Dr. Michael A. Cunningham serves as Chief of Staff to the Fire Chief with Cobb County (Georgia) Fire & Emergency Services. He has spent his career as a firefighter and fire officer, as a training division instructor, and as a member of the administrative senior staff educating firefighters in the areas of fire behavior and firefighting tactics, leadership, career development, and diversity and inclusion.

Dr. Cunningham has a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology, a master’s degree in business administration, a bachelor’s degree in computer science, a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics, and an associate degree in avionic systems technology. He is designated as a Chief Fire Officer (CFO) by the CPSE Commission on Professional Credentialing and is an alumnus of the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government EXCEL Management Development program. Additionally, he is part of the 2023 Cobb Chamber Leadership Cobb leadership program. Cunningham is a U.S. Air Force veteran and has served in the fire service since 2005.