The Crucial Role of Critical Infrastructure Protection in Security

Many listeners remember where they were on 9/11. For Lt. Charnele Sanders, Special Projects Manager (Security and Integrity) at Great Lakes Water Authority, her career in protection was inspired by the events of 9/11 and the repercussions of securing assets in critical infrastructure. In her discussion with host Dr. Marisa Randazzo, Lt. Sanders discusses how critical infrastructure resources are often the largest targets for others wanting to do harm - such as what occurred on 9/11 when the ability to manage air traffic control, make phone calls to ensure others were safe, and so much more was taken away. While critical infrastructure protection is not always the first area people think of when it comes to careers in security, when a resource we rely on every day to communicate or keep people safe is put in jeopardy, its impact is widespread. Lt. Sanders also shares encouraging words to women and girls wanting to enter the security workforce and how her motto of “be yourself and never settle for good enough” has shaped her into the person and professional she is today. Lt. Charnele Sanders serves as a Special Projects Manager within the Great Lakes Water Authority on their Security and Integrity team. She holds a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and Master of Science in Intelligence Analysis from the University of Detroit Mercy, as well as a certificate in Police Staff and Command from Northwestern.