Emergency Professionals from Seven Southern & Midwest States Complete Advanced Management Course

Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is acknowledging the dedication to emergency management excellence of 32 individuals graduating today from the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy (NEMAA) and gaining skills critical to the profession.

“Emergency management is a collaborative endeavor, and those impacted in disaster expect state, local or federal agencies to work together as One Emergency Management,” said TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan.  “The course of study in the NEMAA program reinforces the qualities needed to lead emergency management programs and fosters collaboration across disciplines to solve problems, in the ultimate goal of improving coordination to help citizens before, during, and after disasters”

The NEMAA 2018 graduates represented in the Tennessee cohort are:

·         Ricky W. Adams, Alabama Emergency Management Agency, Clanton, Ala.

·         Jason E. Arbogast, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Mark Douglas Becknal, Goodlettsville Fire Department, Goodlettsville, Tenn.

·         Levell Blanchard, Shelby County Office of Preparedness, Memphis, Tenn.

·         John Craig Bolling, Alabama Emergency Management Agency, Clanton, Ala.

·         John Patrick Dooley, Jr., U.S. Army Reserve (Retired), Nashville, Tenn.

·         Emily Rebecca Fish, Georgia Emergency Management Agency & Homeland Security, Atlanta, Ga.

·         Brian E. Gard, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.

·         Thomas D. Graham, Jr., Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Jeremy B. Holley, Giles County Office of Emergency Management, Pulaski, Tenn.

·         Melisa R. Hucks, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Judith L. Huff, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Wendy G. Jeffcoat, Lexington County Emergency Management, Lexington, S.C.

·         Chris W. Johnson, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Joseph R. Kennedy, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Kenneth E. Latham, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Kevin John Lauer, University of Tennessee, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Gregory T. Logan, Sioux City, Iowa

·         Bethany Nicole Morton, South Carolina Emergency Management Division, West Columbia, S.C.

·         Michael Woods Naifeh, Covington Fire Dept, Covington, Tenn.

·         Alisa M. Pacer, Johnson County Community College Emergency Management, Overland Park, Kan.

·         Kevin Penney, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Kevin Petty, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Brent A. Phillips, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Jackson, Tenn.

·         Kenneth Edward Reeves, Goodlettsville Fire Department, Goodlettsville, Tenn.

·         Bobby DeWayne Rominger, Tennessee Army National Guard, Nashville, Tenn.

·         Kimberly B. Shiverdecker, South Carolina Emergency Management Division, West Columbia, S.C.

·         Loretta S. Thorpe, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Pearl, Miss.

·         Cecilia R. von Mizener, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Knoxville, Tenn.

·         Judy Wasik, Knoxville - Knox County Emergency Management Agency, Knoxville, Tenn.

·         Cheryl A. Yarbro, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Jackson, Tenn.

·         David J. Zeoli, Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Emergency Management, Beaufort, S.C.

  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers NEMAA as a professional development education opportunity for mid-level managers with a minimum of three-years of experience in an emergency management position.

NEMAA participation requires a year-long commitment spread across four, week-long sessions where students work within a collaborative environment on topics such as:  program management and oversight, effective communication, integrated collaboration, and strategic thinking.  The course culminates with the completion of a research paper addressing topics within the emergency management discipline.

About the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency: TEMA’s mission is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made, natural and technological hazards in a professional and efficient manner in concert with our stakeholders. Follow TEMA on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and, at www.tn.gov/tema.

 

Attachment: 2018 Advanced Academy Release