Robert Samaan

Deputy Director, Planning Research and Emergency Preparedness (PR & EP)

Robert currently serves as Deputy Director over the Planning, Research, Preparedness and Federal Affairs (PREP) Division at the Governor's Office of Homeland Security. Prior to this position, Robert was appointed on April 4, 2005 to serve as Deputy Director for Federal Affairs at OHS.

Robert's duties include coordination of Homeland Security issues between the State of California, California's local government officials and the Federal Government. The PREP unit participates with planning efforts and strategy development internally and externally with our federal, State, local, and tribal partners. Robert is an executive member of California's Public Safety Radio Strategic Planning Committee (PSRSPC) the California Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (CALSIEC), and participates in numerous other emergency preparedness committees throughout the state. Robert also serves as the OHS Small Business Liaison.

Prior to joining the California Office of Homeland Security, Robert worked at the US Department of Homeland Security during its infancy through its transition to Secretary Chertoff. While with DHS, Robert assisted the Director in coordinating efforts for State and Territorial affairs within the Secretary's Office of State and Local Government Coordination.

Robert served as the State and Local Office's coordinator for the Principle Federal Official (PFO) teams for both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention. Robert has also served on the Secretary's Interagency Incident Management Group (IIMG) for numerous exercises and during periods of heightened alert, as well as directly reporting to the IIMG for the national political conventions. While with DHS, Robert was awarded the Secretary's Award for Exemplary Service by Secretary Tom Ridge.

Robert holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Lee University in Tennessee and a Master of Arts degree in Political Management from the George Washington University in Washington D.C.