Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council Announces New Leadership

WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced new executive leadership for the Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council (GHSAC) for 2016-2017.

The GHSAC and its eight-member executive committee will be chaired by Gil Orrantia, homeland security advisor to Arizona Gov. Doug DuceyPerry Plummer, homeland security advisor to New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, will serve as vice chair.

Other members of the GHSAC Executive Committee include:

  • Mark Ghilarducci, homeland security advisor to California Gov. Edmund G. Brown;
  • Kevin Klein, homeland security advisor to Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper;
  • Jim Butterworth, homeland security advisor to Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal;
  • John Hill, homeland security advisor to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence;
  • Keith Squires, homeland security advisor to Utah Gov. Gary Herbert; and
  • Jimmy Gianato, homeland security advisor to West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.

“It is an honor to represent my fellow homeland security advisors in the states as chair of this group,” Orrantia said. “Governors across the country work every day to protect the safety and security of their citizens, and the council allows states to come together and share best practices to fight homeland security threats.”

“The GHSAC serves an important role in the development of homeland security measures that help protect all American citizens,” NGA Executive Director and CEO Scott Pattison said. “I am thrilled NGA gets to play a part in bringing together these crucial advisors to discuss some of the most important security issues states face.”

The NGA Center for Best Practices created the GHSAC in 2006 to provide an organizational structure through which homeland security advisors from each state, territory and the District of Columbia can discuss homeland security issues, share information and expertise and keep governors informed of the issues affecting homeland security policies in the states. The GHSAC works directly with federal agencies to inform the development of homeland security policies and strategies that affect states.

For more information on the GHSAC, click here.