Special Agent Christopher J. McMahon is the Deputy Director of Operations (DDO), Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). He serves as the agency’s Chief Operations Officer with responsibility for eight directorates and primary activities: Atlantic Operations, Global Operations, Pacific Operations, National Security, Criminal Investigations, Department of Defense/Counterintelligence and Law Enforcement, Threat Directorate, and Cyber Operations. His responsibilities include biometrics, technical surveillance countermeasures, behavioral science, technical services, Regional Enforcement Action Capabilities Training, polygraph services, and forensics.
DDO McMahon served formerly as Executive Assistant Director of the National Security Directorate (NSD) (2019- 2021). He provided leadership and strategic direction for global counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations and operations, including espionage, terrorism, technology transfer, cyber operations, threats to research, development, and acquisition programs; force protection activities, and insider threat programs. He was the Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC) for the NCIS Office of Special Projects (OSP) (2018-2019), and led espionage investigations, surveillance and counterintelligence operations, as well as the Virtual Operations Center; Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) with NSD (2017-2018), overseeing counterintelligence programs; and the Department of the Navy (DON) Counterintelligence Coordinating Authority (2017-2018), where he led collaborative opportunities within the DON counterintelligence enterprise.
His additional leadership positions include DAD with the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, Operations Coordination Directorate (2016-2017), where he coordinated offensive counterintelligence operational activities; Assistant SAC of Counterintelligence Operations with OSP (2014-2016); Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) of Counterintelligence Operations with OSP (2013-2014); SSA for the OSP Special Surveillance Team (2013-2014); and SSA for Counterintelligence Investigations and Operations at the NCIS Hawaii Field Office (2012-2013). He is experienced in all NCIS mission areas and served in multiple domestic and overseas field offices (2002-2012), including his deployment to Iraq with the Coalition Provisional Authority, and a task force position with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
DDO McMahon began his career in 1997 as a U.S. Navy Intelligence Officer, initially serving as the Intelligence Officer for Sea Control Squadron Two Two, deploying to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Fox and to the Mediterranean in support of Kosovo. During his second tour, he supported the NCIS Far East Field Office in Yokosuka, Japan as an active duty Special Agent.
DDO McMahon earned a Bachelor of Arts in Administration of Justice from Southern Illinois University; and both a Master of Arts in Managerial Economics and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
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