TSA Names New Deputy Assistant Administrator for Policy, Plans and Engagement
May 31, 2022
TSA shared with AAAE that Kristen Simonds has been named as the new Deputy Assistant Administrator for Policy, Plans and Engagement in Operations Support. Simonds replaces Victoria Newhouse who retired from the agency in February.
In an announcement to TSA employees about the appointment, TSA Administrator Pekoske provided the following on Simonds' background and experience:
Kristen Simonds currently serves as the FSD at Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) in Billings, Montana. Kristen is responsible for leading a team of more than 200 federal employees at five airports across Montana. In this position, she directs and coordinates complex security plans and policies with industry partners, manages and allocates organizational resources, leverages high-level relationships with federal, local and Congressional partners, and develops solutions to a wide-range of operational and management issues. Kristen joined TSA in September 2002 as an STSO with the Office of Security Operations. From February 2006 to August 2019, she was promoted through the ranks in multiple challenging roles with increasing responsibility as a Transportation Security Specialist - Inspector (TSS-I), Transportation Security Specialist (TSS), Regional Security Inspector (RSI), Regional Manager, and Supervisory Program Analyst. During tours as the TSA Representative to Canada and the Caribbean, Kristen served as the agency's senior leader and the principal U.S. transportation security advisor to U.S. Ambassadors and other stakeholders. In this position, she closely collaborated with international partners to enhance and communicate policies and procedures, directed countrywide action plans to mitigate risk to the U.S. and led negotiations with high-level foreign officials on sensitive issues with diplomacy and expertise. This experience includes negotiating and implementing National Cargo Security Program Recognition and a formal One-Stop Security agreement with Canada to harmonize security with a critical transportation partner.
AAAE looks forward to working closely with Ms. Simonds in her new role.
TSA shared with AAAE that Kristen Simonds has been named as the new Deputy Assistant Administrator for Policy, Plans and Engagement in Operations Support. Simonds replaces Victoria Newhouse who retired from the agency in February.
In an announcement to TSA employees about the appointment, TSA Administrator Pekoske provided the following on Simonds' background and experience:
Kristen Simonds currently serves as the FSD at Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) in Billings, Montana. Kristen is responsible for leading a team of more than 200 federal employees at five airports across Montana. In this position, she directs and coordinates complex security plans and policies with industry partners, manages and allocates organizational resources, leverages high-level relationships with federal, local and Congressional partners, and develops solutions to a wide-range of operational and management issues. Kristen joined TSA in September 2002 as an STSO with the Office of Security Operations. From February 2006 to August 2019, she was promoted through the ranks in multiple challenging roles with increasing responsibility as a Transportation Security Specialist - Inspector (TSS-I), Transportation Security Specialist (TSS), Regional Security Inspector (RSI), Regional Manager, and Supervisory Program Analyst. During tours as the TSA Representative to Canada and the Caribbean, Kristen served as the agency's senior leader and the principal U.S. transportation security advisor to U.S. Ambassadors and other stakeholders. In this position, she closely collaborated with international partners to enhance and communicate policies and procedures, directed countrywide action plans to mitigate risk to the U.S. and led negotiations with high-level foreign officials on sensitive issues with diplomacy and expertise. This experience includes negotiating and implementing National Cargo Security Program Recognition and a formal One-Stop Security agreement with Canada to harmonize security with a critical transportation partner.
AAAE looks forward to working closely with Ms. Simonds in her new role.
