Michael P. Kortan – Assistant Director, Office of Public Affairs

Mr. Kortan currently serves as the assistant director of the Office of Public Affairs. In this position, he manages the FBI’s public affairs operation and serves as a national spokesman. He oversees the Bureau’s national media relations and public affairs officers in field offices; manages the application of FBI and Department of Justice policies and guidelines related to all communications matters; and interacts daily with national and international news media on issues related to the FBI.

In addition, he directs other public affairs functions, such as the FBI’s Internet website, speechwriting, community relations, and employee communications.

From 1996 through 2000, Mr. Kortan served as chief of the International Relations Unit in the Criminal Investigative Division, where he was responsible for the oversight of the Bureau’s legal attaché offices based in U.S. Embassies around the world. He was also involved in policy development; program review of legal attaché office operations; implementation of the FBI’s overseas expansion plan; and liaison with Headquarters’ divisions and field offices, the Departments of Justice and State, and foreign law enforcement representatives in the Washington, D.C. area.

From 1992 through 1996, Mr. Kortan was chief of the National Press Office at Headquarters, overseeing day-to-day relationships with the news media and other public affairs operations.

After completing New Agents Training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia in 1984, Mr. Kortan was assigned to the Kansas City, Missouri field office, where he investigated a range of violations of federal law and served as the news media representative.

Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Kortan served as a spokesperson and congressional liaison in the public affairs division of a national labor union. He also worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as a legislative and press assistant.