Josh Bornstein serves as FEMA’s 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 leading agency operations in the homeland security, food and agriculture, and health and public health 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 domestic and international security, safety, and health, as well as 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 is also a Certified Emergency Manager® and Certified Business Continuity Professional. 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 where he led all aspects of homeland and national security for USDA. Josh was awarded the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service in 2023.