Kerry Sleeper

Kerry Sleeper serves as the Deputy Director, Intelligence and Information Sharing for the Secure Community Network. In this role, he is responsible for the 24/7 operations of SCN’s National Jewish Security Operations Command Center and the coordination of intelligence with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other governmental and non-governmental agencies.

Prior to becoming SCN’s Deputy Director, Intelligence and Information Sharing, Kerry served as the organization’s Senior Advisor from 2021–2024, supporting SCN through policy expertise, engagement with federal stakeholders and national law enforcement organizations and associations, and key outreach initiatives such as the National Security Advisory Council. 

Before joining SCN, Kerry served in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for 10 years as Special Advisor to the Assistant Director of Intelligence, Deputy Assistant Director for Intelligence, and most recently Assistant Director of the Office of Partner Engagement. He provided expert guidance on how to integrate and align the FBI’s intelligence efforts with those of other federal, state, local, and tribal information-sharing programs, with special focus on fusion centers. He also helped implement initiatives and strategies to support engagement, communication, coordination, and cooperation between law enforcement and intelligence agencies and public and private partners. 

Prior to his FBI career, Kerry served in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He conducted the first national baseline capabilities assessment of the 72 state and major urban area fusion centers and coordinated their efforts. In 2017, Kerry received the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive for his exceptional and sustained performance as a members of the federal government’s Senior Executive Service. 

Kerry has been a member of the law enforcement, public safety, and intelligence community since 1977, when he enlisted in the Vermont State Police. He became the first Trooper to rise through the ranks to be appointed Commissioner of Public Safety, overseeing statewide police, emergency management, fire safety, criminal justice services, and homeland security. As the Homeland Security Advisor to two governors, he was later responsible for administering more than $60 million in U.S. Department of Homeland Security grants; developing the Vermont Fusion Center and information sharing processes; integrating the National Incident Management System with Vermont’s first responder community; developing Vermont’s component of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (including the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant); and managing international border issues. 

Kerry retired from state government in 2008 after 31 years of service but returned in 2020 as Interim Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Human Services. He managed much of Vermont’s COVID-19 response plan and oversaw the Departments of Health, Health Access, Mental Health, Corrections, and Children and Families.