Richard “Dick” Andrews, Ph.D. Senior Advisor for Homeland Security National Center for Crisis and Continuity Coordination (NC4) Richard “Dick” Andrews is the Senior Advisor for Homeland Security at the National Center for Crisis and Continuity Coordination (NC4™), a California-based corporation focused on advancing public-private sector collaboration. In June 2002, President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Andrews to the Homeland Security Advisory Council which provides policy guidance to the Department of Homeland Security. He chairs the Council’s Senior Advisory Committee on Emergency Services, Law Enforcement, Public Health and Hospitals. He served as Director of the California Office of Homeland Security and Homeland Security Advisor to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004-2005. From 1991 to 1998, Mr. Andrews was Director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) for California where he managed the emergency response and recovery efforts for 19 presidential and 24 gubernatorial disasters. He is a member of the World Bank’s Disaster Management Operations Group and has worked on emergency management projects in Turkey, Algeria, Romania and India. Mr. Andrews has presented papers on emergency management, counter-terrorism policy and seismic safety before scientific, engineering, academic and governmental audiences throughout Asia, Europe and North America. In November 2003 he presented testimony to the 9/11 Commission on strategies for enhancing public/private partnerships. A past president of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) and former Executive Director of the California Seismic Safety Commission, Mr. Andrews has also been a member of various National Research Council committees. He is Chair of NEMA’s Private Sector Committee as well as a public-private Task Force formed to explore ways in which the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) might be employed to more effectively use private sector resources during major emergencies. David Barron Government Relations Advisor Adams and Reese David M. Barron is a Governmental Relations Advisor with the Governmental Relations Team in the Washington, D.C. office of Adams and Reese. Mr. Barron has more than three decades of experience in Telecommunications and has extensive experience in other areas including National Security, Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity Planning. He has worked closely on such matters with numerous Federal Executive agencies including the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Prior to joining Adams and Reese, Mr. Barron served as Assistant Vice President for BellSouth Corporation (AT&T) in Washington D.C., where he directly supported BellSouth’s Chairman and CEO and was responsible for the company’s National Security matters. He also has served as the Chairman of the Industry Executive Subcommittee (IES) of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) and served as the Chairman of the Department of Homeland Security’s Communications Sector Coordinating Council. Mr. Barron, a native of Booneville, Miss., earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Mississippi in 1976, and is a graduate of the Louisiana State University Executive Management Program. He is also a proud alumnus of Leadership Louisiana. Ann Beauchesne Executive Director – Homeland Security Division U.S. Chamber of Commerce Ann Beauchesne is the Executive Director of the Homeland Security Division for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She is the principle spokesperson on homeland security issue and is responsible for developing the organization’s overall homeland security policy strategy. In this position, Ms. Beauchesne is also responsible for fostering public-private sector partnerships to help ensure that subsequent policy is not detrimental to the private sector and economy. Prior to joining the Chamber, Ms. Beauchesne worked for the National Governor’s Association (NGA) where she held a variety of positions, from Policy Analyst in the Natural Resources Division to Program Director of Emergency Management and Environment. She also served as NGA’s first Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, identifying policy priorities for Governors and their homeland security advisors. Ms. Beauchesne has written extensively on issues related to homeland security, terrorism, emergency management, natural disasters and nuclear weapons. In addition, she has drafted the first ever Governor’s Guide to Homeland Security. Joseph Becker Senior Vice President – Disaster Services American Red Cross Joseph C. Becker is the Senior Vice President of Disaster Services for the American Red Cross, a human service organization in existence since 1881. The American Red Cross is dedicated to providing relief to victims of disasters and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Mr. Becker leads the organization’s disaster relief. In this role, he has led the Red Cross’ two largest relief efforts to date – the 2004 hurricanes in Florida, and the Hurricane Katrina response. Mr. Becker joined the national headquarters staff on January 1, 2004 as the Vice President of Response. Before assuming this role, he was the Executive Director of the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross starting in February 1997. His Red Cross involvement started much earlier as a member of the chapter Board of Directors from 1992 to 1996. Prior to his employment with the Red Cross, Mr. Becker was part of the ownership group of Kings Entertainment Company. At the end of his 23-year career with the company, he was the Vice President of Operations at Paramount’s Carowinds. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Becker received a degree in Business Administration from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1979. G. Kemble “Kem” Bennett, Ph.D. Vice Chancellor for Engineering Texas A&M Dr. G. Kemble (Kem) Bennett leads the engineering programs of The Texas A&M University System. He holds several titles and areas of responsibility: Vice Chancellor for Engineering, Dean of the Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University, and Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station. As Vice Chancellor for Engineering, Dr. Bennett administers the research programs and extension services of three state agencies: the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and the Texas Transportation Institute; and he provides coordination for the academic and research programs throughout the A&M System. As Dean of the Dwight Look College of Engineering, he heads one of the largest and highest ranked engineering programs in the nation. Dr. Bennett is also a leader in local, state and national homeland security and emergency response. He was the founding chairman of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, where he served for five years. He is Executive Director of the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center and the founder of Texas Task Force-1 (TX-TF1), a FEMA federal urban search and rescue team. He served as Director of the team and was deployed to the World Trade Center following the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Dr. Bennett is the recipient of several professional awards. He is an elected Fellow of both the Society of Logistics Engineers and the Institute of Industrial Engineers, where he was recognized as a distinguished educator through the prestigious awarding of the Eccles Medal and the Albert G. Holzman Award. He was named an “Eminent Engineer” by the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi and was recently selected as a Distinguished Engineer by the College of Engineering at Texas Tech University. He is a registered professional engineer and has been appointed by the Governor to serve on the Texas Board of Professional Engineers. Dr. Bennett holds a B.S. degree from Florida State University, a M.S. degree from San Jose State University and a Ph.D. degree in industrial engineering from Texas Tech University. Honorable Michael Brown Mayor Grand Forks, North Dakota Michael Brown has been the Mayor of Grand Forks, North Dakota since June 27, 2000. In this position he is responsible for overseeing the daily administration of city government. This involves working directly with City Departments and Department Heads to ensure the proper provision of services to the residents of Grand Forks. Mayor Brown is also the focal point for citizen suggestions, recommendations and concerns – a responsibility that he handles with compassion and integrity. Having come from a military family, Mayor Brown enlisted in the United States Air Force and spent several years working at the Grand Forks Air Force Base and with the United States’ Nuclear Missile System. After his tenure in the service, Mayor Brown decided to pursue a career in medicine, becoming a Board-Certified Gynecologist/Obstetrician. Mayor Brown is currently a practicing OB/GYN at Altru Health System, where he is also the Chairman of the Department of OB/GYN. Mayor Brown’s academic achievements include a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts degree, both in Biology from Baylor University as well as a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine. Joseph Bruno Commissioner New York’s Office of Emergency Management Joseph Bruno is currently the Commissioner for New York’s Office of Emergency Management, appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on March 4, 2004. Commissioner Bruno's distinguished career in public service began in 1971, when he joined the City Law Department as a trial attorney. He served in various Law Department posts and in 1987 he became Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department. Under his leadership, the Fire Department developed a major fire safety education campaign for New Yorkers, with particular emphasis on children and senior citizens. Commissioner Bruno was elected in 1991 to the Civil Court of the City of New York and assigned to the Criminal Court. In 1996, he was elevated to Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Kings County, and in 2002 he was elected Justice of the Supreme Court. Since his appointment as Commissioner, he has led a number of notable projects, to include the City’s response to the floods in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the South Asian tsunami. In the spring of 2005, he successfully oversaw New York City’s final adoption and implementation of the Citywide Incident Management System and in 2006, Commissioner Bruno oversaw the comprehensive revision of the City's Coastal Storm Plan (CSP). The updated 2007 CSP plan ensures the City is prepared for a worst-case scenario hurricane and can shelter more than 600,000 residents. Commissioner Bruno graduated from City College in 1966 with a B.S. in Economics and in 1968, he earned a J.D. from St. John's Law School. In 1988, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree from St. John's Law School. Commissioner Bruno is a lifelong city resident. Stephen Cassidy President Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York Since his election in August 2002, Stephen J. Cassidy has served as the President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, the nation’s largest local firefighters union. As President, Mr. Cassidy is responsible for advocating the needs and identifying the critical issues affecting 9,000 active and 13,800 retired New York City Firefighters. In addition, he has been tasked with ensuring the health and safety of both his Firefighters and the 8 million New Yorkers they serve. Mr. Cassidy has the unique distinction of being the only UFA President to ever be elected directly out of the field where he proudly served as one of New York’s Bravest for over 15 years. In addition to his role as the President of the Union, Mr. Cassidy also serves on the FDNY Pension and Investment Boards, which manage over $4.5 billion in assets, and is a member of the Municipal Labor Board and serves on the Executive Board of the Central Labor Council. He is also the Chairman of the UFA Widows and Children’s Fund which continues to actively support the widows and children of firefighters who die in the line-of-duty. Mr. Cassidy also sits on the Board of Directors of the Thomas R. Elsasser Fund, which was established in 1992 to support the families of active NYC Firefighters who died in non-line-of-duty incidents. In January 2007, Mr. Cassidy was appointed by President Bush to serve as a Member of the Medal of Valor Review Board (Firefighting) for a term of four years. He is also a member of Governor-elect Spitzer’s Homeland Security Transition Committee and a member of the September 11th Worker Protection Task Force. Mr. Cassidy is a graduate of St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York where he was a member of the school’s basketball team. Christina Lynne Catlett, M.D. Associate Director The Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) Dr. Christina Lynne Catlett is the Associate Director of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) and an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University. Following her emergency medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Catlett joined the Hopkins faculty in 1998. She has long had a special interest in bioterrorism and healthcare system disaster planning. In 2001, she was appointed Deputy Director of CEPAR, created in the wake of the attacks of September 11th. At CEPAR, Dr. Catlett was responsible for coordinating disaster response within the Hopkins enterprise and integrating that response with federal, state, and local plans. She also developed the biological, chemical, nuclear and radiological disaster plans and the surge capacity plan for The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. In 2003, Dr. Catlett took a job as the Executive Director of The Center for Emergency Preparedness at GW University in Washington, DC, where she facilitated improvements in the hospital’s preparedness program. She created detailed response strategies for hazmat events, contagious disease outbreaks, and mass casualty events requiring surge capacity. She also led multiple disaster response teams for the Medical Center, including missions in the wakes of Hurricane Ivan, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Rita. In July of 2007 Dr. Catlett returned to the faculty of Johns Hopkins to rejoin CEPAR and serve as a healthcare system disaster planning expert for the Johns Hopkins Enterprise and external stakeholders. Irene Collins Executive Director Alabama Department of Senior Services Irene Collins has been the Executive Director at the Alabama Department of Senior Services since January 20, 2003. Prior to this, she was the Executive Director for the Jefferson County Council on Aging for 7 years. Ms. Collins has many years of experience in disaster/emergency preparedness and its effect on older people and individuals with disabilities – specifically tailored to the State of Alabama. Ms.Collins has spent time collaborating with the Alabama Department of Homeland Security and the Governor’s Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives on the “Be Ready Seniors” campaign, which exists to tailor the emergency preparedness needs to fit senior citizens. Ms. Collins has also received national recognition for her innovative Safe Center concept. The Safe Center combines a traditional senior center with a place of respite for elders after a disaster. Under her direction, the first Safe Center is planning to be built in Guin, Alabama, a tornado-devastated town in desperate need of assistance. Robert Connors Director of Preparedness Raytheon Robert Connor is currently the Director of Preparedness for the Raytheon Company. In this role, he is primarily responsible for developing and deploying an enterprise wide preparedness and crisis management program throughout the company. Mr. Connors has over 23 years of experience that includes systems programming, systems analysis, business continuity/disaster recovery, manufacturing, infrastructure deployment, project management and process management. In addition to his primary role, Connors serves as Raytheon’s executive liaison to the National Defense University’s Information Resource Management College in support of Raytheon’s Government Learning partnerships. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO of the NDU/IRM College Alumni Association. Mr. Connors is a member of the ANSI Homeland Security Standards Panel, Massachusetts Anti- Terrorism Advisory Council, DRII, BCI, NDIA, IACSP, and the National Defense University Foundation. Mr. Connors attended Fitchburg State College, Merrimack College, the National Defense University’s Information Resources Management College, and is currently enrolled at University of Phoenix. He is also a graduate of Raytheon’s Advanced Management Program; is a qualified Raytheon Six Sigma Specialist; a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), and is a Member grade with the Business Continuity Institute (MBCI). Russell Decker Vice President International Association of Emergency Managers Russell Decker is the Vice President of the International Association of Emergency Managers. Mr. Decker also serves as the Director of the Allen County (Ohio) Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, a position he has held since 1998. Mr. Decker is co-author of the book Homeland Security: Handbook for Citizens and Public Officials (McFarland & Co., 2006), and has published numerous articles in professional and trade magazines. Mr. Decker’s first full book will be published in 2007, entitled Breaking News: An Emergency Responder’s Guide to the Media. Mr. Decker is an instructor in hazardous materials, incident command, arson investigation, bombs & explosives for the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy and the Ohio Fire Academy. He also serves as an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Tiffin University and Rhodes State College. Mr. Decker was presented the prestigious “Clayton R. Christopher Award” in 2006 recognizing his outstanding contributions as one of the nation’s leading local emergency managers. He received the “Excellence in Public Service” award from the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council in 2005. Mr. Decker earned his designation as a Certified Emergency Manager® (CEM®) from the International Association of Emergency Managers in 2003. He now serves as a member of the CEM® Commission. He completed FEMA’s Professional Development Series in 2001. In addition, he holds a Master of Science degree from Tiffin University with Bachelor of Science degrees from Ohio State University and the University of Northwestern Ohio. John Didion Sheriff Pacific County (Washington) John Didion is the Sheriff of Pacific County, Washington. Elected in 1998, Sheriff Didion immediately began working to accomplish the vision of teamwork within the communities that marked his successful campaign for the office of Sheriff. Under his leadership, a Citizens’ Advisory Council was formed to monitor and advise law enforcement regarding strategies to help the community reach its goal of a safe, healthy community. Since this Council has been formed, the following actions have been successfully executed: new program in corrections allowing juvenile incarcerations if appropriate upon arrest; an expansion of inmate-staffed litter patrol along the highways; and administrative booking programs that have helped to ensure swift, unpleasant consequences for breaking the law. Sheriff Didion has also played an integral role in the Pacific County Communications Center (PACCOM), which provides critical county-wide communications services for citizens and all emergency services. One of his accomplishments with this center include enhancing the 911 technology so that emergency workers can get to those in need quicker and more efficiently. Nancy Dragani Executive Director Ohio Emergency Management Agency Nancy Dragani was appointed as the Executive Director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency on December 29, 2004. In this position, Ms. Dragani leads the state's coordinated response to both man-made and natural disasters, administers the State Homeland Security Funding Program, and oversees the State of Ohio Emergency Operations Center, and its disaster recovery, mitigation, radiological safety and preparedness efforts. In this position, Ms. Dragani also serves as the chair of the Utility Radiological Safety Board, is a member of the Ohio Seismic Hazards Advisory Board, and is co-chair of the State Emergency Response Commission. Prior to this position, Ms. Dragani served as the Director of Operations, Ohio EMA where she was responsible for emergency preparedness training, exercises, planning, homeland security grants management and oversaw response operations in the State Emergency Operations Center during disasters. Ms. Dragani served more than 16 years in the communications field; six of those years as Ohio EMA's public information officer. During her career, Ms. Dragani also served as the director of "Keep Franklin County Beautiful," the editor of the Ohio National Guard's quarterly magazine, the "Buckeye Guard," and as a broadcaster with the Alaskan Forces Radio Network in Anchorage, Alaska. Cathey Eide Special Programs Coordinator Oakland Fire Department, EMS Division (California) Cathey Eide is currently the Special Programs Coordinator for the Oakland Fire Department – EMS Division. In this position, Ms. Eide manages the City’s Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) with it’s newly established Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). She has been an Emergency Responder since 1984 and received her paramedic license in the state of California in 1989. Ms. Eide is currently a National Registry California licensed Paramedic. In 1994 Ms. Eide moved to Illinois where she worked as a Critical Care Flight Paramedic, EMS Educator and Quality Assurance Coordinator. During her career she trained and responded in a variety of emergency response disciplines including Hazardous Materials, Technical Rescue and Tactical operations. As the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program Coordinator for the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute, Ms. Eide was directly responsible for developing a comprehensive series of terrorism curriculum for EMS and Hospital providers. Drawing on over 20 years of Emergency Response experience and collaboration with some of the finest First Responders and Emergency Planners in the Nation Ms. Eide has prepared bio-terrorism and disaster response plans for state and local governments, hospitals and private ambulance services. Ms. Eide is currently working closely with the City of Oakland’s Office of Emergency Services and has recently been named the lead for Oakland’s Receiving, Storage, and Staging (RSS) of the Strategic National Stockpile and Mass Prophylaxis planning and exercise. Angelia Mary Elgin Paramedic University City Fire Department (Missouri) Angelia Elgin has been a Paramedic/Firefighter for fifteen years and a Critical Care Nurse for eight years. She is currently a member of the University City Fire Department in St. Louis, Missouri and a State Certified EMS and Fire Service Instructor. Ms. Elgin has taught several EMT, Paramedic, Allied Health, Fire Service courses and has written several articles. Furthermore, she has developed the following courses for EMS/Fire service personnel: Valuing Diversity in the Fire Service; Managing Diversity for Chief Officers; Sexual Harassment Prevention for EMS/Fire Service Personnel; and Sexual Harassment Prevention for Chief Officers. Ms. Elgin is not only a Paramedic/Firefighter, but is also nurse at St. Louis University Hospital caring for critically ill patients and their families. She also serves in the capacity of Acting Fire Captain on both the Fire and Ladder Trucks. In January 2006, Ms. Elgin formed the St. Louis Central Citizen Corp Council. A part of the responsibilities of this council is to train its citizens and businesses in disaster preparedness. Ms. Elgin has served on the State of Missouri Fire Safety Advisory Board, and the St. Louis County Ambulance Standards Commission. She currently serves on the St. Louis Regional EMS Advisory Committee, and the Education Sub-Committee of the State of Missouri State Advisory Board of EMS. Lee Feldman City Manager City of Palm Bay, Florida Lee Feldman is currently the City Manager for the City of Palm Bay, Florida; a position he has held since October 2002. Prior to his appointment as the Palm Bay City Manager, Mr. Feldman was employed by the City of North Miami, Florida, where he served as the City Manager from May 1996 to October 2002 and as the Deputy City Manager beginning in 1989.  Mr. Feldman also served as an Assistant to the City Manager and Assistant City Manager to the City of North Miami Beach. Mr. Feldman is a graduate of Washington and Lee University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.  He earned a Master’s Degree in Governmental Administration from the Fels Center of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.  Additionally, he has completed the Senior Executive in State and Local Government Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He has served as the President of the Florida City and County Management Association and as President of the Dade City/County Management Association and was named the Florida League of Cities’ “City Manager of the Year” in 2006.  Mr. Feldman serves on the National League of Cities’ City Futures Panel on Public Finance and chairs the International City and County Management Association’s Governmental Affairs and Policy Committee, serves on the Association’s Sustainability Advisory Group and has served on the Association’s Task Force on Community Tools for Ending Racism.  Additionally, he teaches newly elected municipal officials the principles of finance and taxation in Florida and is frequently called upon to speak to professional groups on a variety of municipal issues. Robert Gougelet, M.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Robert Gougelet, M.D., is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Dartmouth Medical School and an attending physician in the Emergency Department at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Dr. Gougelet is also recognized as an early member of one of the nation's first Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT). Through DMAT, he has responded to numerous national and international medical disasters, including Hurricanes Hugo, Andrew, Marilyn and Georges, the Northridge Earthquake, the New York City Anthrax Postal Response, Bam, Iran Earthquake, and, more recently, Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Gougelet has worked extensively with the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical and Biological Command to develop a community resources planning guide and several community based surge capacity models. These efforts have also involved performing functional exercises in mass care and casualty predictions in large civilian populations. Dr. Gougelet provides planning assistance for emergency response efforts in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, and also directs the Northern New England Metropolitan Medical Response System and the New England Center for Emergency Preparedness. He has lectured nationally and published several articles on regionalization, community planning and medical surge capacity. Joanne Hayes-White Chief San Francisco Fire Department (California) Joanne Hayes-White is the Chief of the San Francisco Fire Department. Appointed in 2004, Ms. Hayes-White is the first female Fire Chief that the SFFD has ever had. She came to the department after graduating from the University of Santa Clara with a degree in business and was hired as a firefighter in April 1990, promoted to lieutenant in 1993 and made captain in January 1996. In May 1996 she was made acting battalion chief with oversight of the department’s dispatch and communications systems. She oversaw the installation of a computer-aided dispatch system and automated information systems that vastly streamlined the department’s dispatch and records management. Since being with the SFFD, Ms. Hayes-White’s also unified dispatch operations in 1998 under the Emergency Communications Department, which brought fire, EMS and police dispatch communications under one roof, improving response times and interagency collaboration. And after being promoted to assistant deputy chief in 1998, she was responsible for the Division of Support Services, the Bureau of Communications, the Bureau of Equipment, the Bureau of Engineering and Water Supply, Management Information Systems, and Renovations. As assistant deputy chief and director of training since March 2000, she has overseen recruit training, in-service training and continuing education, and firefighter-paramedic cross training. She developed the Battalion-Based In Service Training Program that effectively tripled the number of formal training hours for all members of the department, with no additional cost. One of Ms. Hayes-White’s proudest accomplishments is that she has worked in all of the department’s 41 fire stations; affording her the delight of knowing 90% of the department’s members by first name. John Wesley Hines Representative (D) – 2nd Congressional District Mississippi House of Representatives John Wesley Hines is a Representative (D) of the 2nd Congressional District with the Mississippi House of Representatives. A graduate of Mississippi Valley State University, his legislative experience spans from 2001 and has included numerous positions in his home state of Mississippi. Representative Hines serves on numerous committees, to include: Gaming; Insurance; Juvenile Justice; Military Affairs; Ports, Harbors & Airports; Public Health & Human Services and Public Utilities. Representative Hines is a member of the 100 Black Men of the Mississippi Delta, where he holds the post of Parliamentarian. He is also a member of the prestigious organization, Young Men Making a Difference. In addition to his work in the State Congress, Representative Hines is an Investigator for the Law Firm of McTeer and Associates. Charles Kmet Emergency Management Administrator Tohono O’Dham Department of Public Safety Charles Kmet is the Emergency Management Administrator for the Tohono O’Dham Department of Public Safety in Arizona. In this position, he is responsible for the creation of comprehension emergency management program, ensuring NIMS compliance for the tribe which includes providing NIMS/ICS training and the grant development and management of Homeland Security Grant Program which has totaled at $1.9 million over three years. Since taking this position in 2005, Mr. Kmet has developed an emergency response plan and set up an Emergency Operations Center for the Tribe and expanded the Office of Emergency Management from a one-person program to a five person program. In addition, he has developed an “Information/Intelligence Sharing” network, which is used to disseminate and analysis vital information pertaining to the Tribe. Prior to being promoted to his position, Mr. Kmet served as a Fire Captain and the Assistant Fire Chief for the Tribe. A graduate of Randolph-Macon College, Mr. Kmet has been a firefighter and a paramedic for the in Georgia, Virginia and now Arizona. He is a member of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), as well as chairman of their Tribal Affairs Committee and he is a member of the National Native American Fire Chiefs Association. Kurt Krumperman Corporate Vice President – Federal Affairs Rural Metro Association Kurt Krumperman is the Corporate Vice President for Federal Affairs at the Rural Metro Association (RMA), where he also leads the company’s disaster response team. Throughout his 25-year career in public safety, Mr. Krumperman, still a practicing paramedic, has held positions of responsibility in operations, quality improvement, education, communications, fleet and disaster management. On the national level, he has served as the Secretary of the American Ambulance Association (AAA), as well as on the boards of the Commission for the Accreditation of Ambulance Services and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. To add to his repertoire, Mr. Krumperman has led the efforts to produce three essential AAA publications: Expanded Scope of Ambulance Services Guide, Medical Documentation Guide and Community Guide to Ensuring High Performance Emergency Ambulance Service. As the leader of the AAA’s Clinical Issues Work Group, he developed the initial AAA proposal to create Ambulance Condition Codes as the basis of payment for Medicare claims. Mr. Krumperman previously served as the chair of the AAA’s Professional Standards Committee and Strategic and Organizational Development Committees. Currently, he is chair of the AAA Emergency Preparedness Workgroup as well as the liaison to DHS and DHHS for disaster preparedness issues. Mr. Krumperman holds an MS in Instructional Design, Development, and Evaluation from Syracuse University, as well as a BA in Sociology from Washington and Lee University. John Lancaster Executive Director National Council on Independent Living John Lancaster serves as the Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). NCIL is the oldest disability grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. NCIL advances the independent living philosophy and advocates for the full integration and participation of people with disabilities in society. Mr. Lancaster is a native of the Hamburg, New York. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1967 with a B.A. in the General Program of Liberal Studies. As a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, he commanded an infantry platoon in combat during the Vietnam War earning a Purple Heart and Bronze Star in 1968. Following military service, he returned to Notre Dame for a law degree. Since 1974, he has worked as a civil rights attorney working on issues related to the integration and empowerment of people with disabilities. He has served in government from 1981-1987 for Governor Harry Hughes of Maryland as the Director of the Office for Individuals with Disabilities and again from 1991-2000 with the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. From 1995-2000, he distinguished himself in the Clinton Administration in the formulation of disability employment policy as the President’s Committee’s Executive Director. In October 2004, Mr. Lancaster returned to Washington after 4 years in Hanoi, Vietnam where he was a consultant providing advice and technical assistance on law, policy and programs concerning business, government relations and people with disabilities in Vietnam. Major General John William Libby Adjutant General Maine National Guard Major General John W. Libby assumed his duties as the Adjutant General for the Maine National Guard on January 15, 2004. Major General Libby is also employed by the Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management as Commissioner.  The Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management coordinates and administers the discharge of the Maine state government’s responsibility relating to military matters, veterans, and civil emergency preparedness.  It is responsible for the federal recognition and continuation of the federal forces structure, manpower, maintenance, fiscal operation and overall readiness of the Maine National Guard which is composed of over 3400 troops. Major General Libby began his military career upon commissioning from the ROTC program at the University of Maine in June 1966 and held a variety of active duty command and staff positions in both Vietnam and the Federal Republic of Germany before resigning in July 1975 to join the Maine Army National Guard. Prior to his current position, he has served as the Commander of the 240th Engineer Group and Task Force Commander, Fuertes Caminos 94-North (Guatemala). Major General Libby’s academic achievements are many, to include a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and a Master of Education Degree, both from the University of Maine. He has also received numerous military and civilian honors, such as the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. Suzanne Mencer Policy Director Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLC Suzanne Mencer is a Policy Director in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Government Relations Group. Based in the firm’s Denver office she helps corporations and professional associations navigate the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its 22 component agencies. Ms. Mencer’s work involves identifying policy trends within the DHS and working with clients to develop products and services that help local, state and federal Homeland Security agencies achieve their safety objectives. With a deep background in federal and state policy, Ms. Mencer understands the needs of the agencies responsible for public safety. She works closely with her clients to create a blueprint for providing solutions and securing contracts that directly address those agencies’ needs. She researches and identifies safety initiatives, and then helps companies craft strategies to position their products and services before decision makers. Ms. Mencer rounds out her work by advocating on behalf of clients before federal, state and local decision makers. From 2003 to 2005, prior to joining the Brownstein team, Ms. Mencer was the director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness within the DHS. Appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate, she managed a $4 billion budget and directed federal initiatives to help states, local jurisdictions, regional authorities and tribal governments plan, prepare, prevent and respond to acts of terrorism. Ms. Mencer administered more than 25 programs and initiatives to equip, train and assist state and local first responders. From 2000 to 2003, Ms. Mencer was the executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety. Appointed by Governor Bill Owens, she oversaw the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado State Patrol, the Division of Criminal Justice and the Division of Fire Safety. Ms. Mencer is also 20-year veteran of the FBI, serving as a special agent from 1978 to 1986 and supervisory special agent from 1986 to 1998. Kenneth Miller, M.D. Medical Director Orange County Fire Authority Kenneth Miller is a board-certified emergency physician with a Ph.D. in pharmacology and serves as the Medical Director of the Orange County Fire Authority, Assistant Medical Director of the Orange County Healthcare Agency/Emergency Medical Services and as a Co-Director of the University of California-Irvine School of Medicine EMS & Disaster Medical Sciences Fellowship. His career in EMS began in 1974 serving as an EMT-B, paramedic, EMS educator and preceptor and EMS supervisor in municipal volunteer, contracted private third service, fire department and helicopter EMS delivery systems. Dr. Miller is the Medical Team Manager of FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 5, Medical Unit Leader for FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Incident Support Team, former chair of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Medical Working Group, instructor in the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Medical Specialist Course and serves on the FEMA National Advisory Council. He is the Team Leader of the DHHS National Disaster Medical System Disaster Medical Assistance Team CA-1 and the medical advisor to the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross. In addition, Dr. Miller serves on the Inter-Agency Board Medical Subgroup and numerous committees and advisory groups in Orange County on chemical, biological, radiological and multi-casualty emergencies. He is the chair of the Orange County Emergency Medical Services Drug & Equipment Advisory Group, chair of the Quality Assurance Board, a member of the Disaster Advisory Group, a member of the California Fire Chiefs Association Emergency Medical Services Section and a member of the Emergency Medical Services Medical Directors Association of California. Kenneth Murphy Director Oregon Emergency Management (OEM) Kenneth D. Murphy currently serves as the Director of Oregon Emergency Management (OEM) and has been with the agency since July 1999. Early assignments at OEM included Administrative Operations Manager and Deputy Director. These initial positions proved invaluable to the overall administration of operations, systems and interface with other state agencies involved in emergency preparedness and response. Mr. Murphy’s competencies have been derived from his extensive experience with legislative actions, human resource management and public information provision, as well as managing the development and implementation of projects to support and enhance statewide emergency services system infrastructure. Mr. Murphy has been the Director of Oregon Emergency Management since April 1, 2003 and was appointed Director of Oregon’s Office of Homeland Security on June 1, 2005. A native of Oregon, Mr. Murphy joined the Oregon Army National Guard in 1970 and began his professional business career with Levitz Furniture Corporation in Portland, Oregon. In 1980, Mr. Murphy left the retail furniture business to pursue a full-time career with the United States Army as an active duty Guard/Reserve officer. Over a period of nineteen years, Mr. Murphy held numerous positions on Company, Battalion, Brigade, Corps and Army staffs. Mr. Murphy’s final two assignments included Chief of the U.S. Army’s European Crisis Action Team stationed in Heidelberg, Germany with the responsibility to react, manage, coordinate and control emergency situations for 83 European countries; and Director of Military Support to Civilian Authorities for the Oregon National Guard, responsible for coordination and response procedures to state and national emergencies. Mr. Murphy retired from active military service in April 1999 as a Lieutenant Colonel with twenty-nine years of service. Mr. Murphy currently serves on the Governor’s Homeland Security Council and Governor’s Statewide Interoperability Executive Council for Oregon. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Director’s for the Western States Seismic Safety Council, a member of the Board of Director’s for the Oregon Regional Maritime Security Coalition, on the Portland Community College Emergency Management Advisory Council, a member of the FEMA Region X Regional Advisory Council, and is the current President of the National Emergency Management Association. Albert Nájera Chief Sacramento Police Department (California) One of the Sacramento Police Department’s original Community Service Officers hired on April 1, 1971, Chief Albert Nájera is Sacramento’s 42nd Police Chief. A graduate of Luther Burbank Senior High School and Sacramento City College, his formal education includes a Bachelor’s Degree from California State University, Sacramento in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Management from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. While working his way up through the ranks of the Police Department, Chief Nájera spent time in Patrol Operations, the Special Enforcement Division as a Crime Suppression Officer and SWAT Officer, the Homicide Division, Internal Affairs, Community Resources, and the Planning and Fiscal sections. Chief Nájera was appointed Captain in 1988 and commanded the Staff Services Division and was Patrol Captain of the South area of Sacramento. As Patrol Captain, Chief Nájera, in partnership with the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, started one of the first and most successful community policing projects in Sacramento. This effort in the New Helvetia Housing Project has been nationally recognized and has won the prestigious Herman Goldstein Award for Police Problem Solving. In 1992, Chief Nájera was appointed to the rank of Commander and placed in overall command of the Joseph E. Rooney Police Facility. Chief Albert Nájera was sworn in as the Interim Chief of Police for the City of Sacramento on March 3, 2003. After enormous citywide support from citizens, police officers, Department employees, and City leaders, Albert Nájera was appointed Chief of Police on October 22, 2003. Chief Nájera is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, a past president of the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, a board member of the American Red Cross, and a recent graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute. He is also active in the Police Executive Research Forum, Fight Crime/Invest in Kids, and in the Sacramento chapter of the American Leadership Forum. Gerald Parker Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Health and Human Services (DC) Dr. Gerald W. Parker serves as the Principal Deputy to the Assistant Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services.  The Office coordinates HHS-wide efforts with respect to preparedness for and response to public health and medical emergencies, and serves as the focal point for coordination with other federal departments, agencies, offices and state and local officials responsible for emergency medical preparedness and the protection of the civilian population from acts of terrorism and other public health emergencies.   Prior to joining the Department of Health and Human Services in July 2005, Dr. Parker was at the Department of Homeland Security from April 2004 to July 2005, and he had 26 years of distinguished active U.S. Army service as a researcher, team leader, division director, program director and laboratory director from 1977 to 2004.    During his career, Dr. Parker held a variety of positions including Assistant Deputy for Research and Development, Director for the Medical Chemical and Biological Defense Research Program, and Deputy Director for the Combat Casualty Research Program at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command.  Dr. Parker is a former Commander and Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.     Dr. Parker graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelors of Science in Veterinary Medicine and with a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.  He holds a Doctorate in Physiology from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas and a Masters of Science in Resourcing the National Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. James Paturas Deputy Director Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response James Paturas is the Deputy Director at the Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response, (YNH-CEPDR) which provides coordination of emergency preparedness, disaster response and business continuity for Bridgeport Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital and Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital. He also serves as Director of the state designated Connecticut Center of Excellence for Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response at Yale New Haven Health System and Associate Director for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) / World Health Organization (WHO) designated International Collaborating Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response (ICCEPDR). Mr. Paturas has over thirty years of experience in hospitals and health care. From 1981, until being assigned his new role with the YNHHS CEPDR, Mr. Paturas was the Director of Ambulatory Development and Emergency Services for Bridgeport Hospital and served as the hospital emergency management coordinator and co-chairman of the emergency management committee. Mr. Paturas attended the City College of New York (CCNY). He holds a Connecticut Department of Public Health license as a paramedic, is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM©) with the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and is certified by the American Board for Certification Homeland Security as a CHS-IV. Mr. Paturas has served as author, editor and contributor on over thirty medical texts and journal publications with a primary focus on pre-hospital care, emergency medicine and disaster preparedness. On a national level, he serves on the Board of Directors and is a Past President of the American College of Contingency Planners and Past President of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. Mr. Paturas currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards of the Journal of Business Continuity and Emergency Planning and Inside Homeland Security® for the American Board for Certification in Homeland Security. Philip Reitinger Director – Trustworthy Computing Microsoft Philip R. Reitinger is the Director of Trustworthy Computing at Microsoft, leading the Critical Infrastructure Protection Team. In this position Mr. Reitinger works with government agencies and partners and to help enhance the security of critical infrastructures and to further Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing Initiative – a long-term, company-wide initiative to promote the values of reliability, security, privacy, and responsible business practices. Mr. Reitinger currently serves on the Industry Executive Subcommittee of the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), where he chaired the Next Generation Networks Task Force. He is the Vice-President of the Information Technology-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (IT-ISAC), and serves on the Executive Committee of the IT Sector Coordinating Council (IT SCC), NIST’s Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board (ISPAB), and the Federal Government Leadership Forum (FGLF). Before joining Microsoft in January 2003, Mr. Reitinger was the Executive Director of the Department of Defense’s Cyber Crime Center (DC3) in Linthicum, Maryland. DC3 included DoD’s Computer Forensic Laboratory, Computer Investigations Training Program and Cyber Crime Institute, and provided state-of-the-art electronic forensic services and cyber investigative and operational support services to DoD. Mr. Reitinger is also the former Chair of the Group of Eight’s High-Tech Crime Subgroup, and the Vision and Policy Committee of the National Cyber Crime Training Partnership. Mark Shriver Vice President/Managing Director – U.S. Programs Save the Children Mark Shriver is the Vice President and Managing Director of U.S. Programs for Save the Children. In this role he leads Save the Children’s programs and advocacy efforts for children living in impoverished rural communities across the United States. He has been an advocate for vulnerable children and families for more than sixteen years, including serving eight years as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. During his tenure as an elected official, Mr. Shriver served as Maryland’s first-ever Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families. In 2000, Mr. Shriver was appointed by President Clinton to serve on the President's Commission on Mental Retardation. In addition, he served on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Special Olympics and on the Board of Directors of the Montgomery County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). He was also a member of The Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Council and The Governor's Task Force on Alternative Sanctions to Incarceration. Before being elected, Shriver created and was Executive Director of the innovative Choice Program which serves at-risk youth through intensive, community-based counseling and job training services. A public/private partnership, The Choice Program has been expanded to include The Choice Jobs Program and The Choice Middle School Program, and been replicated nationwide. Additionally, Shriver worked in the telecommunications industry, creating the local services division for LCI International. He built the division to a $40 million run rate before Qwest International acquired LCI. Mr. Shriver graduated from The College of Holy Cross in 1986 and received a Masters degree in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1993. John Stensgar Elected Member Colville Confederated Tribes Business Council John Stensgar is an elected member of the Colville Business Council in Nespelem, Washington. He is an honorably discharged military Veteran and has 18 years of voluntary experience with the Colville Tribes Tribal Emergency Medical Services program – 9 of those years being spent as the supervisor of the Keller All Volunteer EMS. Mr. Stensgar is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician working with the Tribal EMS Cover Ambulance services, Structural Fire and Search and Rescue Teams. Mr. Stensgar has been a tremendous asset in the development and approval of their Emergency Management Plan. In addition, Mr. Stensgar has over fifteen years of management experience and is NIMMS certified and is the Delegate for all Homeland Security Issues and sits as the Vice Chairman to the Tribes’ Law and Justice Committee. Susanne Torriente Chief of Staff/Assistant County Manager Miami-Dade County (Florida) Susanne Torriente is the Chief of Staff and Assistant County Manager for Miami-Dade County. Ms. Torriente has held a number of managerial positions during her 15-year tenure with the County. She was appointed by George M. Burgess in 2003 as his Executive Assistant and Assistant County Manager for Public Safety, overseeing the Police, Fire, Corrections and Emergency Management departments. In 2006, she added Information and Technology to her responsibilities, which includes oversight of Enterprise Technology Services Department and the Government Information Center. She was also recently promoted to Chief of Staff.  In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the County Manager's Office and serves as a senior advisor. Ms. Torriente began her career with Miami-Dade County as a Management Trainee, rotating throughout various County departments including the Transit Agency, Public Health Trust, Office of Management and Budget and Audit and Management Services. She currently serves on the Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee of the National Association of Counties.  Ms. Torriente is a graduate from the University of Miami where she holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. Previously, Torriente served as Assistant City Manager with the City of Coral Gables. In this capacity, she was responsible for a broad spectrum of City departments including Finance, Purchasing, Information Technology, Parks and Recreation, Automotive, Parking and Cable TV. Working for one of the leading municipal government's in South Florida, she established the framework for the development of a new Procurement Code model, created a new Communications Division and introduced a web-based service request system. Peter Verga Principal Assistant Secretary of Defense Department of Defense Peter Verga currently serves as the Principal Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs. He is also the Principal Assistant/Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense on matters related to the overall supervision of the Homeland Defense activities of the Department of Defense and regional security matters for the countries of the Western Hemisphere. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Verga served as the Special Assistant for Homeland Security and Director of the Department of Defense Homeland Security Task Force. He is a career member of the Senior Executive Service, appointed in 2003. He has served as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Integration, and negotiated the return of a U.S. EP-3 Aircraft which made a forced landing in China following a collision with a Chinese Aircraft, as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Support and as the Deputy Director for Emergency Planning in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he was responsible for a variety of special and sensitive activities and interagency matters regarding emergency preparedness and wartime continuity of government policy. Mr. Verga has been awarded the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive and has been awarded two Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Awards and the Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of La Verne, and a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from Troy State University. A graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College, he was also a visiting professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.