Homeland Security Today, the premier nonprofit information source for homeland security news, analysis, and insights, announced selections for the 2024 Homeland Security Holiday Hero Awards, including Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Elaine Duke, former Secretary of Homeland Security, and National Homeland Security Person of the Year, Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis at DHS, Ken Wainstein.
“The National Homeland Security Awards recognize heroes chosen by their peers from all across the country. The awards have grown to recognize federal, state, and local heroes who are working tirelessly to protect the public and our way of life,” said Kristina Tanasichuk, Executive Editor of Homeland Security Today and CEO of the Government Technology & Services Coalition. “We want to be sure that these selfless, hard-working individuals know that there are people who appreciate what they do and want to honor their work on behalf of America.”
The awards were crafted to recognize disciplines and functions within the field of homeland security to assure that every individual working to protect the country in cybersecurity, infrastructure protection, intelligence, human trafficking, border security, and acquisition have an opportunity to receive thanks and recognition. In 2024, three awards were added: Global Most Valuable Player, Acquisition Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, and the Most Innovative Campaign to Combat Human Trafficking. These new awards recognize the dynamic and interconnected missions in homeland security.
HSToday selects a handful of exceptional leaders and do-ers from hundreds of nominations submitted over a two-month period. Nominations are solicited from the readership of HSToday and the public. Both public and private sector nominees are considered.
This year’s awardees include:
Homeland Security Lifetime Achievement Award
The Honorable Elaine Duke, Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
National Homeland Security Person of the Year
Ken Wainstein, Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
State Homeland Security Person of the Year
Major Frank Hooton, Commanding Officer, Texas Border Joint Operations Centers
Local Homeland Security Person of the Year
Bridgett Lewis, Manager, Homeland Security, Port of Long Beach, California, Councilmember, City of Torrance, District 2, California
Most Valuable Player – Global
Keith Hood, Deputy Assistant Director, Border Security Division, INTERPOL Washington
Most Valuable Player – Federal
Erika Botts, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Most Valuable Player – State
California Maritime Security Council – Maritime Domain Awareness
Most Valuable Player – Border
Nael Samha, Executive Director, Targeting and Analysis Systems Program Directorate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Most Valuable Player – Data Advancement
Michelle Zebrowski, Chief Data Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Federal Small Business Champion
Office of Small Business Utilization, U.S. Department of the Treasury: Donna Ragucci, Director, OSDBU, U.S. Department of the Treasury; Melissa Oliva, Deputy Director, OSDBU, U.S. Department of the Treasury
Citizen of Mission
Dexter Ingram, Founder, IN Network
Excellence in Outreach – Federal
Capacity Building Organization, Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Niki Lane, Acquisition and Requirements Management Section Chief, Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation; Cristen Winegrad, Deputy Branch Chief, Capacity Building, Acquisition and Budget; Alex Bortz, Acquisition and Requirements Management, Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation
Excellence in Outreach – Local
Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Tech Unit
Excellence in Outreach – Public Health
William Braniff, Director, Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Most Innovative Campaign to Increase Security
Federal Protective Service: “Your Safety, Our Priority” Campaign, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Nadia Aman, Unified Processing Team, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Most Innovative Campaign to Combat Human Trafficking, tie between:
Miami International Airport Human Trafficking Unit (MIA-HTU) Homeland Security Investigations “Know2Protect” Campaign, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Acquisition Excellence – Federal
CISA’s Threat Intelligence Enterprise Services (TIES) Acquisition Team, Niki Lane,Section Chief, Acquisition & Requirements Management, Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation
Joseph Sheridan, Supervisory Coordination Center Officer; Pamela Elliott, Contracting Officer’s Representative, Cybersecurity Shared Services Office; Jason Neumer, Information Technology Management; Congressional BOT Team; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Acquisition Excellence – Artificial Intelligence
Peter Giambone, Contracting Officer, Acquisition Innovation Advocate, Office of Acquisition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Backbone Awards
Nina Cardwell, IT Specialist, Agile Methods Team, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Phillip Troutman, Lead Data Architect, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Market Maven
Chad Poland, Product Manager, Cybersecurity Shared Services Office, Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Homeland’s Human Firewall – Federal
Edam Colón, Acting Executive Advisor, Information Technology, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Homeland’s Human Firewall – State
Matthew Hladik, Area Port Director, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Homeland’s Human Firewall – Local
Joseph “Tony” Misher, Associate Director, Cyber Integration, Technology & Innovation Directorate, Federal Protective Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Mission Awards
Allan M. Collier, Requirements Manager, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Audrey Tucker, Program Manager, HR Academy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Brad Hepburn, Coordinator, Maritime, Homeland Security Division, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, California
Daniel Boyd, Systems Engineer, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
David “DJ” Smith, Technical Surveillance Agent, Virginia State Police
Domestic Preparedness Support Initiative: Professor Rodrigo Nieto Gomez, Center for Homeland Defense and Security, Naval Post Graduate School
Edward Seebald, Founder & CEO, Seebald & Associates International
Geoff Hale, Director, Election Security Initiative, CISA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Katie Thielmeyer, Risk Reduction Officer, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Manager, Woodlawn Fire Department
Kim Rae Valentine, Branch Chief, Mission Services, Systems Delivery Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Learning Library Team, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Terrance Dunford, Community Relations Officer, Buffalo Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Raghavender (Raghu) Sriram, Branch Chief, Infrastructure (GLOVAL and ELIS) & Shared Services, Transformation Delivery Division, Office of Information Technology, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Ross Bezark, Field Operations Branch Manager, Federal Air Marshal Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Trang Tran, Deputy Chief Data Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
GTSC Small Business Member of the Year
Kapstone Technologies/KAPCOM Services
GTSC Mid-Tier of the Year
RELI Group
GTSC Mentor of the Year
Deloitte
GTSC Strategic Partner of the Year
Center for Homeland Defense and Security, Naval Postgraduate School
GTSC Strategic Advisor of the Year
Robin Champ, Vice President, Strategic Foresight, LBL Strategies
The awards will take place December 5th, 2024 outside of Washington, D.C. in Occoquan, Virginia and is open to the entire homeland security community. More information on attending or supporting is available here.
A powerful and inspiring read! Kathleen Scudder’s journey as a border patrol agent, navigating a male-dominated field while confronting life’s unexpected twists and turns, is sure to resonate with many. The raw and poignant storytelling will undoubtedly draw readers into the deeply personal and transformative moments that have shaped her life, both on and off the front lines. Following Kathy’s journey through the physical and mental demands of her job, the challenges of being underestimated, and breaking barriers in law enforcement, readers will experience the grueling days in the field, the unshakeable grief of losing loved ones, and the joys and trials of new motherhood. Her story of perseverance, grit, and unwavering commitment to her duty is a testament to the extraordinary things we can achieve when we dare to step into the unknown. “What Did I Sign Up For” is not just a memoir; it’s a beacon of inspiration, a call to push beyond the boundaries of fear, and a reminder to embrace our own journeys with courage and grace. Kathy’s story encourages us to find strength in adversity and to never, EVER become a dick.
