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All Summit Speaker Biographies

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Larry Hogan
Governor, Maryland

Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. was sworn in as the 62nd governor of the State of Maryland on January 21, 2015. In 2018, he was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second four-year term, receiving the most votes of any Maryland gubernatorial candidate and becoming only the second Republican governor to be re-elected in the 242-year history of the state. In his first inaugural address, Governor Hogan reminded citizens of Maryland’s history as a state of middle temperament and pledged to advance the best ideas, regardless of which side of the political aisle they come from. He is recognized nationally as a strong, independent leader who consistently delivers real results and achieves common sense, bipartisan solutions.

After being elected by his fellow governors, Governor Hogan recently completed a successful term as chairman of the National Governors Association, and he consistently maintains one of the highest job approval ratings in the country.

Walter “Pete” Landon
Director, Maryland Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Deputy Chief of Staff

Walter F. “Pete” Landon was appointed as the Director of the Maryland Governor’s Office of Homeland Security in June of 2015. Pete serves as Governor Hogan’s Homeland Security Advisor and has been a member of NGA’s GHSAC since his appointment. Pete currently serves as an Ex-Officio Member Governor’s Emergency Management Council, member of the Maryland Criminal Justice Information Advisory Board, Maryland Cybersecurity Council, Maryland Integrated Map Executive Committee, Council on Open Data and the Statewide Interoperability Radio Control Board. Pete has been a member of the NEMA-ASTHO-GHSAC since 2016 and currently a tri-Chair of the Joint Policy Work Group. Additionally, Pete is a member of the National Governors Association Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor Council since 2015 and is member of the Executive Committee of that Council currently serving as Vice Chairperson.

Pete was also given the additional assignment as a Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Larry Hogan in September of 2017. As a member of the governor’s senior leadership team, his added responsibilities include oversight of the Public Safety portfolio that includes the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Maryland Emergency Management Agency, Maryland Military Department (National Guard), Maryland State Police, Opioid Operations Command Center, Maryland Center for School Safety and the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. The Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs was added to the portfolio in November, 2020.

Prior to being assigned as Governor Hogan’s Homeland Security Advisor, Pete served almost 30 years in the Maryland State Police retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, June 1, 2015. Pete was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, moved and attended Beaconsfield High School, Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada. Returning to the US, Pete graduated from Chesapeake College with an A.A., (law enforcement), and Towson University, with a B.S. (criminal justice &; liberal arts). Both schools are in Maryland. Pete is married with 3 children.

Mark Hubbard
Deputy Director, Maryland Governor’s Office of Homeland Security

Mark currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Governor's Office Homeland Security. His public safety career started in 1981 and he served until retirement as a senior executive in 2015. He was a local emergency manager for 10 years and continues to consult in the areas of public safety, emergency management, homeland security, cyber security and business continuity.

Mark teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in business for the Loyola University, Maryland, Sellinger School of Business. He also teaches in the emergency management and public safety administration programs at The University of Maryland, Global Campus.

Mark holds a BS degree from The University of Maryland, an MBA from Loyola University, and a JD From the University of Maryland, Francis King Carey, School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Maryland.

Russell J. Strickland
Executive Director, Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Russell J. Strickland was appointed as the Executive Director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency by Governor Larry Hogan in July 2015. In this role, Mr. Strickland leads an agency that has the primary responsibility and authority for emergency preparedness policy, and for coordinating hazard mitigation, incident response, and disaster recovery for the State of Maryland. This includes serving as a direct advisor to the Governor during disasters and coordinating support for local governments as requested. Mr. Strickland is an experienced emergency management professional who has more than 40 years of experience in the field of emergency services and first responder activities at the state and local levels of government, academia, and the private sector. This includes expertise in fire and rescue services, emergency medical services, fire inspection and investigation, communications, and emergency management leadership.

Directly prior to his appointment, Mr. Strickland worked as a Senior Law & Policy Analyst at the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security (CHHS), where he led CHHS’ work with the United States Department of State Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and developed strategy for the Montgomery County (Md.) Fire Department to meet compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Mr. Strickland also has experience leading a cabinet-level emergency services department at the local level. Prior to joining CHHS, he served as the Director of Emergency Services in Harford County, Md. This position oversees emergency operations and communications, public safety answering points (the 9-1-1 center), training, and special operations among other responsibilities. His executive responsibilities have also included previously serving the State of Maryland as Deputy Director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and the Assistant Director of the Field Programs Division at the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, University of Maryland, College Park.

Mr. Strickland has a Master of Science degree in Management from Frostburg State College. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Dennis R. Schrader
Secretary, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Previously, Secretary of the Governor’s Office of Appointments (2016) and Deputy Secretary at the MD Department of Transportation (2015). Prior work and accomplishments: Deputy Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (2007-2008); Director of the Maryland Office of Homeland Security (2003-07); Executive roles at the University of Maryland Medical System (1987-2003) with a focus on major project management, facility planning and construction; Captain (ret.) U.S. Navy. Howard Community College Board, Howard County Council (1994-98).

Acting Secretary of Health, July 1, 2017 to Jan. 9, 2018, and Dec. 1, 2020 to April 2, 2021

Chas Eby
Deputy Executive Director, Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Chas Eby is the Deputy Executive Director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), where he oversees all programs, operations, and administration at the Agency. Previously, he held the positions of Director of Disaster Risk Reduction and External Outreach Branch Manager at MEMA. Prior to joining MEMA, he was the Chief Planner for Emergency Preparedness at the Maryland Department of Health and served as the Pandemic Influenza Program Coordinator during the 2009-10 H1N1 influenza pandemic.

Chas received a Master of Arts degree in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School. He previously graduated from Boston College. Chas has completed the National Emergency Management Executive Academy and is an adjunct professor teaching both public health preparedness and homeland security planning and policy at Towson University. He is a 2019 Henry Toll Fellow at the Council of State Governments.

Kelly M. Schulz
Secretary, Maryland Department of Commerce

Kelly M. Schulz brings a wealth of knowledge to the Maryland Department of Commerce from her years of experience working in the government, in the private sector and as a small business owner. She had previously served as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor since her confirmation in February 2015 and is also a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates.

At Labor, she was responsible for managing an agency with nearly 2,000 employees and an operating budget of more than $375 million. Under her leadership, Maryland’s apprenticeship program grew to its highest level since 2008, with more than 10,000 apprentices statewide. The Department’s Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) Maryland program received national recognition for both innovation and effectiveness and was named one of the Top 25 programs in the 2018 Innovations in American Government Award competition.

A former member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing Frederick County, she served on the Economic Matters Committee from 2011- 2015. In addition to local issues, then Delegate Schulz took special interest in legislation relating to banks and other financial institutions, business, occupations and professions, economic development, labor and employment, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation.

Prior to embarking on a career of public service, Secretary Schulz sold real estate, worked as a program manager for a defense contractor and was a part-owner of a cyber security firm. She has received several awards including the Outstanding Recent Alumna Award from Hood College in 2011, and is proud to participate as a member in many local community organizations including the Libertytown-Unionville Lions Club and the Walkersville Volunteer Fire Company. Kelly is also a past Board member of the Frederick County Habitat for Humanity.

Secretary Schulz obtained her Associates degree from Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York and later obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.

A native of Warren, Michigan, Kelly currently lives in New Market in Frederick County with her husband John Nowell. She has two sons and daughters in law, Brandon and Clara, and Bradley and Maria.

Tiffany P. Robinson
Secretary, Maryland Department of Labor

Tiffany Robinson was appointed secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor in July 2019. Robinson leads the Maryland Department of Labor in protecting and empowering Marylanders by safeguarding workers, protecting consumers, and cultivating a thriving workforce that meets the demands of Maryland's dynamic economy.

The Maryland Department of Labor has several divisions including unemployment insurance, occupational and professional licensing, financial regulation, labor and industry, workforce development and adult learning, the Maryland Racing Commission, and the Governor's Workforce Development Board.

Before becoming secretary, Robinson served as deputy chief of staff to Governor Hogan. In this role, Robinson was responsible for oversight of the state departments of Labor, Health, Human Services, Juvenile Services, Aging, Disabilities, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Community Development, and Education, as well as the Higher Education Commission, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, Maryland Insurance Administration and the State Archives.

Robinson was previously the assistant secretary at the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and was director of the Community Development Administration, the designated housing finance agency for the state and the largest division within the department. In that role, Robinson was responsible for nearly $1.5 billion in annual program production, including management of the operations, administration, and financing of the state’s mortgage, residential energy, small business and local infrastructure programs, as well as affordable rental housing development and asset management.

Prior to the Hogan administration, Robinson was the administrator of Housing and Community Development for Harford County Government. Before entering into public service at the local and state level, Robinson, a Maryland attorney, was in private practice, specializing in legal matters related to securities law and real estate transactions. She served on the Maryland Advisory Committee for the United States Civil Rights Commission and on the United Way of Harford County Board from 2011-2013.

Robinson received her bachelor's degree in political science from UMBC and helped lead the University’s volleyball team to a conference championship. She received her juris doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of law.

Brock Long
Former Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Brock Long is the former Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Confirmed in June 2017 by the US Senate with strong bipartisan support (95-4), Brock served as the Nation’s principal advisor to the President responsible for coordinating the entire array of federal government resources down through 50 states, 573 tribal governments, and 16 island territories to assist them with executing disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. Brock is the 10th Administrator and the youngest to hold the office. While serving as Administrator, Brock coordinated the federal government’s response to over 144 Presidentially declared disasters and 112 wildfires, including three of the Nation’s most devastating hurricanes and five of the worst wildfires ever experienced. During this time, nearly $44 billion of disaster activity occurred under the various federal recovery programs.

As the FEMA Administrator, Brock led two major initiatives which will have long-lasting impacts on the emergency management community. He rapidly transformed the agency’s business enterprise by implementing innovative Community Lifeline and FEMA Integration Team concepts to strengthen public-private partnerships and permanently embed full-time staff within the offices of state and tribal governments to better meet constituent needs. Further, as the result of effective advocacy and eight influential Congressional testimonies, Congress passed the Disaster Recovery Reform Act and made pre-disaster mitigation a national priority, provided meaningful changes to the FEMA workforce, and bolstered state and local emergency management capability.

From 2008-2011, Brock served as Director of Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) under Governor Bob Riley. As Director, he served as the State Coordinating Officer for 14 disasters, including eight presidentially-declared events. Brock also served as an on-scene State Incident Commander for the Alabama Unified Command during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

He is a graduate of the prestigious Executive Leadership Program offered by the US Naval Postgraduate School/Center for Homeland Defense and Security. He attended Appalachian State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Public Administration.

As Hagerty’s Executive Chairman, Brock will work with the Senior Leadership team to advance Hagerty’s thought leadership and advocacy, using lessons gained from his time as FEMA Administrator and in his previous work as both a consultant and public servant leading local, state, and federal emergency management programs. You can follow his thought leadership at: www.linkedin.com/in/brock-long

Alison Tavik
Director of Communications & Outreach, Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs

Alison Tavik is the Director of Communications and Outreach with the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs. Her 25+ years of public relations, marketing, and outreach experience in both the public and private sectors, make her an excellent resource for small, minority, women, and veteran business owners.

In her current role, Tavik oversees a statewide outreach program that reaches over 15,000 entrepreneurs each year. She helps them navigate complicated procurement processes, and shares business intelligence tools to help them compete with confidence in the public contracting arena. Her responsibilities include management of the agency’s outreach and educational programs, social media channels, web content, media relations, and legislative reporting requirements.

Tavik joined the Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs in 2012 after serving four years as the Public Relations Manager of the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Office of Minority Business Enterprise, the State’s official certification unit. During her private sector career, she worked in the banking and healthcare industries where she was responsible for media relations, marketing, advertising, public relations, and consumer education.

Raised in Frostburg, Maryland and a graduate of Salisbury University, Tavik resides in Anne Arundel County.

Elizabeth Carven
Senior Director for Regional Growth & Retention, Commerce

As Senior Director for Regional Growth & Retention at Commerce, Elizabeth Carven leads a field-based team of economic development professionals focusing on carrying out the Department’s mission of working with in-state companies on expansion and retention and assisting with the attraction of business to Maryland. The regional team connects companies with partners and local, state and federal resources.

She brings with her more than 20 years of knowledge and experience of business and economic development and management, and her most recent role was Deputy Director for Commerce’s Office of Business Development . She also previously served as the Director of External Affairs. Prior to joining Commerce, Elizabeth was the Director of Economic Development for the Town of Bel Air.

Holly Porter
Executive Director, Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc.

Holly Porter became the first female Executive Director of the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. on January 1, 2019. She is responsible for implementation of the Board’s strategic plan, including government affairs, education and membership development. She was hired in 2017 as the Assistant Executive Director. Prior to 2017, she was the Deputy Principal Assistant at the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA), where she was responsible for coordinating the strategic and legislative policy initiatives for DDA in partnership with the Secretary, as well as following all national policies to determine the impact on Delaware agriculture. She was also the co-director of LEADelaware, an agricultural and natural resources leadership development program.

Holly’s career in agriculture started as a marketing specialist at MidAtlantic Farm Credit (MAFC), where she was responsible for event planning, strategic planning, advertising, internal communications, market research, social media and more. She is a graduate of Marymount University in Arlington, Va., with a BA in communications, is an alumni of LEAD Maryland Class VII and currently sits on the Mid-Atlantic Regional Women in Ag committee and the Rural Maryland Council Board. Holly was raised on a part-time cash grain farm in Caroline county, MD and spent many summers baling hay and straw with her family. She now spends her summers visiting Chincoteague, VA, boating and enjoying time with her two daughters.

Mindy Lehman
Senior Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer, Maryland Bankers Association

Mindy Lehman is the Senior Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer at Maryland Bankers Association (MBA). In her role, Mindy leads governmental affairs of the Association and serving as an advocate for the industry at all levels of Maryland government. During her time at MBA, she has represented the Association at the state and federal level on regulatory and policy issues that have emerged from the 2008 housing market crisis and most recently the pandemic. Mindy is leading the efforts on COVID-19 related initiatives. This includes collaborations and member communications on topics such as the Paycheck Protection Program, pandemic related Governor’s Executive Orders, public/private partnerships and industry efforts to assist customers during financial hardship.

Additionally, Mindy’s innovative approach to MBA’s Emerging Leader program has elevated it to an industry recognized flagship offering designed to help build diversity and inclusion while giving participants a unique opportunity to connect with Maryland and national industry leaders.

Prior to working for MBA, Mindy served eight years with the Maryland Independent College and University Association, as the Director of Governmental Affairs. Mindy also served as a legislative aide to Delegate Ronald A. Guns, Chairman of the Environmental Matters Committee. Mindy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Delaware and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is also a 2014 graduate of the Leadership Maryland program and current Board Member. Mindy serves on the Maryland Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee and is a member of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency’s Private Sector Integration Program.

Mindy is an avid boater and resides in Annapolis with husband and their two children.

Kyle R. Overly, MS, CEM
Director, Disaster Risk Reduction, Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Kyle Overly is an experienced practitioner & educator who is currently the Director of Disaster Risk Reduction at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). In this capacity he is responsible for leading five agency branches and programs including Hazard Mitigation, Risk Analysis & Recovery, Public Assistance, Communications & Outreach, and Non-Governmental Services. As a member of MEMA's senior leadership he assists with shaping the direction of emergency management policy in Maryland and directing the agency towards realizing it's overarching vision to shape a Resilient Maryland where communities thrive.

Previously, Kyle was the Planning Branch Manager for MEMA where he was responsible for leading MEMA’s team of preparedness planners, setting state planning priorities, and coordinating planning efforts with local, state, and Federal agencies. Kyle also served as a Preparedness Planner and the Prevention/Protection program manager where he developed Maryland’s Prevention/Protection Mission Area, the State’s Special Events Program, and supported a number of other statewide efforts. Kyle led efforts to prepare for numerous large events in the State including the 2014 Star-Spangled Spectacular and the 2015 Gubernatorial Inauguration.

Prior to joining MEMA, Kyle worked in the private sector. In this capacity he led planning projects for clients across the United State ranging from hazard mitigation plans, evacuation plans, emergency operations plans, and medical needs related efforts. He also supported clients in their emergency operations centers during Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Aside from his practical experience Kyle also teaches undergraduate emergency management and homeland security courses for the University of Maryland Global Campus. Kyle holds a Master of Science in Fire & Emergency Management Administration from Oklahoma State University, is a Doctor of Public Administration Student at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and is a Certified Emergency Manager.

Allegra A. Tartaglia, MA
Branch Manager, Non-Governmental Services, Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Allegra Tartaglia is leading the newly created Non-Governmental Services Branch as Branch Manager, setting the vision, direction, and execution of the goals that focus on building relationships with non-governmental organizations in an effort to advance MEMA’s mission, “To Create a More Resilient Maryland Where Communities Strive.” An experienced stakeholder engagement practitioner, Ms. Tartaglia was previously the Business Engagement Manager; responsible for leading the private and public partnership Private Sector Integration Program (PSIP) within the Non-Governmental Services branch and managing the Maryland Business Emergency Operation Center (MBEOC) for COVID-19 response as well as any impending state emergency activations and ensuring that the Maryland private sector businesses are prepared in emergency planning, response, and recovery at the local, regional, and national level.

Prior to joining MEMA, Allegra was the Disaster Specialist and Special Project Support for The Pittsburgh Foundation where she was responsible for establishing the Emergency Action Fund for national and local crises and The Pittsburgh Foundation Emergency Preparedness Standard Operating Procedure for continuity of operations and employee safety. Today, the Emergency Action Fund has collected $8.3 million grants towards COVID-19 response.

Allegra worked in the private sector, public, and non-profit sector creating private-public partnership policies and programs to support emergency response and recovery in developing countries and for international organizations. She has designed an environmental risk assessment for the City of Pittsburgh, created an environmental restoration project for USAID in Cuba, and proposed an environmental impact risk assessment policy for the Environmental Protection Agency in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She also supported the Italian Civil Protection Department with volunteer and donation management operations during the 2016 Central Italy Earthquakes. Allegra holds a Master of Arts in International Development & Governance International Public Management from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Loyola University New Orleans.

Jorge Eduardo Castillo
Branch Manager, Communications & Outreach, Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Jorge Eduardo Castillo is the Branch Manager for Communications & Outreach and Spokesperson for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). During the COVID-19 pandemic he is also serving as the Maryland State Emergency Operations Center’s External Affairs Manager.

During his tenure at MEMA he expanded the reach and breadth of its communication strategy, including forging new partnerships for information dissemination with entities like Clear Channel and 211-Md. He also oversaw the State’s Spanish translation program for all things COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic. His previous position as elected Chairman and President of the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce underscored his passion for equity, inclusivity, and collaboration, as well as his belief that Hispanic successes and contributions to our country must continue to be highlighted and celebrated—and stereotypes quickly addressed and corrected.

His career in business development, marketing, communications, and analytics, includes leadership roles at the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, R2Integrated, Passport Health, and the Baltimore City Emerging Technologies Center.

Mr. Castillo has been a speaker nationally and internationally, as well as a guest lecturer at Towson University, Loyola University Maryland, and New York University. He is a Phi-Beta-Kappa graduate of Goucher College with a degree in Biological sciences with a pre-medical concentration. He received his Master of Business Administration degree from the Joseph A. Sellinger School of Business and Management at Loyola University Maryland. He was born in Lima, Peru and currently resides in Cockeysville, MD with his wife Katie and his son Jorge Alexander.

JaLeesa Tate
State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) and Branch Manager, Mitigation, Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

JaLeesa Tate is the State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) and Branch Manager for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). In this role her primary focus is to identify and implement risk reduction strategies and policies. JaLeesa accomplishes this through fostering relationships with stakeholders and administering FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs for the State.

Prior to joining MEMA, JaLeesa served as the Coastal Resources Planner for Baltimore City and Environmental Planner for Wicomico County – City of Salisbury. In these roles she focused on water quality improvement and environmental land use at the local level in urban and rural communities.

She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Mitigation Committee for the Maryland Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Managers, Chair of the SHMO Subcommittee for the National Emergency Management Association, and is a member of FEMA’s External Stakeholders Working Group. JaLeesa studied Geography and Geosciences and is a Certified Floodplain Manager by the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

Amy Bennett
Vice President and Lead Manager, Business Continuity, T. Rowe Price

Amy Bennett is an assistant vice president of Business Continuity. She is the lead business continuity manager for Global Trading, Global Investment Operations, Legal and Compliance, Investment Compliance, and Global Technology-Investments. Amy is also the Maryland chapter co-chair for VALOR, the firm’s military Veterans business resource group.

Amy has been with T. Rowe Price since 2017. Prior to this, Amy served as an active duty officer in the U.S. Army for over 21 years. She is a decorated veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the War on Terror. Amy has extensive experience in emergency management, physical security, strategic planning, and leadership development.

Amy earned a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Dayton, an M.A. in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, and a post-graduate certification in Skilled Facilitation from Johns Hopkins University, Carey Business School. She also has earned the Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) designation and the CFA Institute Investment Foundations certificate. Amy serves on the Board od Directors for Susan G. Komen, Maryland; is a Board officer for the Association of Continuity Professionals, Maryland Chapter; and is an adjunct faculty member for the Mid-Atlantic Center for Emergency Management & Public Safety at Frederick Community College.

Kathy Fulton
Executive Director, American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN)

Kathy Fulton is Executive Director for American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). She leads the organization in delivering logistics information, services, and equipment to ensure communities receive nourishment, hydration, and medical care during crisis.

Ms. Fulton’s passion is the intersection of supply chain and emergency management, focusing on the critical role logistics and supply chain professionals play in disaster relief. She serves on national workgroups focused on efficient coordination of logistics activities during disaster and was a member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine consensus committee on “Strengthening Post-Hurricane Supply Chain Resilience.”

Preceding her work with ALAN, Fulton was Senior Manager of Information Technology Services at Saddle Creek Logistics Services where she led IT infrastructure implementation and support, corporate systems, and business continuity planning.

Katie Murphy
Senior Manager of Business Continuity, C&S Wholesale Grocers

Katie Murphy is the Senior Manager of Business Continuity at C&S Wholesale Grocers. She monitors threats to the supply chain, coordinates inter-department planning and responses, and coordinates with government partners at the local, state, and federal level to support the food supply chain. She has coordinated responses to a range of hazards, including hurricanes, winter storms, utility incidents, and COVID-19.

Prior to joining C&S Wholesale Grocers, she served as the Emergency Operations Center Director at New York City Emergency Management. In this role, she coordinated internal response teams, managed training and exercises, and facilitated post-incident debriefs and improvement planning processes. As EOC Manager and Planning Section Chief, she worked a range of incidents including multiple building collapses, winter storms, heat waves, Ebola, Legionnaires’ disease, Hurricane Sandy, and Hurricane Maria. In addition, she worked as a responder for the American Red Cross of Greater New York and consulted for The Chertoff Group.

Katie earned her MPH from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, focusing on international health and development. She is also a FEMA-certified Master Exercise Practitioner, and a DRI International Certified Business Continuity Professional.

Louis Campion
President & CEO, Maryland Motor Truck Association

Louis Campion is the president & CEO of the Maryland Motor Truck Association, a 1,000 member trade association dedicated to supporting and advocating for a safe, efficient and profitable trucking industry. He assumed the position in 2009, after serving as the association’s vice president for the previous eight years.

As MMTA’s chief executive officer, he is responsible for directing the day to day operations of the association, and serving as the primary advocate for Maryland’s trucking industry before state and local government officials.

Bethany Brown
Assistant Chief of the Maryland Department of Human Services, Division of Administrative Operations, Office of Emergency Operations

Ms. Brown started a career in disaster response with the American Red Cross in 2006, and moved to the Maryland Department of Human Services to continue emergency response work in 2012. I have been on-scene and participated in response efforts of over 150 disasters of all scales and types, including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires and emerging infectious diseases.

Persia Payne-Hurley
Private Sector Manager & BEOC Coordinator, North Carolina Emergency Management

Persia is the creator and developer of the North Carolina Business Emergency Operations Center, the first operational BEOC in the nation. She also administers North Carolina’s Vendor Disaster Re-Entry Program, the first state-wide reentry program. The NC BEOC currently has over 1000 corporate and business partners integrated into the State Emergency Response Team collaborating on joint operations before, during and after disasters. BEOC response operations and the State Re-Entry Program have been tested live successfully during Hurricanes Matthew, Florence, Dorian, Isaias, the NC Fuel Shortages, the Western NC Wildfires, and the Charlotte Civil Disturbance.

The Private Sector Program in North Carolina is considered a national model by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Persia currently serves as the Chair of the All Hazards Consortium Private Sector Liaison Committee, on the NEMA Private Sector Committee, the NC State Recovery Team, and the NC Business Recovery Collaborative. Her current “side-hustle” involves the design of an automated Non-Congregate Sheltering Program inside of WebEOC to support hurricane evacuations during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

She is a graduate of the University of Illinois and the Army Command & General Staff College. In her past life, she served on disaster response teams in the insurance industry and is a retired Major from the U.S. Army. Persia lives in beautiful, tropical sun-drenched Durham, NC with her husband, two children and a disaster ready Yorkie Poo.

Abby Browning
Chief of the Office of Private Sector / Non-Governmental Organization Coordination, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services

Abby Browning is the Chief of the Office of Private Sector/ Non-Governmental Organization Coordination at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Abby is responsible for developing and maintaining CalOES’s relationships with business, associations, companies, and universities, as well as nonprofit, nongovernmental and philanthropic organizations.

Prior to joining CalOES, Abby was the Special Advisor for International Trade in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. She was an essential member of the Brown Administration’s international team, working on trade missions to China and Mexico, as well as fostering countless other international business connections for California.

Abby has also worked with the California Chamber of Commerce in the International Affairs and Corporate Relations departments, as well as the California Seismic Safety Commission. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from West Virginia University and she earned an M.A. from the School of Government at California State University, Sacramento.

Tom Moran
Executive Director, All Hazards Consortium

Mr. Moran serves as the Executive Director for the All Hazards Consortium (AHC), a regional 501c3 organization focused on multi-state homeland security, emergency management and business continuity issues in U.S.

Mr. Moran is a passionate national spokesperson for innovation in public/private operational coordination and investment.

Mr. Moran supports the AHC’s efforts to assist state/local government in their efforts to integrate the private sector owners/operators of critical infrastructure and federal partners into regional planning, education, exercises and operational projects/initiatives in the areas of Disaster Management, Sensitive Information Sharing, Cyber Security and Solution Development to operational issues.

Mr. Moran spent over 20+ years in the communications and technology industry working in the areas of marketing/sales, customer service, and organizing national user groups. Before retiring in 2003, he spent nine years serving as a Corporate Executive Liaison to state government leadership on all matters including strategy, contracts, legal, and operations.

Travis Nelson
Special Operations Division, Maryland State Police

Sergeant Travis Nelson is currently assigned to the Special Operations Division of the Maryland State Police. He is detailed as a liaison officer to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and coordinates resources, management and response of law enforcement during a crisis. Travis serves as the co-chair for the Maryland Active Assailant Interdisciplinary Workgroup and works with the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical System Services (MIEMSS) to lead a statewide effort to provide guidance for all responders to hostile events. He is the former chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Complex Coordinated Attack Working Group, chair of the Region III Advisory Council for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and supports several other committees and groups in Maryland. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sgt. Nelson serves as the primary coordinator of law enforcement operations and leads the prevention task force which oversees compliance and enforcement of public health orders.

Prior to assignment in 2013, he was assigned to MEMA as a regional liaison officer, MSP Special Events Unit, MSP Human Resources Division and MSP Centreville Barrack. Travis is the former Director of Career Services at the Kent & Queen Anne’s Rescue Squad in Chestertown, MD and was a certified medic, rescue diver and firefighter. He previously worked for Kent County 9-1-1, Queen Anne’s County 9-1-1 and Queen Anne’s County EMS.

Molly Dougherty
Director of External Affairs, Pennsylvania Emergency Management

Molly Dougherty is the Director for External Affairs at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management agency.

Ms. Dougherty leads a team of communicators, planners, and liaisons who work with external partners such as private sector businesses and Voluntary Organizations Active in a Disaster (VOAD). As Pennsylvania Private Sector Liaison, Molly seeks to help businesses and emergency management anticipate the impact of disasters on communities and fosters relationships to create a two-way exchange of information, before, during and after a disaster.

Molly has spent several years working with state agencies and businesses making sure they can continue critical services and has learned how important it is to understand and practice what to do before the unexpected occurs. Prior to PEMA, Ms. Dougherty led Pennsylvania’s Continuity of Government program. and worked across more than 45 state government agencies, boards, and commissions to ensure that critical business continues or is resumed regardless of the disruption. Additionally, Molly’s work includes developing single agency and multi-agency training and exercises.

Molly is a FEMA Master Continuity Practitioner and a graduate of the Harrisburg University Certified Government Chief Information Officer Program (CGCIO). Molly earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Pennsylvania State University.

Edie Casella
Program Manager/Operations Coordinator, P3 and BEOC, IEMA

Edie served as a state law enforcement officer for over 25 years; 10 years in senior command assignments. In her final role as Statewide Investigations Administrator, she had purview over the coordination and continuity of the investigative body for the Illinois State Police.

After retirement, as a consultant, Edie served as a business process evaluator for fusion center information sharing environments in both Illinois and Washington State.

Since inception, Edie has served as Program Manager for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s - Public-Private Partnership and as Operations Coordinator at the IL Business Emergency Operations Center. She oversees homeland security/emergency management initiatives and activities that engage private industry in the emergency management cycle and promote a collaborative culture of disaster information sharing and coordinated response/recovery activities.

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