Director Christopher Wray has named Thomas Relford as the special agent in charge of the Albany Field Office in New York. He most recently served as an inspector at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Relford joined the FBI as a special agent in 1996 and started his career in the New Orleans Field Office, where he investigated criminal and counterterrorism cases. He was promoted in 2005 to supervisor of the Baton Rouge Resident Agency in Louisiana, under the New Orleans office. He oversaw all investigative programs in the area, except for foreign counterintelligence matters.

In 2008, Mr. Relford was named the legal attaché in Dakar, Senegal. He was responsible for the oversight for investigations in 11 Western and Central African countries and served as FBI liaison to local law enforcement and government agencies. He transferred to Nairobi, Kenya, in 2010, where he served as legal attaché for three years. In Nairobi, Mr. Relford was responsible for the oversight and investigative programs in five countries, including the investigation into the 2010 World Cup bombing in Kampala, Uganda.

Mr. Relford was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Kansas City Field Office in 2013, in charge of the National Security Branch. He took charge of the Criminal and Administrative Branch in 2015. He was promoted to inspector in the Inspector Division at Headquarters in 2018, responsible for inspecting the investigative and administrative programs of the FBI nationwide. As an inspector, he ensured the FBI complied with the laws, regulations, and policies that govern the Bureau.

Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Relford served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force for four years. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Missouri and a Master of Public Administration from Troy University.