On February 14, thirty-three students were honored for successfully completing the Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s Executive Leaders Program (ELP) at Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.
The students comprise professionals from the fields of homeland security, emergency management, law enforcement, the fire service, public health, education, along with city, county and state government (see list below). “We have been fortunate to have a great diversity of geographical and organizational representation,” said Ellen M. Gordon, CHDS Associate Director Executive Education.
Being at the forefront of a rapidly changing environment requires continuous education for our nation’s homeland security leaders. The Executive Leaders Program provides a deeper understanding of the current and emerging homeland security issues, public policy debates, the terrorist threat and evolving best practices. Fully engaging in these trends through an educational forum enhances our senior leaders’ capacity to identify and resolve homeland security problems as well as an opportunity to build networks among the nation’s local, state, tribal, territorial, federal government, and private sector homeland security officials.
Mark Ray, Director of Public Works/City Engineer for City of Crystal, Minnesota added, “The homeland security enterprise includes a wide array of stakeholders. NPS’s Executive Leaders Program provides a forum for these stakeholders to come together to learn, discuss, and grow. Ultimately, each one of us returns to our respective organizations better equipped to meet the security challenges we are faced with. Being from a local government background, the speakers, class discussion, and professionals I have met in my cohort will benefit me and my organization as we work to continue protect and, if needed, restore critical lifelines for the community we serve.”
This program consists of four modules beginning with foundational aspects of homeland security and the threats, followed by the nature of the threats, legal and cultural aspects of preventing and preparing for the threats, the collaborations necessary to effectively manage the information sharing, threat recognition, protection measures, and plans in preparation for action. ELP cohort 1801 represents the twenty-fourth cadre of students to complete the program, increasing the number of ELP alumni to over 700 total participants.
Ellen Gordon summed it up by saying, “The Executive Leaders Program participants graduating this week have been absolutely wonderful to have in the classroom. Over the past twelve months I have watched the discussions and conversations become quite lively and extremely interesting.”
Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Executive Leaders Program (ELP) cohort 1801
Francisco Alvarado-Ramy – Chief Medical Officer – Quarantine and Border Health Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Kenneth Berkowitz – Chief, Canton Police Department
Nicole Chapple – Chief of Staff, District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency
Cal Dalrymple – Global Security Advisor, Chevron
William Davis Jr. – Deputy State Fire Administrator, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control
Josh Ehlers – Assistant Chief, California Highway Patrol
Dennis Fulton – Inspector, New York City Police Department
Allen Gary – Director and State Homeland Security Advisor, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management
Todd Harms – Fire Chief, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District
Kirby Hunolt – Deputy Executive Director, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection
Joseph Jardin – Deputy Chief, New York City Fire Department
Peter Jennison – Special Assistant to the Administrator, FEMA
Norman Lieberman – Regional Director, Department of Homeland Security
Robert Long – Captain/Commanding Officer, Los Angeles Police Department Major Crimes Division
Christie Luce – Chief, Bureau of Preparedness and Response, Florida Department of Health
Michael Marino – Assistant Chief, Prince George’s County Maryland Fire/EMS Department
Andrew McMahan – Director of Emergency Management and Operations Support, Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Matthew Michelini – Chief of Nominations, National Counterterrorism Center
Kermit Neal – Branch Chief, US Northern Command
Laura Pearson – Chief, Intelligence Liaison and Threat Assessment Branch, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Tiffani Phillips – Canada Desk Officer, NORAD and USNORTHCOM
Albert Ponenti – Lt. Colonel / Deputy Superintendent of Homeland Security, New Jersey State Police
Richard Range – Major – Director of Commonwealth Fusion Center, Massachusetts State Police
Mark Ray – Director of Public Works / City Engineer, City of Crystal
Ronald Rowe Jr. – Deputy Assistant Director, United States Secret Service
Aram Sahakian – General Manager, City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department
Kevin Saupp – Director of State and Local Partner Engagement, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Intelligence & Analysis
Andrew Scott – Senior Radiological/Nuclear Health Advisor, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Health Affairs
Charles Smith – Chief of Screening & Vetting Group, National Counterterrorism Center, Directorate of Terrorist Identities
Byron Smith – Corporate Security Manager, 7-Eleven, INC.
Jessica Stolz – Deputy Homeland Security Advisor, Vermont Homeland Security Unit
Olivia Troye – Chief of Strategy, Plans and Policy, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Intelligence & Analysis
Steven Wren – Captain, New York City Police Department
