Certification Profile: Maureen S. Rush, MS, CPP

After an 18-year career with the Philadelphia Police Department, where Maureen Rush, MS, CPP, rose steadily through the ranks, a new opportunity shifted the trajectory of her career. Just before her promotion to captain, the University of Pennsylvania’s Division of Public Safety recruited her to serve as the director of victim support in 1994. In 1996, she was appointed as the chief of police for the University of Pennsylvania Police Department, a role that would mark the beginning of her long and influential career in campus safety and security.  

Shortly after arriving at Penn, Rush was invited by a member of the ASIS Greater Philadelphia chapter to attend a chapter dinner. What began as a simple courtesy quickly became a pivotal moment. The meetings offered a chance to connect with local security leaders, she says. The networking was invaluable, and the sense of community was immediate. Rush joined ASIS soon after.

As her responsibilities at Penn expanded, Rush was appointed vice president of public safety at the University of Pennsylvania, overseeing seven departments and shaping the university’s approach to safety and security for the next two decades.  Staying ahead of emerging threats and technologies became central to her role, and ASIS membership proved essential. Access to ASIS seminars and training helped her remain at the forefront of evolving security practices. She also became a frequent presenter at Security 500 conferences in New York City and Washington, D.C., sharing insights on the growing role of security technology in higher education.

During her tenure at Penn, Rush launched the Rush Group, LLC, a consulting practice that emerged from her early advisory work with institutions beyond the university. A former Penn colleague encouraged Rush to formalize her expertise into a consulting practice and extend her knowledge beyond the university setting. Today, the Rush Group focuses on several core pillars: litigation expert testimony, the development of safety and security plans for pre-K–12 schools and universities, crisis communications, public safety, and law enforcement.

Rush notes that her decision to pursue the Certified Protection Professional (CPP) certification was instrumental not only in her leadership role at Penn, but also in establishing credibility within her consulting practice.

“Earning an ASIS board certification helps you stand out as a security professional, providing confidence for the people we work with and those we work for,” she says. The credential became a differentiator. “Frankly, I can’t imagine my consulting practice being as successful as it has been over the years without my CPP certification.”

Rush’s involvement with ASIS deepened further when she began chairing the Philadelphia chapter’s annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Night, a role she embraced wholeheartedly for 10 years. For Rush, this night represented a meaningful intersection of her two professional passions.

“Not only was it a way to network with other local professionals but also a way for me to honor my two loves, policing and the security industry,” she says. She often encourages her colleagues to follow her path; “I always tell my law enforcement colleagues to immediately join ASIS, get involved, and network, network, network!”

Reflecting on her career, Rush credits ASIS with expanding her professional network and providing a welcoming platform to receive and offer guidance. She describes her security career as “a journey, not a destination,” one marked by growth, service, and a deep commitment to the profession.

Lexi Tiffany is a communications manager at ASIS International. She holds a master’s degree in strategic and organizational communication from USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.