Samantha Medlock

Samantha Medlock is president of Climate Risk Advisors, helping governments and institutions advance equity, sustainability, and resilience in the face of climate and disaster risks. Her career began on the ground in Flash Flood Alley, responding to floods as a local official—an experience that continues to shape her practical, community-focused approach to serving client needs.

Until May 2025, Medlock served as Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistant administrator for resilience strategy, leading agency-wide policy, doctrine, and strategy for the National Flood Insurance Program, hazard mitigation, and grant programs. Prior to FEMA, she was Senior Counsel to the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, overseeing legislative strategy on science, public health, infrastructure, finance, and national security. Her federal service also includes senior roles at the White House Office of Management and Budget and the Council on Environmental Quality, where she led efforts to modernize federal flood policies and coordinate national resilience initiatives in collaboration with state, local, and private sector partners.

Earlier in her career, Medlock worked in the private sector developing insurance and risk management solutions and served as Policy Counsel to the Association of State Floodplain Managers, where she helped shape national standards for floodplain management. For her contributions to flood and levee safety after Hurricane Katrina, she was awarded the Army Commander’s Award for Public Service.

Medlock holds a Juris Doctor from Vermont Law School and a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, from Texas Woman’s University. Her academic work includes appointments at multiple law schools and the University of Cambridge.