BOSTON — Law firm Nixon Peabody LLP announced on Wednesday that former Massachusetts Undersecretary for Homeland Security has joined the firm as Director of National Security and Resiliency.
Jeanne Benincasa Thorpe will team with the Boston firm’s attorneys to help clients identify and mitigate active and emerging risks that could jeopardize the health, safety, and well-being of their people or disrupt the continuity of their services.
“All complex organizations face coordination challenges, and Jeanne uses her experience in public-sector response to help clients open clear paths of collaboration,” said James Vallee, managing partner of Nixon Peabody’s Boston office. “Jeanne’s versatility and consensus-building skills inform her guidance to organizations of all types. I’ve seen firsthand how this can align shared goals with internal and external stakeholders.”
Thorpe served as the Bay State’s Homeland Security Advisor to Governor Charlie Baker, helping to fortify public safety efforts by building responsive coalitions across business sectors and jurisdictions. She directly supervised six public safety state agencies, including the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Fire Services, the Commonwealth Fusion Center, the Massachusetts National Guard, the Homeland Division of the Office of Grants and Research, and the Statewide Interoperability and Cyber Security Division.
“Many of our clients are seeking to bolster their response to high-stakes disruptors such as public health emergencies, active shooter incidents, civil unrest, severe weather events, and cyberattacks,” said Christopher Froeb, Nixon Peabody partner and leader of the firm’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice. “Jeanne’s experience in these areas is invaluable in helping clients pinpoint these challenges, prepare strategies to address them, and drive the best outcomes.”
Thorpe grew up in Winchester, MA and graduated from Providence College with a BA in communications.
She continued to further her education and earn several professional certificates in political affairs, crisis communications, and event planning from Georgetown University and Boston University.
Thorpe is a graduate of FEMA’s National Emergency Management Executive Academy at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, MD, and Executive Leadership Program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
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