Hazard Mitigation Partners Workshop
The annual gathering of hazard mitigation stakeholders is an opportunity to share updates about mitigation grants and floodplain management, build stronger partnerships, and collaborate with FEMA.
Date: February 5, 2024 - February 8, 2024
Important Date
Event Details
The 2024 Hazard Mitigation Partners Workshop, All Together for Climate Resilient Communities: Equity, Partnerships, Capability & Capacity, will bring together more than 1500 participants from federal agencies, states, local communities, tribes and territories, as well as private sector entities, non-profit organizations, and others who work in emergency management, floodplain management, and hazard mitigation.
Daily themes:
Monday, February 5, 2024: Equity
Tuesday, February 6, 2024: Partnerships
Wednesday, February 7, 2024: Capacity & Capability Building
Thursday, February 8, 2024: Hazard Mitigation and Floodplain Management Training Sessions
2024 Hazard Mitigation Partners Virtual Workshop Agenda
Day 1
Equity: Whole Community Successes Through Working Together
Monday, February 5, 2024, Noon to 3:45 p.m. ET
Time | Presentation | Speakers |
Noon | Opening Remarks | FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell |
| Words of Inspiration | Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (invited) | |
| Plenary Session: Moving Towards More Equitable Mitigation | Moderator: Department of Homeland Security, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Director Marcus Coleman Panelists: FEMA Region 3, Mitigation Division, Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist Maggie Dunn FEMA Office of External Affairs, National Tribal Affairs Advocate Kelbie Kennedy | |
1:10 p.m. | Break | |
1:25 p.m.
| Session 1A: Community Disaster Resilience Zones | FEMA, Office of Resilience Strategy, Senior Policy Advisor Jeanine Petterson |
| Session 1B: Climate 101 | FEMA, Office of Resilience Strategy, Senior Policy Advisor Jeanine Petterson | |
| Session 2: Advancing Equitable Planning and Resilience Through Solutions-Based Federal Partnership: FEMA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation | FEMA, Hazard Mitigation Specialist Katherine Baum
| |
| Session 3A: Applying CISA’s Infrastructure Resilience Planning Framework to Hazard Mitigation for Rural Water and Wastewater Systems – A Kentucky Case Study | CISA/IAA, Resilience Services Branch Analyst Spencer Whitaker
| |
| Session 3B: Sustainable Post-Typhoon Merbok Mitigation Efforts in Underserved Western Alaska | The University of Alaska Fairbanks, Masters in Homeland Security and Disaster Management, retired USCG Captain Daryl Schaffer The University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Center for Arctic Security & Resilience Deputy Director Dr. John Pennington | |
| Session 4: Mitigation Planning Policy Changes: Planning for Climate Change and Equitable Outcomes | FEMA, Planning and Safety Branch Emergency Management Specialist, Lorena Reyes | |
2:25 p.m. | Break | |
2:35 p.m.
| Session 1: Building Better Buyouts: Perspectives from Lived and Learned Experience | Natural Resources Defense Council, People & Communities Program Senior Policy Analyst Anna Weber |
| Session 2: Tribal Mitigation Planning Policy Update – Tribal Feedback Session | FEMA, Planning and Safety Branch Community Planner Cathleen Carlisle | |
| Session 3A: Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation | National Housing Trust, Policy and Solutions Managing Director Danielle Arigoni | |
| Session 3B: Shelter from the Storm: Flood Resilience with and for Unsheltered Communities | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Water Resources Planner Lindsay Floyd USACE, Flood Risk Program Manager Jessica Ludy | |
| Session 4: Equitable Resilience Through Beyond-Code Construction | Smart Home America, President and CEO Julie Shiyou-Woodard | |
3:35 p.m. | Daily Wrap Up | FEMA, Mitigation Deputy Assistant Administrator Eric Letvin |
Day 2
Partnerships Come Together in Climate Resilience
Tuesday, February 6, 2024, Noon to 3:45 p.m. ET
| Time | Presentation | Speaker |
Noon | Opening Remarks | FEMA Office of External Affairs, Director of External Affairs Justin Knighten |
| Words of Inspiration | FEMA, Resilience Strategy Assistant Administrator Samantha Medlock | |
| Plenary Session: Leveraging Partners to Build Whole Community Resilience | Moderator: FEMA, Community and Private Partner Outreach Denver Applehans Panelists: | |
1:10 p.m. | Break | |
1:25 p.m.
| Session 1: Creative Sector Collaboration: The Key to Achieving Equity in Mitigation Planning | National Coalition for Arts Preparedness & Emergency Response Executive Director Jan Newcomb Air Collaborative, Executive Director Beth Flowers |
| Session 2: Leveraging Department of Defense (DOD) Funding as a Non-Federal Match for Mutually Beneficial Nature-Based Solutions | Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, Community Investment Deputy Director Dan Glasson. Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Energy, Installations and Environment) REPI Projects and Resources Director Andy Porth | |
| Session 3A: Promoting Equity and Partnerships in Mitigation: Opportunities Through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) | FEMA, Regional Support Team Program Analyst Melanie Perello | |
| Session 3B: Advancing Building Codes and Breaking Down Barriers | FEMA, Policy and Regulations Section Program Analyst Cliona Roberts. FEMA, Building Science Branch Lead Physical Scientist John Ingargiola | |
| Session 4A: Coordinating Regional Resilience Partners to Integrate Future Climate Flood Risk in Vulnerable Coastal New Hampshire Communities | NH Coastal Program, Resilience Project Manager Jennifer Gilbert | |
| Session 4B: Incorporating Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) Compliance into Wildfire Mitigation Grants | FEMA, Environmental Office, FEMA Grant Programs Liaison Caroline Walz | |
2:25 p.m. | Break | |
2:35 p.m.
| Session 1: Exceptions to the Rules: Growing Mitigation Partnerships and Opportunities Throughout Alaska | FEMA, Risk Analysis Branch Community Planner Jennifer N. Adleman
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| Session 2: HMA Roundtable | FEMA, Risk Analysis Branch Community Planner Jennifer N. Adleman | |
Session 3: FPM Roundtable
| FEMA, Risk Analysis Branch Community Planner Jennifer N. Adleman | |
3:35 p.m. | Daily Wrap Up | FEMA, Hazard Mitigation Assistance Director (Acting) Gerilee Bennett |
Day 3
Building Skills to Foster Action: Capability and Capacity
Wednesday, February 7, 2024, Noon to 3:45 p.m. ET
| Time | Presentation | Speakers |
Noon
| Opening Remarks | FEMA, Hazard Mitigation Assistant Administrator Derrick Hiebert |
| Words of Inspiration | Speaker: FEMA, Resilience Deputy Administrator Victoria Salinas | |
| Plenary Session: Capability & Capacity as Key Elements to Building Whole Community Resilience | Moderator: FEMA, Mitigation Deputy Assistant Administrator Eric Letvin Panelists: International Code Council (ICC), Innovation Vice President Ryan Colker FEMA, Non-Disaster Grants Implementation Branch Chief Ryan Janda FEMA, Region 3 Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch Supervisory Community Planner Mari Radford | |
1:10 p.m. | Break | |
1:25 p.m.
| Session 1: FEMA Partners Driving Change in Hazard Mitigation | FEMA, Assistant Administrator, Hazard Mitigation Directorate Derrick Hiebert ASFPM, Executive Director Chad Berginnis National Hazard Mitigation Association, Chairman, Board of Directors Gary O’Neal Buckeye Hills Regional Council, Executive Director, Buckeye Hills Regional Council Chasity Schmelzenbach Maryland Department of Emergency Management, Secretary Russell J. Strickland |
| Session 2: Putting Mitigation Plans into Action | FEMA Region 3, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Branch Section Supervisor Sarah Cobelli Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) State Hazard Mitigation Officer Tom Hughes FEMA Region 3, Hazard Mitigation Planning Unit Supervisor Meesh Zucker | |
| Session 3A: Documenting Compliance with the Build America, Buy America Act | FEMA, Policy Branch Supervisory Program Specialist Nielsen R. Leon FEMA, Policy Branch Program Specialist Flor Manzanares | |
| Session 3B: Designing Approachable, Accessible, and Adaptable Flood Risk Communications: Updates to the Community Officials Toolkit | Resilience Action Partners, Senior Technical Specialist Lisa Messano | |
2:25 p.m. | Break
| |
2:35 p.m.
| Session 1: Safeguarding Tomorrow RLF: Applicant Experience Roundtable | FEMA, Hazard Mitigation Assistance Division Program Analyst Melissa Gallegos
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| Session 2: Applying Climate Information to Risk Management | FEMA, Engineering Resources Branch Emergency Management Specialist Sarah Abdelrahim FEMA, Resilience Offices Supervisory Physical Scientist Quentin Cummings NOAA, Communication, Education & Engagement Division Chief David Herring NOAA, Learning Product Development Program Manager Josh Murphy NOAA, Programs Assistant Director Summer Morlock White House Office of Science and Technology, Policy Services Deputy Director and US Global Change Research Program Climate Services Assistant Director Julian Reyes FEMA, Planning and Safety Branch Emergency Management Specialist Shubha Shrivastava | |
| Session 3: Delivering Direct Technical Assistance: Lessons Learned from the Field | FEMA, BRIC TEAM 3 Management Analyst Josh Human | |
| Session 4: NFIP Compliance Audit Update | FEMA, Floodplain Management Division Emergency Management Specialist Sarah Owen | |
3:35 p.m.
| Daily Wrap Up and Knowledge Exchange Roundtables
| FEMA, Floodplain Management Division Director Rachel Sears
|
Day 4
State Training Day: Floodplain Management
Participation in this training is by invitation for FEMA HQ and Regional Staff and State partners only. If you are a State or FEMA staff and would like an invitation, please contact Heidi M. Carlin, CFM.
Hazard Mitigation Assistance Training
Thursday, February 8, 2024, Noon to 3:45 p.m. ET
Noon
| An Overview of the National Hazard Mitigation Association Courses Related to HMA Grants | Pennsylvania SHMO Tom Hughes NHMA, Director Prevention and Mitigation Nickea Bradley |
12:55 p.m.
| Assessing Hazard Mitigation Projects for Cost-Effectiveness | FEMA, Program Analyst Michelle Buckley FEMA, Program Analyst Brian Iwaniuk |
1:45 p.m. | Break
| |
1:55 p.m. | FEMA GO – Tips and Tricks | FEMA, Supervisory Program Analyst Matthew Hinton FEMA, Emergency Management Specialist Shawn Servoss |
2:45 p.m. | FEMA GO - Tips and Tricks (Repeated)
| FEMA, Supervisory Program Analyst Matthew Hinton FEMA, Emergency Management Specialist Shawn Servoss |
Event Contact
For questions about the HM Partners Workshop, please email fema-2023hmpartnersworkshop@fema.dhs.gov.
For media inquiries, please email FEMA-News-Desk@fema.dhs.gov.