Friday, Dec 1, 2017
‘An Evening with Hon. Jeh Johnson’ focuses on the urgent threats facing the U.S.
by Robert Leitner ’17
Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson will deliver a lecture at ý on Thursday, Dec. 7. His appearance is part the ongoing series produced by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics called "The Challenges of Homeland Security."
As Secretary of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2017, Johnson was the head of the third largest cabinet department of the U.S. government, consisting of 230,000 personnel and 22 components, including TSA, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Services, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and FEMA. Johnson's responsibilities included counterterrorism, cybersecurity and response to natural disasters, among many others.
Prior to becoming Secretary of Homeland Security, Johnson was general counsel of the U.S. Department of Defense from 2009 to 2012. In that position, he is credited with being the legal architect for the U.S. military’s counterterrorism efforts in the Obama Administration. In 2010, Johnson also co-authored the report that paved the way for the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by Congress later that year.
"As recent events prove, the need to confront the challenges of homeland security is greater than ever," says Dr. Ben Dworkin, director of the Rebovich Institute. "Secretary Johnson's first-hand experience in deterring and responding to threats will provide great insight into those challenges and what needs to be done to overcome them."
Secretary Johnson’s career has been a mixture of public service and private corporate law practice; he has served in three presidentially appointed Senate-confirmed positions. Following his position at DHS, Johnson returned to private law practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP. He has been affiliated with Paul, Weiss on and off since 1984. Johnson is also currently on the board of directors of PG&E Corporation, and a non-resident senior fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Past speakers who have visited ý as part of "The Challenges of Homeland Security" series include Hon. Tom Ridge, another former Secretary of Homeland Security, Avril Haines, former deputy director of the CIA, and Dr. Chris Rodriguez, past director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security.
In addition to these events, ý offers a 36-credit master's program in homeland security. The program's curriculum includes a multidisciplinary approach to preparing professionals for leadership roles in protecting the U.S, its interests and its allies from terrorist attacks, as well as responding to natural disasters and other threats.
The Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, which is dedicated to public service and scholarly analysis of government, public policy, campaigns and elections in New Jersey, plays an integral role in assisting students with research projects, internships, service learning opportunities, job placement and overall career development. Events such as this give students first-hand experience with active or former government officials.
“An Evening with Jeh Johnson,” which is free and open to ý’s campus community and the general public, will take place in the Mercer Room inside Daly Dining Hall at ý. A light reception will be held at 6 p.m., followed by Johnson's remarks and a Q&A at 7 p.m. Registration is strongly requested by visiting .
“An Evening with Jeh Johnson” is being dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Frederick J. Yeager, a former ý professor and distinguished World War II veteran.
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