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Dr. Dorothy Spears-Dean, Ph.D.

Deputy State Coordinator – 9-1-1 and Geospatial Services

Dr. Spears-Dean joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) on July 1, 2020. She leads the 9-1-1 and Geospatial Services (NGS) Bureau. This bureau is responsible for providing 9-1-1 and geospatial services to a wide range of stakeholder and constituency groups that include state and local governments. The services this bureau provides are legislatively mandated and delivered in partnership with the 9-1-1 Services and Virginia Geographic Information Services (VGIN) Advisory Boards. Prior to joining VDEM, Dr. Spears-Dean was employed by the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) as the Public Safety Communications Coordinator for the state of Virginia. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from Virginia Commonwealth University, a M.B.A. from the University of Richmond, and a B.A. from The College of William and Mary.

As a public safety practitioner and administrator, Dr. Spears-Dean has served in a variety of capacities. Most recently, she was an appointee to the Federal Communications Commission’s Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC). Dr. Spears-Dean has also served as a National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA) Board Member and a subject matter expert for several United States Department of Homeland Security work groups. She is an accomplished author, presenter, and the recipient of the 2017 “Outstanding Government Leader” award; a national recognition presented by the NG9-1-1 Institute.

Session Info

Wednesday

March 26, 2025
9:15am - 10:15am EST

Building Resilient PSAPs Using NG911 Technology

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