What’s in Store for DHS’ CX-Focused Future?

The Department of Homeland Security went all-in on customer experience, or CX, with the September 2023 establishment of a new CX office within its Office of the Chief Information Officer. Headed by Executive Director Dana Chisnell, the CX Directorate leads the delivery of easy-to-use, accessible and responsive tools to DHS customers.

Chisnell will convene with fellow DHS officials and industry experts during a panel discussion at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 13. During the conversation, titled “Case Studies of Successful CX Initiatives,” these leaders will examine the department’s top CX priorities and share success stories that have paved the way for future CX improvements. Secure your spot at the 2024 Homeland Security Summit to gain access to these exclusive insights.

Why Does CX Matter to DHS?

“DHS interacts with the public more often than any other agency, so it’s critical that we build equity and reduce burden for both internal and external customers,” Chisnell said, commenting on the establishment of the CX Directorate. 

With so many public-facing components — such as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Emergency Management Agency — it is crucial that individuals are able to understand and utilize the variety of services DHS provides. 

“In the federal government, it’s not a one time transaction. It’s a lifetime of interactions, a lifetime of touch points… and we have more touch points than any other civilian agencies,” Chisnell emphasized in her keynote address at the Potomac Officers Club’s CX Imperative Forum in January.

The department had already taken steps to improve CX prior to the office’s creation. In May 2023, DHS announced that through its Burden Reduction Initiative, it was able to reduce the total amount of time the public spends accessing DHS services by over 21 million hours. USCIS, TSA and FEMA also hit key milestones that year.

DHS’ CX Goals

During the CX Imperative Forum, Chisnell highlighted another CX priority for DHS: acquisitions. By elevating CX, DHS hopes to improve the experience of vendors looking to do business with its agencies.

“I would love to see [CX] language and requirements in every single acquisition and every single procurement independent of what it is,” she said.

According to Chisnell, the department also wants to integrate new technologies like artificial intelligence into its pursuit of CX goals.

Other CX projects DHS is working on include TSA’s Next Generation Identity: Mobile Driver’s License program and CBP’s efforts to implement facial recognition technology to ease entry and exit processes for travelers.

Meet the “Case Studies of Successful CX Initiatives” Panelists

Dana Chisnell

As executive director of DHS’ CX office, Chisnell spearheads efforts to elevate CX across the department. Her work is guided by decades of experience in plain language, forms design and user experience design in various roles across government, industry and academia.

Prior to joining DHS, Chisnell was a digital services expert for the U.S. Digital Service, and before that, she founded and served as a partner at the National Conference on Citizenship. Her other previous roles include design lead at the California Office of Digital Innovation, adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School and co-executive director at the Center for Civic Design.

Brian Durden

Bringing an industry perspective to the panel is Brian Durden, a senior solutions architect at Rancher Government Solutions. In his role, he helps government agencies develop modern cloud architectures and application platforms.

Before assuming his current position, Durden was a senior solutions architect at VMware, and earlier, he held the same title at Pivotal Software. He has also held roles at Inmarsat and Harris Corporation.

Janet Pence

Janet Pence currently serves as acting director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s CBP Experience unit. 

Kristin Ruiz

Kristin Ruiz, deputy assistant administrator and deputy chief information officer for the Transportation Security Administration, joined the agency in April 2023. Since then, she has spearheaded information technology-related endeavors within TSA, including the establishment and execution of its IT strategy.

Ruiz holds more than two decades of experience in IT-centered roles. Throughout her career, she has focused on areas such as digital transformation, application development and cybersecurity compliance. Before taking on her current post at TSA, she served as the first-ever associate chief information officer of the Department of Transportation’s Office of Applications and Digital Solutions. She held earlier roles at the Department of Agriculture and has also served as an independent consultant.

Sarah Nolbaum

Sarah Nolbaum, a program manager at Highlight Technologies, will moderate the panel. In her current position, she oversees the company’s work for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ under the Services for Product Engineering and Enterprise Delivery, or SPEED, contract.

Prior to joining Highlight, Nolbaum spent nearly six years at Soft Tech Consulting, where she held several positions focused on USCIS projects and user experience initiatives.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from these CX leaders in person! Learn from them directly at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Homeland Security Summit.