It’s the people who make up TSA and are crucial to the agency’s success in protecting the nation’s transportation systems.
The one thing, though, that makes TSA extra special is the care and compassion TSA employees have for each other. Their connections and mentorships enrich our agency’s work, build community and bring purpose to what we do.
Case in point – the unique connection between Montana TSA Officer Tracy Kerbs and Surface Region 5 Program Analyst Victoria Schwab.
Idaho TSA Federal Security Director Andy Coose heard about Kerbs’ quest for a bachelor’s degree and a crucial project she was working on to secure her college diploma from Idaho State University. In the spirit of mentorship, Coose reached out to Surface Region 5 to ask if anyone was available to help Kerbs.
“Tracy was a student of mine in a college course (Homeland Security and Emergency Management) I teach each spring and was diligently trying to balance work life and school to get a degree and advance her career,” Coose recalled. “I felt it was important, especially now that she works for TSA, to try and help her successfully finish her degree. The team at Region 5 was the logical place for me to inquire for her, since they do such great work and are always forward leaning when it comes to getting things done right.”
After finishing the course, Kerbs needed a capstone project and reached out to Coose.
“I knew Region 5 Security Director James Duncan was a forward-looking leader, so I asked if he could help provide mentoring,” added Coose. “He came up with the right person to make it happen. Victoria was the one!
Schwab stepped to the plate and hit a home run!
“Almost 10 years ago, TSA helped me with a capstone project to achieve my master’s degree, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to pay it forward and offer the same support to Tracy,” said Schwab.
Kerbs, a TSA officer (TSO) at Butte, Montana’s Bert Mooney Airport, focused her practicum final paper on TSA Surface Operations’ role in transportation security and our nation’s northern border with Canada. She conducted in-depth research on the types of transportation that cross the border and the commodities associated with those transportation modes.
“Tracy’s research will help Region 5 understand some of the challenges faced at the northern border and further our work with border stakeholders,” Schwab explained. “Having started with TSA as a TSO in July 2023, Tracy hadn’t had much exposure to TSA’s regulatory compliance side and was eager to learn.”
Although Kerbs and Schwab are stationed over 650 miles apart, they met remotely once a week for five months to talk about surface transportation regulations and programs and how Region 5 supports the Department of Homeland Security international engagement strategy by expanding its focus to include surface transportation operators that cross the U.S./Canadian border.
Kerbs’ hard work paid off in May when she earned her bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management from Idaho State.
“I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work with Victoria and all the time she invested in me and my project,” said Kerbs.
When asked about her experience and her connection with Schwab, Kerbs said she learned a great deal about TSA’s role and was excited to see the agency is much more than airport passenger screening. She learned how critical TSA’s role is to prevent an attack that could have lasting impacts on the U.S. and Canadian people and economies.
And she’s bringing that newfound knowledge to her TSA screening team in Montana, saying, “I have been sharing what I learned with my colleagues and plan to be proactive in highlighting the importance of our work at TSA.”
Kerbs strongly believes all TSA employees should take pride in what they do.
“Often as TSOs, we are focused on one passenger at a time and forget the big picture,” Kerbs noted. “TSA’s mission is about protecting all transportation systems, which includes more than aviation. Surface includes those other modes of transportation that move people and commodities to keep our supply chain and way of life safe.”
Schwab, Region 5 and Coose are all proud of Kerbs and her tremendous achievement and appreciate her dedication to TSA’s mission.
“It was very rewarding to be able to mentor another woman on her journey to earn her education and what I know is the beginning of a successful career with TSA,” said Schwab. “I look forward to keeping in touch with Tracy and seeing her continue to grow.”
“It couldn’t have worked out better,” Coose proclaimed. “(Region 5) took the initiative and helped Tracy with her project all the way. I am proud of her and proud to be part of a team that recognizes the value of education.”
By Don Wagner, TSA Strategic Communications & Public Affairs