Natascha A. Gutermuth is a lead Program Manager for the Biometrics Program Office, under U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations in Washington, DC. In this role, Ms. Gutermuth manages the Biometric Entry-Exit Program and deployment of facial comparison technology to U.S. ports of entry. Through collaboration with stakeholders, the Biometrics Program Office has operationalized biometric exit solutions at 49 airports, deployed biometric facial comparison solutions to 40 seaports, and integrated facial comparison technology throughout the traveler continuum.

In her 19 years of service, Ms. Gutermuth has worked in a wide variety of positions and locations. She served as a Branch Chief with the Preclearance Field Office in Washington D.C., overseeing Preclearance ports and operations in the UAE, Ireland, the Caribbean, and Canada. Prior to this assignment, she served as the Port Director for the Ports of Piegan, Chief Mountain, and Goat Haunt in Babb, MT, where she was responsible for overseeing the port operations of three remote ports of entry at the Northern land border. Due to the ports’ location on an Indian reservation, she closely collaborated with native American law enforcement and tribal members. Prior to this assignment, she served as a Chief over the Admissibility Review Unit at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), leading the activities of 80 employees, including several off-site locations. As the Chief over the Admissibility Review Unit, she ensured legal sufficiency over all admissibility decisions. Prior to this assignment, Ms. Gutermuth spent several years as a diplomat at CBP’s Toronto Preclearance, facilitating lawful travel and trade to the United States.

A native of Nuernberg, Germany, Ms. Gutermuth holds an Industrial Management degree from Berufsschule IV in Nuernberg, Germany, and graduated from the University of St. Thomas (UST) in Houston, TX, with a bachelor’s degree in business and French. She began her federal law enforcement career in 2005 when she joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection as a CBP Officer at LAX, Los Angeles International Airport, CA.