Regional Staff Biographies
Lauren
Armistead Lauren Armistead became Executive
Director of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, Region One
(HSAC) after serving as Deputy Director for over two years.
Prior to joining HSAC, she worked as a businesswoman and was
involved in the launching of three companies, including one of
her own, which provided comprehensive non-medical care services
for seniors.
Conrad Busch Conrad "Connie" Busch became the Director the Metro Atlanta Region of Business Executives for National Security (BENS) in 1998. Prior to joining BENS, he was special assistant to the president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and later director of Chamber Publications, Inc., the Chamber's for-profit publishing arm. In 1995 he retired from the Army after a career that spanned 28 years. He served as an infantry and public affairs officer in command, staff and instructor positions in Vietnam, Germany, and the United States. In his later career, he was a public affairs officer for Admiral Bill Crowe and General Colin Powell when they served as Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In his final assignment he was the Director of Public Affairs for the United States Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson. Less than a month after reporting for that position in 1992, he directed the public affairs aspects of the military's humanitarian relief effort in the wake of hurricane Andrew in Florida. A native of Richmond, Virginia, he is a graduate of Valley Forge Military College, Penn State University and the University of South Carolina. He is also a graduate of the Army War College and an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America. He is married to the former Candice Jean Kranz.
Allison Cheatham Allison Cheatham became Deputy Director of the Southeast Region in January 2008. Allison joined BENS in September 2006 as the Assistant Program Manager for the Georgia Business Force. Prior to this position, the GBF selected her to be a research assistant intern from June-August 2006. In May 2006, Allison graduated from the Goizueta Business School of Emory University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.
Kathy Denzer Kathy Denzer is the regional director for Northern California and comes to BENS from FEMA, where she worked as a private-sector and nonprofit liaison for FEMA Region IX. She was deployed to Jackson, Mississippi for four months in late 2005 to support Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. She is also an Air Force reserve Colonel with over 26 years of logistics experience. From 1980-1987 Kathy was active duty Air Force and served in California, Spain, Texas directing air transportation units. As a reserve officer, Kathy served in Budapest Hungary as the military liaison to the Hungarian military to assist in heir membership to NATO. In 2004 Kathy served as the director of operations in Kuwait, where she directed and coordinated air transportation, maintenance and command post activities to support joint and coalition forces.
Kathy has a masters degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, and a second masters degree in national security strategy from the national Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington DC.
Additional work experience include sales and marketing for a logistics company, emergency management for the city of Oakland, and several positions in non-profits in workforce and economic development.
Matthew Elias Matthew Elias was named the Director of the Texas Region of Business Executives for National Security (BENS) in January 2007. Prior to joining BENS, Matthew served for seven years in several leadership roles at the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, later GuideStone Financial Resources, the pension board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Matthew completed a 21-year Naval Aviation career in 1999. His career included numerous operational tours flying the P-3 Orion, an exchange tour with the Royal Air Force flying the Nimrod MK II, and a ship’s company tour on the USS MIDWAY (CV-41), home-ported in Yokosuka, Japan. He also completed a Pentagon tour as the Political Military advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations on the Asia–Pacific region. His final assignment in the Navy was as the Commanding Officer of Navy Recruiting District, Dallas. A native of Rhode Island, Matthew is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and earned a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1995 with a dual concentration in International Policy and Institutions and Strategic Management. He and his wife Brenda have two daughters, Claire and Sarah.
Steve Ewell Stephen Ewell is the Director of the Metro Washington, DC region of Business Executives for National Security. He joined BENS in March 2001 and has worked to build BENS’ presence and membership in the DC region through year-round programs and events. Prior to joining BENS, he was Deputy National Development Director for the New Democrat Network. At NDN he worked with individual contributors to support moderate Democratic candidates. Steve graduated cum laude from Drew University with a Bachelors of Arts in political science and a minor in history and is currently earning his MBA and MSITS from Johns Hopkins. He lives with his wife Kelly in Leesburg, VA.
Harrison (Harry) Ferris Harry has over 25 years of experience in healthcare and business leadership as an operating executive and entrepreneur. He recently served as the COO of a national professional services firm. His background includes nine years with Hospital Corporation of America, culminated by six years as the CEO of an acute care hospital. During that time he served as a Trustee of the North Carolina Hospital Association and a Governor for the Federation of American Hospital Systems. In 1994, Harry retired as a Commander from the US Naval Reserve, Medical Service Corps, where he served six tours in CO / XO positions in acute care, combat support planning, and medical logistics. He served eight years on active duty. He holds an MBA from Cornell University and BS in Economics from USC. He is a Diplomat and Certified Healthcare Executive (CHE) of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Nancy Huynh Nancy Huynh came to HSAC in February
2007 as Assistant Program Manager of the Strategic Mass Medical
Dispensing – Strategic National Stockpile Project HSAC is
working on with the Los Angeles County Department of Public
Health.
William F. Lawson Bill Lawson joined BENS in 1996 as the Kansas City Regional Director, in which capacity he is responsible for recruiting and membership services in that metropolitan area. He retired from the Army in 1992 as a lieutenant colonel, after over 22 years in Infantry, Ranger and Airborne assignments. Following his retirement he became Vice President, Director of Operations for a nationally chartered bank, responsible for planning, development, marketing activities, training, and security operations. Bill graduated from Southwest Missouri State University with a degree in organic chemistry and earned a masters degree in operations research/systems analysis at Western Michigan University.
Nathan Miller Nathan Miller joined HSAC in April 2008
after spending nine months on staff at Business Executives for
National Security (BENS). In June 2008 Nathan will receive his
Masters in Public Policy from UCLA with a focus on National
Security Policy. He was a Goldman Fellow at the Transatlantic
Institute, a Think Tank in Kirk E. Oberfeld Kirk E. Oberfeld became Director of the New York City Metro Region of Business Executives for National Security (BENS) in 2007. Prior to joining BENS, he was vice president for research and communications at The Philanthropy Roundtable and editor-in-chief of Philanthropy magazine. Kirk spent nearly a decade as managing editor of Insight magazine, a news and opinion weekly, where he managed a staff of more than 100 writers, photographers, designers and editors and won critical praise for Insight’s in-depth examination of major issues in the fields of national security, foreign policy, economics, business and politics. He also held senior editorial positions at newspapers in Philadelphia and Washington, DC. After leaving Insight, he held executive positions at two advertising and public relations agencies and a mutual fund family. He led branding, marketing and media relations efforts and served as creative director on advertising and internet accounts. He is a graduate of Kalamazoo College in political science, received a master of arts in journalism from The Ohio State University, pursued graduate studies at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, and is a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Peter Ohtaki Peter Ohtaki joined BENS in March 2005 as director of Business Force activities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to joining BENS, Mr. Ohtaki was co-founder and CFO of NetTV, a technology company that provided large-screen, high-resolution digital displays to the educational, commercial, and retail signage markets. Previously, he was an investment banker with Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and C.E. Unterberg Towbin, and advised clients in the technology industry on initial public offerings, corporate financings, and mergers and acquisitions. Peter graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University and earned his M.B.A. at Stanford University. Pamela Pfeifer Pamela Pfeifer became Executive Director of the Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partnership in March 2008. Since moving to Colorado a few years ago, she has served as senior policy advisor to Governor Bill Owens and worked as a public affairs consultant. Pamela also served in top leadership and management positions under Florida Governor Jeb Bush, including Deputy Policy Director, Chief of Staff of his 2002 transition team and Chief of Staff of Florida’s Department of Management Services. In these capacities, she managed Florida’s 10-20-Life public awareness campaign, managed the Governor’s Leadership Forum and directed the Center for Efficient Government. She was also the first Executive Director of the Florida Justice Reform Institute. .
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