An alumnus could be named the next secretary of homeland security, Politico reported Saturday.
Admiral Thad Allen, who received a master’s of public administration from GW in 1986 and retired as commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard in 2010, is one of several people rumored to replace Janet Napolitano when she steps down this September.
Praised for leading the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, Allen also received the Colin Powell Public Service Award for his efforts to clean up the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. He addressed GW graduates in May after receiving an honorary degree from the University.
Allen spoke on campus about his efforts to clean up the oil spill in 2010 and taught a course in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration in 2011.
President Barack Obama’s administration has not indicated who they are considering to replace Napolitano, who will become president of the University of California system. TSA chief John Pistole, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and a handful of Congressmen have also all been rumored to fill the Cabinet position.