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Leadership in Advancing Communications Policy Derek Poarch, Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Federal Communications Commission

Mr. Poarch oversees the bureau responsible for FCC activities pertaining to public safety, homeland security, emergency management and disaster preparedness, and represents the Commission on these issues before federal, state, and industry organizations.

He was previously Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of only 30 college and university public safety agencies in the country accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc.  He commanded a department of approximately 300 full and part-time employees providing police, security, and emergency communications services to a university community of 45,000 persons that has more than a million visitors each year.

He is a native of Lenoir, North Carolina and, prior to becoming police chief at UNC, worked 21 years at the Lenoir North Carolina Police Department.   He began his career as a telecommunicator and ascended through the department ranks to become second in command of the department finally holding the rank of Major over department operations.

He was also a commissioner with the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission where he served as Chair of the Education and Training Committee.  In July 2003 he was elected President of the North Carolina Police Executives Association and also previously served on the United States Department of Justice National Community Oriented Policing Resource Board.

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Leadership in Legislative Service Congressman Bennie Thompson, United States House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee – Interoperable Communications Grant Program

Congressman Thompson is currently serving his eighth term as the Democratic Congressman for Mississippi's Second District and third term on the Homeland Security Committee. 

With 39 years of continuous public service, he is the longest-serving African-American elected official in the state of Mississippi.  To begin the 110th Congress, Thompson was promoted by his colleagues to serve as the first ever Democratic Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.  As Chairman, Congressman Thompson recently introduced and engineered House passage of the most comprehensive homeland security package since September 11th, H.R. 1, the "9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007".

Drawing on his 26 years of experience as a volunteer firefighter in Hinds County, Thompson understands that our nation's law enforcement and first responders are our first line of defense in times of emergency.  With that in mind he has constantly fought to ensure they are fully equipped with the resources and tools they need to effectively respond to any and all emergencies.

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Leadership in Regulatory Service Jeff Cohen, Senior Legal Counsel, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Federal Communications Commission

Mr. Cohen is responsible for many of the legal and policy matters of the Bureau, including 700 MHz, 911 and E911, Commercial Mobile Alerting, and implementation of Congressional mandates and other proceedings concerning public safety communications.  Prior to joining the Commission, Mr. Cohen was a partner with the Washington, DC telecommunications law firm of Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, where he worked on wireless regulatory matters since graduating from the George Washington University Law School with honors in 1994.  Mr. Cohen also holds a B.S. cum laude in electrical engineering from the George Washington University.

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Leadership in Advocacy Mike Pedigo, Executive Director, Denco Area 9-1-1 District

Mr. Pedigo has worked as the Executive Director for Denco Area 9-1-1 District for 17 years. 

Denco is an Emergency Communication District in North Texas serving 35 cities and unincorporated Denton County.  This District supports 11 PSAPs with network, database, equipment and training services.  Their staff provides all technical support, basic and advanced telecommunicator training, mapping and GIS services and telecommunication contract management for emergency services for the entire Denco District.

Mr. Pedigo also serves the Texas 9-1-1 Alliance as the Chair of the Next Generation 9-1-1 Procurement Executive Committee and as the liaison to its Texas legislative consultant.

He is also a current member of APCO Project LOCATE and the former chair of APCO Project 41.

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Inaugural Presentation and Dedication of Leadership in Local Government Communications Policy Marilyn J. Praisner

APCO International, in conjunction with the National Association of Counties, dedicates this award and its inaugural presentation to Marilyn J. Praisner.  This award honors Mrs. Prainser’s significant contributions to the field of public safety communications and her commitment to clear and effective governance.  Mrs. Praisner, who passed away on February 1, 2008, was the longest serving member of the Montgomery County Council in her fifth term.  Before entering political office, Mrs. Praisner spent 16 years at the Central Intelligence Agency, including service as an intelligence analyst, branch chief and staff member for the Deputy Director of Intelligence.  Known for her national leadership on technology and telecommunications issues, Mrs. Praisner represented local government across the country at numerous technology conferences. She was known for her expertise on issues concerning public safety communications, cable television, the siting of cellular towers and rights-of-way management. She had represented local government on public safety communications committees including the National Task Force on Interoperability (Vice Chair of Governance Subcommittee) and the federal government’s Public Safety Wireless Network (PSWN) program. She was chair of the executive committee for SAFECOM, a Department of Homeland Security high priority initiative established to help local, tribal, state and federal public safety agencies improve public safety response through effective interoperable communications.

Mrs. Praisner was a Maryland vice chair for CapWIN (Capital Wireless Integrated Network), a public safety communications system for the Washington Metropolitan Area. As a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Counties (NACo), she served on NACo’s Homeland Security Task Force and was four times chair of its Telecommunications and Technology Steering Committee.  Mrs. Praisner was president of the Maryland Association of Counties in 2003 and was a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Counties (NACo) starting in 1997.