Facilitator Information

Donna Cayson is currently a Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) Distinguished Fellow.  She is living in Washington DC and assigned to the Department of Homeland Security; FEMA, National Preparedness Directorate.

Donna began her law enforcement career in 1997 with the City of Pasadena, California Police Department and retired in 2009 as a Sergeant with the Sierra Madre, California Police Department. During her law enforcement career, Donna worked in custody, as a Patrol Officer, Community Outreach Officer, Sexual Assaults Detective, and was the first designated full time Volunteer Coordinator for the Pasadena Police Department.  As the Volunteer Coordinator Donna managed and led approximately 150 active volunteers who served an average of 1400 hours per month.  Donna recruited and utilized volunteers in programs directly related to homeland security issues such as the Parade Watch program, Emergency Preparedness presentations, and the Emergency Operations Center.  Under her supervision and leadership, the Pasadena Police Department’s Volunteer Services Program was chosen as the 2006 recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Law Enforcement Volunteer Programs Award by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.  Donna actively promotes citizen volunteers as an invaluable resource in augmenting a law enforcement agency’s homeland security strategic plan along with disaster preparation, response and recovery plans. 
 

Donna graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security Master of Arts in Security Studies program in March, 2009.  She completed “Increasing Capacity & Changing the Culture: Volunteer Management in Law Enforcement” as her thesis.  Donna also holds undergraduate degrees in Administration of Justice from Rio Hondo Community College and Organizational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University along with a Masters Degree in Behavioral Science from California State University Dominguez Hills.  

For further information, questions, comments or concerns please contact Donna at: info@SMIPP.org