Full Name
Cathy Milhoan
Speaker Bio
Cathy Milhoan is a retired federal senior executive and nationally recognized public affairs leader with extensive experience guiding communications for some of the nation’s most visible law enforcement and security agencies.
She most recently served as assistant director of the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs, where she led the Bureau’s national public affairs program and advised senior leaders on media strategy, crisis communication, public messaging and high-profile issues involving significant public and media scrutiny.
Prior to returning to the FBI, she served as director of communications for the U.S. Secret Service, overseeing the agency’s public affairs program and serving as its primary spokesperson. In that role, she led communications for an agency whose mission regularly intersects with national security, protective operations, major public events and intense media attention.
Her career also included senior communication roles at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Defense Media Activity. Earlier in her FBI career, she served as a national spokesperson and designed and led the FBI’s Media Training for Executives Program, training law enforcement leaders from around the world on media relations and crisis communication.
She retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 2018 after 21 years of service in public affairs and leadership assignments.
Before entering federal service, she was an award-winning journalist and editor for newspapers in Delaware and North Carolina. She currently serves as an instructor at the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, Maryland, where she teaches public affairs and media relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and a master’s degree in administration of justice from Wilmington University.
She most recently served as assistant director of the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs, where she led the Bureau’s national public affairs program and advised senior leaders on media strategy, crisis communication, public messaging and high-profile issues involving significant public and media scrutiny.
Prior to returning to the FBI, she served as director of communications for the U.S. Secret Service, overseeing the agency’s public affairs program and serving as its primary spokesperson. In that role, she led communications for an agency whose mission regularly intersects with national security, protective operations, major public events and intense media attention.
Her career also included senior communication roles at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Defense Media Activity. Earlier in her FBI career, she served as a national spokesperson and designed and led the FBI’s Media Training for Executives Program, training law enforcement leaders from around the world on media relations and crisis communication.
She retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 2018 after 21 years of service in public affairs and leadership assignments.
Before entering federal service, she was an award-winning journalist and editor for newspapers in Delaware and North Carolina. She currently serves as an instructor at the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, Maryland, where she teaches public affairs and media relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and a master’s degree in administration of justice from Wilmington University.
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