Christopher Nassif

Speaker Bio

Christopher Nassif is a Senior Scientist at the USDOT Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE) specializing in the testing and evaluation of multi-modal autonomous systems and technologies. He is also the Program Director of the Mobile Network Aviation Assessment Program (MNAAP), a USDOT sponsored program to assess and evaluate the capabilities of existing mobile network technologies to support aviation safety needs. He formerly worked at the FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office, where he was the Technical Program Manager for UAS technologies, including the development of spectrum solutions for UAS communications, detection and avoidance systems testing and UAS integration methadologies. At the FAA he was also the Lead Technologist for the Presidential Integration Pilot Program (IPP), and the PM for UAS Cargo Delivery Programs. He also advises on counter UAS technologies, tactics and testing, and STEM education. Before joining the FAA, Christopher was a U.S. Air Force Officer managing unmanned aircraft reconnaissance operations. More recently, Christopher served as the Senior Technical Intelligence Analyst in the Test and Evaluation Branch at the Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO) countering Remote Controlled Improvised Explosive Devices (RCIED) and developing counter-UAS tactics techniques and procedures.

Christopher has over 22 years of government and private industry experience spanning counterterrorism, strategic operations, program management, UAS operations, and international test program development. He has managed more than 30 government programs and has designed and conducted systems testing at ranges across the world while advising national labs, civil aviation authorities, and congressional leadership on domestic and international threats. Christopher received an M.S in Unmanned Aerospace Systems from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a B.S in International Relations from Michigan State University.