Robert K. Sullivan is currently acting as the Assistant Administrator for the Field Operations Directorate (FOD) in the Office of Response and Recovery. After over 25 years of dedicated service to FEMA, he joined the Senior Executive Service, as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for FOD in January 2023. In these roles, he oversees FOD’s work to build, develop, deploy, and support FEMA’s incident workforce. He also leads implementation of the Workforce Readiness Cycle, helping the Agency to develop a comprehensive readiness framework, training and qualifying the incident workforce, and helping communities respond to and recover from disasters.
In October 2015, Sullivan became the Director of the Workforce Management Division, FOD, supporting effective management, readiness, and deployment of FEMA incident workforce employees nationwide. After joining FEMA Headquarters in 2000, he held roles and responsibilities in Mitigation, Continuity, and Preparedness, before joining the Office of Response and Recovery in July 2011, as the Deputy Director of Readiness and Assessment. He began his career with FEMA in Region I, Boston as a Hazard Mitigation Specialist.
Sullivan is a Certified Emergency Manager and Certified Business Continuity Professional, who has supported disaster operations in the National Response Coordination Center as Situational Awareness Section Chief, and in the field as Division Supervisor and Operations Branch Director.
In 2019, he was awarded the I Am FEMA Melissa Ritenour Distinguished Service Award, the highest award granted by the Administrator. The award honors the exceptional service that distinguishes an individual's unique personal efforts to support our mission and who adheres to the highest standards of moral and ethical conduct, respects and values the inherent dignity of each person, and fosters pride in public service.
Sullivan has a B.A. in Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.