State College, Pa. (July 13, 2026) — Mission Critical Partners (MCP) has named Cass Collins director of enterprise artificial intelligence strategy. In this role, Collins will help public safety, justice, and other government agencies develop responsible, practical, and outcomes-driven AI strategies that support modernization, decision-making and improved service delivery. She will report to John Chiaramonte, president of the firm’s recently formed Enterprise AI Services division.
Collins brings extensive AI experience to MCP. She spent the last 11 years as director of global disaster response for Microsoft. In this role, Collins focused on AI adoption, operational modernization, and enterprise-scale change management in support of mission-critical programs across the government, public safety, justice, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors. In doing so, she coordinated response initiatives across engineering, legal, product, and field teams during high-impact crises.
She began her career at Microsoft as a subject-matter expert for the justice and public safety sectors. In this role, she worked closely with agencies to develop integrated situational awareness solutions that brought a wide variety of data inputs into a centralized operational view.
Collins brings a strong foundation in public safety, having worked undercover in computer crimes with the Palm Beach County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office. Collins also holds a Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute as well as Prosci Change Management certification.
At MCP, Collins will help clients assess AI readiness, establish governance frameworks, identify responsible use cases, and implement AI strategies that align with agency missions, operational realities, and public trust. Her work will support initiatives designed to enhance data sharing and analysis, improve situational awareness for field responders, streamline 911 telecommunicator workflows, alleviate staffing shortages, strengthen cybersecurity, boost citizen access to justice, and make mission-critical operations more efficient.
“Agency leaders are not asking whether AI will affect their future. They are asking how to use it responsibly, securely, and in ways that truly improve operations,” Chiaramonte said. “Cass understands that challenge from both the technology and mission side. Her experience will help our clients cut through the noise, make smart decisions, and put AI to work in ways that strengthen public safety, justice, and government service.”
Mission Critical Partners (MCP) is a leading provider of data integration, consulting, network, and cybersecurity solutions specializing in transforming mission-critical communications networks into integrated ecosystems that improve outcomes in the public-safety, justice, healthcare, transportation, and utility markets. Our comprehensive experience and vendor-agnostic approach help us develop modernized solutions for our clients to maximize value and create optimal efficiency while mitigating risk. Additional information and career opportunities are available at MissionCriticalPartners.com/careers.