Carolyn Harshman

Joining the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) 25 years ago, Ms. Harshman has enjoyed several leadership opportunities including Conference Committee Chair, Membership Committee Chair, Leadership Symposium Chair, Region 9 President, and now IAEM-USA President. IAEM-USA has over 5,200 members and maintains the certification program offering Associate Emergency Manager® and Certified Emergency Manager®.

A Certified Emergency Manager® with more than 30 years of experience in the field, Carolyn is the President of Emergency Planning Consultants based in San Diego, California. Plans, training, and exercise consulting services are provided to a range of government entities. EPC specializes in hazard mitigation planning. Like many others, Carolyn entered the field of emergency management as a second career. Her first career was a professional land use planner for the City of San Diego and County of San Diego with a range of duties including subdivisions, development permits, zoning ordinance revisions, community planning, and redevelopment projects. Thanks to a random temporary assignment with the County of San Diego’s Office of Disaster Preparedness to update the Emergency Operations Plan, Ms. Harshman found a new career in emergency management. 

Ms. Harshman is proud to have participated in the first cohort of the National Emergency Management Executive Academy and the first cohort of FEMA’s new Vanguard Fellowship Crisis Leaders Program. A life-long native of San Diego, Carolyn holds a Master of Public Administration from San Diego State University. She lives in San Diego with her spouse Mary Claire Cuthbert, RN.