Faster, Smarter, Safer with FirstNet: Delivering a new era of communications for Federal public safety and Military first responders. Part 3.

Chris serves as the Federal Consultation Lead for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). Chris joined the FirstNet team in August of 2014 to complete the establishment of an outreach strategy for engaging U.S. Federal Departments and Agencies on behalf of the First Responder Network Authority.

In this role Chris is responsible for ensuring U.S. federal organizations understand the implications of the ongoing planning and future deployment of the FirstNet network. Chris has also taken on staffing and coordination with Canadian counterparts on discussion related to public safety broadband and shared U.S. – Canadian interests.
Through both military and federal civil service, Chris has over 30 years of experience in the tactical and administrative areas of wired and wireless communications as a tactical field operator, emergency responder, system maintainer, spectrum manager, instructor and inter-agency coordinator.

Chris is a graduate of the U.S. Army, John F Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and holds a Master’s of Science in Management - Project Management degree from Colorado Technical University.

In his current role, Rob Patterson provides leadership in the planning, designing, and implementation of solutions to address customer needs within federal, state, and local government space, with special emphasis on AT&T’s FirstNet development and deployment. In addition, he is responsible for evaluating and managing initiatives, partnerships, alliances and joint ventures in domestic and international government markets.

Before joining AT&T, Mr. Patterson had a distinguished 30 year career with the Drug Enforcement Administration, which culminated in his final position as the appointed Acting Administrator. As the Acting Administrator, Mr. Patterson was responsible for directing and prioritizing all functions regarding enforcement, regulatory, legal, and intelligence operations for the agency, and served as the Principal Advisor to the Attorney General on international drug control policy and related operations of the United States. Prior to his appointment as Acting Administrator, Mr. Patterson served as DEA’s Principal Deputy Administrator.

Mr. Patterson served in a variety other positions within DEA, including DEA’s Chief Inspector, where he had oversight of DEA’s internal affairs, compliance, and security programs functions; as Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC), and later Acting Special Agent in Charge, of the Special Operations Division (SOD), where he oversaw classified programs, and communication exploitation tools, in support of field operations and served as DEA’s expert on emerging technology and law enforcement capabilities; and as a Group Supervisor in the Miami Division, where he led the operations of the Orlando District Office Task Force, and later served as acting ASAC. Mr. Patterson began his career with DEA in 1988 in the New York Division.

With his 30 years of experience serving, and leading, the DEA, Mr. Patterson is an expert on transnational criminal networks, narcotics trafficking and trends, as well as governing policy and agency oversight matters.

Mr. Patterson is a native of New Jersey, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University, where he graduated with honors.

Over the past 14 years, Vincent Sottosanti has dedicated himself to advancing public safety mission capabilities through the consultation of enhanced telecommunications solutions. Focused exclusively in the Federal Government landscape, in his current role, Vincent is the Senior FirstNet Program Principal Consultant aiding Federal Public Safety agencies, the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian agencies and National Security agencies in meeting critical objectives focused on interoperability, network integration and enhanced situational awareness.

Jason Miller is an executive editor and reporter with Federal News Network. As executive editor, Jason helps direct the news coverage of the station and works with reporters to ensure a broad range of coverage of federal technology, procurement, finance and human resource news.As a reporter, Jason focuses mainly on technology and procurement issues, including cybersecurity, e-government and acquisition policies and programs.