pride filled the room as participants reflected on the knowledge gained, connections made, and skills developed to lead in a complex and ever-changing world.
For Jennifer Weber, a senior intelligence analyst at Exelon, the program offered valuable insights from both public and private sectors.
“I felt extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn from so many different leaders across multiple sectors in the national security field,” she said. “I really enjoyed hearing from public and private sector partners about different ways to protect national security.”
“I felt extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn from so many different leaders across multiple sectors in the national security field. I really enjoyed hearing from public and private sector partners about different ways to protect national security.”
Jennifer Weber, Senior Intelligence Analyst, Exelon (Emergence 2402)
The Emergence Program is designed to challenge participants to step outside their daily routines, examine leadership from new perspectives, and tackle organizational problems. Each participant identifies a critical issue within their agency and develops a solution. All this work evolves into the program’s signature deliverable: a Change Initiative.
Victoria Kluge, Program Administrator with the City of Atlanta, Department of Aviation described how her journey began before applying to Emergence. She discovered CHDS while searching for self-paced Homeland Security courses for her team and quickly recognized the value of the Emergence Program as a way to deepen her expertise without committing to a full degree.
Her Change Initiative entitled, “ATL Readiness Dashboard: Transforming Plans and Drills into Actionable Readiness,” introduced a data-driven method to evaluate emergency preparedness. When she pitched the initiative to her agency’s leadership, it was quickly adopted and successfully implemented.
Approximately 96% of Emergence change initiatives result in positive change within their agencies, but beyond the change initiative successes, participants gain value in making connections with their peers representing federal, state, and local agencies, as well as private sector partners.
Greg Doolittle, an Emergency Manager with the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness reflected on the strength of those connections.
“My cohort members were incredible and very supportive. They’re all doing interesting work, they all have varied experiences, and I really enjoyed my time with them,” he said adding that he’s looking forward to keeping in touch with everyone, “We are already {connecting on our group chat}, so I think it’s definitely going to be an active group going forward.”
Networking, mentorship, and collaborative problem-solving: that’s the core of the Emergence program. These graduates are now part of the CHDS alumni community, and ready to implement solutions and respond effectively to emerging threats.
More importantly, they are now more prepared to tackle the challenges of their communities, making them stronger and more resilient. That’s the power of the CHDS alumni network.
Emergence Program 2402 Graduates:
- Aaron Bates – Special Agent, – Charleston, SC
- Andrew Cullen – Chemical Safety Program Lead, National Renewable Energy Laboratory – Evergreen, CO
- Crystal Desiano – Counterterrorism Instructor, NYPD – Merrick, NY
- Gregory Doolittle – Emergency Manager, City of New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management- New Orleans, LA
- Guyvontee Fitzpatrick – Deportation Officer, DHS/ICE – Cleveland, OH
- Abigail Gerth – Border Patrol Agent, Department of Homeland Security – Laredo, TX
- Janina Haller – Recruiter, Metropolitan Police Department – Washington, DC
- William Heaney – Fire Inspector, Teaneck Fire Department – Teaneck, NJ
- Emma Howey- Firefighter/EMT, Seattle Fire Department – Seattle, WA
- Michelle Iacoboni – Global Workplace Security Manager, The Walt Disney Company – Glendale, CA
- Jessica Johnson – Healthcare Supply Chain Strategist, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene – New York, NY
- Victoria Kluge – Program Administrator, City of Atlanta – Atlanta, GA
- Thanh La – Immigration Services Officer II, USCIS – Lincoln, NE
- Carly Pacekonis – Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, City of Kirkland – Kirkland, WA
- Suruji Pal – Senior Refugee Officer, USCIS – Lincoln, NE
- Sebastian Restrepo – Refugee Officer, USCIS – Stamford, CT
- David Rivera – Investigator, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – Riverside, CA
- Carmen Rullan – Field Operations Section Chief, FEMA – Harrison, NJ
- Raffi Senekeremian – Emergency Management Coordinator I, City of Los Angeles, EMD – Pasadena, CA
- Rachel Slotter – Strategic Planning Branch Manager, Virginia Department of Emergency Management – Charlottesville, VA
- Alexander Sprofera – Firefighter, FDNY – Queens, NY
- Jonathan Thangavelu – Police Officer, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department – Lindenhurst, NY
- Jacob Thompson – All Source Analyst, DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis – Hyattsville, MD
- Zach Wachter – Local Preparedness Manager, New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management – Rio Rancho, NM
- Benjamin Wahl – Battalion Chief of Training, Springfield Missouri Fire Department – Springfield, MO
- Jennifer Weber – Senior Intelligence and Security Analyst, Exelon Corporation – Chicago, IL
- Jared White – Fire Captain, City Of Yuma Fire Department – Yuma, AZ
- Ariana Wilson – Firefighter EMT, San Francisco Fire Department – San Francisco, CA
- Chance Wnuck – Program Coordinator, Coconino County Emergency Management – Flagstaff, AZ
