PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA — The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America, have announced the appointment of Cortney Voorhees as the new Deputy Community Security Director for Greater Philadelphia.
In her new role, Voorhees will support current Community Security Director, Scott Kerns, in administering a security program that provides consultations, building and organizational assessments, training and drills, grant support, threat mitigation, and response coordination for critical incidents to over 190 institutions and over 350,000 of Jewish residents in the Greater Philadelphia area.
“Cortney has the ideal skillset for this role and already knows and loves our city,” said Michael Balaban, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. “Our schools, daycare centers, synagogues, camps and assisted living facilities all stand to benefit from Cortney’s expertise and influence.”
Voorhees brings 25 years of experience in security to the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. She recently retired as a Corporal from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and was the Supervisor over the Eastern Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Team (RVAT) unit.
Voorhees helped establish baseline security standards for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives office locations, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board establishments, PSP Department installations, and various alternate care sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among her previous experiences, Voorhees helped coordinate tactical and analytical intelligence operations for major events, such as the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Little League World Series, and Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia.
“SCN is grateful to have Cortney onboard to support Greater Philadelphia’s comprehensive security program led by Scott Kerns. She brings a wealth of experience and a strong familiarity with the existing safety, security, and law enforcement infrastructure in her jurisdiction. I have no doubt that her expertise will benefit SCN and our partners at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia,” said SCN National Director and CEO Michael Masters.
“The safety and well-being of our community is of paramount importance, and I’m looking forward to supporting safe infrastructures for all Jewish programming to carry on and thrive,” Voorhees said. “Today’s volatile climate keeps us on our toes, and we must be proactive to ensure our community is alert and has access to security training and resources.”
Voorhees earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She has been recognized with the Delaware Valley Association of Professional Police Officials Legion of Excellence medal for investigations, and has received several service awards and letters of commendation throughout her PSP career.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is part of a growing network of Jewish Federations and communities that have partnered with SCN to launch or build upon existing community-wide security programs designed around an “all threats, all hazards” approach to preparedness, safety, security, and resiliency. Each program is connected to SCN’s national operations, providing direct access to SCN’s National Jewish Security Operations Command Center and Duty Desk, as well as best practice security resources and support related to policies, procedures, physical security, facility assessments, training, and incident response.
For more information on The Jewish Federation Of Greater Philadelphia Security Program, please visit: https://jewishphilly.org/resources/security/.
About Secure Community Network
The Secure Community Network (SCN), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America. Founded in 2004 under the auspices of The Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, SCN serves as the central organization dedicated exclusively to the safety and security of the American Jewish community, working across 146 federations, 50 partner organizations, over 300 independent communities, and other partners in the public, private, nonprofit, and academic sectors. SCN is dedicated to ensuring that Jewish organizations, communities, life, and culture can not only exist safely and securely, but flourish. Learn more at https://www.securecommunitynetwork.org/
About the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Since 1901, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has served as the hub of the region’s Jewish communities, providing an infrastructure of support for Jewish people and organizations in need. Through grants, emergency funding, restricted gifts, endowments, and our partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools, we invest more than $61 million each fiscal year to care for those in need, combat antisemitism and global crisis, and strengthen Jewish identity. For more information, please visit: https://jewishphilly.org/.