Practitioners Meeting Schedule

Panel I: NHMA Partnerships for Mitigation: Research to Practice

This panel includes two presentations detailing how two of NHMA’s key partnerships are putting research to practice.

Presentation I:

Moderator:
Tom Hughes, Director, Emergency Management Mitigation, Insurance & Resilient Communities Office, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency

Panelists:
Virginia Silvis, Postdoctoral Scholar, Earth & Environmental Systems Institute, Penn State University
Nicole Sturges, Assistant Director, Center for Survey Research, Institute of State & Regional Affairs, Co-chair, Staff Advisory Council (SAC) Penn State Harrisburg

Presentation II:

Moderator:
Ed Hecker, Director of Operations, NHMA

Panelists:
Rachel Riley, Director, Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program Oklahoma Climatological Survey University of Oklahoma
Caroline Cunningham, Associate Vice President, Resilience Solutions, Dewberry
Shanene Thomas, Hazard Mitigation Planner, FEMA Region 6

Initial findings will be presented from a research project that focused on building capacity for hazard mitigation planning and practice in under-resourced, disadvantaged communities. The presentation will be followed by a discussion amongst the panelists and audience. The project is a collaboration amongst representatives of academic, non-profit, federal, and local organizations. Audience members will learn about some of the hazard mitigation planning and capacity solutions that are in development and be asked for additional suggestions that can be explored. The solutions can potentially benefit both communities and those with whom they interact.

Panel II: Enabling Resource Strategies for Community Resilience

Moderator
Caroline Cunningham, Associate Vice President, Strategy Lead for Resilience Practice, Dewberry

Panelists
Tom Leatherbee, Senior Director, Conservation Funding and Partnerships, National Audubon Society
Kate Norris, Hazard Mitigation Planner, Witt O'Briens
Brad Bartholomew, Project Manager, CDM Smith

Panel III: Training and Tools for Hazard Mitigation

Moderator
Wendy Blackwell, Climate and Resilience Senior Lead, SWCA Environmental Consultants

Panelists
Katie Skakel, Community Engagement & Outreach Specialist, Colorado State University
Khai Hoan Nguyen, Climate Resilience Senior Specialist, Denver's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, Resiliency
Sydney Brown, Associate VP, Disaster Recovery Program Management, AECOM

This panel will highlight the understanding that Hazard Mitigation Planning does not have a “one size fits all” solution. Communities must identify what their unique vulnerabilities and hazards are in order to properly make any mitigation decisions. The presenters on this panel have identified problems and have taken action to develop tools that can be integrated into resiliency planning with a focus on the specific needs of the local community. The panel will emphasize the importance of communication between local entities, researchers, and decision-makers. This panel will also touch on how vulnerable and at-risk populations can be thoughtfully considered in mitigation plans and recovery efforts. The information presented hopes to increase public risk awareness, support policy advocacy and reform, provide a consistent basis for city-level planning, and promote accountability and transparency in how decisions and resources are prioritized.