Christopher Jakim serves as the HIDTA National Coordinator for the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS), a nationally recognized partnership between public health and public safety designed to reduce overdose deaths through the sharing of data, intelligence, and innovative response strategies. In this role, he provides leadership and oversight for 61 ORS teams, each comprised of a Drug Intelligence Officer (DIO) and a Public Health Analyst (PHA) serving all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is responsible for program strategy, policy development, budget oversight, and coordination with key federal partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and CDC Foundation.
Prior to joining the ORS, Chris completed a distinguished 30-year career as a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
A native of New Jersey, Chris began his DEA career in New York City in 1991, where he spent 12 years investigating major international drug trafficking organizations. During this time, he participated in Operation Snowcap, an international drug enforcement initiative aimed at disrupting cocaine production and trafficking networks in South America, including a deployment to Peru.
In 2003, Chris was promoted to Group Supervisor in DEA’s Philadelphia Division, where he led investigations targeting violent street gangs and significant drug trafficking organizations. In 2008, he was assigned to Cartagena, Colombia, where he supervised DEA and Colombian law enforcement teams responsible for investigating and dismantling some of the world’s most significant drug trafficking networks.
In 2011, Chris transferred to DEA Headquarters and served in the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, helping lead the agency’s internal and external communications efforts while serving as a liaison to Congress on national drug policy and enforcement issues.
In 2013, he returned to New Jersey as Assistant Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s New Jersey Division and Commander of the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). In this leadership role, he oversaw enforcement, intelligence, prevention, and community outreach initiatives across the region. He also played a key role in advancing statewide overdose prevention efforts, including the implementation and expansion of Overdose Fatality Review Teams and the Handle With Care program throughout New Jersey.
Chris retired from the DEA in December 2021 and continues to advance innovative public health and public safety partnerships through his leadership of the Overdose Response Strategy.