Homeland Security: ROBERT LISCOUSKI

ROBERT LISCOUSKI

Assistant Secretary for

Infrastructure Protection

202-282-8399

Robert Liscouski calls his job "humbling." Liscouski, 49, is assistant secretary of Homeland security for infrastructure protection. His office, which is part of the Information Analysis and Infrastructure

Protection Directorate in the Homeland security Department, has coordinating authority over the protection of all sectors of the nation's critical infrastructure, including agriculture, food, water, public health, transportation, and hazardous materials, as well as key assets such as national monuments, nuclear power plants, and dams.

Liscouski-who may be one of the few male Homeland security Department officials to sport an earring-is responsible for examining possible threats against U.S. infrastructure and ensuring that this infrastructure is made as safe as possible.

His operation is particularly challenging because 85 percent of the infrastructure is owned not by the government, but by the private sector. Thus, much of his work involves coordinating -with industry to determine points of potential vulnerability and exhorting companies to close those openings.