Press Releases

Constella Health Sciences Executive Awarded Certificate in Homeland Security

The CHS Level III designation requires the highest level of education and advance training of the three levels of certification. Only 10 percent of individuals who achieve CHS certification are certified as Level III. Individuals who have achieved this designation understand the scientific standards and procedures required to perform homeland security duties and proper consultation.

"This certification is directly aligned to our focus in public health preparedness," said Johnston. "We have done an extensive amount of work in this area such as tracking and reporting select agents for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This certification will help us continue to build on the services we can offer the Department of Homeland Security and the CDC."

"Since Sept. 11, 2001, there have been several federal initiatives to protect the general public, first responders and other public servants from terrorist acts and other health threats," said Chris LeGrand, president of Constella Health Sciences. "Public health preparedness is a broad field, and this certification is one way for us to distinguish ourselves as experienced, educated providers in this area."

Johnston joined Constella Group in 2001 after having served as president and CEO of United Information Systems, Inc., which Constella acquired that year. As chief security officer, Johnston oversees all security operations at Constella's offices, including the company's operations in Atlanta and Bethesda, two offices cleared by the Department of Defense to handle classified material. Johnston is also under contract with the CDC to serve as chief security officer for Constella's work on the Select Agent Program, a $20 million contract that the company won last year. This project involves overseeing the registration, inspection and certification of all U.S. laboratories possessing biological agents and toxins that pose a severe threat to public health and safety.

Johnston is a member of the Constella Health Sciences' leadership team and helps guide the business' strategic and performance planning. He oversees strategic business development activities and directly supports the business' long-term marketing efforts. He has more than 28 years of experience providing programmatic and technical support to federal agencies. As a founder of UIS, Johnston was responsible for the strategic planning and growth management of the company. He served as the corporate monitor for several of UIS' larger projects and as project manager for some of the larger system development and information technology efforts. A retired Navy Captain, he has worked in numerous assignments during his career with subspecialties in information systems planning, analysis and security.

Johnston holds a master's of science in geophysics from Naval Postgraduate School, a master's of science in systems management from the University of Northern Colorado, and a master's degree in business administration from National University. He earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry and environmental science from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

About ACFEI
ACFEI is an international association developed to bring together professionals from a variety of disciplines to provide a reliable, credible forum for ethical and professional standards for forensics. It is comprised of professionals in fields such as medicine, criminology, toxicology, public health preparedness, accident reconstruction, crime scene reconstruction, criminal investigation, engineering, risk analysis and voice recognition.

About Constella Health Sciences
Constella Health Sciences, a business unit of Constella Group, is the premier service provider in the public-sector health and biomedical research market. With more than 500 employees working across more than 20 disciplines, the business provides health-related technologies, services and research for public-sector clients such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Army's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.

About Constella Group
Constella Group is a leading provider of professional health services worldwide, now celebrating 20 years of enhancing human health through innovative science, technology and knowledge solutions. Constella's three business units—Health Sciences, Clinical Informatics and Health Strategies—create and provide health intelligence to help industry and government clients identify and address critical issues affecting human health. With Constella as the parent company, the three business units comprise dynamic points of collaboration that build support, create momentum and add value from idea to impact across the full continuum of human health.