Disaster fraud center director gets top Justice Department service award

Kathleen Wylie, deputy director for the LSU-based National Center for Disaster Fraud, recently received the top public service award granted by the U.S. Department of Justice. Wylie received the Attorney General’s Award for Meritorious Public Service during the 59th annual Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony, which was held in Washington, D.C., in October. She was the sole recipient of this year’s award. Wylie was honored for her leadership and management of the NCDF. Since 2005, the NCDF has served as a national resource for public reports about possible fraud relating to disasters of all types, and for the dissemination and referral of those reports to the field offices of appropriate federal law enforcement. Wylie has been instrumental in the creation and operations of the NCDF’s physical plant at LSU. The Attorney General’s Award for Meritorious Public Service is designed to recognize the most significant contributions of citizens and organizations that have assisted the Department of Justice in the accomplishment of its mission and objectives. Wylie was honored with the FBI Director’s Award for Exceptional Public Service in 2006, the LSU Outstanding Service Award in 2007 and an FBI commendation for Exceptional Service in the Public Interest in 2008.