Apprio Taps Michael Pena as New Executive Vice President of Homeland Security

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - Jan 20, 2015) - Apprio, a leading provider of specialized technology solutions, particularly for the health, defense and homeland security markets, today announced the company has hired Michael Pena to lead the company's homeland security operations. Pena will oversee Apprio's growing homeland security practice that currently includes work with such clients as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Disaster Medical System and U.S. Coast Guard.

Pena brings an extensive 35 year career in first response, emergency preparedness, homeland security and facility protection. Pena's background includes first responder experience with the New York City Fire Department's Special Operations Command and FEMA, as well as homeland security and critical infrastructure protection experience with the Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory.

"Michael brings an incredibly valuable perspective to Apprio and our clients," said Darryl Britt, Apprio's president. "We're advising clients how to deal with situations that quite literally involve life and death decisions. Michael has worked at the frontline of emergency response; his knowledge of how to plan for and respond to critical incidents isn't hypothetical; it's based on his real-world experience."

Most recently, Pena managed Brookhaven National Laboratory's (BNL) Laboratory Protection Division where he directed the protective force, fire rescue, emergency management office and security operations for classified programs. His responsibilities included critical infrastructure protection, emergency preparedness and response, training, audits, assessments and program development.

Before joining BNL, Pena was director of disaster response operations for DHS FEMA Region 2. In this position, he directed the response for federal agencies and the Department of Defense to natural emergencies and terrorism-related events within New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He managed and directed the regional response coordination center and served as the chairperson of the regional interagency steering committee.

In 2002, Pena joined DHS, FEMA Region 2 in the Operations and Planning Branch, serving as operations chief and lead planner. Pena was the regional operations chief for Presidential-declared national disasters as well as special national security events (Republican and Democratic Party conventions, Papal visit, UN General Assembly).

As the DHS FEMA Region 2 representative to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, Pena coordinated terrorism preparedness and situational awareness for the region. His interagency experience includes liaisons with the U.S. State Department; the Foreign Consequence Management Program Office for emergency preparedness assistance for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens; the U.S. Department of Energy Radiological Detection Program for emergency response assistance for the Megaports Initiative; the U.S. Army Southern Command; and the U.S. Secret Service for dignitary visit special event planning.

Prior to joining FEMA, Pena served as the U.S. General Services Administration Region 2 regional emergency coordinator. His responsibilities included continuity of operations planning, training and exercises for all federal buildings within the region.

Pena's emergency response career began in 1981 with the FDNY. Sixteen of Pena's 21-year career was in the Special Operations Command. As a firefighter and officer in the Special Operations Command, Pena received advanced technical training in areas such as hazardous materials, technical and collapse rescue, and incident command training.

While with the FDNY, Pena was an original member and served 13 years as a rescue team manager with the New York City Urban Search and Rescue Task Force for FEMA. Deployments included hurricane relief for the Dominican Republic and the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Pena has attended the National Emergency Training Center and the National Fire Academy. He has taken professional development courses sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, National Domestic Preparedness Program, N.Y. State Department of Health, and N.Y. State Office of Fire Prevention and Control. He has instructor certifications in technical rescue, emergency response to terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, and emergency planning.

About Apprio
Apprio is a provider of specialized technology solutions, particularly for the health, defense and homeland security markets. The company provides innovative IT and program services in healthcare IT, emergency response management and financial management. Apprio delivers the methodologies, discipline and thought-leadership provided by the large integrators, with the cost structure and collaboration offered by smaller firms.

For more information, visit www.apprioinc.com.