On Sept. 11, 2001, Dan Kaniewski saw a plane hit the Pentagon from the U.S. Capitol. It was then, he said, that he made homeland security his No. 1 priority.
Last month, Kaniewski, a 2000 GW graduate, was appointed special assistant to the president for homeland security and senior director of response policy. He said his experiences in Foggy Bottom prepared him to work for the federal government.
In an interview with The Hatchet in the White House Friday, Kaniewski described his daily life working for President George W. Bush.
"People's lives depend on you, on anyone who works in the government," he said. "It feels good to have that kind of responsibility, but it is also very stressful."
Kaniewski personally oversees the government's response to disasters such as floods, terrorist attacks and other unpredictable events such as the shootings at Virginia Tech.
"My job entails anticipating the unexpected," he said.
Kaniewski is a member of the Homeland Security Council, a group of senior White House staff members that oversees policy for the Department of Homeland Security. His boss, Fran Townsend, is the president's homeland security adviser - the equivalent to the national security adviser but with a focus on domestic issues.
He said his primary responsibility, and that of the council, is to coordinate the interests of government departments and agree on policy matters before advising the president.
"I do work long hours," Kaniewski said. "I don't have much of a social life, but that didn't deter me from taking the job. This is a very unique opportunity I may never have again."
His specialized training and college education are what made him qualified for the job, he said.
"Simply being a Republican doesn't mean you would get this job," Kaniewski said. "It's not the kind of thing you apply for. I was sought for it."
Kaniewski, who grew up in a small town in Minnesota, majored in emergency medical sciences and began working under the Homeland Security Council in 2005, while he was pursuing his doctorate in public policy and administration.
Last month, Kaniewski, a 2000 GW graduate, was appointed special assistant to the president for homeland security and senior director of response policy. He said his experiences in Foggy Bottom prepared him to work for the federal government.
In an interview with The Hatchet in the White House Friday, Kaniewski described his daily life working for President George W. Bush.
"People's lives depend on you, on anyone who works in the government," he said. "It feels good to have that kind of responsibility, but it is also very stressful."
Kaniewski personally oversees the government's response to disasters such as floods, terrorist attacks and other unpredictable events such as the shootings at Virginia Tech.
"My job entails anticipating the unexpected," he said.
Kaniewski is a member of the Homeland Security Council, a group of senior White House staff members that oversees policy for the Department of Homeland Security. His boss, Fran Townsend, is the president's homeland security adviser - the equivalent to the national security adviser but with a focus on domestic issues.
He said his primary responsibility, and that of the council, is to coordinate the interests of government departments and agree on policy matters before advising the president.
"I do work long hours," Kaniewski said. "I don't have much of a social life, but that didn't deter me from taking the job. This is a very unique opportunity I may never have again."
His specialized training and college education are what made him qualified for the job, he said.
"Simply being a Republican doesn't mean you would get this job," Kaniewski said. "It's not the kind of thing you apply for. I was sought for it."
Kaniewski, who grew up in a small town in Minnesota, majored in emergency medical sciences and began working under the Homeland Security Council in 2005, while he was pursuing his doctorate in public policy and administration.
