TEAM

 

Michael Chertoff

Co-Founder and Managing Principal

As Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2005 to 2009, Mr. Chertoff led the country in blocking would-be terrorists from crossing our borders or implementing their plans if they were already in the country.
He also transformed FEMA into an effective organization following Hurricane Katrina. His greatest successes have earned few headlines – because the important news is what didn’t happen. more >>>

Chad C. Sweet

Co-Founder and Managing Principal

At the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Sweet worked directly with Secretary Michael Chertoff to restructure and optimize the flow of information between the CIA, FBI and other members of the national security community and DHS. Mr. Sweet also supported the Secretary during numerous operations to detect, disrupt and respond to terrorist plots both in the United States and overseas more >>>

 

Jayson Ahern

Principal

On January 2, 2010, Jayson P. Ahern retired from 33 years of federal service to both the U.S. Customs Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. At the time of his retirement, he had served for nearly a year as Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and was responsible for securing, managing and controlling our Nation’s borders. more >>>

Charles Allen

Principal

At DHS, Charles E. Allen developed the department’s intelligence architecture, integrated its intelligence activities and ensured that they were continuously aligned with the department’s evolving priorities. He also accelerated and expanded the department’s processes for sharing intelligence with state and local security and law enforcement officials. more >>>

Jay Cohen

Principal

Innovative problem solving and science and technology have always been among Jay M. Cohen’s strong points: Early in his naval career he mastered Nuclear Power Training and later commanded a nuclear submarine. He followed that with stints as a senior member of the Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board for the U.S. Atlantic Fleet; command of a major surface ship, Director of the Navy Y2K Project Office; and Chief of Naval Research. more >>>

Richard Falkenrath

Principal

Dr. Richard A. Falkenrath is a Principal with The Chertoff Group, where he advises clients on a broad array of homeland and national security issues relating to counterterrorism, law enforcement, physical and digital network security, and risk management.   In addition, he is Contributing Editor at Bloomberg News; a Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis Adjunct Senior Fellow for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security at the Council on Foreign Relations;  more >>>

Michael Hayden

Principal

As Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, General Hayden was responsible for overseeing the collection of information concerning the plans, intentions and capabilities of America’s adversaries; producing timely analysis for decision makers; and conducting covert operations to thwart terrorists and other enemies of
the US. more >>>

Graham Love

Principal

Graham Love retired as Group Chief Executive of QinetiQ
in November 2009 after a career with the company and its predecessor organisations spanning nearly 20 years, and including 2 privatisations, 2 highly successful private
equity partnerships, and an IPO which saw the UK’s previously government owned defence research agencies transformed into a major international company listed
in the FTSE 250. more >>>

John Reid

Principal

Dr. John Reid has dedicated his career to public service serving as a Member of Parliament for 23 years, half of which were in service as a Government minister. He is
often described as one of the most experienced Cabinet ministers in modern times having held more ministerial posts at the Cabinet level than any other politician in
recent history. more >>>

Jeffrey Runge

Principal

Dr. Runge has decades of clinical, research, leadership and administrative experience. In addition to seven years as the head of two government agencies with as many as 1000 employees and contractors under his direction, he brings nearly 30 years of experience as an emergency medicine physician. Until 2001 he practiced and taught in North Carolina’s busiest emergency department and trauma center, while performing research in injury prevention, trauma care, and emergency service delivery. more >>>

Paul Schneider

Principal

As Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Paul Schneider managed day-to-day operations of an organization with approximately 220,000 employees and an annual budget of $52.6 billion. Earlier, as Under Secretary for Management, he was responsible for the department’s financial management and for the procurement and management of such mission-critical assets as information technology systems, facilities and equipment. more >>>

David Veness

Principal

Sir David Veness served as Under-Secretary-General of the UN Department of Safety and Security from its creation in 2005 until June 2009. This role carries responsibility for UN operations globally. Prior to this appointment, he was Assistant Commissioner (Specialist Operations) New Scotland Yard from 1994-2005. more >>>

 

Larry Castro

Managing Director

At the National Security Agency (NSA), Larry Castro served as the NSA/Central Security Service Representative to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a post he held since the Department’s creation in March 2003. He served concurrently as NSA’s Coordinator for Homeland Security Support. In this latter role, Mr. Castro led the development of the Agency’s Homeland Security Support Strategy, which complements and fully supports the National Strategy for Homeland Security more >>>

 

Debbie Eng

Chief Operating Officer

Ms. Eng joined the Chertoff Group in July of 2009 after three years of serving at the Department of Homeland Security both in the Secretary’s office and at the operational level.  As part of Secretary Michael Chertoff’s staff, Ms. Eng oversaw and coordinated department-wide responses to every directive and policy issue that originated from the White House, including the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council. more >>>

Cindy Farkus

Managing Director

Since first joining DHS in 2007, Ms. Farkus served in several key positions including DHS Acting Assistant Secretary for International Affairs as well as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Global Strategies and Assistant Administrator for the Office of Intelligence at TSA. During her time as the DHS Acting Assistant Secretary, Ms. Farkus ensured that strategic international relationships stayed on track during the early stages of the presidential transition, a critical time for those partnerships. more >>>

Nathaniel Fogg

Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Fogg comes to the Chertoff Group after two and a half years serving in a senior operating role at FEMA where he was instrumental in restructuring the agency and improving its response and recovery capabilities in the wake of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. He was significantly involved in the development and execution of successful evacuation and sheltering plans for Louisiana and Texas during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008, and numerous other effective responses to natural disasters and emergencies around the country. more >>>

Jason Kaufman

Managing Director

Jason brings to The Chertoff Group over twelve years of investment banking and private equity investing experience, exclusively focused on middle market defense and government services companies.  During his career, he has advised on over 50 merger, acquisition, private placement, and corporate divestiture transactions worth over $2.5 billion in deal value. more >>>

William Marshall

Managing Director

Mr. Marshall brings to the Chertoff Group a broad base of expertise in intelligence and cyber-related matters after nearly 35 years of service at the National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS), where he held a variety of senior leadership, management, and analysis positions in support of the U.S. Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. more >>>

Gary Shiffman

Managing Director

Dr. Shiffman brings to the Chertoff Group a deep terrorism/counter-terrorism expertise married with successful P&L experience at a Fortune 200 corporation. A prominent economist, he is well known for his perceptive application of economic insights to business leadership, and national and homeland security. more >>>

Bennet Waters

Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Waters has a successful record of senior leadership experience in a variety of public, private and federal government settings. He specializes in developing, implementing and optimizing entrepreneurial strategies that balance the need to minimize risks with maintaining the flow of commerce. more >>>

Brian White

Managing Director and Chief Strategy Officer

Mr. White brings to the Chertoff Group a mix of executive, legislative, and private sector experience.  Mr. White joins the Chertoff Group from Lockheed Martin, where he was a Principal in their Maritime Systems and Sensors business.  In this role, Mr. White led an international and domestic business development and strategy team for the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) and critical infrastructure protection (CIP) line of business. more >>>

Katy Montgomery

Director of Strategic Communications

Katy Montgomery joins The Chertoff Group as a senior public affairs advisor focused on creating thoughtful and strategic communications plans to help clients be prepared and navigate through both anticpated challenges and unpredictable events.  During her career, she has served as a strategic communications advisor and spokesperson for senior government officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, The White House, and U.S. Department of Education. more >>>

Nicolle Rippeon

Director

Nicolle Sciara Rippeon joins The Chertoff Group from ABM LLC, an advisory services firm specializing in supporting the government’s implementation of border security and immigration programs as well as technology modernization projects.  She also worked with both large and small companies in developing and pursuing federal strategies in the homeland security market space. more >>>

Jeannette Smith

Chief of Staff

Ms. Smith joined The Chertoff Group in 2010 as a Special Assistant where she supports the Group’s Co-founders, Secretary Michael Chertoff and Chad Sweet. Ms. Smith
uses her experience from the White House and from
small business development to cultivate and maintain internal operation processes, provide scheduling and administrative support, and lead the overall team
support for the firm. more >>>

“Our principals earned their reputations through direct operational responsibility and demonstrating successful results. By applying that same dedicated ‘hands on’ approach, we are now helping our clients achieve their objectives.”