Emergent Threats and Strategic Hardening Tactics (Conference Series -Session 3)

This highly acclaimed presentation will give up-to-the-minute information regarding emergent terrorist and criminal threats, and unveil the 9 things we're doing wrong in security in 2024, offering unique hardening tactics for soft target venues and events.

The session leader is the principal investigator on a new project entitled Soft Target-Specific Standards: Current Challenges and Future Implications for the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE), a DHS Security Center of Excellence at the University of Nebraska, Omaha. This research addresses the absence of specific security standards for soft targets such as cultural properties, entertainment, sports and other public venues. While general security standards provide a foundational framework, the unique characteristics and vulnerabilities of these locations and events may call for context-specific measures for the most effective protection. This repeat presentation will help the presenter gather additional information for this work. IFCPP is excited to support NCITE's research on this topic of importance to our community! 

About your presenter: Dr. Jennifer Hesterman is a retired Air Force colonel who served in three Pentagon tours and commanded in the field multiple times. Her final assignment was Vice Commander, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, where she led installation security, including protection of Air Force One. Dr. Hesterman is a counterterrorism and soft target hardening expert, working with businesses, sports venues, schools, houses of worship, malls, hospitals, convention centers, and critical infrastructure sites to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities. She advises the Homeland Security Training Institute, the Crisis Response Journal, and 2 DHS Security Centers of Excellence. Her book Soft Target Hardening: Protecting People from Attack was the ASIS Security Industry Book of the Year in 2015. The second edition received the same honors in 2019 and was the Social Sciences Book of the Year for Taylor & Francis. Dr. Hesterman is an analog astronaut and participates in human spaceflight training and deep space simulations. She conducts human factors research and tests food, spacesuits, technology and tools. She is training for her lifelong goal of space travel.