Robert Hooks, Deputy Assistant Secretary for WMD and Biodefense, Office of Health Affairs

Robert Hooks serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for WMD and BioDefense in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Health Affairs. He is responsible for the Department’s early detection biodefense programs including Biowatch, the National Biosurveillance Integration Center (NBIC), homeland security programs in animal security and food defense, and biological threat mitigation efforts.

Most recently, Mr. Hooks served as the Director of Transition, in the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) of DHS. Mr. Hooks was responsible for delivering near-term advanced technologies to DHS components to address their priority mission capability gap areas and ensure these technologies could transition into future component acquisition programs. In addition, Mr. Hooks oversaw the Department’s SAFETY Act program, which provides important legal liability protection to qualified Anti-Terrorism technology products or services.

Within the S&T, Mr. Hooks served as the Chief of Staff and Deputy Director in the Office of Research and Development where he oversaw the research, development, test and evaluation of research programs that were executed at DHS federal laboratories and the Homeland Security elements of the DOE national laboratories. He also oversaw the Homeland Security Stewardship Initiative, which included the National Biological Analysis and Countermeasures Center planning and design effort, the Plum Island Animal Disease Center facility recapitalization, development of strategic partnerships with other government agencies, and Homeland Security workforce development and education programs that included a Scholars/Fellows Program and an integrated network of Homeland Security University Centers of Excellence.

Prior to joining the Department of Homeland Security in July 2003, Mr. Hooks served 20 years in the U.S. Navy in a variety of positions as a submarine officer, financial analyst, intelligence analyst, and personnel specialist. His sea tours were on both fast attack and ballistic missile submarines and included overseas deployments, special missions, and six Trident strategic deterrent patrols during the Cold War.

Mr. Hooks graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering and holds a M.A.S. in Financial Management from The Johns Hopkins University. He was selected to the Senior Executive Service in 2005.

Keynote Speakers

Col. Randall Larsen (Ret. USAF), Former Executive Director of the Congressional Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism

Dr. Jeffrey Runge, Former Chief Medical Officer, DHS

Guest Speakers

Penny J. Hitchcock, D.V.M., M.S., Chief Scientist, Chemical and Biological Early Detection (BioWatch), Systems Program Office, Tauri Group

Tina Gabbrielli, Director of the Office of Risk Management and Analysis, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Peter Jutro, Deputy Director for Science and Policy, National Homeland Security Research Center, EPA

Daniel Marc Sosin, MD, MPH, FACP, Acting Director, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, CDC

Pietro D. Marghella, Former Director of Medical Contingency Operations, Office of the Secretary of Defense

Joanne Cox, Deputy Chief, Emergency Risk Communication Branch, CDC

Dr. Brian Flynn, Former Assistant Surgeon General, US Public Health Service

Gerald W. Parker, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Dave Gruber, Deputy Commissioner of Health (Preparedness and Response), State of New Jersey

Michael J. Fischer, Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Maryland Department of Transportation

John H. Bridges III, Former Incident Commander for Anthrax Response and Mitigation, US Postal Service, 2001 to 2004

Glen D. Gilmore, Responded to anthrax attack as Former Mayor of Hamilton Township, New Jersey

Gary Cecchine, Ph.D., Biology/Public Policy, Natural Scientist, RAND

Jeff Robertson, Former Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Dr. William J. Parker III, Biodefense and Critical Infrastructure Expert

Thomas R. Austin, Ph.D., Manager CBRNE Countermeasures Programs, The Boeing Company

C. Randal Mullett, Vice President, Government Relations and Public Affairs for Con-way Inc.

Michael Luke, Command Agreements Manager, Mortuary Affairs Officer, Logistics Planning,NORAD-USNORTHCOM

Margaret Jo Velardo, PhD, Director of Research, Homeland Security Institute

Dr. David McWhorter,
Principal, Catalyst Partners, LLC

Jennifer Nuzzo, Associate, UPMC Center for Bio-Security

Arthur L. Kellermann, MD, MPH, Senior Principal Researcher, Paul O'Neill-Alcoa Chair in Policy Analysis, RAND Corporation

Dr. Thomas K. Zink, MD, Adjunct Associate Professor, Institute for Biosecurity, Saint Louis University

Dr. Joseph Tricarico, Jr., Esq., Assistant Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services

Richard Cooper, Chairman, Homeland Security Division, National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA)

Anthony S. Mangeri, MPA, CPM, Assistant Professor School of Public Safety & Health American Military University

M. Allen Northrup, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Microfluidic Systems

Tim Tinker, MPH, DrPH, Senior Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

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