Center for National Preparedness

Certificate in National Preparedness and Homeland Security

Staff and Consultants

Blaine ConnorBlaine Connor is the Director of Academic Programs at the College of General Studies. He is a PhD candidate in anthropology. His research is funded by a Fulbright-Hays grant.

As Director of Academic Programs he has been intimately involved in the development of the Certificate in National Preparedness and Homeland Security. More...

Harry CrytzerHarry Crytzer is the Marketing Communications Coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh College of General Studies. Before coming to the University, he spent nearly ten years in corporate communications and marketing with both Consolidated Communications and North Pittsburgh Systems. He is actively involved in a variety of local non-profit organizations, including the Harmarville Outreach Programs and Education (HOPE). More...

Linda Tanzini AmbrosoLinda Tanzini Ambroso assists the Center for National Preparedness and College of General Studies with program coordination, curriculum development, grants, research, and business and government relations. A 2008 graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh, she holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan. Since 2002 she has worked with Pitt on initiatives related to critical infrastructure resiliency, bioterrorism detection, and enterprise development. Her Washington, D.C. experience includes assignments at the House Armed Services Committee, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Naval Sea Systems Command as part of the Presidential Management program. From 1989 to 1996, Ambroso worked at the U.S. State Department, where she led working groups that drafted U.S. policies on the verification of international agreements discouraging the development of weapons of mass destruction. In October 2008, she was confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Senate to be a public member of the State Board of Nursing. More...