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peonies
"Be like a flower and turn your face to the sun."
-  Kahlil Gibran
 
The cherry blossoms are gone making way for new blooms...and we are blooming with new members!  Our membership drive is going strong with Lynn Anne Casey winning our first $50 gift certificate to McCormick & Schmicks for referring over 20 new members.  Forward this to a friend today!
 
S O R A Y A . . .
What a record turnout for hearing powerhouse Soraya Correa!  Thanks to host and sponsor Lynn Anne Casey, CEO of arcAspicio and sponsors Kimberly Purlia of ASRC Management Services and Sue Hopkinc, CEO of DSCI over 60 members enjoyed a lively and no holds barred conversation with the woman in charge of buying all the stuff at DHS!  Many thanks to all the team at arcAspicio who helped set-up and prepare such a fabulous luncheon (with shrimp of course!)  Soraya (I feel like I know her now) talked about her journey as a procurement officer, her challenges to care for her sick grandparents while still maintaining a thriving career and her commitment to maintaining her values and honesty.  No wonder she is top of her game. 

N E W S
We have a new Chair of Asymmetrical Warfare...sounds crazy but this is not your mom's organization!  Talented and ambitious Alissa Knight, Director at the Asymmetric Warfare and Intelligence Center in the Intelligence Operations Group in California will develop a blog and conversation around numerous topics related to women including: Women in Combat Operations in Afghanistan; Mujahida: Women of the Mujahideen; Women Suicide Bombers: Terrorisms Effective Weapon; Tools and resources for women in Research and Intelligence; Training Resources for Women; and Interviews with Women in Intelligence.

In a special section titled: "Ask Alissa," members can ask questions related to women and their roles in terrorism, combat, the intelligence community, and asymmetric warfare.

We welcome other talented women to make WHS their intellectual and professional home and enrich all of us with the diverse roles women play in homeland security!  Watch the website for Alissa's launch later this month!
 
Upcoming luncheons....
You wanted CYBER SECURITY...so we asked one of the foremost experts in the country Jamie Gorelick, former Assistant Attorney General of the United States and member of the 9/11 Commission to discuss cyber policy May 18.  Another hot topic, immigration, we've confirmed Roxana Bacon, Senior Counsel at USCIS to discuss her role, the Department and her challenges June 15.

S P O N S O R S H I P
We still need some support for Jamie Gorelick's luncheon...for SOME reason, Ms. Correa has a number of supporters who came through and we'd appreciate support for both of our upcoming luncheons as well.  Let me know ASAP so we can give you the appropriate kudos!
 
J O B S  &  O T H E R  
PLEASE...let us know where you are and where you're going!  Email your news to [email protected] 
-- we always want to highlight our fabulous members and their career travels!  Also, post your photos, stories and news on our facebook page.  It's a wonderful community and features all our events and activities.
 
See you at Happy Hour at Co Co Sala on the 11th -- the famous spot with nearly all chocolate on the menu!  Read on to learn about our special guest.
 
Kristina Tanasichuk
President & Founder
 
 
FacebookLinkedintwitter (womeninhs)
Happy Hour at Co Co Sala  -- A Chocolate Lounge -- May 11th
RSVP
Happy Hour Every Second Tuesday! 
  
Co Co Sala Chocolate Fantasy!Join us at Co Co Sala
a Chocolate Lounge for exciting ambiance and unique drink specials!  

With special guest: 
Luke Ritter, Ridge Global
and author of May's book of the month:  Securing Global Transportation Networks
 
WHEN:  May 11th   5:30-8:00 pm
Interested in sponsoring happy hour?  Email us.
 
WHERE:  929 F Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20004-1405
(202) 506-2634
 www.cocosala.com
No Greater Sacrifice Kick-Off Event May 6th!
 
Janice Kephart
Jena McNeill, Policy Analyst, Homeland Security at the Heritage FoundationEllen Howe, L-3 
Jamie Gorelick, Partner, WilmerHale 

 

 

 
Hello WHSers!
We are Janice Kephart (Director of National Security Policy at the Center for Immigration Studies and former Counsel to the 9/11 Commission), Jena McNeill Baker (Policy Analyst with the Heritage Foundation) and Ellen Howe, (Director at L-3 and formerly with TSA) .  We wanted to personally invite you to join us in supporting a cause very near and dear to our hearts, the No Greater Sacrifice Foundation. 
 
On behalf of WHS, we are working with the NGS as WHS' domestic charity for 2010 to provide a college education for a soldier who lost her leg overseas. 
 
Join us for the kick-off event on May 6th with special guest 
 
Julie MyersJulie Myers 
former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement 
 
The Heritage Foundation, Lehrman Auditorium,
214 Mass. Ave. NE Washington, DC 20002
Thursday, May 6, 2010, 11 a.m. 
 
No Greater Sacrifice ("NGS") serves to bridge the educational development for the families of our nation's fallen and wounded heroes. The men and women of the United States Armed Forces  risk their lives every day for our country and our way of life. There is no greater sacrifice: to serve, to work, to fight - and if need be - to lay down one's life for the cause of freedom. In making this sacrifice, every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Marine, is forced to leave his or her loved ones back home. For those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, our job is to help finish their work by raising funds to pay for college tuition and graduate degree programs for their children.  Please join us!
SPRING MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
 
McCormick & SchmickFIRST PRIZE for April goes to Lynn Casey of arcAspicio -- a $50 Gift Certificate to McCormick & Schmick's!
 
 
Share the news!  Women in Homeland Security Membership drive!  Help WHS "grow" to serve you better!
 
Simply direct friends and colleagues to our website to register and let us know who sent them.  Happy Spring!
 
Jamie Gorelick May 18 on Cyber Policy & DOJ Law Enforcement
RSVP
Jamie Gorelick, Partner, WilmerHale 
Join us for lunch with
Jamie Gorelick 
Partner, WilmerHale; former Deputy Attorney General of the United States | 9/11 Commission
WHEN:  May 18;  12:00 - 1:30
pm
(Can you sponsor this important event?  Contact us!) 
 
Fresh off the exciting Cyber Shock Wave event on CNN, join us for a fascinating lunch with one of the most experienced and knowledgeable attorneys in homeland security today. 
 
Ms. Gorelick was one of the longest serving Deputy Attorneys General of the United States, the second highest position in the Department of Justice. In that role, she supervised the litigation and law enforcement divisions of the Department, including the United States Attorneys Offices. Ms. Gorelick arrived at Justice from the Department of Defense, where she was General Counsel.  She was also Assistant to the Secretary and Counselor to the Deputy Secretary of Energy, and was presented with the Secretary's Outstanding Service Medal.

Ms. Gorelick has served on numerous government boards and commissions. She was a member of the bipartisan National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the "9/11 Commission"). She also was a member of the CIA's National Security Advisory Panel, President Bush's Review of Intelligence Committee and President Clinton's Advisory Committee to the Presidential Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection (which she co-chaired), among others. She was a member of the Commission on Science and Security at the Department of Energy and is currently serving on the Continuity of Government Commission.
 
Roxana Bacon  June 15 on Customs & Immigration
RSVP
Roxana Bacon, Chief Counsel, USCIS
 
Join us for lunch with
Roxana "Roxie" Bacon
Senior Counsel
United States Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS)
 
WHEN:  June 15; 12:00 - 1:30  Mark your calendar!
(Can you sponsor this event?  Let us know!)
The appointment of Ms. Roxana Bacon as USCIS Chief Counsel brings exceptionally deep and strong immigration law expertise, management and leadership experience, and personal qualities to this important role at USCIS. 
In her 35 years as an immigration law practitioner and policy advisor, Ms. Bacon has, among other things, been a partner with the international firm of Bryan Cave, where she served on the firm's Executive Committee and as resident manager of the Phoenix office, and later founded her own firm, Bacon & Dear, which she grew from 10 to 150 persons.  Ms. Bacon also taught immigration law as a visiting professor and adjunct professor at Arizona State University College of Law and served as a judge pro-tempore on the Arizona Court of Appeals. 

Among her many professional achievements, Ms. Bacon was the first woman to serve as the president of the Arizona Bar Association, the first woman to serve as general counsel to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and a recipient of the American Bar Association's Margaret Brent Award, its highest award given to women lawyers nationally.
 
Soraya Correa's Debut at WHS
Soraya Correa reminded us all how important honesty, integrity and class is to your job and your life.  In the packed event she detailed her experiences "coming up" in the procurement field and how her personal life imacted her career and educational goals.
 
 
Sorqya Correa & Nancy Peters from CACI
 
The room was packed with die-hard and new WHS fans that asked questions about Ms. Correa's leadership style, her life-work balance and her rise to her current status at DHS.  Soraya encouraged honest communication between the procurement office and its customers and encouraged any contractor interested in, or currently working with the office to work with her directly (particularly to solve problems or challenges).  She also explained the difficulties of even attempting to "forecast" what the Department may do in the future when some of the customers then believe that such forecasts are set in stone.
 
 
Jamie Gorelick, Partner, WilmerHale 
 
She encouraged everyone in the crowd to maintain their principles and work toward open communication between industry and government. 
 
Her recommendation for a great and easy read is: The 21 Indispensible Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow -by John C Maxwell and anything by John Grisham!  Find all of Maxwell's books (she really recommended them all) here on his page at amazon.com  
 
Find more pictures on our facebook page!  Click to join today!
 
Book of the Month:  Securing Global Transportation Networks
 
Paris 1919 - Fran Townsend's recommended read Securing Global Transportation Networks
Luke Ritter
 
by Luke Ritter, Ridge Global
For those of you interested in supply chain and transportation issues, Luke's book is a comprehensive look at an end to end security view that will educate and enlighten anyone working in the field.  WHS sat down with Luke for some quick insight into his thinking:
 
 Quick Quote:  "Leaders and decision makers must be prepared to manage risk before it manages them - or be willing to accept the consequences." 
                                                                               --Luke Ritter

WHS:  So even though I think you are fabulous -- can you tell us a little about your background so we know why we need to read your book?
 
LR:
  I am currently responsible for leading the Global Trade Security practice at Ridge Global LLC, which provides strategic management support to clients focused on critical infrastructure protection.  Ridge Global was founded by Tom Ridge, former Congressman, former Governor of Pennsylvania, and the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. In 2006, I co-authored Securing Global Transportation Networks (McGraw Hill, 2006), which has received widespread critical acclaim from industry publications such as Logistics Today, The Maritime Executive, Traffic World, and Supply Chain Management Review, and was selected as the American Society for Industrial Security, 'Book of the Month', in December of 2006. The book introduced a new concept called Total Security Management (TSM), and we have been working to commercialize our unique application of this methodology at Ridge Global. TSM is a business process improvement strategy designed to create value by managing security and resiliency requirements using the proven fundamentals of Quality Management.
I have been published and quoted on the topic of risk management and critical infrastructure protection in Journal of Commerce, Security Management, Directors Monthly, Traffic World, and Cargo Security International. Prior to joining Ridge Global, I was the founder and CEO of Trident Global Partners, a management consulting firm specializing in global trade security. I'm a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and hold an M.B.A from Old Dominion University. My industry credentials include board certification by the American Society of Transportation and Logistics (AST&L). I recently completed my tenure as the Vice Chairman of the Transportation Security Council of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS). 

WHS:  What do you believe is the major ingredient missing from our policy conversations about transportation security?

LR:  Leadership.
Successful initiatives in transportation security always require a healthy dose of inspired leadership. Public-Private partnerships can only be effective if they are led by the right champions. Balancing the requirement to mitigate risks while at the same time encouraging the free flow of commerce ("mitigate and facilitate") is a daunting task - which can not succeed without a strong leadership component. Enlightened policies and plans are only the starting point - the leadership to execute those policies is the keystone - the central supporting element.

WHS:  What do you believe is the biggest threat?  Our greatest vulnerability?

LR:  Treating security and resiliency as an expense, rather than an investment.
The cost of investing in security and resiliency can ultimately be insignificant when compared to the cost associated with surviving and recovering from a major disruptive event such as terrorism, geo-political upheaval, a natural disaster or an industrial accident. To survive in a rapidly changing business environment replete with significant risk management challenges, it's essential that successful enterprises, from mid-market companies to large multinationals, invest in creating a culture of resilience - built upon a solid foundation of process management. The same holds true throughout the public sector.

Leaders and decision makers must be prepared to manage risk before it manages them - or be willing to accept the consequences.

It's hard to argue with the principle that a more secure and resilient business is a more valuable one. Companies with world-class risk management programs can also obtain a competitive advantage in the market place.

WHS:  If you could do one thing to improve our nation's transportation security, what would it be?

LR:  Increase the use of working dogs (explosives and contraband) throughout all modes of transportation.  In most cases, working dogs are the most reliable, cost-effective, and easily employed asset to combat risks in the transportation system posed by explosives and contraband. We should increase the volume and frequency of working dog usage in every mode of transportation - including both passenger and cargo modalities. Airports, train stations, and ports should all have access to a full compliment of well trained and highly skilled K-9 teams. For a number of reasons we have not pursued this strategy at the national or state level. We may be missing an excellent opportunity to mitigate risks.

WHS:  What book would you recommend reading (after we read yours of course!) on transportation security -- for our members who specialize in this area?
 
LR:
  The Resilient Enterprise by Yossi Sheffi.
Although not a book on transportation security, per se, The Resilient Enterprise makes a very good case for the value associated with a fundamental focus on enterprise security and resiliency. The sub-title is: Overcoming Vulnerability for Competitive Advantage. And competitive advantage is one of the primary drivers that is changing transportation security initiatives from an expense, to an investment.
 
Join us for Happy Hour at Co Co Sala and meet Luke!
WHS University:  Paper of the Month
 
DHS OIG TSA ReportWe all want to be better and smarter at our jobs and in our understanding of terrorism, its origins and the latest information on how we may stop it.  WHS will offer papers and documents from think tanks, universities, research facilities and other organizations to help you on your journey to be the best.  The feature this month is:  
Featured Job Seekers & Interns Available!
 
Catharine RobinsonCatharine Robinson recently completed her degree in International Studies at American University, focusing on topics in international security, global political economy, international development and homeland security.  Her professional experience includes work in data analysis and information management at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, coordinating with dozens of internationally-based researchers to help compile the Open Budget Index, released in 2008.   Since January, Catharine has been working on the Governance team at the National Democratic Institute, organizing diplomatic study missions between foreign parliamentarians and the United States Congress.  Her other activities include learning languages, playing on a local softball team, and working at the Washington National Cathedral. Catharine is seeking employment that will take advantage of her previous experience in international affairs, her talent for linguistics and data analysis, and her interest in issues of national security and defense.  
Please contact WHS for her resume
 
Arlene Patel apatel@tougaloo.edu
INTERNS AVAILABLE -- DEADLINE THIS WEEK!
Chairman Bennie Thompson's Alma Matter Tougaloo College has started an innovative internship program for their students and hsa numerous very qualified and excited students available to work for your company this summer.  Arlene Patel, Special Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Initiatives, initiated the program and has numerous students eager to work in the field of homeland security and gain insight and experience in our market.  Please consider hosting them this summer!  Contact Arlene TODAY for resumes and more information.
 
Thank you to Members of the Honor Your RSVP Club
 
 
Honor Your RSVP Club
 
Thank you to all of you who have joined and  HONOR your RSVP!  Because of all of you WHS does not have to charge for its events.  Keep your RSVP's and your "presence" coming!  Thanks!Honor your RSVP Club 
Send this to 5 friends...in honor of the spring membership drive!
Make it a Great Week!   Cartoon of the week
 
Kristina Tanasichuk
Founder & President, WHS
[email protected]