Chertoff Names Carol A. Haave Assistant Secretary for International Affairs

Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff announced on July 8 the appointment of Carol A. Haave as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security.

Haave is returning to public service after nearly three years in the private sector. She served the Department of Defense as Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Counterintelligence and Security and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Security and Information Operations.

Haave spent more than 10 years advising the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on transitioning advanced technology into the military and commercial markets. Haave has also participated on numerous Defense Science Boards, and was a staff member on the National Defense Panel. She received her undergraduate degree from Stetson University, and holds a Master of Arts degree from Pepperdine University. Haave began her career in the United States Army, where she received an in-service direct commission and attended airborne school.

John G. O’Connell to Serve as National Counterterrorism Center’s Principal Deputy Director

John “Geoff” O’Connell was been appointed June 17 to be the National Counterterrorism Center’s (NCTC) principal deputy firector by Director Michael E. Leiter. O’Connell has served at NCTC in various positions since 2005.

O’Connell is a thirty-three year veteran of the CIA’s National Clandestine Service where he spent much of his career in senior assignments overseas, mostly involving counterterrorism. Additionally, he has served at NCTC performing strategic operational planning and supporting the Mission Management directorate for the last three years. O’Connell served as deputy chief of the FBI’s International Terrorism Operations Section from 1996 to 1997 and as Chief of the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center from 1997 to 1999. He was also Special Assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence for the Middle East Peace Process from 2002 to 2004.

O’Connell is a cum laude graduate of Amherst College in Massachusetts and has received numerous domestic and foreign awards throughout his career.

Thomas D. Cairns Named Chief Human Capital Officer at DHS

President Bush announced on May 8 his intention to appoint Thomas D. Cairns to be Chief Human Capital Officer at the Department of Homeland Security.  

Cairns currently serves as a Principal at the Cairns Blaner Group, LLC.  Prior to this, he served as Senior Vice President for Human Resources at NBC Universal.  Earlier in his career, he served as the Vice President of Employee Relations at NBC.  Cairns received his bachelor's degree from Rider University.  He received his master's degree and DBA from Nova Southeastern University. 

Chertoff Announces First Deputy Under Secretary for Science and Technology Directorate

On April 25 Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced he had chosen Bradley Buswell as the department’s first Deputy Under Secretary for the Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate.

Prior to joining the department, Buswell served for more than 24 years in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear submarine officer, and also worked as a manager for General Electric Global Research, GE’s corporate laboratory. He most recently served as the S&T Chief of Staff, and has led its transformation in strategy and operations over the last 18 months. His efforts in restructuring the organization have significantly enhanced S&T’s ability to transition technology from research to implementation.

Navy Re-Establishes U.S. Fourth Fleet

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced on April 24 the re-establishment of the U.S. Fourth Fleet and assigned Rear Adm. Joseph D. Kernan, currently serving as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, as its new commander. Kernan will be the first Navy SEAL to serve as a numbered fleet commander.

U.S. Fourth Fleet will be dual-hatted with the existing commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO), currently located in Mayport, Florida. U.S. Fourth Fleet has been re-established to address the increased role of maritime forces in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of operations, and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to regional partners. Fourth Fleet will be responsible for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft, and submarines operating in the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Established in 1943, the U.S. Fourth Fleet was a major U.S. Navy command in the South Atlantic during World War II. The Fourth Fleet was disestablished in 1950 when responsibilities were taken over by the U.S. Second Fleet.

Douglas O’Dell Selected to be Coordinator of Gulf Coast Recovery

President Bush announced April 18 his selection of Douglas O’Dell as the Coordinator of Federal Support for the Recovery and Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Region.

O’Dell has extensive command and control experience, including emergency response and the transition to ongoing management, notably serving as commander of U.S. Marine Forces, Joint Task Force Katrina / Rita during Gulf Coast relief operations.

O’Dell completed a 39-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring last year as a Major General with command of the New Orleans-based 4th Marine Division, the largest combat unit in the Corps. Immediately after 9/11, he was activated to lead 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism), and also served as Vice Commander of Marine Forces for Europe, the Atlantic and South America.

Department of Homeland Security Appoints Chief Information Officer

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced on April 8 that Richard Mangogna has been appointed to serve as the Department of Homeland Security’s Chief Information Officer.

Mangogna came from the Mason Harriman Group where he served as a senior advisor to our various component agencies. Mangogna’s previous experience include being a chief information officer for JP Morgan Chase, the division head of Business Re-engineering Management at Chase Manhattan Bank, and President and CEO of COVIDEA online technology services.

DNI Names New Director of Public Affairs

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence announced on April 3 that veteran newsman Richard Willing has joined DNI as its Director of Public Affairs. Willing, 59, covered civil and criminal justice issues, as well as intelligence and national security, for USA Today from 1997 until this January. Previously, Willing covered the auto industry and organized labor for the Washington bureau of The Detroit News. Willing’s work has also appeared in the Washington Post Style section, Washingtonian magazine and the Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies. On radio, he has reported for BBC-Ulster and Radio Canada.

Willing holds honors degrees from Yale and Ohio State universities. He began work March 31.

Director Picked to head DHS's National Cyber Security Center

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced on March 20 the appointment of Rod Beckstrom as the first director of the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC). Beckstrom will serve the department by coordinating cyber security efforts and improving situational awareness and information sharing across the federal government.

The department is leading efforts to protect federal networks and enhance capabilities that defend and reduce cyber-associated risks.

Beckstrom has over 25 years of experience in designing and implementing new internet technologies. He brings to the department a specialized Internet expertise, and unique entrepreneurial and creative business thinking. Beckstrom received both his BA and MBA from Stanford University, and was a Fulbright Scholar in Switzerland.

Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to Step Down

Emilio Gonzalez on March 13 announced his intention to resign as director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), effective April 18.

During his tenure, Gonzalez oversaw efforts to improve customer service and modernize the agency’s operations to strengthen the security and integrity of the immigration system into the 21st century. Gonzalez led efforts to ensure the reliability of processes for international adoptions and also undertook steps to expedite the naturalization of immigrant servicemen and women.

Prior to joining the department in 2005, Gonzalez served as the Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council. He also had a distinguished 26-year career in the U.S. Army.

Ombudsman Appointed at Citizenship and Immigration Services

Michael Timothy Dougherty has been appointed the ombusdman at the Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security. Dougherty previously served as Acting Director of Immigration Policy and Senior Policy Advisor for Immigration at DHS's Office of Policy and Planning.

Dougherty is returning to DHS after working as legislative counsel to Senator Jon Kyl, where he advised on legal and policy issues related to homeland security and immigration. Dougherty has also worked at the U.S. Department of Justice as a trial attorney in the office of Immigration Litigation and an Attorney Advisor for the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Scott Charbo New Deputy Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate

Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff announced February 1 that Scott Charbo has been promoted to Deputy Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD). Charbo previously served as the department’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), and as acting Under Secretary for Management.

As CIO Charbo created an integrated Information Technology service and communications delivery capability for DHS. He was the catalyst in the consolidation of seven wide area networks into a single DHS network called OneNet, which should be completed by the end of 2008. Additionally, he was the primary driver in establishing the common e-mail environment and establishing the department's two enterprise-wide data centers.

Charbo previously served as the CIO for DHS’ Border and Transportation Security (BTS) directorate, and before that deputy CIO for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He is a Harvard Senior Executive Fellow.

Charles Armstrong, the deputy Chief Information Officer, will move up and act as the department’s Chief Information Officer.

DNI Names New Director for Homeland Security and Law Enforcement

Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell appointed Bart R. Johnson January 31 as director for homeland security and law enforcement support and outreach within the DNI’s Office of Policy, Plans, and Requirements.

Johnson will help to foster collaboration among officials at all levels of government – overseeing national intelligence support to federal, state, and local customers who are on the front lines of homeland security. Prior to joining the ODNI, Johnson served with the New York State Police for 23 years, retiring as a colonel. As a deputy superintendent in charge of field command, he oversaw the department’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Uniform Force, and Office of Counter Terrorism. In addition, he previously managed narcotics operations statewide, and chaired the Criminal Intelligence Coordinating Council.

Johnson received a bachelor’s degree in business management and economics from Empire State College. He succeeds Michael Tiffany, who now works for the ODNI’s Inspector General.

Executive Assistant Director for FBI’s National Security Branch Named

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III, on January 11 named Arthur M. Cummings, II, Executive Assistant Director of the FBI’s National Security Branch. Cummings, previously the Deputy Assistant Director in the Counterterrorism Division, will oversee the FBI’s counterterrorism, counterintelligence, weapons of mass destruction, and intelligence programs.

A 20-year veteran, Cummings has served in various positions in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters. He played a key role in the reorganization of the counterterrorism program and established the position of Chief of the National Strategic Assessment and Warning Section. He has served as chief of the Counterterrorism Operational Response Section, chief of the International Terrorism Operations Section, Deputy Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and Special Agent-in-Charge of the Counterterrorism Division and Intelligence Branch of the Washington, DC Field Office.

Cummings was awarded the 2004 Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service and the 2006 Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive.

DHS Names Chief Procurement Officer

Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff named January 10 Thomas W. Essig to serve as the Department of Homeland Security’s Chief Procurement Officer (CPO). As the CPO, Essig is the department’s senior procurement executive and responsible for the management, administration and oversight of the department’s acquisition, financial assistance, strategic sourcing and competitive sourcing programs.

Essig came to the department in May 2006 as the deputy chief procurement officer. He transitioned to DHS from the United States Navy, where he reported to the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and served as the director of the Program Analysis and Business Transformation Division. Essig began his federal career in 1976 when he entered the Navy’s Contracting Intern Development Program and was assigned to Naval Sea Systems Command as a contract specialist, supporting various Naval weapon systems programs. He was selected as a member of the Senior Executive Service in 1995 and served as the Director of the Surface Systems Contracts Division of NAVSEA.