Maritime Border Security

Session Abstract

This session examines how technology, intelligence sharing, and public–private collaboration enhance the protection of ports, coastal infrastructure, and territorial waters.

Session Takeaway

Attendees will gain insight into integrated strategies for detecting and responding to trafficking, piracy, terrorism, and environmental threats—advancing maritime sovereignty, economic security, and safe navigation.

Session Speakers

Stan Gold - Moderator

USCG, Atlantic Area

Mr. Gold has served in various capacities on the Atlantic Area intelligence staff since his Civil Service appointment in January 1990. He is the Atlantic Area technical authority for integrating intelligence into daily Coast Guard operations by providing major policy guidance on program goals and priorities for the division. He has been a member of numerous mid and senior level working groups, including Coast Guard Streamlining in 1996; U.S. Northern Command Implementation Planning Team, CG-2 reviews of the Coast Guard Intelligence Enterprise, and several modernization and Steady the Service working groups. He is currently a member of Advance Concept Teams that are developing service-level Operating Concepts for Maritime Domain Dominance, Subsea Security and the Gray Zone. During the Deepwater Horizon response in 2010, he deployed to the Unified Area Command as part of the National Incident Commander’s (NIC) business process engineering team where he led an effort to coordinate remote sensing activities that resulted in more effective and efficient use of resources in support of the response. He is currently designated as the LANTAREA lead for Research and Development.

Mr. Gold is a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Upon commissioning, he was assigned as a Deck Watch Officer aboard USCGC VIGILANT (WMEC 617) home ported in New Bedford, MA. In his remaining tours he served on the intelligence staff for Commander, Atlantic Area and as Operations Officer in USCGC CHILULA (WMEC 153).

Mr. Gold earned a Master of Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and earned a Naval War College Diploma by graduating from the Naval War College Nonresident Seminar Program. He is also a graduate of Lead Hampton Roads and in 2017, completed the "Leadership and Management in the Intelligence Community" program at the National Intelligence University.

Outside of his Coast Guard employment, Mr. Gold is on the board of directors of the Academy of Music; a not-for-profit organization that provides music lessons to children who could not otherwise afford them. He holds a Coast Guard license as Master, not to exceed 100 Gross Tons and has taught a licensing class for master, not to exceed 100 gross tons at the Hampton Roads Maritime Training Center. He also owns and operates a part-time charter fishing business.

Susan Ginsburg

Criticality Sciences

Susan Ginsburg is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Criticality Sciences, and is a nationally recognized leader in resilience strategy, public policy, infrastructure risk, and security planning. She brings more than 40 years of experience in government, law, public policy, and strategic advisory services, including leadership roles supporting federal and national advisory initiatives. Her career includes service on the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Committee, as Team Leader and Senior Counsel on the 9/11 Commission, leading the team on border security, and as a government official participating in the drafting of critical infrastructure executive orders. She has authored books and articles on counterterrorism, security and resilience. Her legal practice focused on federal regulatory issues, following service as a law clerk on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Susan specializes in risk-informed infrastructure planning, resilience strategy, cascading failure analysis, public-private coordination, and implementation-focused decision support for utilities, public-sector organizations, and critical infrastructure systems. She serves as an advisor to the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security and is a member of the American Water Works Association’s Emergency Preparedness and Security Committee and the Executive Committee of CIGRE North America

Capt. Rachel Lewis

USCG

CAPT Rachel Lewis currently serves as the Executive Assistant to the Coast Guard Chief of Staff providing day-to-day direction and integration to strengthen coordination across Headquarters and field commands expediting

strategic decision-making to enhance operational and tactical execution. Previously, CAPT Lewis served as U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area’s Senior Intelligence Officer and the Commanding Officer of the Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center Pacific located in Alameda, California, responsible to the operational commander for all U.S. Coast Guard missions from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the East Coast of Africa, from the Arctic to the Antarctic.

CAPT Lewis has had a diverse set of shore assignments to include the Deputy Director, Coast Guard Counterintelligence Service. In this role, CAPT Lewis served as the Coast Guard’s senior active duty badged and credentialed Counterintelligence Agent and oversaw all Coast Guard Counterintelligence,

Human Intelligence, Insider Threat, and Attaché programs. Additional shore assignments include serving as the Senior Service Advisor for Coast Guard Personnel at the National Intelligence University, in Bethesda, Maryland; Deputy Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commandant for Intelligence and

Criminal Investigations (CG-2d EA) at the Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC; the Atlantic Area Intelligence Branch Chief (LANT-22) in Portsmouth, Virginia; and as an Instructor at the Officer Candidate School (OCS) in New London, Connecticut.

As a permanent Cutterman, CAPT Lewis’ prior afloat commands include Executive Officer of the United States Coast Guard Cutter FORWARD, in Portsmouth, Virginia; Operations Officer aboard the only active square-rigged sailing ship in the United States, the Coast Guard Barque EAGLE in New

London, Connecticut; and as a Deck Watch Officer aboard USCGC JARVIS in Honolulu, Hawaii.

A graduate from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, CAPT Lewis earned a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research. Additionally, she holds a Masters degree in Homeland Security from American Military University; a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence

College (now known as the National Intelligence University); and is an alum of the Naval Postgraduate School Executive Leader’s Program, Center for Homeland Security. CAPT Lewis is an Honorary Chief, Witherspoon Award nominee, and recipient of both the Intelligence & National Security Alliance (INSA) Achievement Award and the Women of Color (WOC) Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Technology All-Star Award. CAPT Lewis’

military awards and achievements include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Coast Guard

Meritorious Service Medals, Coast Guard Commendation Medals, Coast Guard Achievement Medals,

and various other personal and unit awards.

Dr. Kenneth Christopher

National University

Dr. Kenneth Christopher is Professor and Academic Program Director for Homeland Security and Emergency Management at National University, San Diego, CA. He served 28 years in law enforcement, completing service as a Captain with the Miami-Dade Police Department and as Chief of Seaport Security Enforcement of the Port of Miami, Florida. He is the author of the book Port Security Management published by CRC Press.

Joshua Lewin

Echodyne

Joshua Lewin supports the Critical Infrastructure team at Echodyne deploying high-resolution 3D radars that detect and track all things aloft, including drones and manned aviation, whether compliant or non-compliant. Joshua also hosts a live podcast called This Week In Drones on Linkedin and Youtube supporting the UAS community and hosting key industry voices.