Kaitlyn Perez, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, joined the National Policing Institute in July 2023. Prior to joining NPI, she served nearly a decade in local law enforcement and government communications.

As Community Affairs Director for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, Kaitlyn served as a senior advisor to the county’s highest-ranking elected official. Not only did she serve as the agency’s spokesperson and media liaison, but Kaitlyn was also charged with helping guide the agency’s strategic planning process, creating solutions for diversity and recruitment challenges and officer safety and wellness issues, and communicating the agency’s capital and infrastructure needs to key stakeholders.

In her time as a law enforcement communicator, Kaitlyn was the recipient of the International Association of Chiefs of Police 40 Under 40 Award and Florida’s 16th Congressional District’s Congressional Law Enforcement Dedication and Professionalism Award. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Communication with a minor in Criminology from the University of South Florida. Kaitlyn also completed St. Leo University’s Command Officer Management Graduate Program, where she studied issues of affordable housing and compensation for law enforcement first responders.

Kaitlyn’s unique background also includes a blend of nonprofit and philanthropic experience. She formerly worked for a private family foundation in Sarasota, Florida, and is a current member of the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties.

As Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, Kaitlyn serves as NPI’s primary point of contact for all media and related inquiries.