In 2014, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security directed the creation of the Southern Border and Approaches Campaign (SBAC), a unified approach to improve how the Department protects the homeland across our borders. Executed through three Joint Task Forces (JTF-West, JTF-East, and JTF-Investigations), the campaign harnesses and more effectively coordinates the combined assets and personnel of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and other resources of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. In 2016, the Joint Task Forces were authorized in law in the National Defense Authorization Act, which made the position of Deputy Director a DHS Secretary appointed position.The intent of this campaign is effective enforcement and interdiction across land, sea, and air; to degrade transnational criminal organizations; and to do these things while still facilitating the flow of lawful trade, travel, and commerce across our borders.In my role as Deputy Director, I served as the chief operating officer (and senior ICE and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) official within the JTF-West structure) over all JTF-West activities along the entire U.S. southern land border and approaches. I executed my duties as Deputy Director in my capacity as a career Senior Executive Service member bringing 30 plus years of federal law enforcement experience, including twelve years of service as an HSI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) in two major regions of the country to the task force.

Provided senior executive level leadership and direction over all operational and management aspects of approximately 350+ Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and HSI cross-designated state, local, and foreign task force officers. HSI Houston encompasses most of the Texas Gulf Coast area with multiple offices in the Houston metropolitan area, as well as offices in Beaumont, Galveston, and Corpus Christi. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, I provided senior level leadership using a risk management approach over a multitude criminal and civil violations critical to HSI's mission, including but not limited to: terrorist travel and finance; anti-money laundering and financial fraud crimes; arms and technology proliferation; trade, visa and immigration fraud; global supply chain protection; narcotics and contraband smuggling and trafficking; human smuggling and human trafficking; arms, weapons, and munitions smuggling and trafficking; Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations; transnational gang enforcement; human rights violations; cyber crimes; child exploitation and child sex tourism crimes; illicit finance and intellectual property theft. I was board member and the immediate past Chair and Vice-Chair of the Houston High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Executive Board. The Houston HIDTA Executive Board provides leadership and oversight over eight multi-agency enforcement initiatives and an $10M annual operating budget.I served on the Mayor of Houston's Human Trafficking Council.I represented the agency in all forums/all-media including at the highest levels of government and the private sector. HSI is a component of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security.

Provided executive leadership and direction using a risk management approach over the activities of approximately 300 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and HSI cross-designated state, local, and foreign task force officers in the states of Michigan (with offices in Detroit, Detroit Metro Airport, Grand Rapids, and Sault Ste. Marie) and Ohio (Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati). As a member of the Senior Executive Service, lead transnational criminal investigations targeting terrorist travel and finance; anti-money laundering; arms and technology proliferation; trade, visa and immigration fraud; drug, human and weapons smuggling and trafficking; transnational gangs; human rights violations; child exploitation; illicit finance and intellectual property theft. HSI is a component of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security.

Note: Agency changed from US Customs Service, Office of Investigations to the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations in March 2003.

Nationally elected officer and Executive Board member responsible for advancing the legislative agenda of FLEOA's 18,000+ members of the federal law enforcement community. Achievements include key roles on the Federal Law Enforcement Officer's Good Samaritan Act (while Chapter officer in Tucson, AZ), the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act (CAFRA), and blocking an ill-conceived attempt by the FAA to ban the majority of law enforcement officers from flying armed aboard commercial aircraft.

Managed the asset forfeiture program for the United States Customs Service including the inter-agency relationship with the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. Served as the agency deciding official on all asset sharing packages up to $800,000.

Provided oversight and support to U.S. Customs Service investigative offices in the western portion of the United States.

I served as the U.S. Customs Service's national representative to the Department of Justice's Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program overseeing all aspects of this multi-million dollar program.I also served as the U.S. Customs Service's national representative to the Executive Office of the President's Office of National Drug Control Program (ONDCP), High Intensity Drug Trafficking Program (HIDTA). I provided program oversight and guidance to the field in carrying out the HIDTA program.

Enforced a multitude of federal criminal and civil violations with an emphasis of money laundering and financial crimes.

Conducted criminal investigations in support of the U.S. Customs Service mission with special emphasis on money laundering and narcotics, trade fraud, and other transnational criminal organizations.

Conducted criminal investigations in support of the IRS mission with special emphasis on tax fraud and financial crimes including those involving traditional organized crime.