Federal 100 winner: Lt. Col. John Persano

Lt. Col. John Persano
Intelligence officer
Marine Corps Reserve

Persano, a former intelligence officer, was the forward deployed analyst for the Golden Phoenix counterterrorism training exercise in San Diego in July 2008. He helped design the drill with no top-down budget and no formal command structure.

The goal of Golden Phoenix was to train 150 organizations to work together during a medical emergency. Persano was instrumental in creating and demonstrating a model for self-organizing emergency response through use of new technologies and social networks.

“John’s initiative and perseverance, and unique insight and experience in the esoteric interagency process, made this a highly successful demonstration,” said Kevin “Spanky” Kirsch, director of DHS’ Science and Technology Directorate’s Special Programs.