Jeffrey Patterson brings more than three decades of public safety service across multiple first responder disciplines, including law enforcement, firefighting, and emergency medical services. He began his career immediately after high school as a volunteer and part-time firefighter/EMT and later rose through the ranks of law enforcement, serving in uniformed patrol, criminal investigations, undercover narcotics, and ultimately as a police chief.

Following his law enforcement career, Jeff continued his service to first responders as an assistant county prosecutor and attorney, further deepening his understanding of the legal, organizational, and operational environments in which public safety professionals operate. His commitment to responder wellbeing is also rooted in a strong family legacy of service, including a spouse who served as a 911 dispatcher and a grandfather who was a long-time police officer.

Throughout his career, Jeff has been a consistent advocate for improving working conditions and organizational support for first responders, including service as a union official focused on workforce wellbeing. He later held progressively senior roles in federal human resources management, work environment, and civil rights, where he advanced policies and systems designed to promote employee health, safety, and organizational accountability.

Jeff serves on the Board of Directors of the American Board of First Responder Behavioral Healthcare, where he contributes his cross-sector experience to strengthen national, system-level standards that protect and support trauma-exposed public safety workforces.

→ Meet the FRBH National Leadership Team