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Cyber Council Members

Cyber Council members are selected from each academic Department; the Cadet Professional Development and Cadet Training branches; Information Services; Admissions; and stakeholder entities. The Council reports to the Academy Provost.

CAPT Joseph Benin, Ph.D. (Electrical Engineering & Cyber Systems), Chair
LT Julian Blanco (Electrical Engineering & Cyber Systems)
CDR Michael Chien (Commandant, CG-791)
LCDR Jamie Embry (USCG Cyber Command)
Chad Davis (Electrical Engineering & Cyber Systems)
Richard Freeman, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)
Ian Frommer, Ph.D. (Mathematics)
Ethan Gold (Cyber Systems)
Angela Jackson-Summer, Ph.D. (Management)
CDR Kimberly Young-McLear, Ph.D. (DHS)
Gary Kessler, Ph.D. (USCG Auxiliary)
Constantine Macris (Cyber Systems)
Jillian McLeod, Ph.D. (Mathematics)
Daniel Pinch (Admissions)
LCDR David Pizzurro (USCG Cyber Command)
LT Ryan Quarry (Cyber Systems and Cyber Team Head Coach)
LT Christen Shih (Management)
Bill Randall (Electrical Engineering & Cyber Systems)
Carlos Salazar, Ph.D. (National Security Agency)
Donna Selch, Ph.D. (Science)
LCDR Jason Veara (Electrical Engineering & Cyber Systems)
Lucy Vlietstra, Ph.D. (Science)
LT Katelyn Waddle (Humanities/Intel Officer), Vice Chair
LT Richard Williams (Electrical Engineering & Cyber Systems)
LCDR Grant Wyman (USCGA CIO)

Contact Information

Superintendent’s Council for Cyber Education and Training

CDR Joseph Benin

USCGA Cyber Council Chair
(860) 444-8282
Joseph.T.Benin@uscga.edu

LT Katelyn Waddle

USCGA Cyber Council Vice Chair
(860) 701-6528
Katelyn.E.Waddle@uscga.edu

Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.