Celebrating Women in Homeland Security

On March 11th, HSDF hosted its second annual “Celebrating Women in Homeland Security” virtual symposium. The program featured high-level women leaders from across the Department of Homeland Security, including headquarters, CISA, TSA, and USCIS, as well as OMB, and industry. During the event we heard personal stories, as well as the latest policy updates about the role of technology in supporting the DHS mission.

An all-star lineup demonstrates DHS efforts to foster women leaders and the impact of their leadership on the agency, obstacles women have to overcome in security-related fields, and best practices to create a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Videos

Agenda

Speaker Bios

Exhibit Hall

Moderator: Patty Cogswell, Former Deputy Administrator, TSA

Nancy Nykamp, Assistant Administrator, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, TSA
Casie Antalis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Screening and Vetting Policy (Acting), DHS
Melissa Smislova, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, DHS
Valerie Cofield, Chief Strategy Officer, CISA
Kelly Ferrell, Senior Vice President, Intelligence & Homeland Security, GDIT

Panel Discussion: Homeland Security and Intelligence

Moderator: Patty Cogswell, Former Deputy Administrator, TSA

Panelists:

Nancy Nykamp, Assistant Administrator, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, TSA
Casie Antalis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Screening and Vetting Policy (Acting), DHS
Melissa Smislova, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Office of Intelligence and Analysis,
DHS
Valerie Cofield, Chief Strategy Officer, CISA
Kelly Ferrell, Senior Vice President, Intelligence & Homeland Security, GDIT

Panel: Technology & Executive Leadership Discussion

Moderator: Margie Graves, Former Deputy Federal CIO & Former Deputy CIO, DHS

Panelists:

Holly Canevari, Chief of Staff, TSA
Jaclyn Rubino, Strategic Programs Executive Director, Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, DHS
Paula Wagner, Office of Information Technology, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Kristy Daphnis, Governmentwide Human Capital and Personnel Policy, OMB
Gretchen Stewart, Chief Data Scientist, Intel Public Sector

Patricia Cogswell, Former TSA Deputy Administrator

Patty Cogswell joined Guidehouse in September 2020, working in the areas of innovation, organization and mission transformation and redesign across the national security sector. Ms. Cogswell is a homeland and national security executive with 24 years of government experience;13 years as a senior executive. She led programs at the White House, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Justice, in transportation, intelligence, policy, border security, screening, and information sharing initiatives. She possesses substantive expertise in: aviation, maritime, and surface transportation security; US government and foreign partner screening and vetting programs; ...

Casie Antalis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Screening and Vetting Policy (Acting), DHS

Casie Antalis has over 15 years of experience in immigration and national security vetting. She is currently the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Screening and Vetting at the Department of Homeland Security. In this role, Casie leads the Department to develop and implement vetting procedures that continue to protect the homeland. She also provides guidance to increase the Department’s identity intelligence capabilities. Prior to joining Headquarters, she served as the first Chief of Staff of the National Vetting Center (NVC), which began operations in December 2018. The NVC provides a coordinated ...

Holly Canevari, Chief of Staff, TSA

Holly Canevari was named TSA Chief of Staff in March 2021. She provides strategic counsel on policy and planning matters as well as public and legislative affairs and serves as a liaison to the administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other agencies. Canevari has over two decades of policy, legislative, and managerial experience and a wealth of homeland security experience in the executive and legislative branches of the federal government and in the private sector. Canevari first joined DHS in 2010 as a Senior Advisor to the Assistant ...

Valerie Cofield, Chief Strategy Officer, CISA

Valerie M. Cofield serves as the Chief Strategy Officer of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Ms. Cofield serves as the principal policy and strategic adviser to CISA leadership and senior management, integrating strategy across all the organization’s mission areas and ensuring policy, strategy, and operational consistency throughout the agency. Prior to CISA, Ms. Cofield served at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for 22 years in a variety of roles. She was a Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) for the Cyber Capabilities Branch within the FBI’s Cyber Division where ...

Kristy Daphnis, Governmentwide Human Capital and Personnel Policy, OMB

Kristy Daphnis is currently the lead for Federal workforce policy and the lead for Federal agency COVID-19 operations in the Office of Performance and Personnel Management at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in Washington, D.C. In this role, she supervises a team of analysts focused on civil service reforms, the future of work, employee engagement, effective management of the Federal workforce, and supporting the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force. This work involves collaboration with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s staff and leadership team, the General Services Administration ...

Elaine Duke, Former Acting Secretary and Deputy Secretary, DHS

Elaine Duke is a Specialist Executive with Deloitte Consulting LLP Government and Public Service. Ms. Duke uses her experience as a senior homeland security leader, prominent executive, and federal management and acquisition expert to help define and execute Deloitte’s Defense and National Security Sector Strategy. Ms. Duke was the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from April 10, 2017 to April 15, 2018. She also served as the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security from July 31, 2017 to December 6, 2017. During this time, she led DHS ...

Kelly Ferrell, Senior Vice President, Intelligence & Homeland Security, GDIT

Kelly Ferrell is GDIT’s senior vice president for the intelligence and homeland security division, reporting to President Amy Gilliland. Kelly oversees the delivery of information technology, software development, and professional services and solutions to customers within the Intelligence Community and throughout the Department of Homeland Security. Kelly previously served as GDIT’s chief growth officer, led the health and civilian solutions division, and served as vice president and general manager within the intelligence division. Prior to GDIT, Kelly served in management roles at CSC and Northrop Grumman. Kelly earned a bachelor’s ...

Margaret Graves, Former Deputy Federal CIO

Margaret (Margie) H. Graves is the former Deputy Federal CIO for the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President. The Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer drives value in Federal IT, delivers digital services, protects Federal IT assets and information, and develops the next generation IT workforce. In her previous role, Margie worked to improve the way Government delivers results and technology services to the public. She drove elements of the President’s Management Agenda; IT Modernization, Data as a Strategic Asset and Workforce of the 21st ...

Jennifer Higgins, Deputy Director, USCIS

Jennifer Higgins was appointed as the USCIS deputy director on Jan. 31, 2022. Prior to this appointment, she served in a variety of leadership positions during her more than two decades of federal service, including serving as the acting chief of staff at DHS since September 2021 and the associate director for the Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate (RAIO) from January 2017 to 2021. Higgins has focused her career on administering the United States’ long-standing humanitarian and immigration programs consistent with our laws, values, and national security mandate. Of ...

Arveen Kohli, Service Sales Leader, US Federal Dell Technologies

Arveen is a Civilian Services Leader at Dell Technologies. Prior to joining Dell, Arveen was at Microsoft Corporation where she focused on the Midwest region out of Chicagoland. During her tenure at Microsoft, she has helped businesses drive innovation through application/ datacenter modernizations, data driven business outcomes and by streamlining processes through automation, and operating model optimizations, all while keeping security at the forefront. Prior to that Arveen worked at Accenture as an insider – closely with the Board of Directors and CEO’s office to help with strategic IT/Legal programs. ...

Nancy Nykamp, Assistant Administrator for Intelligence and Analysis, TSA

Nancy Nykamp has served as the Assistant Administrator (AA) for TSA’s Intelligence & Analysis (I&A) office since June 2020. She oversees intelligence activities and 24/7 vetting operations to identify and mitigate threats to the nation’s transportation system. Nykamp leads TSA’s efforts in intelligence-based targeting of high risk passengers while overseeing agency-wide intelligence requirements, reporting and analysis. Nykamp also coordinates collaboration and intelligence sharing efforts with aviation and surface stakeholders. Nykamp directs TSA’s National Transportation Vetting Center with 24/7 operations at three locations, vetting up to 2 million passengers daily for ...

Nichole Francis Reynolds, Vice President & Head of Global Government Relations, ServiceNow

Nichole Francis Reynolds is the Vice President of Global Government Relations at ServiceNow. She leads the company’s global government relations, public policy, and advocacy agenda domestically and internationally. In her position, she works with Administration officials, Members of Congress, State and local public officials, the diplomatic community, third-party organizations and industry associations on domestic and international technology policy issues. Prior to joining ServiceNow, she served as Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for the Interstate Natural Gas Association where she oversaw advocacy efforts on behalf of the natural gas ...

Jaclyn Rubino, Strategic Programs Executive Director, Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, DHS

Jaclyn Rubino serves as the Executive Director of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Strategic Programs Division (SPD) within the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) where she oversees the Department’s Category Management and Industry Engagement efforts. Ms. Rubino is a recognized leader in Category Management across the Government where she is widely sought after for her strategies and accomplishments in driving more efficient buying behaviors. In February 2016, Ms. Rubino was named by the Office of Management and Budget as the first Government-wide Security and Protection Category Manager ...

Melissa Smislova, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, DHS

Melissa Smislova currently serves as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis (SOPD/PDUSIA). In this capacity, she oversees the DHS Intelligence Enterprise Readiness divisions as well as Intelligence Enterprise Mission Centers which serve as the Department’s center of gravity for intelligence-driven integration of analysis and operations and serves alongside the Under Secretary. She also oversees all of I&A’s deployed personnel embedded in fusion centers and other strategic locations nationwide. Prior to her current role, Ms. Smislova served as the Acting Under Secretary ...

Suzanne Spaulding, Former Under Secretary, DHS

Suzanne Spaulding is senior adviser for homeland security and director of the Defending Democratic Institutions project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She also served as a member of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission. Previously, she served as under secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where she led the National Protection and Programs Directorate, now called the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, managing a $3 billion budget and a workforce of 18,000, charged with strengthening cybersecurity and protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure, including election infrastructure. She ...

Gretchen Stewart, Chief Data Scientist, Public Sector, Intel

Gretchen Stewart is the Public Sector Data Science Technical Director working closely with Intel’s Ecosystem of software, hardware and partner vendors in developing solutions and programs focused on the convergence of high-performance computing and data analytics. In building this data analytics/ AI practice within Intel she is working closely with federal and state government, research institutions, universities, energy and advanced manufacturing customers. In enhancing Intel’s ecosystem with these AI solutions and programs, she is working with disruptors, start-up and mainstream software vendors to ensure governments, educational institutions and enterprise customers ...

Kiersten Todt, Chief of Staff, Office of the Director, CISA

Kiersten E. Todt is the Chief of Staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). As the Chief of Staff, she is responsible for the planning, allocation of resources, and development of long-range objectives in support of the department’s goals and milestones; she provides strategic vision, guidance, and direction to ensure CISA’s Director is prepared to interdict or respond to threats to the homeland. Prior to her role at CISA, Kiersten served as the Managing Director of the Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI), a non-profit initiative that convenes senior executives ...

Paula Wagner, Systems Delivery Division Chief, Office of Information Technology, USCIS

Paula Wagner is the Systems Delivery Division Chief within the Office of Information Technology at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, providing technical leadership, management oversight and coordination for over $160 million in SDD projects. Paula previously served as the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Branch Chief, responsible for oversight, support, and delivery of IT solutions and services that support the operational HSI mission. Paula began her federal career at the Department of Treasury where she began as a Budget Analyst and transitioned to an IT Specialist ...

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider™, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator® for our vendor partners, we deliver solutions for Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Open Source, Customer Experience and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contracts.

Founded in 2004, Carahsoft is headquartered in Reston, Virginia and employs more than 2,000 professionals dedicated to serving our public sector customers and partners.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to our cyber and physical infrastructure. We connect our stakeholders in industry and government to each other and to resources, analyses, and tools to help them build their own cyber, communications, and physical security and resilience, in turn helping to ensure a secure and resilient infrastructure for the American people. Our 2020 Year in Review displays key examples of CISA’s work to carry out its mission in 2020, including milestones and accomplishments as the Agency advanced strategic priorities to maintain a secure and resilient infrastructure for the nation.

Dell Technologies services the federal government and supports their IT programs from system modernization to cloud integration. We empower countries, communities, customers, and officials to serve the public with effectiveness and efficiency. Carahsoft is a Dell partner, and together we can offer federal, state, and local government solutions on various contract vehicles to give you cost-effective products and services. Customers trust us to deliver technology that helps achieve more, whether they're at home, work, school or anywhere in their world.

Deloitte’s Government & Public Services practice—our people, ideas, technology, and outcomes—is designed for impact. Our team of over 15,000+ professionals across the country brings fresh perspective to help you anticipate disruption, reimagine the possible, and fulfill your mission promise. Whether you are at the crossroads of artificial intelligence (AI) and workforce transformation, cyber and IT modernization or digital and citizen experience—we bring actionable insights to drive bold and lasting results. Our shared purpose and passion help you make an impact and improve the lives of citizens.

Around the world, governments and the public sector work to improve quality of life, keep systems and data secure, and comply with regulations. Intel supports your efforts with a range of technologies designed for critical missions, everyday operations, and reliable performance no matter what the task.

Whether for the data center, network, or edge, Intel® technologies make data more accessible—and decisions more intelligent—while helping reduce costs. We work with governments to bring artificial intelligence to more places, maximize the value of cloud and edge computing, and help to enhance cybersecurity at every point. Intel draws on decades of experience helping the public sector worldwide select and deploy technologies. We can help you turn reams of data into better services, fast decisions, and a mission that’s been accomplished.

ServiceNow's powerful yet simple cloud platform has the advanced capacity and infrastructure necessary to integrate IT strategy, design, transition, and operation. By centralizing records for all IT processes and supporting the development of unique applications to meet a variety of needs, this platform enables increased efficiency and productivity for all types of business users.

Government organizations will benefit from a consistent, intuitive user experience at a low cost for easily consolidating, managing, and sharing data and resources. IT experts rely on ServiceNow solutions for smoother, more effective implementation of business processes throughout the entire organization by making the right information more accessible to the right people.

America's Partnership for Homeland, Cyber, and National Security

Celebrating Women in Homeland Security

March 11, 2022

Celebrating Women in Homeland Security

Fireside Chat with USCIS Deputy Director Jennifer Higgins and Elaine Duke on Leadership

CISA Chief of Staff Details Cyber Priorities and Diversity in the Workforce

Panel Discussion on Homeland Security Intelligence and Women Leaders with Patty Cogswell

Panel Discussion on Technology and Leadership in Homeland Security with Margie Graves