Brock Long, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with several local emergency services management members, will address the Appalachian State University campus and local communities in a public panel discussion about the field of emergency management on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 6:30 p.m. in the Price Lake Room (Room 201A) of Plemmons Student Union on Appalachian’s campus (https://maps.appstate.edu).
Long, of Newton, graduated from Appalachian with a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice in 1997 and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in 1999. In 2011, he completed the prestigious Executive Leadership Program offered by the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
Prior to being confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as FEMA administrator, Long had more than 16 years of experience assisting and supporting local, state and federal governments with building robust emergency management and public health preparedness programs.
At FEMA, Long served as the nation’s principal adviser to the president and was 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. Long oversaw the federal government’s response to more than 220 natural disasters and managed nearly $44 billion in disaster relief assistance.
Using lessons gained from his time as FEMA administrator and in his previous work as both a consultant and public servant in emergency management programs, Long now serves as executive chairman of Hagerty Consulting, working with the senior leadership team to advance Hagerty’s leadership and advocacy.
Open to the campus and Boone community, the panel discussion, “The Emerging Field of Emergency Management: Successes, Challenges and Community Involvement,” will include the following panelists:
- Brock Long, executive chairman, Hagerty Consulting.
- Tina Krause, executive director, Hospitality House of Northwest North Carolina.
- Will Holt, emergency services director for Watauga County.
- Matthew Dolge, executive director of the Piedmont Triad Regional Council.
- Darren Rhodes, rural planning program manager for the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Holt, Dolge and Rhodes are all graduates of the Department of Government and Justice Studies’s MPA program. Krause has been engaged with the MPA program previously as a guest speaker and facilitator of student internships at Hospitality House.
Earlier in the day, Long will join members from the Hagerty Consulting team, including Walter Flores, director of talent acquisition, and Greg Babcock, talent acquisition specialist, to speak with graduate and undergraduate students from programs across campus — including public administration, planning, and political science — about his career path working in both the public and private sectors, as well as career pathways in emergency management.
Hagerty Consulting is an emergency management consulting firm that helps clients prepare for and recover from disasters. Established in 2001, Hagerty has worked on some of the nation's largest recovery and preparedness projects and is consistently recognized throughout the industry for its innovative thinking, client-centric service and the superior results it delivers to every project. Hagerty professionals reside in all 10 FEMA regions.
This event is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Government and Justice Studies. For questions, contact Kathryn Webb Farley, director of the MPA program at webbfarleyke@appstate.edu.
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About the Department of Government and Justice Studies
Appalachian State University’s Department of Government and Justice Studies offers undergraduate programs in political science and criminal justice, and graduate programs in political science and public administration. Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, the department has over 600 undergraduate majors and more than 70 graduate students. Learn more at https://gjs.appstate.edu.
By Ellen Gwin Burnette
Sept. 19, 2019
BOONE, N.C.
Brock Long ’97 ’99, executive chairman of Hagerty Consulting. Photo Submitted
Brock Long ’97 ’99, executive chairman of Hagerty Consulting. Photo Submitted