WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas congratulated the 29 members of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) workforce who were recognized for their exceptional performance and awarded the 2022 Presidential Rank Award (PRA).
“The Department of Homeland Security’s personnel embody the values of service, selflessness, dedication to mission, and patriotism," said Secretary Mayorkas. "We are so proud to have 29 of our personnel receive the prestigious Presidential Rank Award, reflecting and representing the best of who we are. Congratulations to the Award recipients and the 250,000 DHS personnel whom they represent.”
The Presidential Rank Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the federal career civil service. These awards recognize the hard work and important contributions of dedicated civil servants in the U.S. federal workforce. This year, the President selected 233 winners from 33 federal agencies for their exceptional leadership, accomplishments, and service over an extended period of time. These individuals are all members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior-Level (SL) and Scientific and Professional (ST) corps.
DHS employees selected by President Biden to receive the prestigious awards include:
Distinguished Rank Recipients
These individuals are recognized for sustained extraordinary accomplishment. Only one percent of the career SES or SL/ST receive this rank.
Senior Executive Winners
- William T. Fallon, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, Retired
- Patrick Lechleitner, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- Donald R. Lewis, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
- David I. Maurstad, Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Tracy L. Renaud, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Diane Sabatino, Customs and Border Protection
- MaryAnn Tierney, Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Brandon Wales, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
Meritorious Rank Recipients
The Meritorious Rank Award is presented to leaders for sustained accomplishments and is awarded to only five percent of career SES members and Senior-Level (SL) employees and Scientific and Professional (ST) corps.
Meritorious Executive Winners
- Sanjeev "Sonny" Bhagowalia – Customs and Border Protection
- Julie Brewer – Science and Technology Directorate
- Karen Burke – Transportation Security Administration
- Peter Fitzhugh – Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Retired
- William R. Hall, Transportation Security Administration
- Benjamine C. Huffman, Customs and Border Protection
- Craig M. Lynes, Transportation Security Administration
- Holly C. Mehringer, Transportation Security Administration
- James Murray, U.S. Secret Service, Retired
- Faron K. Paramore, U.S. Secret Service
- Lori A. Pietropaoli, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Susan M. Prosnitz, Transportation Security Administration
- Gary O. Renfrow, Transportation Security Administration
- Melissa Smislova, Office of Intelligence and Analysis
- Gracia B. Szczech, Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Ann F. Van Houten, Management Directorate
- Delisa Walker Hall, U.S. Secret Service
- Trae Watkins, Management Directorate
Meritorious Senior Professional Winners
- David Alexander, Science and Technology Directorate
- Michelle M. Keeney, U.S. Secret Service
- John Malgeri, U.S. Secret Service
Read the full announcement from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) here. The complete list of the Presidential Rank Awards may be found on OPM’s website.
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