Josh Bornstein serves as the FEMA Chief Security Officer in the Office of the Chief Security Officer. In this role, Josh is FEMA’s lead executive responsible for directing the development and execution of FEMA-wide security programs impacting all FEMA personnel and facilities nationwide. Josh leads OCSO to protect FEMA by designing and leading physical security, personnel security, administrative security, special security, counterintelligence operations, insider threat, fraud prevention and investigations, and security training and awareness.
Josh has worked across federal, state, and local governments and in the private and non-profit sectors supporting homeland and national security and overall agency operations in the public health, food, and agriculture sectors. Prior to his arrival at FEMA, Josh was the Director of the Office of Safety, Security, and Asset Management and Chief Security Officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. In this role, he was the senior executive responsible for policy and operations surrounding health and safety, global and domestic security, and internal crisis management for CDC employees, contractors, and visitors. He also directed all facilities planning, engineering, maintenance, design and construction services, real property management, intelligence and counterintelligence activities, work/life wellness initiatives, sustainability, logistics, and transportation and fleet services.
Josh began his career with the federal government at CDC as a Presidential Management Fellow after completing a Bachelor’s in Political Science at Emory University and a Master’s in Public Administration with a focus on crisis management at Georgia State University. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in February 2018 as the Deputy Director for the Office of Homeland Security in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Josh has obtained extensive experience in emergency management and security through leading and supporting federal, state, and local government responses throughout his career.
In addition to his government career, Josh also served as the first Director of Safety and Security for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He is married with a young daughter. In addition to spending time with his family including caring for his two yellow labs, Josh enjoys running and being outside.