Elysa Jones is an internationally recognized expert in Emergency Interoperability Communications via Data Messaging. Elysa is Chair of the OASIS Emergency Management Technical Committee since 2004. Her Committee developed and maintains the Common Alerting Protocol Standard known as CAP, which is also ITU Recommendation x.1303. Additional Standards for message distribution, resource messaging, hospital availability, tracking of emergency patients and clients as well as situation reporting are products of her committee. She participates actively with the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and was chair of the Standards and Practices Committee for seven years keeping her in close contact with the data needs of the emergency management community. She has been the Chief Technology Officer and Advisor for various Companies, Organizations and Countries providing guidance on the development of systems that utilize data messaging standards. She holds a Baccalaureate Degree in Economics, and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She was awarded the first annual Leadership Award in Emergency Interoperability by the Emergency Interoperability Consortium, served on the boards of the Partnership for Public Warning, and the Emergency Management Forum. Elysa is a tireless advocate for the use of open standards in support of emergency communications.