An International Research Symposium
The Global Katrina Effect, 2005-2015:
Hurricane Katrina’s Impact on Disaster Management Systems Worldwide
Symposium PARTICIPANTS
Center for Disaster Research and Education
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Bill Read
Bill Read, a KPRC Local 2 Hurricane Expert, has had a lifetime of following tropical storms and hurricanes.
In spite of over 40 years living on the Gulf or Florida coasts, the strongest winds he personally
experienced was 1954’s Hurricane Hazel as it passed through Delaware, where he grew up. Hazel and
the big Nor’easters that happen on the east coast spurred Bill to pursue an education in the science of
weather. After earning a BS in Meteorology from Texas A&M in 1971, Bill served in the U.S. Navy where
once again he came face to face with hurricanes – flying into the storms with the Navy Hurricane
Hunters out of Jacksonville, Florida. After four years in the Navy, Bill attended graduate school earning
the MS in Meteorology at A&M in 1976.
Bill then pursued a 35 year career with the National Weather Service, starting out forecasting weather in
San Antonio and Fort Worth before making the leap into management. Bill’s longest tenure was in the
Houston area, where he was in charge of the National Weather Service Forecast Office located in League
City for over 15 years. In addition to the tornadoes, floods and tropical storms, he oversaw a lot of
changes during that 15 year period, from Doppler radar to the Internet. In 2007, he was given the
opportunity to serve at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, and became Director of the Center in
January 2008, retiring there in June 2012.
Bill serves on the Texas A&M College of Geosciences Dean’s Advisory Council and as a Leadership
Partner with the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH). He is also involved with professional
societies, having served as President of the National Weather Association in 2003 and as Councilor with
the American Meteorological Society. He was elected Fellow by the Society in 2011. Among the many
awards he has received was a Special Award for Public Education from the National Hurricane
Conference.
Kenneth Graham
Ken Graham is the Meteorologist-in-Charge at the National Weather Service office serving the New
Orleans/Baton Rouge region. He received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree at the University of Arizona,
with a minor in Physics and Mathematics. He then headed to Mississippi State University to teach
physics and earned a Master of Science Degree in Geosciences. While in Mississippi, he was a partner
and customer of the National Weather Service as television meteorologist for CBS and an agricultural
meteorologist across the state for the Mississippi Network Radio.
Ken began his National Weather Service career as an Intern Forecaster in New Orleans. His career took
him to agency’s Southern Region Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas as the Marine and Public Program
Manager during National Weather Service Modernization in the early 1990s. He became the
Meteorologist-in-Charge at NWS forecast offices in Corpus Christi, Texas and Birmingham, Ala. While in
Birmingham from 2001 to 2005, his office won Department of Commerce medals each year for
innovative services like Instant Messaging with television stations during critical events such as the
Veteran’s Day Tornado Outbreak.
Ken was part of the team which created the BLAST program, Building Leaders for a Solid Tomorrow
which is still training leaders after 14 years. He served as Systems Operations Chief at Southern Region
Headquarters where he won a Bronze Medal for leading a team to make critical repairs in New Orleans
following Hurricane Katrina. He was the Chief of Meteorological Services at the National Weather
Service Headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., where he worked closely with partners to improve services
and briefed Congressional Committees on the vital service the National Weather Service provides to the
nation.
As the Meteorologist-in-Charge in New Orleans, his office won the Department of Commerce Bronze
medal for innovative services during Hurricane Gustav and Ike and the National Weather Association’s
Operational Meteorology Award and Department of Commerce Gold Medal for Decision Support Service
during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Ken received the National Weather Museum’s Weather Hero
Award for 2010.
Ken led the effort to provide more than 4,300 Spot Forecasts and Emergency Response Meteorologist
deployments for more than five months to support the Federal response to the worst oil spill in the
nation’s history. He led the service assessment for the Pacific Basin Tsunami in Samoa. He was the
Chairman of the New Orleans Federal Executive Board representing more than 26,000 Federal
employees. Ken is a member of the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association, National Weather
Association, and American Meteorological Society.
Alan Gerard
Alan Gerard is the Meteorologist-in-Charge at the National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office in
Jackson, MS. Prior to this position, he was the Science and Operations Officer (1998-2002) and a Senior
Forecaster at Jackson (1996-1998), and a Forecaster at the NWS Forecast Office in Cleveland, OH from
1993 to 1996. He started his NWS career at the NWS office in Columbus, OH in 1990. Before working for
the NWS, he worked in the weather department at KTVI-TV in St. Louis, MO, from 1989 to 1990.
Alan holds an Honors Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology from St. Louis University, and is
completing his Master's Degree in emergency management from Millersville University. His master's
degree project examined emergency management and meteorological services for tropical cyclones
around the world. During his time at the NWS in Jackson, he has provided meteorological support to
emergency management and government officials for a number of tropical cyclones that have impacted
Mississippi and Louisiana, the most notable of which was Katrina in 2005.
Alan has authored or co-authored nearly 50 operational meteorological and hydrologic papers and
conference presentations during his career, including papers in the journals National Weather Digest,
NWA Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology, and Weather and Forecasting. He has won a
number of awards during his NWS career, including an NWS Director's "Coin for Excellence" for his
leadership of the Jackson NWS office during Hurricane Katrina, and a U.S. Department of Commerce
Silver Medal for his work with the meteorology program at Jackson State University. An active member
of the National Weather Association, he served as the organization's national president in 2006, and
won the 2005 Member of the Year Award. He is also a member of the American Meteorological Society
and the International Association for Emergency Managers.
Jane Kushma
Dr. Jane Kushma has over 32 years of experience in emergency management research, education, and
practice. Dr. Kushma has been a faculty member in the emergency management department at
Jacksonville State University (JSU) since 2002. She currently holds the rank of Associate Professor and
also serves as Director of the doctoral program. Prior to coming to JSU, she taught emergency
management at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the Human Services Management
department and was an instructor and program manager for the Emergency Administration and
Planning Program at the University of North Texas. Dr. Kushma received her Ph.D. in Urban Policy and
Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2001 and completed her dissertation
research on emergency management policy implementation. She also received her Master in Social
Work degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1979 with a dual emphasis in interpersonal skills and
administration/social policy, receiving the special designation of University Scholar. Soon after receiving
her MSW degree, she began her disaster work with the American Red Cross. Her considerable practice
experience includes numerous disaster relief operations, large and small; national catastrophic disaster
planning and preparedness; and, technical assistance and operational support to FEMA’s long-term
community recovery function. Current research interests include emergency management policy,
disaster management, nonprofit organizations and volunteer management, disaster case management,
the use of social media, and service learning. Dr. Kushma has served in a variety of leadership positions
with various nonprofit boards, organizations, and task forces. She is an Editor for the Journal of
Homeland Security and Emergency Management and was a former Managing Editor. She is also a guest
editor for a forthcoming Public Health Reports issue focused on research from the CDC-funded
Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers (PERRCs). In 2012, she received the
International Association of Emergency Managers Academic Recognition Award for her work in creating
and implementing the doctoral program in emergency management at JSU.
Scott R. Manning
Scott R. Manning is a current doctoral student, research assistant, and adjunct instructor at Jacksonville
State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. His primary research interests include disaster policy and
planning, social capital and network analysis, and community resilience. Mr. Manning holds a Master of
Science in Emergency Management and a Master of Public Administration from Jacksonville State
University as well. In recent years, Mr. Manning has served on a number of boards and committees
associated with emergency management, to include the Project Management Institute’s Committee on
Post-Disaster Reconstruction and the Executive Board for JSU’s Student Chapter of the International
Association of Emergency Managers. He has also served as an article reviewer for the Journal of
Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the International Journal of Information Systems
for Crisis Response and Management. Beyond academics, Mr. Manning has served the Commonwealth
of Virginia as an Engineering Specialist and Coordinator for more than a decade. His current position
revolves around materials science and project management, with heavy emphasis on quality
engineering and quality assurance. Mr. Manning is also charged with teaching engineering and
leadership courses for internal staff and industry partners, conducting research on new technologies and
construction processes, and assisting in the development and maintenance of district-level emergency
preparedness programs.
Paul Govind
Paul Govind is currently a Lecturer in Environmental Law and Policy at the Centre for Environmental
Law, Macquarie University, Australia. In that capacity he is also Program Director for Environmental Law
Studies and Editor of the Macquarie Journal of International and Comparative Environmental Law.
His research interests include climate change adaptation law and policy, climate change and disaster risk
reduction, climate finance and the relationship between environmental law and policy and
development. Paul is currently completing his PhD at the Australian National University exploring the
role of the right to development in the context of climate change adaptation funding and resilience.
Recent publications and presentations include book chapters on the relationship between funding
channels for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction; the relationship between climate
change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the context of global North/South relations and the
importance of social vulnerability in the allocation of climate finance.
Steve Glassey
As a former Disaster Management Officer for the United Nations and Advisor with the Ministry of Civil
Defence & Emergency Management in New Zealand, Steve Glassey has extensive operational
experience. Steve has been involved in international disaster response including the Pacific Tsunami
(Samoa, 2009), Typhoon Katsana (Laos, 2009), Typhoon Haiyan (Philippines, 2013) as well as domestic
emergency events including the Christchurch Earthquake (2011), the Manawatu Storm (2004) and the
Bay of Plenty Storm (2004).
Before his career in emergency management, Steve was a SPCA Inspector and Animal Control Officer
with Wellington SPCA. While at Wellington SPCA in 1995, Steve was the investigating officer in charge of
Operation Arawhata – one of New Zealand’s worst domestic animal neglect cases (52 cats and 9 dogs).
He also founded the country’s only technical animal rescue unit – the Animal Rescue Unit (ARU) which
over the past 10 years has rescued hundreds of animals from difficult and high risk environments.
As the former Chief Executive of the Emergency Management Academy of New Zealand Ltd, Steve
joined forces with Chief Animal Welfare Inspector Ritchie Dawson of Wellington SPCA to run the first
national workshop on animal disaster management. His curiosity with the interaction between animal
welfare and disaster management has led him to research companion animal emergency management
in New Zealand as part of his studies toward the Charles Stuart University Master of Emergency
Management and his related research report has become one of the most renown research outputs on
companion animal emergency management and is used to formulate national policy in several
countries.
Steve founded the Rescue 3 International Technical Animal Rescue (ARTech) programme and is an
Instructor Trainer for this global programme. He also achieved the prestigious Certified Emergency
Manager (CEM®) credential awarded by the International Association of Emergency Managers and is
New Zealand's only Fellow of the Emergency Planning Society (FEPS).
In 2013 he worked with John Haven from the University of Florida to draft the first international
standard on technical animal rescue, namely the animal rescue chapter of NFPA1670 (2014 edition)
based on the techniques pioneered by the Wellington SPCA Animal Rescue Unit. He was a former NZCAC
representative to the National Animal Welfare Emergency Management Liaison Group and drafted the
submission to Hon. David Carter, Minister of Agriculture regarding emergency management
considerations on the draft Code of Welfare for Layer Hens in 2011.
He is currently the Associate Director of the Risk, Resilience and Renewal Centre at the University of
Canterbury in New Zealand.
Pat Santos
Colonel (Retired) Pat Santos joined the Louisiana Army National Guard in June 1979. In December 1981,
he was commissioned a Distinguished Military Graduate from the ROTC program at the University of
New Orleans.
As a member of the famed 1-141st Field Artillery Battalion, he served in various command and staff
positions and was activated for Desert Storm in 1990 with the 256th Combat Brigade. While serving in
the State Headquarters he was the lead project officer launching the first Louisiana State Partnership
Programs with the countries of Uzbekistan and Belize. In August 1999, he was assigned as the Director
of Military Support where he and his staff developed critical emergency plans and procedures while
managing the military response and assistance efforts to numerous state emergencies and special
events.
His 25-year military experience played a key role in coordinating the unprecedented support efforts
during both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In January 2006, he accepted a position at the Louisiana Office
of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (LOHSEP) as the Chief of Homeland Security. He
served as the Deputy Director of Emergency Management within the Governor’s Office of Homeland
Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) where he had primary oversight of all of the State’s
emergency management functions. He was a principal advisor to the Governor and the State Unified
Command during emergencies such as Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008, the Deep-water Horizon Oil
Spill in 2010 and Hurricane Isaac in 2012. He was also appointed by the Governor to serve as Interim
Director from July-December 2011.
In 1981, he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of New
Orleans and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management in 1997. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army
Combined Arms Staff School and the Command and General Staff College. He was awarded a fellowship
and completed the National Preparedness Leadership Program at the Harvard Kennedy School for
Executive Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2010. He completed the Naval Post Graduate
School Executive Leaders Program in Monterey, California in 2013 and is currently serving as an
appointed member to the FEMA National Advisory Council (NAC). He is also Director for Business
Development at the Stephenson Disaster Management Institute at Louisiana State University.
Pauline Cotelle
Pauline Cotelle is a PhD student in geography and a member of the GRED1 which gathers 46 researchers
and 53 PhD students working on the relationships between societies and the environment, in particular
the link between urban development and the vulnerability of societies to natural disasters. She received
her BA in geography from the University of Paul Valéry Montpellier III (France) and her MA in “natural
disaster and risk management” from the same university. Her MA research was conducted in California
where she worked on a project called the “Shakeout scenario” that was seeking to identify the potential
impact of a major earthquake in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Her contribution was to
produce maps using the software ArcGIS ©. Those maps were produced in order to helped stakeholders
target the most vulnerable areas where prevention measures needed to be prioritized.
She is now finishing her PhD which investigates the link between natural disasters and crime (urban
insecurity) through the case of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and she will defend her thesis
publicly on the 13th of November 2014. Most of her work relied on intensive field work in New Orleans
where she had conducted numerous interviews with stakeholders, in particular law enforcement agents.
She spent more than a year and a half in New Orleans. She obtained georeferenced data on crime for a
10 years period from the New Orleans Police Department, what allowed her to conduct a
spatiotemporal analysis of crime for the five years pre and post Katrina (2005) using the software
ArcGIS©. Nonetheless, the investigation of crime during the days and months after Katrina required the
collection of qualitative data (interviews) because of the lack of official data for this period of time. This
also led her to investigate the “crime displacement” associated with the displacement of thousands of
evacuees from New Orleans to cities like Houston or Dallas. Her work consisted of interviewing and
patrolling with policemen from the Houston Police Department (HPD) and analyzing georeferenced
crime data from the Dallas Police Department (DPD). Overall, her PhD shows the link between urban
changes created or, more accurately, accelerated by Katrina and the changes in crime dynamics
throughout the city and its neighborhoods. Her PhD finally emphasizes the necessity to better
investigate the link between natural disasters and crime since the latter can seriously jeopardize pre and
post disaster plans and responses, in particular the evacuation process.
Kirsten Nakjavani Bookmiller
Kirsten Nakjavani Bookmiller is a Professor of Government and Political Affairs and a contributing faculty
member to the MS in Emergency Management program at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She
also directs the Center for Disaster Research and Education’s new Global Partnerships Initiative at MU, a
transnational network of academic institutions dedicated to advancing best practices in the disaster
management field. She received her B.A. in Foreign Service and International Politics from Pennsylvania
State University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.
Nakjavani Bookmiller’s teaching areas include the law and politics of international humanitarian
assistance, public international law and global governance. Her current research agenda focuses upon
the contributions of local emergency responders, including search and rescue personnel and emergency
doctors and nurses, to the development of International Disaster Response Law (IDRL). Two of her most
recent works include “The International Law of 96 Hours: Urban Search and Rescue Teams and the
Current State of International Disaster Response Law (IDRL)” which will appear in the forthcoming book
The International Law of Disaster Relief to be published by Cambridge University Press in Fall 2014 and
“Can International Law Save Us From Disasters? Urban Search and Rescue Teams and Foreign Medical
Teams are Counting on It” to appear in the Proceedings of the American Society of International Law in
early 2015. She is the co-organizer of the Global Katrina Effect Symposium and will be one of the guest
editors of a special issue of the International Journal of Emergency Management dedicated to the
symposium’s themes.
Dr. Bookmiller is also co-founder, with David Fisher (Coordinator, Disaster Law Programme,
International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent) of the American Society of International
Law’s new Disaster Law Interest Group and completed The Hague Academy of International Law’s
Seminar for Advanced Studies on the International Law of Disasters in 2012.
Robert J. Bookmiller
Robert J. Bookmiller (Ph.D., University of Virginia) is the Director of International Studies and an
Associate Professor of Government and Political Affairs at Millersville University, where he teaches a
variety of courses in US government and comparative political systems (with special emphasis on the
Middle East and Africa, Canada and Australia). He has published numerous books, chapters and scholarly
articles in the areas of comparative foreign policy as well as human security issues. As a contributing
faculty member to Millersville University’s Masters of Science in Emergency Management (MSEM), he
offers a course on Comparative Emergency Management Systems and will be teaching a special
international section of it in New Zealand for the MSEM program in summer 2015. He is the coorganizer of the Global Katrina Effect Symposium and will be one of the guest editors of a special issue
of the International Journal of Emergency Management dedicated to the symposium’s themes.