Kristen began her career in Public Safety in 2001 as an Emergency Telecommunicator. She advanced to Administrative Assistant in 2003, Deputy Director in 2005, and Director in 2017. Kristen is a graduate of the National EMA Basic & Advanced Academies, a Certified Emergency Manager, and a Certified Floodplain Manager. She serves as the Assisting State Coordinator for the Mississippi Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team (TERT), President of the Mississippi 911 Coordinators Association, MCEM Program Chairperson, and Vice-President for Mississippi NENA. In 2021, Kristen secured a Proclamation from the Governor recognizing Mississippi’s 911 Telecommunicators as First Responders. During her tenure, she has participated in over 30 disaster declarations within her county and as mutual aid throughout her state. Kristen is passionate about public service and continues to grow in this field at every opportunity.