Gavin Smith
Gavin Smith is the executive director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Center of Excellence – Coastal Hazards Center. Smith is currently engaged in planning-related research within the center, focused on a national evaluation of local and state hazard mitigation plans, the study of state recovery plans, and the development of sea level rise adaptation strategies. Smith has published numerous book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and technical reports addressing a range of topics including hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and climate change adaptation.
Smith is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2011, Smith completed the text, Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: A Review of the United States Disaster Assistance Framework as well as several book chapters addressing the linkage between hazards analysis, planning, and sustainable development. Smith is currently serving as the co-editor of the text, Climate Change Adaptation: Lessons from Hazards Management Planning.
Following Hurricane Katrina, Smith worked in the Mississippi Office of the Governor, serving as the Director of the Office of Recovery and Renewal. In this role, he and his staff focused on four primary tasks, including: the identification of federal, corporate, non-profit and foundation financial assistance; the provision of education, outreach and training to local governments and state agencies; providing counsel to the governor, his staff and state agency officials regarding disaster recovery policy issues, and the implementation of the Governor’s Commission Report: After Katrina: Building Back Better than Ever. In this role he testified before Congress twice, providing recommended policy changes to improve the delivery of post-disaster recovery and reconstruction activities.
Workshop Abstracts
Who's at the Table? Examining Factors Driving Incorporation of Land Use Approaches in Hazard Mitigation Plans
With Ward Lyles and Philip Berke
Social Network Analysis of Hazard Mitigation Planning
With Ward Lyles and Philip Berke
