The Secretary’s Award for Excellence 2016
The Secretary’s Award for Excellence recognizes outstanding individual achievement or innovation by an employee engaged in work to advance the mission of the Department of Homeland Security. This work may have resulted in superior performance, significant operational improvements or notable innovation in support of Department of Homeland Security missions.
This year's winners are listed below, along with a description of their contributions and achievements:
For innovation in installing hydrographic survey equipment on Coast Guard Cutters that has sped up hydrographic survey work in the sub-arctic region.
David M. Seris, USCG
Juneau, AK
For providing outstanding support to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas and the Karnes Family Residential Center in Kansas City, Texas.
For leadership in planning and conducting 54 cybersecurity exercises in direct support of DHS mission to lead the national effort to secure and enhance the resilience of the Nation's infrastructure.
Jennine Gilbeau, NPPD
Arlington, VA
For exemplary performance and collaboration within DHS and the wider law enforcement community through innovations that have led to the development of several new programs and improvement of many more.
Emilio Hernandez, NPPD
Brunswick, GA
For leading his team in transitioning numerous critical mainframe applications and associated data using new and improved technologies.
Gregory A. James, USSS
Washington, DC
For outstanding service in the areas of digital forensic, data storage, and data recovery policies and strategies in support of USSS’ investigative mission.
Glen E. Terry, USSS
Washington, DC
For outstanding leadership of the West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters Bridge Project, resulting in the construction of 17 bridges with over 300 more on the list to be built.
Lorra Michelle Breeland, FEMA
Philadelphia, PA
For issuing Department-wide guidance about how and when information regarding immigration and the Violence against Women Act may legitimately be used.
Instruction – Disclosure of 1367 Information Team
Washington, DC
Amy Cucinella, CRCL
Wendy Crompton, CIS
Colleen Zengotitabengoa, CIS
Rena Cutlip-Mason, DOJ
For developing an innovative multi-faceted tipping and cueing process to alert inter-agency partners to illicit and suspect maritime and air activity along the California Coastal Region and Baja, Mexico.
Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center, Intelligence Watch Officer Team
Alameda, CA
Lieutenant Timothy S. Williams, USCG
Lieutenant James D. Phillips, USCG
Lieutenant Jeffrey T. Melville, USCG
Lieutenant Alfonso V. Kealy, USCG
Lieutenant Justin A. Parker, USCG
Lieutenant Judge Michael R. Vives, USCG
Ensign Thomas E. Peebles, USCG
Christopher M. Henry, USCG
Gilbert Lopez, CBP
Daniel Brick, CBP
For fielding a new and innovative conveyor-based radiation scanning system that will result in significant operational improvements in scanning transport cargo containers.
TraPac Radiation Scanning for Automated Operations Team
Washington, DC
John W. Beck, DNDO
John Blackadar, DNDO
Brian Daw, DNDO
Kenneth A. Maddox, DNDO
Todd Pardue, DNDO
Paul F. Spraggs, DNDO
Antonio R. Bello, CBP
Calvin Coleman, CBP
Raymond P. Kraft, CBP
Fred D. Owen, CBP
Paul H. Summers, CBP
Lafonda D. Sutton-Burke, CBP
Laura M. Tapia, CBP
Marion Cordova, OGC
For working diligently to ensure maximum usage of on-campus dormitory resources and the highest quality off-campus hotel rooms for students.
Glynco Lodging Team
Glynco, GA
Luke Rhaney, FLETC
Anthony Overstreet, FLETC
Eric J. Sizemore, FLETC
Angel A. Melendez, FLETC
Michael Harris, FLETC
Diana M. Pomeroy, FLETC
Sheila Henley, FLETC
Annie A. Price, FLETC
Erin Wofford, FLETC
Sheryle Wood, FLETC
Sharon D. Bodford, FLETC
For outstanding accomplishment in improving customer service and creating an annual savings of more than $5 million dollars.
USCIS Checklist Team
Dallas, TX
Jason A. Tarbet, CIS
Steven Douglas, CIS
Michael L. Kane, CIS
Harriett M. Hufford, CIS
Tracy Ware Odetunmibi, CIS
Eva M. Daniel, CIS
David P. Badger, CIS
Felicia M. Cameron, CIS
Michael M. Rehor, CIS
Robert M. Corleto, CIS
For establishing the TSA Incident Command Center, an initiative that has brought together government and industry to reduce passenger wait times during air travel surges.
Incident Command Center
Washington, DC
Benjamin Sears, TSA
Lalit Lal, TSA
David Siegmund, TSA
Rashad Smith, TSA
Julian Williams, TSA
Andrew Johnson, TSA
Joseph Illar, TSA
Mohamad Mirghahari, TSA
Randy Cotton, TSA
Paul Wisniewski, TSA
For significant contributions in establishing the ICE Insider Threat Program.
ICE Insider Threat Group
Washington, DC
Michael G. Tirrell, ICE
Joseph Arnold, ICE
Richard Balfour, ICE
For outstanding collaboration in creating a program resulting in demonstrable improvements in operational security in ICE's counterintelligence mission.
ICE Counterintelligence Team
Washington, DC
Christopher R. Pascua, ICE
Jason A. Axley, ICE
Jessica L. Nelson, ICE
Carlos L. Romero, ICE
Errol B. Van Ommeren, ICE
Sean R. Sullivan, ICE
Brian M. Hahn, ICE
For outstanding management in moving 550 participants from a traditional office setting to a new mobile work environment.
Mobile Workplace Phase 2 Project Team
Washington, DC
Trent Frazier, CBP
Cortne Sherwood, CBP
William J. Scott, CBP
Anna Counihan, CBP
Kaitlin Seale, CBP
Trina Dixon, CBP
Kwame Lawson, CBP
Darlene Leavell, CBP
Mailyn Tapscott, CBP
James Daniels, CBP
Robert Corbin, CBP
Deivy Casso, CBP
Sherrees Willis, CBP
For demonstrating the ability to quickly adapt to a change in deadline from 4 months to 9 days, while seamlessly continuing collection operations at ports of entry without reverting to manual collections actions.
Electronic Collection Team
Indianapolis, IN
Dean Baker, CBP
Kim Cochenour, CBP
Abigail Hake, CBP
Morgan Jones, CBP
Emily Morris, CBP
William Smith, CBP
For providing outstanding support to secure surrounding federal facilities following the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.
Response Team: Umpqua College Active Shooter
Roseburg, OR
Michael Foster, NPPD
Dustin Smith, NPPD
Glen Patrick, NPPD
William Turner, NPPD
Douglas Rommes, NPPD
For successfully integrating new fire sprinkler systems into FEMA's Manufactured Housing Units within a strict timeline while maintaining full compliance with U.S Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Fire Administration standards.
Manufactured Housing Unit Team
Washington, DC
Abraham D. Gunn, FEMA
Matthew D. Rabkin, FEMA
Robert W. Hawkins, FEMA
Edward E. Taylor, FEMA
Brenda L. Taylor, FEMA
Rashaan A. Edwards, FEMA
Lawrence A. McKenna, Jr, FEMA
Edwin E. Martinez, FEMA
For providing the framework for a safe place in which acquisition staff can experiment with, and share innovative procurement techniques resulting in more efficient processes across DHS.
Procurement Innovation Lab Team
Washington, DC
Eric Cho, MGMT
Dave Clemens, MGMT
Karlos Morgan, MGMT
Amira Reiss, MGMT
Laura Auletta, MGMT
Soraya Correa, MGMT
For contributions to the DHS Data Framework as the DHS solution to increase data access and information sharing while improving protections and safeguarding data.
DHS Data Framework Team
Washington, DC
Donna Roy, MGMT
Paul Reynolds, MGMT
Shantelle Coleman, MGMT
Benjamin Phelps, MGMT
Yentzu Chen, MGMT
David Bottom, OIA
Charles Aaron, OIA
Lori Vislocky, OIA
Benjamin Stefano, OIA
Mary Petersen, OIA
Debra Danisek, OIA
Andy Fausett, OIA
Miriam Moore, CRCL
James McNeely, CRCL
Johannes Knudsen, CRCL
Jennifer S. Brand, CRCL
Bonni Berge, CRCL
Andrew Durkot, PLCY
Jennifer Murray
Kellie Riley,PRIV
Tina Glover, CBP
For successfully responding to the OPM data breach by significantly advancing technological solutions, changing security training culture, and implementing business processes to address security gaps.
Cybersecurity Team
Washington, DC
Matthew Z. Smith, MGMT
Teresa Proctor, MGMT
Chelsea Lemons, MGMT
Mary Pickering, MGMT
C Hemant Baidwan, MGMT
Shila Cooch, MGMT
Paul Beckman, MGMT
Wendell Bonvillian, MGMT
Gladys Garcia, MGMT
Kathryn Hazelwood, MGMT
Tamara Lilly, MGMT
Thomas DeBiase, MGMT
For conducting superior outreach to state, local, tribal, and territorial customers with regard to the potential ways to identify and mitigate the threat from violent extremists.
Homegrown Violent Extremist Mobilization Indicators and Outreach Team
Washington, DC
Stephanie Maniglia, OIA
Megan Woolsey, OIA
Daniel Walsh, OIA
Abigail Williams, OIA