Gavin Smith
Gavin Smith is executive director of the Center for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters and the Department of Homeland Security’s Center of Excellence—Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management.
Smith is an associate research professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Areas of interest include hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and the translation of research to practice. he has recently completed the text Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: A Review of the United States Disaster Assistance Framework.
Smith has worked for two governors, including North Carolina Gov. James Hunt following hurricanes Fran and Floyd and Mississippi Gov. Haley after Hurricane Katrina, leading hazard mitigation and disaster recovery efforts, respectively.
