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About Us

Welcome to CrisisLead, LLC:

Helping You Navigate Risk... And Prepare for What's Next

Christopher Stitt a former federal security and law enforcement leader, founded CrisisLead, LLC, in 2023. Through CrisisLead, he brings his expertise to consulting for global businesses in security, risk, crisis management, and operational continuity. Renowned for innovative enterprise-wide security solutions, Chris excels in program management, policy and procedure development, and leadership, emphasizing team building and leader development.

Experience

Chris spent more than 25 years in international security, crisis management, and law enforcement as a Supervisory Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.

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Service Abroad

Through his tenure, Chris served for more than 11 years in security leadership roles in five countries. His roles included Regional Security Officer (RSO) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and Panama City, Panama. He also served as Deputy Regional Security Officer in San Salvador, El Salvador and Baghdad, Iraq. His service abroad began as an Assistant Regional Security Officer in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

In these roles, Chris led converged security programs that included physical, technical, and information/cyber security; executive protection; investigations and law enforcement; and emergency, crisis, and continuity management. He served as the senior security and law enforcement advisor to U.S. Ambassadors and their country teams. He was the Co-Chair of local Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) chapters. He served as a principal liaison with host nation and U.S. federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Additionally, Chris traveled to and worked in close to four dozen other countries. This included emergency response, security program audits, dignitary protection, liaison activities, providing training, and many other activities.

Service in the U.S.

Domestically, Chris served twice as the Chief of Emergency Planning for the Department of State. In this role, Chris led a complete redesign and update of the Emergency Planning Handbook used by all U.S. Embassies and Consulates. While there, Chris also led development of both generations of software used to transform the policy into viable, accurate, and usable local plans. These are used for all-hazard emergency and crisis management.

Chris started his DSS career in the New York Field office, honing his investigations and executive protection skills. Later, he served separate tours as a unit supervisor in Counterintelligence Investigations and the Washington Field Office, leading and developing the agents under his charge. He also served as the security advisor to the State Department’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. In this role, he created innovative tools to evaluate risk and facilitate secure travel in high-risk zones, which enabled successful missions in previously inaccessible African and Middle Eastern conflict areas.

Chris’s final position with DSS was Deputy Regional Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Here, he provided oversight and management of more than 100 Special Agents and their teams implementing comprehensive security programs at 52 embassies and consulates in the Americas and Caribbean.

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Teaching and Publications

Since 2020, Chris has worked to enhance undergraduate students’ comprehension of the synergies across all levels of the U.S. government and private sector within the broader Homeland Security Enterprise through teaching at George Mason University.

Additionally, Chris has written numerous articles and made podcast appearances discussing risk, security, emergency and crisis management, continuity of operations and leadership development. Check our Blog Posts to learn more!

Credentials and Associations

Chris is credentialed as a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) by the International Association of Emergency Managers, a Security Risk Management Certified Professional (SRMCP) by the Security Risk Management Body of Knowledge (SRMBOK) Board of Directors, and a Certified Facilitator for Whole and Intentional Leader Development (WiLD Leaders). He has been admitted as a Fellow to the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM).

Chris is a Registered Presilience Practitioner and has obtained a Graduate Diploma in Organizational Presilience, Risk, and High Performance from the Institute of Presilience.

Chris serves on the Board of Directors for the DC Chapter of the Association of Continuity Professionals.

Chris is also a member of ASIS International, OSAC. and the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of “The Kindness Games.” a community of security leaders who advocate kindness and gratitude in the security profession.