Joshua Barnes is the manager of the Disaster Response Coordination System Project Office within the National Aeronautic and Space Administration’s (NASA) Disasters program. In his role, he coordinates NASA-wide efforts to use the best available science, technology, and expertise to aid the decisions of those working in operational disaster response.
Barnes formerly served as recovery director of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience (ODDR) at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in Washington, DC. Barnes led agency-wide disaster recovery, operational coordination, and implemented the ODDR’s mission. He is a highly experienced emergency management and community development leader with demonstrated success working with federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, non-profit, and private sector leaders across the country in deriving solutions to complex challenges.
Before SBA, Barnes led the Recovery Division in the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, served on the White House National Security Council Staff as the director for preparedness policy, and served as the economic development administration disaster recovery coordinator leading interagency efforts to coordinate information sharing, technical assistance, and resource leveraging to support major and catastrophic disasters nationwide.
Barnes holds a Bachelor of Science in geographic sciences from James Madison University and a Master of Public Health from A.T. Still University. He is an Eagle Scout with a passion for the outdoors, woodworking, and spending time with his family.