Honoree Archive • Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals

Donna F. Dodson

Donna F. Dodson

2020 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Donna F. Dodson

Recognized as one of the nation’s premier cybersecurity experts, having helped develop the first commercially available encryption standards as well as state-of-the-art guidelines for government and industry to prevent, detect and respond to cyberattacks.

Photo of Thomas Debass

Thomas Debass

2020 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Thomas Debass

Created public-private partnerships to advance America’s foreign policy interests while promoting economic growth and entrepreneurship in developing nations across the globe.

Photo of Lina Alathari

Lina Alathari, Ph.D.

2020 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Lina Alathari, Ph.D.

Developed threat assessment guidelines and worked with law enforcement, educators and local communities to intervene and prevent possible mass shootings in schools, workplaces and public spaces.

Photo of Chris Jancsewski, Zia Faruqui and Kimberly Reece

Christopher M. Janczewski, Zia M. Faruqui, Kimberly A. Reece and the W2V Team

2020 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Christopher M. Janczewski, Zia M. Faruqui, Kimberly A. Reece and the W2V Team

Led an international criminal investigation of the largest dark web child pornography site that accepted cryptocurrency to cloak more than one million video downloads, resulting in the arrest of the operator, more than 330 users and the rescue of 25 exploited children.

Photo of John Melle and Maria Pagan

John M. Melle, María L. Pagán and Team

2020 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

John M. Melle, María L. Pagán and Team

Coordinated complex negotiations with Mexico and Canada, resulting in a $1.3 trillion trade agreement overwhelmingly approved by Congress that touches almost every aspect of the U.S. economy.

Photo of Thomas Prevoznik, Joseph Beemsterboer and Gary Cantrell

Thomas W. Prevoznik, Joseph Beemsterboer, Gary Cantrell and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force team

2020 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Thomas W. Prevoznik, Joseph Beemsterboer, Gary Cantrell and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force team

Investigated and arrested 73 health care professionals and other individuals in six states for the unlawful distribution of 40 million medically unnecessary pain pills, helping address the deadly nationwide opioid epidemic.

Ryan Shelby, Ph.D.

Ryan Shelby, Ph.D.

2019 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Ryan Shelby, Ph.D.

Provided vital training and resources to help people in Haiti rebuild thousands of homes and roofs ripped apart by a Category 4 hurricane, making the structures safer and stronger to withstand future disasters

Jamie Rhome

Jamie Rhome

2019 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Jamie Rhome

Created a new forecasting model and warning system that more accurately predicts the deadly storm surge caused by hurricanes, saving lives by alerting residents sooner of the approaching danger

John P. Wagner

John P. Wagner

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

John P. Wagner

Implemented facial recognition systems that simplify and fortify airport security, helping travelers reach their destinations faster while stopping suspected terrorists and others attempting to enter and leave the U.S. using false documents

Kurt Yankaskas

Kurt Yankaskas

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Kurt Yankaskas

Identified and implemented solutions to combat noise-induced hearing loss, which affects hundreds of thousands of sailors and Marines, and costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year in treatments for veterans

Emily Joy Haas, Ph.D.

Emily Joy Haas, Ph.D.

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Emily Joy Haas, Ph.D.

Improved the health and safety of our nation’s mine workers by using behavioral science to influence the adoption of new technologies and practices that reduce their exposure to known hazards

Emily Banuelos and the Taxiway Tango Tiger Team

Emily Banuelos and the Taxiway Tango Tiger Team

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Emily Banuelos and the Taxiway Tango Tiger Team

Designed and implemented enhanced surveillance technology that warns when commercial aircraft are lined up to land on a taxiway instead of the intended runway, averting the potential for catastrophic accidents

James McWhirter, Mark W. Pletcher and the Navy Bribery Scandal Team

James McWhirter, Mark W. Pletcher and the Navy Bribery Scandal Team

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

James McWhirter, Mark W. Pletcher and the Navy Bribery Scandal Team

Uncovered and prosecuted the largest bribery and corruption scandal in the history of the U.S. Navy, resulting in dozens of federal criminal convictions and sanctions against numerous Navy officers

Kara L. De Castro

Kara L. De Castro

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Kara L. De Castro

Led pivotal international programs to convert weapons-grade nuclear materials for civilian use and enhanced security cultures to guard against their mishandling and misuse

Leticia Pibida, Ph.D.

Leticia Pibida, Ph.D.

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Leticia Pibida, Ph.D.

Strengthened our nation’s defenses against nuclear and radioactive threats by developing performance standards and tests for detection systems that screen nearly 7 million cargo containers entering U.S. seaports every year

Kristen P. Finne

Kristen P. Finne

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Kristen P. Finne

Developed a system for first responders to quickly locate and assist 4.3 million Medicare beneficiaries who rely on electricity-dependent medical equipment and are at risk during prolonged power outages

Karen D. Dodge, Margaret Moeser and the Teams

Karen D. Dodge, Margaret Moeser and the Teams

2018 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Karen D. Dodge, Margaret Moeser and the Teams

Brought justice and restored financial losses of nearly $600 million for hundreds of thousands of people who were defrauded by money transfer scams

Andrew M. Herscowitz and the Power Africa Team

Andrew M. Herscowitz and the Power Africa Team

2018 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Andrew M. Herscowitz and the Power Africa Team

Provided electricity to some 50 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, while creating hundreds of millions of dollars in export opportunities for U.S. companies

Stephen C. Curren and the Cyber Incident Response Team

Stephen C. Curren and the Cyber Incident Response Team

2018 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Stephen C. Curren and the Cyber Incident Response Team

Defended health care computer systems in the U.S. from a global cyberattack that threatened patients’ health and safety

Matthew Nims and the Food for Peace Team

Matthew Nims and the Food for Peace Team

2018 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Matthew Nims and the Food for Peace Team

Distributed $1.4 billion in emergency food assistance to 20 million people in four nations fighting famine and threatened by violent conflicts, saving countless lives under harrowing conditions

Hoa Thi Tran, Ph.D. and the Team

Hoa Thi Tran, Ph.D. and the Team

2018 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Hoa Thi Tran, Ph.D. and the Team

Delivered emergency humanitarian relief to nearly 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled violent persecution in Burma to find safe haven in neighboring Bangladesh

Jeffrey Elliott Wood Jr. and the North Shore Gang Task Force

Jeffrey Elliott Wood Jr. and the North Shore Gang Task Force

2018 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Jeffrey Elliott Wood Jr. and the North Shore Gang Task Force

Led a record takedown of the notorious MS-13 gang, arresting more than 60 leaders and members of this criminal organization in the Boston region

Mark L. Bathrick and the Team

Mark L. Bathrick and the Team

2018 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Mark L. Bathrick and the Team

Built the largest civilian aerial drone fleet to help federal agencies fight forest fires, inspect infrastructure, monitor wildlife and natural resources, halt pollution, and conduct search and rescue operations

Dave Huizenga

Dave Huizenga

2018 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Dave Huizenga

Managed numerous high-profile projects with foreign governments to secure large quantities of weapons-useable nuclear materials and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands

Timothy P. Camus and the IRS Impersonation Scam Team

Timothy P. Camus and the IRS Impersonation Scam Team

2017 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Timothy P. Camus and the IRS Impersonation Scam Team

Led a multiagency investigation and public awareness campaign to stop a massive fraud that conned thousands of Americans into paying millions of dollars in bogus tax bills

Alex Mahoney and the Middle East Crisis Humanitarian Response Team

Alex Mahoney and the Middle East Crisis Humanitarian Response Team

2017 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Alex Mahoney and the Middle East Crisis Humanitarian Response Team

Led U.S. humanitarian relief efforts in war-torn Syria and parts of Iraq, delivering food, medicine, safe drinking water and other assistance to millions of people in desperate need of help

Jon R. Smibert

Jon R. Smibert

2017 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Jon R. Smibert

Helped Albania revise its constitution and reform its criminal justice system to rid the country of decades of corruption and organized crime, and set a path for this strategic U.S. ally to gain membership in the European Union

Nat Wood and the IdentityTheft.gov Development Team

Nat Wood and the IdentityTheft.gov Development Team

2017 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Nat Wood and the IdentityTheft.gov Development Team

Created an easy-to-use online resource to help victims of identity theft quickly report the crime, stop additional fraudulent activity and begin the recovery process

Vincent Tang and the SIGMA Team

Vincent Tang and the SIGMA Team

2017 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Vincent Tang and the SIGMA Team

Developed an innovative, mobile and low-cost system to detect the smallest traces of radiological and nuclear materials, offering cities worldwide a new tool to identify and stop terror threats

Bryan Drake and the Fata Investigation Team

Bryan Drake and the Fata Investigation Team

2017 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Bryan Drake and the Fata Investigation Team

Investigated and prosecuted a doctor who is now serving a 45-year prison sentence for giving false diagnoses and unnecessary cancer treatments to hundreds of patients in order to steal millions from Medicare

Blake Douglas Rowe

Blake Douglas Rowe

2018 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Blake Douglas Rowe

Established sophisticated forensic exploitation laboratories to investigate terrorist activities, contributing to thousands of convictions and thwarting attempts to attack Americans overseas and in the U.S.

Mark Skoog

Mark Skoog

2017 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Mark Skoog

Spearheaded the development of a revolutionary flight control system the Air Force uses to prevent ground collisions when pilots become disoriented or lose consciousness, saving lives and the loss of fighter jets

Thomas A. Mariani, Steven O’Rourke and Sarah D. Himmelhoch

Thomas A. Mariani, Steven O’Rourke and Sarah D. Himmelhoch

2016 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Thomas A. Mariani, Steven O’Rourke and Sarah D. Himmelhoch

Secured a record $20.8 billion legal settlement against BP for the devastating 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, providing funds to help a five-state region recover from massive environmental disaster.

John Pallister and the Volcano Disaster Assistance Team

John Pallister and the Volcano Disaster Assistance Team

2016 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

John Pallister and the Volcano Disaster Assistance Team

Strengthened volcano readiness and warning systems worldwide, helping countries forecast eruptions, save lives and reduce economic losses while enhancing America’s ability to respond to domestic volcanoes.

Richard May

Richard May

2016 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Richard May

Employed underutilized authorities to expose drug cartels, transnational criminal organizations and others who launder money in the U.S. through high-end real estate, fashion and electronics transactions.

Kirk Yeager

Kirk Yeager

2016 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Kirk Yeager

As the FBI’s premier bomb expert, leads U.S. and foreign law enforcement to determine how terrorist-made explosives work, and finds new ways to detect and stop them.

Carrie Stokes

Carrie Stokes

2016 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Carrie Stokes

Helped USAID make better decisions about its economic and humanitarian assistance in developing countries by championing the use of satellite data and geographic information to combat poverty, disease and natural disasters.

Anne Barker Dunn and the Veterans Justice Program Team

Anne Barker Dunn and the Veterans Justice Program Team

2016 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Anne Barker Dunn and the Veterans Justice Program Team

Reduced recidivism among veterans caught up in the criminal justice system, and lowered their chances of becoming homeless by providing housing, job counseling, and mental health and drug treatment services.

Ajay Bhatt and the Operation No Safe Haven Team

Ajay Bhatt and the Operation No Safe Haven Team

2016 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Ajay Bhatt and the Operation No Safe Haven Team

Tracked down 70 human rights violators living illegally in the United States and coordinated their removal to face justice for crimes including murder, torture and ethnic cleansing.

Natasha M. de Marcken

Natasha M. de Marcken

2015 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Natasha M. de Marcken

Spearheaded a new strategy to improve the quality of education in developing nations, shifting the focus from simply getting children into schools to teaching them to read.

Rob Thayer and the Syria Emergency Food Assistance Team

Rob Thayer and the Syria Emergency Food Assistance Team

2015 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Rob Thayer and the Syria Emergency Food Assistance Team

Delivered life-saving food assistance to millions of people within war-torn Syria and to refugees who fled to neighboring countries.

Mia Beers and the U.S. Ebola Disaster Assistance Response Team

Mia Beers and the U.S. Ebola Disaster Assistance Response Team

2015 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Mia Beers and the U.S. Ebola Disaster Assistance Response Team

Led a team of U.S. responders who risked their own health to coordinate personnel from five federal agencies and helped turn the tide on the 2014 Ebola crisis in West Africa.

John B. Price

John B. Price

2015 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

John B. Price

Created a device to find living disaster victims buried beneath the wreckage of toppled buildings by adapting radar-based space technology in partnership with NASA scientists.

Daniel Patt

Daniel Patt

2016 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Daniel Patt

Developed a cutting-edge system that allows U.S. warfighters to strike their intended targets faster and with greater accuracy, while helping to protect American troops and innocent civilians.

Peter A. Morrison and the U.S. Navy Solid State Laser Team

Peter A. Morrison and the U.S. Navy Solid State Laser Team

2015 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Peter A. Morrison and the U.S. Navy Solid State Laser Team

Provided the U.S. Navy with a new defense system by designing, building and testing the first-ever laser weapon to be approved for combat operations aboard a Navy ship.

Anna M. Dozier

Anna M. Dozier

2015 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Anna M. Dozier

Protected and recovered millions of dollars in assets for American workers and their families, skillfully investigating misconduct by fiduciaries of private retirement, health and welfare plans.

Timothy A. Blades, Paul S. Gilmour and the Team

Timothy A. Blades, Paul S. Gilmour and the Team

2015 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Timothy A. Blades, Paul S. Gilmour and the Team

Led an interagency team to destroy Syria’s lethal chemical weapons at sea, a first in the history of chemical demilitarization.

Ron Ross

Ron Ross

2015 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Ron Ross

Instituted a state-of-the-art risk assessment system that has protected federal computer networks from cyberattacks and helped secure information critical to our national and economic security.

Robert Bunge, Michael Gerber and the Wireless Alerts Team

Robert Bunge, Michael Gerber and the Wireless Alerts Team

2015 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Robert Bunge, Michael Gerber and the Wireless Alerts Team

Saved countless lives by developing a fast and geographically targeted cell phone alert system for weather emergencies such as tornadoes and flash floods.

Jonathan Gandomi

Jonathan Gandomi

2014 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Jonathan Gandomi

Coordinated U.S. efforts to end the atrocities of the Lord’s Resistance Army, one of Africa’s oldest and most brutal extremist groups, and help victims overcome decades of violence.

Jill Boezwinkle

Jill Boezwinkle

2014 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Jill Boezwinkle

Guided a U.S. initiative to provide safe drinking water to 5 million people in Kenya and Uganda, saving lives and preventing illnesses for thousands of individuals.

Anthony Regalbuto

Anthony Regalbuto

2014 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Anthony Regalbuto

Assessed the vulnerabilities of hundreds of marine facilities and created comprehensive security plans for domestic and international shipping ports to guard against terrorist attacks.

Gilbert Bindewald, Alice Lippert and Patrick Willging

Gilbert Bindewald, Alice Lippert and Patrick Willging

2014 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Gilbert Bindewald, Alice Lippert and Patrick Willging

Helped government authorities and power companies deliver emergency services and restore electricity following widespread natural disasters by creating critical information-sharing and assessment tools.

Sean Young and Benjamin Tran

Sean Young and Benjamin Tran

2014 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Sean Young and Benjamin Tran

Saved U.S. soldiers’ lives in Afghanistan by creating and deploying a new aerial sensor system to help Army and Special Forces units detect and destroy deadly improvised explosive devices.

R. Patrick DeGroodt

R. Patrick DeGroodt

2014 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

R. Patrick DeGroodt

Helped America’s warfighters achieve mission success and stay out of harm’s way by developing and deploying a new mobile communications network that gives Army units continuous connectivity on the battlefield.

Omar Pérez Aybar, Reginald J. France, Joseph Beemsterboer and the Miami HEAT Teams

Omar Pérez Aybar, Reginald J. France, Joseph Beemsterboer and the Miami HEAT Teams

2014 Winner

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Omar Pérez Aybar, Reginald J. France, Joseph Beemsterboer and the Miami HEAT Teams

Led hundreds of Medicare fraud investigations that have resulted in nearly 700 convictions in South Florida, recovering hundreds of millions of dollars and providing an investigative roadmap for other jurisdictions to follow.

Susan Hanson

Susan Hanson

2014 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Susan Hanson

Brought to justice four prison guards who brutally beat and murdered an inmate, and exposed a culture of abuse in Alabama prisons.

Erica Keen Thomas and the China Air Monitoring Team

Erica Keen Thomas and the China Air Monitoring Team

2013 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Erica Keen Thomas and the China Air Monitoring Team

Collected and publicly shared data that revealed dangerous air pollution levels in Chinese cities, increasing public awareness of the health risks and causing the Chinese government to confront the issue.

Cara Christie and the USAID Horn Drought Response Team

Cara Christie and the USAID Horn Drought Response Team

2013 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Cara Christie and the USAID Horn Drought Response Team

Identified a looming humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa and coordinated a complex U.S. relief effort to help millions of people who faced starvation and death due to the worst drought in six decades.

Michelle Colby and the Vaccine Development Team

Michelle Colby and the Vaccine Development Team

2013 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Michelle Colby and the Vaccine Development Team

Following the loss of millions of farm animals throughout England in 2001, developed a new, safer vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease to protect America’s livestock industry and prevent harm to our national economy.