Brian C. Goebel - President & CEO

In addition to managing the firm, Mr. Goebel is actively involved in the work of the firm's practice groups. He devotes most of his time to projects involving risk assessment, the WCO SAFE Framework, traveler management, and organizational design. Over the last two years, Mr. Goebel has worked on the design and successful implementation of several automated risk assessment solutions and has overseen the firm's work on the UK Border Agency project.

Before founding the Sentinel HS Group, Mr. Goebel was an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he specialized in public policy and international trade matters. While at Gibson Dunn, Mr. Goebel:

• Assisted companies in understanding and shaping homeland security-related legislation, regulations, and policies involving port security, supply chain security, immigration enforcement, international trade & travel, transportation, and intelligence matters.

• Assisted companies in shaping and complying with import-related legislation, regulations, and policies.

• Counseled companies regarding compliance with U.S. sanctions and export licensing regimes.

During his tenure as Counselor and Senior Policy Advisor to Commissioner Bonner, Mr. Goebel’s responsibilities included:

• Advising Commissioner Bonner on a wide array of matters relating to CBP operations and policies, including the transition into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the merger of the U.S. Customs Service and portions of the INS and Agriculture Departments into CBP, and the implementation of the National Strategy for Homeland Security.

• Designing and implementing “smart border” programs and initiatives, including:
  
  
  • The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT)
  • The Container Security Initiative (CSI)
  • The Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program
  • NEXUS
  • NEXUS – Air
  • The Immigration Security Initiative (ISI) — predecessor of the IAP program.

• Advising Commissioner Bonner on policies and operations related to the identification of high-risk shipments and people (“targeting”)
  
  
  • Overseeing the drafting and promulgation of the Advance Passenger Information (API), Passenger Name Record (PNR), “24-hour” rule, and Trade Act rulemakings.
  • Coordinating efforts to develop a national targeting system, including establishing the National Targeting Center.
  • Coordinating efforts to enhance the Automated Targeting System (ATS) through the application of intelligence, operational experience, additional data sources, and technology.

• Developing international, multilateral, and bilateral strategies for increasing the security of international trade and travel:
  
  
  • Assisting in the preparation of the “Resolution of the Customs Co-Operation Council on Security and Facilitation of the International Trade Supply Chain,” which was adopted by the WCO in June 2002.
  • Negotiating an agreement with the European Commission on matters related to CSI.
  • Overseeing and negotiating the implementation of sections of the Smart Border Declaration with Canada.

• Coordinating the development of annual CBP budget requests to ensure consistency with homeland security priorities.

• Overseeing the Office of Trade Relations and working closely with the trade community on key initiatives.

• Working closely with the Homeland Security Council, the State Department, the DHS Offices of the Secretary and the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security, the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on US VISIT, visa, immigration, maritime security, air cargo screening and inspections, and other aviation security matters.

Before serving in the Department of Homeland Security, Mr. Goebel was an attorney with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Jones, Day, Reavis and Pogue. He also served as a law clerk to Judge Fortunato P. Benavides on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Mr. Goebel is a 1996 graduate of the William and Mary Law School, where he served as an Articles Editor on the William and Mary Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. He graduated with High Honors from the College of William and Mary in 1993.

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