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Karima HolmesCyber Resilient 911 Branch ChiefDept. of Homeland Security - CISA

Karima Holmes is a distinguished emergency communications executive and advisor at the intersection of technology, cybersecurity, government affairs, and public safety. She has served as executive director at emergency communications centers (ECC) across the U.S. as well as VP for a premier GovTech company in the realm of cloud and AI services. She is currently a Branch Chief in the Emergency Communications Division of the U.S. Dept. Homeland Security’s Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency. In these roles she overhauled technical infrastructure and critical public safety programs, spearheaded the strategic vision for critical communication solutions and ensured seamless connectivity for vital public safety initiatives across the country. In October 2019, she was appointed to the FirstNet Authority Board by the U.S. Commerce Secretary. Chosen for her public safety expertise and substantive technical experience, in this role she supported the development and operation of the country's nationwide public safety broadband network dedicated to first responders. In 2021, Ms. Holmes chaired the Federal Communications Commission’s 911 Fee Diversion Strikeforce subcommittee on the Impacts of 911 Fee Diversion and coauthored the Strikeforce’s final report and recommendations on ending the practice of diverting 911 fees for non-911 purposes, which was submitted to Congress. She has also served as the treasurer for the 911der Women Inc. Board, a nonprofit created to ensure that women are empowered to contribute significantly to the public safety industry and push through roadblocks in pursuit of their goals. Ms. Holmes has a B.A. in Criminal Justice, a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Homeland Security and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s (CHDS) Executive Leaders Program (2021).

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