Emergency Management and Disaster Response Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships

In a world of earthquakes, tsunamis, and terrorist attacks, it is evident that emergency response plans are crucial to solve problems, overcome challenges, and restore and improve communities affected by such negative events. Although the necessity for quick and efficient aid is understood, researchers and professionals continue to strive for the best practices and methodologies to properly handle such significant events. Emergency Management and Disaster Response Utilizing Public-Private Partnership s bridges the gap between the theoretical and the practical components of crisis management and response. By discussing and presenting research on the benefits and challenges of such partnerships, this publication is an essential resource for academicians, practitioners, and researchers interested in understanding the complexities of crisis management and relief through public and private partnerships.

Marvine Hamner has over 20 years of experience working and managing a variety of projects from research grants to multi-million dollar commercial programs in aerospace as well as computer science/information systems and technology. She has been engaged in higher education for 15 years including academic positions at George Washington University, Hood College and Frederick County Community College. While at George Washington University, Dr. Hamner was affiliated with the Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management for eight years. During this period, Dr. Hamner was responsible for re-engineering the Disaster Services Human Resource System for the American Red Cross and completing a systems engineering study of the Emergency Departments at hospitals in the District of Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Maryland. Dr. Hamner earned her B.S. from M.I.T. and her M.S. from Purdue University. Dr. Hamner earned her doctorate from the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Washington University in St. Louis in Engineering and Public Policy. Dr. Hamner served on the National Research Council/National Academies of Science Assessment of NASA Laboratory Capabilities Committee and was an invited expert participant in the National Academies-U.S. Institute of Peace Roundtable: Workshop on Harnessing Operational Systems Engineering to Support Peacebuilding 2012. She has been an Associate Editor for the Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Shane Stovall graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelors Degree in Emergency Administration and Planning and his certification as a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) from the International Association of Emergency Managers. Mr. Stovall served for eight years in Florida with the Charlotte County Office of Emergency Management, serving as their Emergency Planner, Plans and Operations Supervisor, and then Emergency Coordinator. In October 2006, Mr. Stovall accepted the position as Director of the City of Plano's (Texas) Department of Emergency Management. Mr. Stovall now serves as the Coordinator of Emergency Management Services for True North Emergency Management, and has done so since January 2012. Mr. Stovall's experience includes developing emergency management plans and strategies, and leading the direction of emergency and disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery projects in multiple jurisdictions. Mr. Stovall's disaster experience includes response and recovery duties to the Lancaster, Texas F4 Tornado in 1994, Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995, Florida Wildfires of 1998, Tropical Storm Josephine, Tropical Storm Gabrielle, and Hurricane Charley. Mr. Stovall also has vast experience in developing and coordinating jurisdictional emergency and disaster response exercises and training for jurisdictional teams in the public, private, and volunteer sectors.

Doaa Taha is Board Co-Chair, and Sr. VP at GMI (Grey Matter International Ltd), a global boutique strategic advisory services firm based in Washington DC. In her consulting capacity, Dr. Taha is in charge of a number of business development and R&D portfolios, including many involving PPPs, notably in her areas of expertise, such as Engineering Management and Systems Engineering in which she earned her PhD at The George Washington University, focusing on Post-9/11 Risk, Crisis, Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Planning and Management (she coordinated a Research Study funded by the National Science Foundation in that field). Aside from Teaching and Research Positions (for which she published a number of outputs), Dr. Taha held a number of previous positions, some of them highly technical (in Electronics, etc.), others business oriented, in the Private Sector as well as holding current Board Directorships in the non-profit sector. Salah Brahimi is President and CEO of GMI (Grey Matter International Ltd.), a global strategic advisory services firm. Brahimi has consulted extensively on Public-Private Partnerships, while GMI has also had a dedicated Risk, Crisis, Disaster and Emergency Management Practice. Brahimi holds a number of Board Directorships, past and present and some of his PPP exposure comes from previous positions as a senior manager and executive at the World Bank and as a Peer-Review Expert for the European Union's Research & Technology for Development Framework Programs. Brahimi notably serves on the Board of ACWA Power International, the Middle-East's largest global power generation and water desalination group, as well as the Alliance for Peace-Building, the leading non-profit Peace and Security institutions' umbrella organization, as well as serving on the Boards of other international civil society organizations such as the Future Network which focuses on sustainable development issues in emerging countries.