Chris Crist

Chris Crist is the Senior Deputy General Manager and Chief Information Officer at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. He is responsible for all aspects of the Airport’s technology including cyber security, network operations, software applications, innovation, and project management.

Crist has nearly two decades of experience leading technology teams in transportation, healthcare, and the military. He led critical IT initiatives for national security in the United States Air Force. He has also served as Chief Information Officer for multiple regional civilian hospital systems, leading advancements in healthcare technology.

As the Chief of Enterprise Transformation for the United States Transportation Command (USTC). Crist provided strategic guidance on cloud architecture, DevSecOps (development, security, and operations), agile practices, data management, and cybersecurity for a global workforce of 138,000 employees within a $540 million portfolio.

Under Crist’s leadership, 220 critical mission systems underwent a comprehensive modernization initiative, with many successfully achieving global cloud migration across multiple service providers and platforms.

The St. Louis native received the Advancing DevOps Team Award from Government Information Technology Executive Council for his innovative leadership in technology. He currently serves as a board member for the Advanced Technology Academic Research Center and is also a member of the Government Information Technology Executive Council.

Crist has served for over 18 years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, contributing to the nation’s defense. He also has attained over 10 IT certifications, a Bachelor of Science degree in information technology and an MBA in information technology management from Western Governors University. Moreover, he holds a Doctor of Education degree in leadership from Vanderbilt University.