Dr. Christopher Rodriguez is the Director of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) located in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. In this role, Dr. Rodriguez serves as both the Homeland Security Advisor and State Coordinating Officer.Moreover, he is the State Administrative Agent for all homeland security federal grants funding for the District of Columbia and the National Capital Region. He led the agency through the COVID‐19 Pandemic, the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, and numerous other critical incidents and planned special events. HSEMA is responsible for emergency planning, preparedness, response, and recovery for the city.The agency houses Washington, DC’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), District Watch Center, and the District Fusion Center. Prior to HSEMA, Dr. Rodriguez served as Director of New Jersey’s Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness from 2014‐17, where he led statewide strategies, policies, and operations on counterterrorism, resiliency, and cybersecurity. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, he joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), where he became a senior analyst in its Counterterrorism Center. In this position, he monitored terrorist groups in the Middle East and South Asia, closely collaborating with U.S. Intelligence Community partners at the federal, state, and local levels to identify and counter persistent threats to the United States and its allies.