The Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) has appointed Dr. Gregory Bernard as its new director according to a post on LinkedIn. This announcement follows a productive week in Washington, D.C., where Interim Director Jodi Stiles and Dr. Bernard engaged with FEMA leadership and introduced Dr. Bernard at a regional alumni meeting held at the Smithsonian’s Ripley Center.
During the meeting, moderated by Nabeela Barbari, Dr. Bernard and fellow CHDS alumnus Nitin Natarajan discussed current trends in innovation and strategies for fostering effective implementation within the homeland security sector.
Dr. Bernard brings over fifteen years of experience in the National and Homeland Security mission space, showcasing a career marked by strategic planning, innovative problem-solving, and effective storytelling. He has led cross-functional teams of subject matter experts and provided valuable advice to key executive decision-makers across federal, state, and local governments, as well as private sector organizations, academia, and the international community.
His extensive experience includes conducting pre-event planning and screening operations with law enforcement for large-scale special events, trainings, and exercises. Dr. Bernard is known for his empathetic approach to understanding the needs of end users and customers, building trust and collaborative partnerships with diverse stakeholders, and effectively communicating requirements to leadership.
Dr. Bernard’s expertise lies in applying a systems-thinking approach to identify the root causes of problems and using both qualitative and quantitative analyses to understand the impact of potential solutions. He has a proven track record in utilizing human-centered design and rapid prototyping to bring rapid innovation to government, excelling at creative problem-solving and leveraging non-traditional approaches to overcome obstacles and deliver tangible results.
As the new director of CHDS, Dr. Bernard aims to continue the center’s mission of educating and developing leaders in homeland defense and security. His leadership is expected to drive the center’s efforts in fostering innovative solutions and strategic thinking to address the evolving challenges in the field of homeland security.