WSU alumna talks homeland security with communication students
Wayne State communication alumna, Karinda Washington, returned to her alma mater this week to conduct a guest lecture for organizational communication students.
Karinda L. Washington serves as an external affairs specialist in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Private Sector Office. In this position Ms. Washington manages the DHS Loaned Executive Program and liaises with component private sector offices regarding public-private partnerships.
Ms. Washington established the DHS Loaned Executive Program (LEP) in 2011 as a best practice-advising leadership throughout the interagency on how to implement the program within their respective departments. The LEP provides an opportunity for private sector subject matter experts from varying industries to serve in a unique capacity on temporary rotation or sabbatical to DHS. As a result of the Loaned Executive Program's overwhelming success, Ms. Washington led an effort to establish the Loaned Professor Program for the academic community using the Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program and is currently developing a training with industry program that will allow federal employees to be detailed to private sector organizations for training purposes using the Government Employees Training Act.
Prior to joining DHS, Ms. Washington served 10 years and held multiple positions for Michigan Legal Services in Detroit. The organization provides free legal assistance to deserving families facing mortgage and property tax foreclosure. During her tenure, Ms. Washington provided public relations guidance to the Property Tax Foreclosure Prevention Project, meeting with local public officials and attracting financial support to keep over 10,000 families in their homes.
Ms. Washington is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University where she obtained her bachelor's degree in English: written communication and Wayne State University where she received a master's degree in communication: public relations and organizational communication. In her spare time she is a volunteer enthusiast, currently serving as a communications strategist for Leadership Preparatory Charter School in Memphis and RESTORE Northeast Detroit #CreateNED-a grassroots organization dedicated to rebuilding Detroit's eastside where Ms. Washington was raised.