Areas of Expertise
Corporate Security and Emergency Management | National Security | Cybersecurity | Federal Law Enforcement | Counterterrorism | Crisis Operations | Intelligence Operations
About James
James Smith serves as a Senior Advisor to The Chertoff Group, where he provides strategic counsel to the firm’s Security Risk & Resilience practice. He currently holds the position of Vice President, Security and Emergency Management at New York-Presbyterian, providing strategic direction and executive oversight for the Security and Emergency Management Departments across the healthcare system’s multiple campuses and Medical Groups. Jim brings over two decades of executive-level experience in national security, cybersecurity, criminal investigations and intelligence operations gained through his distinguished career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and broader intelligence community.
Career Highlights
- Vice President, Security and Emergency Management, New York-Presbyterian, following retirement from the FBI in 2024
- Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Office
- Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Houston Field Office, with earlier critical management positions at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and the San Antonio and Los Angeles Field Offices
- Deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in 2008, supporting the FBI’s counterterrorism mission in a high-threat environment
- Member of the FBI-Los Angeles SWAT team
- Aircraft Engine Maintenance Manager and Powerplant Engineer for Northwest Airlines, ATA Airlines and Pratt & Whitney during a 13-year career in commercial aviation prior to federal law enforcement
Boards and Affiliations
New York City Law Enforcement Explorers Program, Board of Directors and Finance Committee | Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation, National Advisory Board
Education
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University