Lessons Learned from the Tragedy at Columbine High School
	Sue Mencer
	Policy Director in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Government Relations Group
Exploring the problems that occurred in the aftermath with: interoperability; command and control; media; information sharing; physical structure impediments inherent in the building Discussing the problems prior to the tragedy which contributed to the outcome: law enforcement vs. school authorities; lack of information sharing Are we more or less prepared eight years later? Have the recommendations of the Columbine Review Commission been followed? Ms. Mencer is a Policy Director in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Government Relations Group, where she helps corporations and professional associations navigate the Department of Homeland Security and its 22 component agencies. Her work involves identifying policy trends within the department and working with clients to define and develop products, services, and solutions that help local, state, and federal homeland security agencies to achieve their safety objectives.
In 2007, Ms. Mencer joined the Board of Advisors for the National Institute of Science, Space and Security Centers (NISSSC) at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) and was elected to the board of directors for the Denver Police Foundation. She was appointed to the board of directors for the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) and to the board of directors for the InfraGard National Members Alliance in 2006. From 2003-2005, Ms. Mencer was the Director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate, she managed a $4 billion budget and directed federal initiatives to help states, local jurisdictions, regional authorities, and tribal governments plan for, prepare for, prevent, and respond to acts of terrorism. Ms. Mencer administered more than 25 programs and initiatives to equip, train, exercise, and assist state and local first responders.
From 2000-2003, Ms. Mencer was the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety. Appointed by Governor Bill Owens, she oversaw the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado State Patrol, the Division of Criminal Justice and the Division of Fire Safety. Ms. Mencer is a 20-year veteran of the FBI, serving as a Special Agent from 1978-1986 and Supervisory Special Agent from 1986-1998.
Ms. Mencer is a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s State and Local Executive Program at Harvard University. She completed graduate courses at the University of South Florida and earned her B.S. from The Ohio State University.