What Happened?
Reston, VA-based FirstNet Promoted Jeff Bratcher as Acting Chief Technology Officer
About the Company
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) is an independent authority within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). FirstNet was designed to improve communication among local, state, regional, tribal and national emergency services personnel. Created by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act signed Feb. 22, 2012, FirstNet`s mission is to establish, deploy and maintain the first high-speed, nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to public safety. The broadband data network fulfills a fundamental need of the public safety community for a single, mission-critical communications system enabling force multiplier effectiveness and is a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. FirstNet is governed by a 15-member Board consisting of the Attorney General of the United States, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and 12 members appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. The FirstNet Board is composed of representatives from public safety; local, state and federal government; and the wireless industry. These dedicated individuals bring their expertise, experience and commitment to serving public safety and meeting the FirstNet mission. FirstNet is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks a diverse workforce. Employees at FirstNet play a vital role in helping to ensure that first responders, law enforcement, emergency service providers and officials can work together, save lives and protect the health and safety of all Americans.
About the Person
Jeff Bratcher is the Chief Technology Officer for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and is based at the FirstNet Technical headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. Duties include the management and oversight of the teams developing specifications to support the FirstNet mission in deploying a nationwide public safety broadband network for first responders. Prior to joining FirstNet, Mr. Bratcher served as Division Chief for the Telecommunications and IT Planning Division at the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) located in Boulder, Colorado and also served as the Technical and Operations Manager for the Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) program. The PSCR program serves as an objective technical advisor and laboratory for public safety practitioners to accelerate the adoption and implementation of the most critical public safety communication standards and technologies. Mr. Bratcher began his Federal service with NTIA/ITS in 2003 and has received the Department of Commerce Gold Medal award in 2006 and Silver and Bronze Medal awards in 2011 for his efforts related to Public Safety communications research and development within the PSCR program. Prior to joining Federal service, Mr. Bratcher worked for 10 years in the private sector at Motorola Cellular and Siemens Mobile in their respective cellular field deployment engineering teams. Mr. Bratcher supported and led engineering teams that launched the first digital cellular and broadband systems within domestic and international markets. Mr. Bratcher received his Master’s of Science in Telecommunications from Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University.
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