DHS Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas swears in new members of The Homeland Security Advisory Council

Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas met with the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) on September 29, where he discussed a range of homeland security-related issues and swore in the three newest members to HSAC.

“These accomplished individuals bring with them invaluable expertise and experience to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which helps the Department of Homeland Security continually improve policies and initiatives across our wide-ranging missions,” said Deputy Secretary Mayorkas. “We look forward to working with them on the pivotal issues that help guide this Department.”

The HSAC is a federal advisory committee to the Department of Homeland Security that provides the Secretary of Homeland Security with independent, informed recommendations and advice on a variety of homeland security issues.  The HSAC is comprised of national policy makers, representatives from state, local and tribal government, emergency and first responder communities, academia and the private sector.

The new members sworn in today include: Marshall Fitz, Emerson Collective Managing Director of Immigration; Jeffrey Miller, National Football League Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer; and John Pistole, former Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator.

Marshall Fitz is Managing Director of Immigration at the Emerson Collective where he leads the organization’s strategies to advance common-sense immigration policies and solutions at the federal, state, and local levels.  He is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP), where he helps guide the Center’s advocacy and strategy regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration directives.  Prior to joining CAP, Mr. Fitz was Director of Advocacy at the American Immigration Lawyers Association where he led public education and advocacy efforts for the professional bar association.  He also served as a law clerk to Judge Bruce M. Selya of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Mr. Fitz has a Bachelor’s Degree and a J.D. from the University of Virginia.

Jeffrey Miller is Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer of the National Football League (NFL) where he oversees all event security, investigative programs and services.  Prior to joining the NFL, Mr. Miller spent 24years with the Pennsylvania State Police, retiring in 2008 after six years as Commissioner. In that role, he oversaw a complement of over 6,000 enlisted and civilian personnel and a budget of $800 million dollars. As a cabinet secretary, he was responsible for implementing crime and crash reduction strategies, anti-terrorism efforts, and general policing practices including emergency response in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller holds an Associate Degree from the University of South Florida, a Bachelor’s of Professional Studies Degree in Criminal Justice from Elizabethtown College, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Pennsylvania State University. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and the FBI National Executive Institute.

John S. Pistole is the President of Anderson University. He began his career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1983 and served multiple assignments in Minneapolis, New York, Indianapolis, Boston, and FBI headquarters in Washington.  After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Pistole was placed in charge of the FBI’s counterterrorism program, eventually becoming the FBI’s Executive Assistant Director for national security.  In 2004, he was named Deputy Director for the FBI.  In March 2006, Pistole was awarded the 2005 Presidential Rank of Distinguished Executive.  President Barack Obama nominated Pistole as head of the Transportation Security Administration in the spring of 2010 and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 25, 2010.  Pistole was sworn in as the Administrator in July 2010 and led the 60,000-strong workforce until his retirement on December 31, 2014.  In 2006, Anderson University awarded Pistole with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.  In 2007, Pistole received the Department of Justice Edward H. Levi Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Exemplary Integrity. In 2009, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Robert H. McKinney School of Law at Indiana University. Pistole received a Bachelor’s Degree from Anderson University and a J.D. from Indiana University.

The full list of the Homeland Security Advisory Council members can be found here.

Source: DHS