TJ Kennedy is a seasoned executive with a unique blend of leadership, coalition building and technology expertise as well as hands-on experience in police, fire and emergency medical services. He began his career as a firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT), and then became a state trooper for the Utah Highway Patrol, as well as a flight paramedic for Life Flight. He later joined the commercial business sector, where he advanced to senior-level positions that honed his management and leadership skills.
Known domestically and internationally for his expertise in critical infrastructure and large-scale public safety projects, he has focused on facilitating collaboration among local, state and federal authorities to deliver projects of national importance such as Public Safety for the Salt Lake Olympics as a dedicated team member of the Utah Olympic Public Safety Command. At FirstNet, Mr. Kennedy is also responsible for user advocacy including stakeholder outreach and communications.
Prior to joining FirstNet, Mr. Kennedy was the Director, Public Safety and Security for Raytheon Company, where he was President of JPS Communications, a subsidiary focused on radio interoperability solutions.
Earlier, Mr. Kennedy was a Vice President at Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), a defense company. At SAIC he led deployments of large integrated public safety programs including security systems for the 2004 Olympic Games.
While working with the Utah Department of Public Safety, Mr. Kennedy served as a state trooper and was on the SWAT/Special Operations team. He was also a certified flight paramedic with Intermountain Life Flight in Salt Lake City and is a past president of the International Association of Flight and Critical Care Paramedics. Mr. Kennedy was a firefighter and a paramedic for Park City Fire District.