Introduction Tina Kuhr is an Emergency Management Leader in the Nuclear Industry with the following experience: • Emergency Plan, Emergency Plan Program Procedure and Emergency Plan Implementing Procedure maintenance • Emergency preparedness regulatory change process • Drill and Exercise evaluation and critique report preparation • Training Emergency Organization Members Tina currently serves as the Emergency Preparedness Program Lead for GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. She supported the...

Introduction Sean Friedman is a senior-level Business Continuity and Resiliency/Disaster Recovery Manager with 25+ years of experience in the planning and implementing business continuity planning in the financial services industry. Sean has practical experience dealing with hurricanes, Sandy, Irene, Katrina, and Rita; 9/11; blackouts, transit strikes, and COVID-19. Key competencies include developing business continuity plans, training, planning exercises/tests, conducting business impact...

Introduction Howard has just retired after more than 48 years as a an award-winning broadcaster, journalist and business continuity professional. He last served as an assignment editor at WNBC -TV in New York, following a nearly 37-year career at WABC-TV, ABC News, ABC Television and The Walt Disney Company. Howard is a two-time EMMY Award winner, and twice shared the George Foster Peabody Award for his contributions to ABC News coverage. He also shared the DuPont Award for his contributions...

Introduction Lori Hodges has over twenty-five years of experience at both the state and local levels in the emergency services and emergency management fields. She currently works as the Director of Emergency Management for Larimer County, Colorado. Lori is a Certified Emergency Manager through the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and the State of Colorado. She is also a graduate of the Executive Leaders Program and the master’s program through the Center for Homeland...

Introduction In this important episode, a panel of experts discuss the complexities of crisis management on a global scale. The panel offers critical insights based on their crisis management roles in global organizations. Among the items discussed are: -Organizational preparedness -Capacity building -Building sustainable crisis management teams -Synchronizing organizational silos -Certainty management -Embedding crisis management into the organizational structure and...

Introduction As a CEO with extensive leadership experience in the emergency management sector, Nora O'Brien is seeking to leverage her strategic vision, stakeholder management skills, and crisis management expertise to drive growth and success for a lucrative emergency management firm. With a Master's degree in Public Affairs specializing in Disaster and Emergency Management, and a B.S. in Political Science with a focus on International Relations, Nora brings a strong educational background...

Introduction Rob Gaudet is CEO/Founder at Cajun Navy Ground Force, a boots on the ground nonprofit that leverages lessons learned to drive digital innovation in disaster response. He is an innovator, engineer, author, media personality and speaker and was selected as 2016 Louisianian of the Year. Contact Information https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgaudet/ https://gocajunnavy.org/

Introduction Emergency Managers Andrea Davis, Mona Curry, and Jamie Quarelles join Steven Kuhr to discuss the contributions and challenges of women in Emergency Management. The panel hit broad topics including organizational leadership, mentorship, bias, the comfort zone, servant leadership, and much more. See biographical profiles below. Andrea Davis Andrea Davis is a recognized expert in the field of emergency management who has dedicated her career to bridging the silos between the...

Introduction Jack is a retired Fire Marshal, serving as Deputy Chief with the Leonia Fire Department. He also served 15 years as Countywide Deputy Fire Coordinator for Bergen, NJ. He is the past chairman of the Fire/Life Safety Directors Association of Greater New York and an adjunct professor at John Jay College/Fire Science Institute (NYC). He is a principal member on the following Fire Life Safety committees: - High-Rise Building Safety Advisory Board - NFPA 1660 Emergency,...

Introduction Dr. Asha M. George is the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense. She is a public health security professional whose research and programmatic emphasis has been practical, academic, and political. She served in the US House of Representatives as a senior professional staffer and subcommittee staff director at the House Committee on Homeland Security in the 110th and 111th Congress. She has worked for a variety of organizations, including government...

Introduction As the former Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Office of Emergency Management and Chief Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross in Greater New York, Kelly McKinney has had a leadership role in every major disaster in New York City for more than 20 years, from the 9/11 attacks to Superstorm Sandy to Covid-19. He teaches crisis management at NYU and was recently appointed to FEMA's National Advisory Council. Nationally known for his writing and speaking on the...

Introductions Peter Goelz offers decades of leadership in management, transportation, crisis communications and national and international political strategy.  Mr. Goelz has managed the Washington, DC office for O’Neill and Associates from 2005 through 2021 when he moved to Of Counsel status. Prior to that he was the head of the Crisis Communications Practice Group for the global communications firm APCO Worldwide.   Mr. Goelz has been active in public life and politics for close...

Introduction Erika Andresen, CBCP, JD, MPA, is a recovering lawyer after nearly two decades of experience in both the corporate finance world and the military. Erika became a subject matter expert on national security and disaster preparedness and response while advising different commands on their authorities and during high-risk situations in Afghanistan and domestic disasters stateside. She also has extensive experience writing injects and acting as an observer/trainer/coach for...

Introduction Chief Jack Jones has served for over 35 years in several emergency service roles.   The chief's positions include:   - Fire Chief, Bedford County Fire and Rescue Department (20 plus years)  -Emergency Management Director, (Bedford County, VA) - Flight Paramedic - Paramedic Instructor - Fire Investigator   -Jack has completed the FEMA Emergency Management Institute Advanced Professional Series (APS) and is a graduate of the U.S. Fire Administration/National Fire Academy...

Introduction Ashley Goosman is an experienced professional with twenty years of experience in the public and private sectors. She founded the Disaster Empire blog in 2019 to educate and engage fellow practitioners and added the podcast in 2022 to showcase thought leaders and innovators in the industry. In 2021, she co-founded Resilience Think Tank, an independent guidance and research provider for risk and resilience. She has managed numerous high-profile crisis incidents, including...

Introduction Kenn Honig is a Certified Emergency Manager, with over fifty years of experience in law enforcement, EMS, firefighting, and emergency management For over ten years Kenn served as a paramedic, and supervisor with NYC-EMS and other EMS agencies, receiving awards for Life Saving, Innovative Thinking, and Service Kenn spent 28 years as a police officer, supervisor, senior officer, ARFF crew chief, academy instructor, lieutenant, tour commander, captain, inspector, unit head and...

Introduction Gabe Lavine has more than 19 years of experience in emergency services and management, public safety, first response, military combat arms, reconnaissance, specialized operations, diplomatic security, intelligence, special weapons and tactics, incident management team leadership, and recovery operations. He was an infantry and reconnaissance officer in the United States Marine Corps with multiple combat deployments overseas. His emergency management experience encompasses...

Introduction Carley Fitzgerald, GISP, is an accomplished Geographic Information Science (GIS) Professional with 13 years of experience in the public and private sectors. With experience at transportation and engineering firms, as well as municipal, county, and regional government entities, Carley has a deep understanding of GIS applications across diverse industries. Currently serving as a GIS Manager in the Critical Infrastructure Division at Highlands County, Carley oversees the...

Introduction Tim Cohen has over 15 years of Crisis Management, Emergency Management, and Incident Management experience. His career includes 15 years as an open source intelligence analyst, international crisis response coordinator, manager of global operations for a global risk consultancy, emergency manager, and crisis management program manager. He has responded to kidnappings, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, cybersecurity incidents as well as managing the response to the Covid-19...

Introduction Tom Fargione joined FEMA in 2009 and served as Team Leader (SES) for the National Incident Management Assistance Team Blue from 2017 until his retirement in April of 2023. Tom was responsible for ensuring the team had the capability and capacity to respond immediately and effectively to the worst disasters likely to befall the country. In this role, he regularly engaged with the FEMA response organization to develop and promulgate doctrine, policy, and procedures to support the...

Introduction Ryan Caughill is an experienced Technology Disaster Recovery and Crisis Manager for M&T Bank. Additionally, Ryan is the Director of the Buffalo Naval Park Office of Disaster Management & Preparedness, an all-volunteer position. Ryan is a volunteer with the Sullivans Division and Training Ship Little Rock of the US Naval Sea Cadet Corps in Buffalo, NY where he is in year 15 and currently serves as the Operations Officer. As the Ops Officer he has worked to introduce...

Introduction Ed McCrane has over 21 years of Emergency Response and Emergency Management experience and is currently serving as the Emergency Management Chief for Sarasota County, Florida. He is a Florida Professional Emergency Manager (FPEM) and has extensive experience in emergency management, including his role as the Region 4 Coordinator for the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). While with FDEM he served as state liaison for seven area emergency management agencies and...

Introduction Craig Biscuiti has a had a long career in the field of Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Management. Becoming a member of the youth squad of the Woodhaven Richmond-Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps. in 1986, he knew that he wanted to pursue a career in EMS. He became an EMT in 1991, and in 2002 obtained his Paramedic certification and is also a New York State certified Hazardous Materials Technician. Craig is also an EMS Educator, teaching for EMT and Paramedic programs...

Introduction -Tim Marshall is the Director of Public Safety for Steuben County New York. He has been an employee by Steuben County since September of 1997 serving as the Deputy Director of Emergency Services, then Director in 2012. Tim was appointed as Director of Public Safety in 2021. -Tim is a Certified Emergency Manager with the International Association of Emergency Mangers. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Fire Protection Technology from Corning Community College and a...

Introduction - Lt. Steven Kanarian is a retired New York City Fire Department lieutenant. Assigned to the EMS Division Steve served as a Paramedic for 25 years. - Steve has supervised medical operations at many mass casualty incidents in New York City. - He was a Medical Specialist with FEMA New York Task Force-1 for 16 years. - Steve responded to both the 1993 and 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Category 4 Hurricane George disaster recovery in the Dominican Republic....