Professional Affiliation

Director, DHS Office of Emergency Communications, Department of Homeland Security

Expert Bio

Mr. Chris Essid was selected in December 2007 as the Director of the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC), within the Department of Homeland Security.  He is responsible for leading efforts to accelerate and attain operable and interoperable emergency communications among public safety agencies and across Federal, State, local, and tribal governments nationwide. 

Under Mr. Essid’s leadership, OEC developed the National Emergency Communications Plan and has assisted all 56 States and territories in implementing Statewide Communications Interoperability Plans.  Prior to joining DHS, Mr. Essid served as the first Interoperability Coordinator for the Commonwealth of Virginia under Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.  During his service, he led Virginia to develop the Nation’s first Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan and developed a practitioner-driven approach within Virginia that is widely recognized as the catalyst for these successes and resulted in a winning partnership among State, local, and private sector communications efforts.

Mr. Essid served as a member of the United States Military Police from 2003-2008. Mr. Essid holds a M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in History from the University of Kentucky.