Belmont Co. man named in Top 40 Global thought leaders in security and life safety
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MARTINS FERRY - A Belmont County resident has been named one of the top voices in the fields of security and life safety by the Life Safety Alliance.
Chris Stitt, CEO of CrisisLead and author of "Scaling Pyramids: Leadership Lessons from a Mid- Level Bureaucrat," has been named one of Life Safety Alliance’s Top 40 Global Thought Leaders in security and life safety for 2026.
Stitt’s inclusion on the 2026 list marks his second consecutive year of recognition. The Life Safety Alliance is a not-for-profit organization advancing global life safety and security through partnership and collaboration among practitioners worldwide.
"Being named to this list once could be a moment. Being named twice says something about the consistency and durability of the work," Stitt said. "I’m grateful that the recognition reflects not just one role, but the larger mission connecting my advisory work, writing, teaching, and speaking: helping organizations and leaders navigate complexity, prepare for disruption, and build the capacity to perform under pressure."
The list draws practitioners, technology, and service providers, researchers, and academics from 13 countries across six continents, spanning physical security, life safety, cybersecurity, risk management, crisis management, and occupational health and safety. There was a tie for the final spot on this year’s list expanding the Class of 2026 to 41 honorees.
LSA reviewed the credentials of hundreds of professionals across the life safety and security fields and invited more than 200 candidates identified as leading voices in the industry to submit evidence supporting their nominations.
During the recognition period, Stitt continued teaching at George Mason University, co-authored the Organizational Risk Culture Standard and published Scaling Pyramids: Leadership Lessons from a Mid-Level Bureaucrat. He also spoke and wrote on security governance, crisis readiness, organizational complexity, and leadership under pressure.
Stitt previously said that he wrote the book with the goal of coaching readers to engage and research informed exploration of what it means to lead from the bottom and middle of an organization – especially within complex systems that aren’t always built for innovation, agility or humanity.
Stitt’s background includes more than 25 years with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, including 11 years of service in senior security roles in five countries, two terms as Chief of Emergency Planning for the Department of State, and service as Senior Security Advisor to the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. He concluded his career as the International Programs Deputy Regional Director for the Americas and Caribbean, providing guidance and oversight to more than 50 security programs at U.S. Embassies and Consulates across the region.
He holds the ASIS International Certified Protection Professional, International Association of Emergency Manager's Certified Emergency Manager, and Federal Emergency Management Agency's Master Continuity Practitioner credentials, and is co-author of the Organizational Risk Culture Standard.
He was also named a Top 30 Influencer by Security Journal Americas for 2026 with the full list of 2026 honorees available through the Life Safety Alliance's website.