Former Secretary of Homeland Security to Speak at 9/11 Memorial Museum

Former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano poses for a professional portrait photo.

Janet Napolitano was secretary of homeland security from 2009 to 2013, and she is the longest serving leader of the agency to date.

On Tuesday, March 26, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum will host a public program featuring former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, who will be talking about her new book, “How Safe Are We?: Homeland Security Since 9/11.”

In the wake of 9/11, President George W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act of 2002 establishing a new federal department and a Cabinet position to go with it. The Department of Homeland Security was formed by combining 22 existing departments and agencies into one unified Cabinet agency. DHS is now responsible for administering a wide variety of services and contains such agencies as FEMA, ICE, TSA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Napolitano was nominated to serve as the secretary of homeland security in 2009 by President Barack Obama. She was only the third person to head the new department, and the first woman to do so. She served in this capacity until 2013 and currently has the distinction of being the longest serving secretary of homeland security to date.

In “How Safe Are We?,” Napolitano evaluates the state of homeland security 17 years after 9/11 and the efficacy of the department she once led. Napolitano will share insights from her book and discuss what it takes to keep this country safe from her unique perspective.

Join us on Tuesday, March 26, at 7 p.m. for “How Safe Are We? Homeland Security Since 9/11.” Tickets can be reserved here. Copies of Napolitano’s book will be available for purchase.

By Harmony Barker, Public Programs Coordinator, 9/11 Memorial Museum