The Secretary’s Meritorious Service Award is the second highest award presented by the Secretary and recognizes outstanding leadership, superior public service or unusually significant contributions to strengthening homeland security. It may recognize a body of work regarding remarkable innovation or notable resourcefulness and diligence that improved the effectiveness of one or more DHS missions.
This year's winners are listed below, along with a description of their contributions and achievements:
For leading the opening of Air Transport Preclearance operations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Loretta Gamble, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
For contributions to improve national maritime domain awareness, enhancing incident response capabilities during Hurricanes Sandy and Irene
Captain John T. Davis, U.S. Coast Guard
For extraordinary leadership in developing new and improved alternative forms of risk management in transportation security
Kenneth Fletcher, Transportation Security Administration
For saving DHS over $2 billion since 2005 through the Strategic Sourcing program
Michael B. Smith, Management Directorate
For superior achievement as a leader in innovation and technology in delivery of customer service
Mariela Melero, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
For exceptionally meritorious service in enforcing and prosecuting domestic and international cybercrime activities:
Matthew O'Neill, U.S. Secret Service
For outstanding service and competence in negotiating an international agreement with the United Arab Emirates on Air Transport Preclearance for the United States:
John Havranek, Air Transportation Preclearance Team, Office of the General Counsel
Kevin McAleenan, Air Transportation Preclearance Team, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
For exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment and perseverance in a money laundering investigation that changed the banking system in America:
William Abatangelo, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Derek Amalbert, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Christos Antoniades, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Adrian Davila, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Frank Digregorio, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Jaime Figueroa, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Jody Foresta, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Julius Garcia, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Graham Klein, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Carmelo Lana, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
John Lavin, El Dorado Task Force Financial Group VII, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
For investigating and bringing to justice an illegal visa fraud operation that resulted in the largest immigration fine to date:
Judson J. Davis, Infosys Investigative Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Timothy S. Forte, Infosys Investigative Team, Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of State
Joel "Brian" Gray, Infosys Investigative Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edward G. Koranda, Infosys Investigative Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Christina M. Morales, Infosys Investigative Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Shamoil T. Shipchandler, Infosys Investigative Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
For performance and achievement in executing a managerial turnaround of the Krome Service Processing Center, resulting in $206 million in savings for the U.S. Government:
James D. Adams, Krome Service Processing Center Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Ivy Cheng, Krome Service Processing Center Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Gary Fletcher, Krome Service Processing Center Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
John Kirsch, Krome Service Processing Center Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Christopher Maiwurm, Krome Service Processing Center Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Tara Murphy, Krome Service Processing Center Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Kika Scott, Krome Service Processing Center Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
For investigating the largest student visa distribution fraud organization to date:
Peter Chartier, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement
Shana Chen, Student Visa Fraud Team, Department of Justice
Jason Donovan, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
David Farrante, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement
Leesha Jauhry, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Jason Kanno, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement
Lisa Newman, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Suruj Paul, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Alka Saxena, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Maneesh Yadav, Student Visa Fraud Team, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services