YOUR PARTNERS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

804-304-4822
paul@em-partners.com

Paul is a respected and proven industry leader, management consultant, entrepreneur and community leader who has dedicated more than 25 years to assisting public and private sector clients plan for, and recover from natural and man-made disasters. He has supported some of the nation’s largest, most complex, and most successful recovery efforts including the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster, Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. He has led teams of multi-disciplined professionals, managing and directly supervising more than $8B in FEMA Public Assistance grants written by FEMA or contractor staff encompassing hazards including flood, hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms and terrorist attacks.

Since his first disaster deployment in 1998, through the subsequent 50+ disaster recovery operations he has supported, Paul has built a reputation as a conscientious problem-solver, strategic planner, sought after protégé…then mentor, process improvement and management consultant.

Paul is recognized as a national leader in debris management planning and operations. He has deployed as a Debris Advisor on numerous assignments in support of FEMA Public Assistance, including the attack on the World Trade Center, where he led a team responsible for capturing all debris-related costs associated with the removal and processing of 1.6M tons of debris. He has also served as a Debris Advisor to FEMA on the 2004 Hurricanes in FL, Hurricane Isabel in VA and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In 2013 following Superstorm Sandy in NJ, Paul served as the FEMA Compliance Manager for NJ Department of Environmental Protection, responsible for the management of waterway debris removal in NJ state waters, the largest waterway debris removal operation in our country’s history.

Paul has supported FEMA in developing doctrine and policies which are implemented across the US and its territories. Paul was the primary author for several FEMA documents, including FEMA 325, Debris Management Guide; FEMA 327 Debris Monitoring Guide and He is a FEMA-certified trainer and has developed and delivered disaster recovery training for jurisdictions across the country.

Paul lives in the Richmond, VA area. He thrives on spending time with his two children and supporting their activities and growth. In his “spare time”, he is a high school varsity soccer coach and volunteers his time and resources at several non-profits in the community, including a local food bank as well as the Goochland Education Foundation.

kendra@em-partners.com

Kendra is a dedicated and detail-oriented accounting professional. She has a proven track record of helping organizations meet their accounting and business needs for almost two decades. Kendra is versatile, having worked in a variety of industries, including the real estate, industrial, and distribution sectors. Kendra is a creative problem-solver, multi-tasker and leader. She is known for her accuracy, attention to detail, strategic thinking, and communication skills.

Kendra holds a BS degree in Accounting and a MBA. During her almost 20 years of accounting and bookkeeping experience, Kendra has managed corporate accounting, performed financial analysis, and compiled and reviewed financial statements. Kendra also has experience with human resources and payroll management. She brings a critical eye to her review of financial transactions. Kendra supports EM Partners by managing accounting operations and human resources.

In addition to working at EM Partners, Kendra loves spending time with her sons and having get-togethers with her extended family as much as possible. Kendra also volunteers her time with the Special Olympics. She is a huge sports fan and enjoys traveling, music, great acting, cooking, and finding new recipes.

Ashleigh Makuch is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) with over 10 years of experience in emergency management, having held positions in state, higher education, and county agencies. Her background includes emergency operations planning, continuity planning, training and exercise development, and emergency operations center activations. She is also experienced in human services, including mass care, community recovery and Individual Assistance, and voluntary agency and private sector coordination. Ashleigh’s significant achievements include, rewriting the Arizona State Emergency Response and Recovery Plan, working Arizona’s COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery, providing technical review of federal and gubernatorial declaration documents, and supporting wildfires, flooding, and other disasters in Arizona. She is an instructor for continuity of operations planning courses and FEMA National Emergency Management Basic Academy courses. Ashleigh also serves as an assessor for the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) in support of professionalization and implementation of national standards for the emergency management industry.

Kirby@em-partners.com

Kirby Felts has over 20 years professional experience in emergency management serving public, private, and higher education organizations. Her career has involved the management of people, relationships, projects, information, proposals, financials, and technology. Kirby is driven to support clients with compassion, creativity, originality, and open-mindedness in pursuit of project goal.

Most recently, Kirby has led a team in supporting the Virginia Department of Emergency Management on hurricane contingency planning and hurricane sheltering projects.  She is also managing EM Partner’s contract with the State of Oregon in developing a COVID-19 After-Action Report.  Prior to EM-Partners, Kirby was the Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Charlottesville, University of Virginia (UVA), and Albemarle County, Virginia. She ran the regional emergency management program and acted as liaison between local, state and federal resources during disasters. With only a few weeks at the helm, she coordinated the regional response to the 2012 Derecho, a federally declared incident involving a severe thunderstorm with straight-line winds that left much of the area without power for multiple days during an extreme heat wave. Kirby was selected as the Emergency Management Professional of the Year for 2014 by the Virginia Emergency Management Association for logistics and communication support to the search for missing UVA student Hannah Graham, an effort that garnered national attention.

Kirby’s formal education has had useful applicability to her emergency management experiences. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology from the College of William and Mary and a graduate degree in journalism with a focus on public relations from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is married with two teenage young men.  She lives with them and two ridiculous dogs, a cat, and 10 chickens near Crozet, VA.

Stephanie is an enthusiastic and highly organized EM Partners team member with extensive experience in training and program coordination.  She works best when armed with a strong cup of coffee and a deadline. No deadline? No problem. She’ll help realistically navigate deliverables using her extensive project management skills.

Stephanie’s career spans more than a decade managing and planning training conferences, most recently for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). She’s also worked with Federal disaster response initiatives and response training, including time at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during Hurricane Katrina.

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University, with a concentration in Homeland Security. She maintains a Real Estate license in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

A competitor to her core, Stephanie enjoys running, reading, and trying to keep her (many) indoor plants alive. She resides in Northern Virginia with her two young children.

Samuel has over 8 years of professional experience.  He has spent the majority of his career in emergency management, public administration, and public health. He has experience assisting local and state governments with FEMA and ASPR programmatic and financial management before, during, and after disasters. Sam has served as a member of a state emergency response team supporting response and recovery operations across the United States. He is an experienced program and project manager having previously overseen the delivery of regulatory requirements for CMS and Joint Commission healthcare facilities. Samuel has extensive education and experience in public administration, leveraging research and analytical thinking to support public safety agencies during planning, process improvement, and exercise projects.

Aaron Walker is a dedicated emergency management professional with experience in higher education, county agencies as well as business continuity. With his passion for ensuring the safety and the resilience of communities, he has gained valuable experience through various roles in emergency management and business resilience. During his time at the University of Richmond, Aaron played a pivotal role in enhancing campus-wide preparedness by leading the update of Continuity of Operations Plans for over 40 campus departments. He ensures seamless operations during unforeseen disruptions through effective communication and outreach efforts. 

During his time with a county agency, Aaron contributed significantly to the enhancement of community-wide emergency response plans by strategically revising protocols and conducting comprehensive research. Additionally, Aaron’s experience in business continuity showcased his ability to orchestrate comprehensive health and safety programs. By spearheading the launch of a crisis-management mobile app and conducting detailed business impact analysis, Aaron demonstrated a proactive approach to mitigating risks and ensuring continuity of operations. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness from Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Aaron is located in Richmond, Virginia. When he’s not working, he enjoys traveling to new places, lifting weights and hiking. 

Driven by a passion for emergency management, Taylor is a dedicated professional with experience at the city, county, and federal levels. With a Bachelors of Science in Global Security and Intelligence Studies paired with a minor in Emergency Management and Planning, she brings a unique blend of knowledge and innovation to every project.

Taylor’s passion for this field started at Coconino County Emergency Management where Taylor assumed an essential role in the COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Here she orchestrated the design and execution of COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites as well as managing the strategic distribution of Personal Protective Equipment for the county. Simultaneously, Taylor also participated in the Rafael Fire EOC, and the Museum Fire Flood EOC, adapting efficiently to diverse daily operations.

While fulfilling investigative duties at the Prescott Valley Police Department, Taylor redesigned Prescott Valley’s EOC to ensure maximum efficiency for both Emergency Management and Law Enforcement needs. Subsequently, Taylor then spent two years with federal law enforcement, where her expertise proved to be instrumental in redesigning dynamic crisis management procedures to be adopted agency wide during daily tactical operations and critical response incidents.

As a homegrown Arizonan, Taylor loves to spend her free time in the mountains hiking, skiing, or reading a good book. When taking time off from work she enjoys traveling and using her Spanish speaking proficiency. Taylor also volunteers her time with Girls on The Run, an organization she grew up with.

Vincent Liotto is a seasoned professional with over 13 years of dedicated experience in the fields of Individual Assistance (IA) and Public Assistance (PA). Throughout his career, Vincent has been instrumental in managing and coordinating disaster recovery efforts across various regions, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to supporting communities in times of crisis, working on a wide range of natural disasters.

Beginning his career in 2011, Vincent quickly rose through the ranks, showcasing his expertise in assessing and addressing the needs of individuals and communities affected by Hurricane Katrina.  His comprehensive understanding of FEMA IA enables him to efficiently navigate the complexities of disaster relief programs, ensuring timely and effective support for those in need.

In addition to his proficiency in IA, Vincent has also excelled in PA, where he has played a pivotal role in facilitating the recovery of public infrastructure and services. His strategic approach and ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies and municipalities affected by Hurricane Laura and Delta, have consistently yielded successful outcomes in rebuilding communities and enhancing resilience.

Vincent is an alumnus of Nichol State University, which has provided him with a solid foundation in emergency management and disaster response. His leadership skills and dedication to service have earned him recognition for his contributions to disaster recovery efforts throughout his career.

Currently as the Disaster Recovery Program Manager for Emergency Management Partners, Vincent continues to leverage his expertise to make a meaningful impact in the field of disaster recovery, ensuring that communities receive the support they need to recover and thrive in the aftermath of disasters.  Vincent is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time with his daughter.

Leon Tarver currently serves as a Project Manager for EM Partners and has over 19 years of experience in the emergency management and disaster management industry.  Before joining EM Partners, Leon held several positions within the Federal Emergency Management Agency from Long Term Community Recovery, Individual Assistance, Intergovernmental/Congressional Affairs and Public Assistance.  He also served in leadership roles such as Deputy Public Assistance Training Lead, Deputy Task Order Manager, and the FEMA Spokesperson for the White House Roundtable Discussion for the Gulf Coast Recovery. (BP Oil Spill)

He also just completed a recent stint as Project Manager for Alaska overseeing a $25 million project spanning over 10 disasters that included both Project Formulation and Closeout under Public Assistance.

Wes Dison is a career public safety official with more than 42 years of service and as a member of the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security Executive Leaders Program (Cohort 1901), a lifetime student of heartfelt leadership. He began public service with 32 years of law enforcement in southern AZ, retiring as Commander in the Specialized Response Division with the Tucson Police Dept., responsible for SWAT/Hostage, EOD, Aviation, Canine and Dignitary Protection. During this assignment he was also the City of Tucson Emergency Manager and Administrator of the Southern AZ Urban Area Security Initiative (TUASI). He transitioned to service at the state level as a Special Agent Supervisor for the AZ Attorney General’s Office, assigned to the Border Crimes Unit. He retired from law enforcement to accept a position with the AZ Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Emergency Management Division, as the Assistant Director of Operations and Preparedness. He then accepted the position of Director of Emergency Management for Coconino County (home of the Grand Canyon), the second largest county in the United States. In this position he was the chief policy and operational advisor to the County Board of Supervisors on disaster response and resilience efforts across the county, and other public safety matters. He served as the EOC Manager/Director for the county All-Hazards EOC and is a Gold Card credentialed EOC Manager/Director through the AZ State Emergency Management authority. He serves as an advisor to local, county, state, national, and tribal emergency management agencies on program policy and implementation, EOC development and design, grant funding and management, and emergency declaration processes. He has extensive experience in the political arena to include having served on the AZ Governor’s Department of Homeland Security North Region Advisory Council.

Kristin Conville is an accomplished emergency manager with 19 years of experience in planning, training, and exercise heavily focused on the transportation sector.  Her background includes a variety of federal service and private entity roles.  Most noteworthy is her service in the United States Coast Guard where her career in emergency management began. Here, Ms. Conville provided oversight for hazmat response as a Federal On-Scene Coordinator and managed large-scale maritime and environmental incidents as Incident Commander or Planning Section Chief.  She then continued on the path of federal service with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III in Philadelphia, where accomplishments include medical countermeasures planning for the cities of Philadelphia and the District of Columbia.

In her role as lead planner at Amtrak, Ms. Conville was responsible for strategic and operational planning along with the development of their Family Assistance Program and led the readiness and deployment of the Incident Response Team during her 10-year tenure.  She is a successful Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) accreditation manager and assessor.  She holds an MS degree in Homeland Security and Organizational Leadership.

Rebecca is a dynamic marketing and advertising professional with 18 years of experience leading successful and impactful marketing campaigns. She possesses knowledge and expertise in market research, CRM programs, and design principles. Rebecca’s background includes 4 years of experience in successfully leading end-to-end proposal development processes for government contracts. She possesses proven expertise in coordinating with cross-functional teams, ensuring compliance with solicitation requirements, and delivering high-quality, compelling submissions. She is adept at managing multiple proposals simultaneously and has a strong attention to detail.

Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing from Strayer University, an Associate of Business degree with a major in Marketing from Greenville Technical College, and an Associate of Applied Science degree with a major in Paralegal studies from Greenville Technical College.

In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys reading, yoga, and spending time with family and friends. She resides in the Upstate of South Carolina with her four Shih Tzu.

Andrew is a committed emergency services executive with extensive leadership and management experience in the modern, all-hazards emergency planning and response environment. He possesses strong collaborative skills with a consistent track record of success in leading multi-disciplinary teams in developing solutions to complex adaptive challenges in high-risk environments. 

After a 20-year career with the Henrico County Division of Fire, Andrew served as the Fire Chief for the Charlottesville Fire Department from 2015 – 2020. As fire chief, Andrew spearheaded efforts to transform and modernize the City’s approach to emergency management, adding Emergency Management Coordinator functions to the fire chief job duties and developing and providing oversight for the City’s first Committee on Safety and Emergency Preparedness.  

Andrew provided key leadership as an incident commander in the regional emergency operations center during the 2017 civil unrest in Charlottesville. He also served as a member of the Unified Command Team for the one-year anniversary of the August 2017 civil disturbance and provided strategic direction for local, regional, and state executives and elected officials. The Charlottesville Fire Department received the 2017 Governor’s Award for Outstanding Fire Department Response to the August 12, 2017, Unite the Right Rally.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Virginia, is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Service Executive Development Institute. In 2015, Andrew received an Outstanding Applied Research Award from the National Fire Academy for his research on psychological resilience in firefighters. Andrew is licensed as a Registered Nurse and is a Nationally Registered Paramedic.

In addition to his work with EM-Partners, Andrew enjoys spending time with his wife Barb and their two adult children, Kate, and Peter. Andrew and his wife are small business owners and volunteer in support of the Charlottesville Regional Autism Action Group, The Autism Sanctuary, and Special Olympics.

Sandra (Sandy) Heiss is a certified project manager (PMP) with over 30 years of experience in program management, business operations, and communications. Field experience with FEMA includes multiple deployments for hurricanes, floods, winter storms, and pandemics. Having written and submitted over 100 grant applications across all categories of permanent and emergency work, Sandy also performed closeouts, acted in policy advisory roles, wrote determination memos, composed briefing papers, and delivered situational reports for public officials and key decision makers. Her professional background includes significant experience managing, maintaining, and analyzing databases – including numerous FEMA applications and performing quality assurance and compliance reviews. Her previous roles include almost a decade as the public information lead for a regional blood center and another 10 years in multi -national database marketing and CRM.

Jacinda is a hard-working, critical thinker who desires to never stop learning. She graduated from Regent University with her Doctorate in Strategic Leadership to learn how as a leader she can best serve her followers to bring success to any project she is a part of.

Jacinda graduated from the University of South Florida with her Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology. She first began working in the public health field for the University of Michigan conducting diabetes research where she co-authored two publications about the relationship of diabetes and stress. She came to work for EM Partners 6 months ago to join the fight against Covid-19. Jacinda’s attention to detail, love for analytics and strategic planning skills were a huge asset to creating and managing the Virginia Volunteer Vaccinator
Registry. During this project EM Partners worked with the Virginia Department of Health to credential medical professionals to serve as volunteer vaccinators.

When Jacinda is not working she can be found trail running or lifting weights; she travels the country competing in Spartan races with her husband. She also volunteers at her church serving as a Sunday School teacher as well as a youth group leader.

Gary “Gator” Gaston has 15 years of emergency management experience, starting with Hurricane Ivan in 2005 as a Debris Monitor in Florida. He has also provided FEMA Public Assistance support following disasters in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, New York, Illinois, North and South Dakota. He has served as a CRC Specialist, Debris Monitor and Specialist, Mobile Home Inspector, Review Specialist and Project Specialist. He was also a foreman during the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf Coast in 2010.  Gator maintains a claims adjusters license, as well.

Since coming on board with EM Partners, he has written projects for every category of work. He is presently writing projects involving COVID-19 and vaccinations as a Document Validation Specialist at FEMA’s CRC East. Gator brings a great work ethic, experience, positive attitude, team mentality, and a smile.

Gator holds a BA degree in Sociology with a minor in Psychology. Prior to transitioning to a career in emergency management, Gator worked for the Florida Department of Corrections and taught high school social studies.

Gator loves to spend time with his family, play basketball, play music and travel. During his spare time, he enjoys construction work with his “carpenter” friends, doing renovations and interior decorations.

Derrick is an experienced emergency management specialist with almost 30 years of experience.  He holds an Associate’s degree in Architectural Engineering Technology as well as a Bachelor of Science in Management.  Derrick has had a diverse and successful career, covering a wide array of specialties.  Derrick has developed strategic leadership skillsets along with company’s best practices for safety standards, local/state/federal government codes and FEMA Public Assistance policies. Derrick has also utilized his skill set to focus on organizational growth and profitability along with leading and managing operational functions.  This included implementing processes to optimize workflow in the construction and health care arena, along with the government (including FEMA) clients.

Derrick has provided technical expertise to validate disaster-related damages, scopes of works, cost estimates, and proposals for the restoration of damaged facilities following federally declared disasters. Derrick is proficient in FEMA’s Grants Manager for processing Public Assistance projects, as well as with Cost Estimating Format using RS Means.  He has also conducted preliminary damage assessments.

Cody S. Hull J.D., Emergency Management Consultant, began working for the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office in the Consumer Protection Department in 2014 while attending Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, Mississippi. At MC School of Law Cody became a founding member of the Diversity Coalition, a student/faculty committee dedicated to promoting diversity at the Law School and beyond. Additionally, Cody served as Vice-President of the Sports & Entertainment Law Society at MC Law. Cody was born and raised in Hattiesburg, Mississippi where he attended the University of Southern Mississippi and he earned a full scholarship as a Division-1 Running Back for the University of Southern Mississippi football team. Hull holds both the New Orleans Bowl record and Southern Miss bowl records with a career-high 37 carries for 161 yards. While attending Southern Miss Cody was elected by his teammates to serve as a team representative for SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee), a committee assembled to provide insight on the student-athletes experience and offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on campus. Additionally, Cody earned his BA in Mass Communications/ Broadcast Journalism. Cody made his entry into the disaster recovery world in 2017 as an IA Site Inspector with Hurricane Irma in Florida, he then was asked to help IA recovery efforts in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. He then transitioned into the PA recovery world as a PDMG following Hurricane Harvey’s destruction in Texas. The premise of helping someone in need is what brought Cody to the disaster world and it is what continues to be his daily focus. Cody resides in Houston, Texas with his beautiful wife and three beautiful daughters. Cody enjoys spending time with family, writing scripts, snow skiing, swimming, golfing, cycling, jet skiing, traveling and anything else that can get him outside and active.