David Pekoske

Vice Admiral Pekoske served as Commander, Pacific Area/Coast Guard Defense Forces West in Alameda, California. He oversaw the operation of units performing missions in marine safety, maritime mobility, protection of natural resources, maritime security, homeland security and national defense in an Area of Operations encompassing over 73,000,000 square miles (190,000,000 km²) throughout the Pacific Basin and Far East. Prior to that, he was the Assistant Commandant for Operations at Coast Guard Headquarters. From 2004 to 2006 he was Commander of the First Coast Guard District/Maritime Defense Command One headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.[5]

Vice Admiral Pekoske served as Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from August 7, 2009 to May 24, 2010. As second in command to Admiral Thad Allen and Chief Operating Officer, Vice Admiral Pekoske executed the Commandant's strategic intent, managed internal organizational governance and served as the Component Acquisition Executive.[6]

On April 11, 2019, Pekokse was designated as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary by Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan, making him the Acting Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Pekokse remained the TSA Administrator, but day-to-day operations of TSA were overseen by TSA's Acting Deputy Administrator, Patricia Cogswell.[10]

On November 13, 2019, with the appointment of Ken Cuccinelli as Acting Deputy Secretary, Pekokse returned to his duties TSA Administrator.[11]

From January 20, 2021 to February 2, 2021, Pekoske was appointed Acting Secretary of Homeland Security by President Joe Biden, during the Senate confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas to the role.[3] While serving as Acting Secretary, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of TSA Administrator was Darby LaJoye,[12] TSA's Executive Assistant Administrator for Security Operations.[13]