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Patrick McElwain serves as the principal advisor to the Executive Associate Director and oversees the agency’s daily investigative and intelligence operations. He collaborates with HSI leadership to develop and implement strategies throughout the organization and with HSI partners worldwide.

Mr. McElwain assumed the role of Deputy Executive Associate Director in July 2023. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Assistant Director of International Operations, Deputy Assistant Director for the Counterproliferations Investigations Unit, and the Director of the Federal Export Enforcement Coordination Center for HSI.

As the AD for IO, Mr. McElwain commanded HSI’s global presence of over 500 personnel, including over 180 special agents deployed to 93 offices in 56 countries who conduct investigations against transnational criminal organizations, terrorists, and other threats to U.S. national security. As the DAD for CPI, Mr. McElwain provided programmatic oversight, operational visibility, and investigative support to HSI special agents conducting criminal investigations into violations of U.S. export control laws. As Director of the E2C2, he led the U.S Government’s premier forum for executive departments and agencies to coordinate and enhance export enforcement efforts to detect, prevent, disrupt, investigate, and prosecute violations of U.S. export control laws.

Mr. McElwain also served as the Regional Attaché for HSI Vienna, Austria, with direct oversight over offices in Athens, Moscow, and Vienna.

Mr. McElwain began his law enforcement career in 1997 as a special agent with the U.S. Customs Service in Laredo, Texas. With more than 25 years of federal service, he has held multiple leadership roles within HSI since then, including HSI Houston and Domestic Operations. Mr. McElwain graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from James Madison University.