This page provides information about the FEMA National Advisory Council, current membership, meeting information, and more.
Overview
The National Advisory Council (NAC) advises the Administrator on all aspects of emergency management, including preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other manmade disasters. Legislation required that FEMA establish the NAC to ensure input from and coordination with state, local, tribal, and territorial government, nonprofit, and private-sector emergency management communities on the development and revision of plans and strategies; the administration of and assessment of FEMA’s grant programs; and the development and evaluation of risk assessment methodologies.
About NAC Membership
FEMA is not accepting applications for NAC membership at this time. Check back in November 2018 for information about applying for positions open in 2019.
Appointments
The NAC consists of up to 35 members appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Administrator as Representatives, Special Government Employees (SGEs), or Ex Officio. To the extent practical, members are geographically diverse and represent a substantive cross-section of officials, emergency managers, and emergency response providers from state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations.
The Administrator appoints NAC members to three-year terms, with approximately one-third expiring each year. NAC members may apply to serve a consecutive three-year term.
Responsibilities
Committee Meetings. The NAC generally holds public in-person meetings two times per year. Meetings last up to three days.
Subcommittee Participation. FEMA assigns each NAC member to a standing subcommittee. As part of subcommittee work, members receive briefings, review information, conduct additional research, and draft recommendations.
Input and Coordination. NAC members represent a broad range of constituents and are experts in a number of communities of practice. SGE members speak as experts in their field and representative members speak for the stakeholder group they represent.
Recommendations. Members use subcommittee meetings to develop potential recommendations and discuss, deliberate, and finalize recommendations at in-person committee meetings. The NAC provides the FEMA Administrator with advice and counsel through these recommendations.
Membership Expectations
- Attend in-person committee meetings
- Actively participate in subcommittee calls and complete necessary subcommittee work
- Bring experience and expertise, along with diversity of views and willingness to express them
- Provide advice and counsel to the Administrator through informed recommendations
Members
On September 1, 2018, ten members completed their terms on the Council. As of November 1, 2018, new member appointments have not yet been made to the FEMA National Advisory Council. See the full roster and list of current National Advisory Council members:
W. Nim Kidd, NAC Chair
Chief
Texas Division of Emergency Management
Austin, Texas
Non-Elected State Government Officials (Representative); Term ends: 2019
Jeff Hansen, NAC Vice Chair
Emergency Manager
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Durant, Oklahoma
Non-Elected Tribal Government Officials (Representative); Term ends: 2020
Jeanne Abadie
Compliance Specialist
Advocacy Center
New Orleans, Louisiana
Disabilities, Access and Functional Needs (Representative); Term ends: 2020
Gabriele Almon
Independent Consultant
Monrovia, California
Administrator’s Selection, Emerging Leader, (SGE); Term ends: 2019
Sue Anne Bell
Clinical Associate Professor
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Health Scientist (SGE); Term ends: 2020
Donald Bliss
Vice President, Field Operations
National Fire Protection Association
Quincy, Massachusetts
Standards Setting and Accrediting (Representative); Term ends: 2020
Donna Boston
Director, Emergency Management Division
Orange County Sheriff’s Department
Silverado, California
Administrator’s Selection (SGE); Term ends: 2019
John Doak
Insurance Commissioner
Oklahoma Insurance Department
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Administrator’s Selection (SGE); Term ends: 2020
Paul Downing
Indian Township Tribal Council Member; Emergency Manager
Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township
Indian Township, Maine
Elected Tribal Government Officials (Representative); Term ends: 2020
August Geisinger
Executive Director
Safeguard Iowa Partnership
Des Moines, Iowa
Infrastructure Protection (SGE); Term ends: 2020
Peter Ginaitt
Environmental Health and Safety Officer and Emergency Manager
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
Providence, Rhode Island
Standards Setting and Accrediting (Representative); Term ends: 2019
John Grathwol
Deputy Director
New York City Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget
New York, New York
Administrator’s Selection (SGE); Term ends: 2020
Eugene Henry
Hazard Mitigation Manager
Hillsborough County
Tampa, Florida
Non-Elected Local Government Officials (Representative); Term ends: 2019
Chris Howell
Director of Tribal Relations
BNSF Railway Company
Lawrence, Kansas
Administrator’s Selection (SGE); Term ends: 2019
Lisa Jones
Director
City of Phoenix Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Phoenix, Arizona
Administrator’s Selection (SGE); Term ends: 2020
June Kailes
Associate Director
Harris Family Center for Disability and Health Policy
Playa del Rey, California
Disabilities, Access and Functional Needs (Representative); Term ends: 2019
Emily Kidd
Texas Medical Director
Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc.
San Antonio, Texas
Emergency Medical Providers (SGE); Term ends: 2019
Anna Lang
Research Engineer, Founder
Zylient
San Diego, California
Administrator’s Selection (SGE); Term ends: 2020
Linda Langston
Director of Strategic Relations
National Association of Counties
Washington, DC
Administrator’s Selection (SGE); Term ends: 2019
Linda Long
Battalion Chief
Philadelphia Fire Department
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Emergency Response Providers (Representative); Term ends: 2020
Suzet McKinney
Executive Director
Illinois Medical District Commission
Chicago, Illinois
Public Health (SGE); Term ends: 2019
Robert Salesses
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Integration and DSCA
U.S. Department of Defense
Washington, DC
Ex-Officio; Term ends: 2019
Jeff Stern
State Coordinator
Virginia Division of Emergency Management
Richmond, Virginia
Emergency Management (Representative); Term ends: 2019
Tina Titze
Director
South Dakota Office of Emergency Management
Pierre, South Dakota
Emergency Management (Representative); Term ends: 2020
James Waskom
Director, Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Administrator’s Selection (SGE); Term ends: 2020
For more information on how to apply for NAC membership, visit our application page.
Meetings
Information and materials from past meetings can be found in the Archive of Meeting Materials.
2018 Meetings
- May 22-24, 2018; San Diego, California, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina. See meeting materials here.
- November 6-8, 2018; Washington, DC, National Association of Counties. See meeting agenda here.
Subcommittees
The NAC may establish subcommittees and working groups for any purpose consistent with its Charter. Subcommittees and working groups may not work independently from the NAC and must report their recommendations and advice to the NAC for full deliberation and discussions. Subcommittees and working groups have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the NAC and may not report directly to the Administrator or any other entity.
The NAC has three standing subcommittees: the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Subcommittee, the Preparedness and Protection Subcommittee, and the Response and Recovery Subcommittee. These subcommittees are comprised entirely of NAC members.
The NAC also has two Congressionally mandated subcommittees: the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Subcommittee and RESPONSE Act Subcommittee. One or more members of the NAC participate on these subcommittees.
Recommendations
The NAC provides the FEMA Administrator with advice and counsel through recommendations developed by its subcommittees and deliberated and voted on at its committee meetings.
See Recommendations and Responses.
Contact Information
For more information about the NAC or questions about this page, please contact the Office of the National Advisory Council.
Email: FEMA-NAC@fema.dhs.gov
Phone: (202) 646-2700
Fax: (540) 504-2331
Mailing Address:
Office of the National Advisory Council
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street SW
Washington, DC 20472-3184
Information on how to submit a FOIA Claim.