Harry Bruce Jeffries Jr., P.A., M.A., Director of Preparedness Alignment and Federal Liaison Activities for the Georgia Department of Public Health (back row, third from right) completed the Executive Leaders Program at Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security on April 26.

Harry Bruce Jeffries Jr., P.A., M.A., Director of Preparedness Alignment and Federal Liaison Activities for the Georgia Department of Public Health - Division of Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness and Response, completed the Executive Leaders Program at Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security on April 26.

The goal of the Executive Leaders Program is to enhance senior leaders' capacity to develop policies and strategies, while strengthening working relationships across the jurisdictional boundaries of regions, agencies, local-state-tribal-federal governments and the private sector. Students study the interdisciplinary concepts that comprise homeland security.

Bruce was chosen because of his extensive experience and recognized leadership in the disciplines that comprise homeland security. He resides with his wife, Vickie, in Fayetteville.

Participants met for four one-week intensive sessions over a nine-month period at the NPS Center for Homeland Defense and Security in Monterey, Calif. The 30 participants represent a snapshot of homeland security across the country and include professionals from the Department of Homeland Security and agencies within it, as well as emergency management, law enforcement, fire safety, state and municipal governments and the private sector.

The Executive Leaders Program was launched in August 2006. It is part of a series of graduate and executive level education programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA, and developed and conducted by the NPS Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

-Story by Heather Issovoran, director of strategic communication, Naval Postgraduate School