Connections Podcast

The Honorable Kevin K. McAleenan is a law enforcement executive who served in national command and leadership roles in the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection since shortly after September 11th, 2001. Most recently, Mr. McAleenan served as Acting Secretary of Homeland Security from April through November 2019, where he developed and led the Department's efforts to substantially mitigate the border security and immigration crisis through international partnerships and enhanced security and humanitarian measures, developed a new strategic framework for countering terrorism, and worked to enhance the Nation’s cyber and infrastructure security. In this role, he oversaw more than 240,000 employees in more than 20 agencies with a budget of $60 Billion dollars.

Before this appointment, McAleenan served as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), having been confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2018. Previously, he had served as CBP Acting Commissioner since January 2017 and Deputy Commissioner—the senior career law enforcement official at CBP—since 2014.

As CBP’s chief executive, McAleenan oversaw 60,000 employees, managed a budget of over $15 billion, and ensured the effective operations of CBP’s mission to protect national security while promoting economic prosperity. He directed CBP’s three core missions of counterterrorism, border security, and trade enforcement while facilitating $4 trillion in trade and facilitating travel of over 365 million people through ports of entry.

Under McAleenan’s leadership, CBP developed strategies that protect the nation’s borders from terrorism and transnational criminal networks. During his tenure, CBP implemented technology innovations that have facilitated the U.S. international arrival and departure process, including biometrics and facial recognition. Additionally, under his leadership CBP developed a trade transformation agenda, designed to help America compete in the global economy.

From 2006 to 2008, McAleenan served as the Area Port Director of Los Angeles International Airport, directing CBP’s border security operations at LAX and Las Vegas McCarron, in one of CBP’s largest field commands. In December 2011, he was named acting Assistant Commissioner of CBP’s Office of Field Operations. In this position, McAleenan led agency operations to secure the U.S. border while expediting lawful trade and travel at 329 ports of entry in the United States and 70 international locations in more than 40 countries.

Currently, McAleenan is serving as a Distinguished Guest Lecturer for the Combatting Terrorism Center’s (CTC) course on Homeland Security and Defense at the United States Military Academy. McAleenan also serves on the Homeland Security Experts group and is supporting the Atlantic Council’s Future of DHS Project.

McAleenan received a 2015 Presidential Rank Award—the nation’s highest civil service award. In 2005, he received the Service to America Medal, Call to Service Award, for spearheading efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive anti-terrorism strategy in the border security context after Sept. 11, 2001. McAleenan has been a member of the U.S. Government’s Senior Executive Service since 2006. Before his government service, he practiced law in California. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College.

Nick Powers is President of Data Works, an E3/Sentinel Company. Nick is responsible for the operation and growth of Data Works and works closely with the E3/Sentinel leadership team to drive business expansion and deliver client-centered results. Nick's goals include the growth and development of Data Works staff and providing exceptional support to mission-focused customers.

Data Works merged with E3/Sentinel in 2019 to help expand its capabilities and accelerate growth within the Intelligence Community. Data Works is a leading provider of mission analytics, big data, and software development solutions to the intelligence community. As the President of Data Works, Nick will continue building on the foundation that has made Data Works what it is today – a highly respected, employee-focused technology company that supports mission-critical projects within the Intelligence Community. With the support of E3/Sentinel, Data Works will increase capabilities and project offerings while maintaining quality and culture. Nick will provide oversight to Data Works staff and interface with E3/Sentinel leadership to accelerate growth and present unique opportunities to employees and customers.

Before joining E3/Sentinel, Nick co-founded Data Works and helped build it from a startup into a well-respected small business with top technical talent. His previous experience is as a software developer with expertise in large scale data transformation and analytics. Nick is a graduate of Virginia Tech and an enthusiastic Hokie.

Andrew (“Andy”) Maner is the Chief Executive Officer of the merged E3/Sentinel. He is responsible for setting the strategic direction, long-term goals, and growth objectives while positioning the firm for continued expansion into new markets. Andy ensures consistent delivery excellence to clients while maintaining a strong culture of professional development and a future strategy of growth. He has over 25 years of executive leadership experience in both private and public sectors.

In 2016, Andy purchased a majority stake in Sentinel where he served as the Chairman. He helped lead organic and external acquisition growth strategies for Sentinel, which is a management consulting and solutions business focused on national security clients. NewSpring Holdings purchased a controlling interest in Sentinel in September 2018. From 2010 to 2015, Andy served as the Managing Partner of US Federal within IBM Global Business Services where he managed the $1.6B consulting and solutions and technology business. Prior to leading their acquisition by IBM, Andy was the Chief Executive Officer of NISC, a $200M information management, services, and technology consulting firm serving the federal market. In addition to his work in the private sector, Andy served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Homeland Security from 2004 to 2006 and as Chief of Staff to Customs Commissioner Bonner from 2002 to 2004, where he led the transition of three agencies into Customs and Border Protection. He also served in the administration of President George H. W. Bush in the White House and as a Staff Assistant under Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater in the White House Press Office (1991 to 1993). He later accompanied President Bush into private life in Houston after the 1992 election and served as the Special Assistant to the 1993 United Nations Envoy to Somalia in Mogadishu.

Andy holds a Master of Business Administration from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts from Purdue University. He also serves on the Board of Directors for No Greater Sacrifice, a non-profit that dedicates scholarships for higher education to families of fallen and wounded service members.

Lt Gen (retired) Kevin McLaughlin has over 35 years of experience in the space and cyberspace business with a focus on creating and leading large-scale, innovative, global organizations, and with unique strengths in operations, strategic planning, policy development, organizational transformation, and human capital development. He is the Director of the Program for Cyber Policy, Strategy, and Security and an Adjunct Professor of Practice at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. As the founder and President of McLaughlin Global Associates LLC, Gen McLaughlin serves as a director on several corporate boards and advises clients on cyberspace and space operations, defense, risk management, strategy formulation and implementation, domestic and international policy, and government and private sector business opportunities. Gen. McLaughlin’s last active duty assignment was as the Deputy Commander of United States Cyber Command at Ft Meade, Maryland from 2014 - 2017. In this capacity, he directed 12,000 personnel and a $525M budget to defend the nation’s largest information network, provide offensive cyberspace options to commanders, and protect critical U.S. infrastructure from cyber-attacks. Before joining U.S. Cyber Command, Gen McLaughlin led 24th Air Force, the U.S. Air Force’s organization of 4,500-personnel that organized, trained, and equipped cyber forces to execute global cyberspace operations.

Prior to his assignment at 24th Air Force, Gen McLaughlin spent thirty years as a leader of large, complex, and highly technical organizations associated with some of the world’s most critical space organizations including the squadron that operates the Global Positioning System and the Air Force operations group that operates over 170 satellites for national leadership, U.S. and allied military, and civil and federal agencies. He also served as the only active-duty staff member on the Commission to Assess National Security Space Management and Organization (AKA The Rumsfeld Space Commission) in 2000-2001.

Dominique Cooper is a program and adoption manager with over a decade of federal experience in systems engineering and program management. Recently, she joined a small innovation infrastructure company in Santa Cruz, CA.

Acknowledged as the Global Encourager, Dominique Cooper encourages the world through motivational talks and inspirational products. She is a writer, businesswoman, reality tv personality, and advocate for STEM related pursuits. Dominique graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear and Radiological Engineering. Shortly after landing her first job in the power industry, she pursued a Masters in Systems and Electrical Engineering at the historic Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Dominique was a houseguest on CBS’s Big Brother 19 and boldly took her faith into a house full of envy, revenge, lust, and rivalry. Realizing the potential impact of such an opportunity, she embraced the discomfort of the unknown to grasp what was familiar to her spirit. Her life story is full of twists and turns, ups and downs, rights and lefts that have all undoubtedly established her strong faith in the Lord.

Dominique has been featured in numerous media outlets including Oprah Magazine, Hollywood Reporter, US Weekly, Entertainment Tonight (ET), ET Canada, TMZ, Knoxville News Sentinel, Parade, AL.com, The Inquisitr, AOL, Goldderby, Romper, New York Daily News, and Global.

https://www.dominiquecooper.com/