Who Administers EMAC?
The strength of EMAC and the quality that distinguishes it from other plans and compacts lie in its governance structure. EMAC is administered by NEMA, the National Emergency Management Association.
The EMAC Committee of NEMA, led by its chairperson, is the managing body of the Compact and provides overall policy direction for EMAC operations. The committee comprises representatives from each member state, either the state director or his or her appointed representative. The committee formally meets twice a year, usually concurrently with the NEMA annual and mid-year conferences.
The Chair and the EMAC Executive Task Force ensure that EMAC is in a constant state of readiness and that improvements to the processes are ongoing to meet the needs of member states. The Executive Task Force comprises the Chair, the Chair-elect, the Past Chair, Lead State Representatives (LSRs) from each of the 10 FEMA regions, three at-large members, a Legal Liaison, as well as the National EMAC Coordinator and the EMAC Senior Advisor. The Executive Task Force meets (at least bimonthly) to conduct the business of the compact.
Angela Copple,
National EMAC Coordinator
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The National EMAC Coordinator (Angela Copple) and the EMAC Senior Advisor (Leon Shaifer) serve ex officio on the Executive Task Force. They do not vote, and their positions do not count against the authorized representation. The NEMA EMAC Coordinator serves as the national point of contact for EMAC; coordinates EMAC activities; and maintains the EMAC Operations Manual, the Field Guide, and the Operating Protocols with support from the Senior EMAC Advisor. |
Leon Shaifer,
EMAC
Senior Advisor |
The Chair of the Executive Task Force can also appoint Special Assignment Task Forces to conduct specific assignments and projects to enhance the implementation and maintenance of the Compact. Typically, Special Assignment Task Forces are involved in updating procedures and developing training courses.
The Lead State Representatives (LSRs) serve as information conduits between the Operations Subcommittee and the member states. LSRs represent the viewpoints of the member states by actively participating in and voting on official ETF matters. LSRs facilitate training courses and mentor states within their regions.
The NEMA staff provides administrative support to EMAC.
NEMA EMAC Staff Profiles:
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Angela Copple, National EMAC Coordinator. Angela's background is diverse. With degrees in biology and philosophy and a CLS(p) in molecular genetics, she started down the track of pediatric hematology/oncology research. Reaching the 10-year mark, Angela's desire to continue to learn and grow professionally led her to Lexington, Kentucky, where she co-developed and managed a state-funded investment fund and statewide entrepreneurship program. Realizing it was time to take on the next life challenge, Angela left behind the legacy of a vibrant statewide program with databases, web sites, due diligence process, and fund management processes. Angela is quickly advancing the technological aspects of EMAC as well as increasing the capacity of EMAC to help individuals through mutual aid. In her non-EMAC time, Angela is an avid equestrian and volunteers with the Handicapped Riders Association as well as with Habitat for Humanity. Contact her at acopple@csg.org.
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Leon Shaifer, National EMAC Senior Advisor. Leon retired as the Deputy Director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) in June 2004, after 30 years as an emergency manager at both local and state levels. As MEMA's deputy director, he was responsible for executive oversight of the day-to-day operations and functions of the agency and directed response and recovery operations associated with countless emergencies declared by five governors, 36 disasters declared by the Small Business Administration, and 22 major disasters declared by the president. Leon was appointed State Coordinating Officer and Alternate Governor's Authorized Representative for the last 12 of these major disasters. Leon has served as Chair of the Operations Subcommittee and Executive Task Force of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), Chair of the National Hurricane Strategy Subcommittee of the NEMA Preparedness Committee, the National Task Force to develop the first report to Congress on Legal Issues in Emergency Management and the Model and Standards for State and Local Emergency Management Programs, the first Capability Assessment for Readiness evaluation program, and an assessor for the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), and as a consultant with Titan Corporation.
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Jennifer Perkins, Technology Analyst. Upon receiving a degree in applied mathematics, Jennifer began her career as a property/casualty actuary at NCCI, the nation’s largest provider of workers compensation data. After completing several actuarial examinations and nearly six years of actuarial analysis and research, she realized that her interests lay more in finding ways to share information than in calculating data, and she turned her sights to the publishing world. Over the next several years, Jennifer served in editorial and writing roles for a reference book publishing company and two small colleges, where she was introduced to the capabilities of technology in providing information and instruction. Jennifer’s interest in instructional technology became a zest to learn more about it, and in recent years Jennifer has earned a master’s degree focused on instructional/educational technology. In her spare time, Jennifer is likely to be found with her laptop in front of her, designing web pages or learning new software applications. Jennifer may be reached at jperkins@csg.org.
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Aletha Malone, Training Assistant. The most recent addition to the NEMA staff, Aletha offers EMAC a strong background in managing programs, services, and training for nonprofit organizations. After earning a Bachelor of Social Work degree, Aletha coordinated a program serving senior crime victims as well as a federal program for low-income seniors. She relocated to Kentucky in 2005 and, as director of Kentucky Child Now’s Mental Health Project, led a statewide program to help bridge the gap between medical and mental health providers. Before accepting her current position with EMAC, Aletha served as a professional training coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association, traveling throughout the state to help staff members of long-term-care, assisted-living, hospice, and hospital facilities work effectively with dementia patients. Aletha’s pastimes include spending time with her husband, daughter, and yellow Labrador; an active church life; learning sign language and calligraphy; and maintaining her connection with the Alzheimer’s Association through volunteer work. Aletha's e-mail address is amalone@csg.org.
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NEMA Staff Members:
Trina Sheets, Executive Director
Beverly Bell, Senior Policy Analyst
Karen Cobuluis, Meeting and Marketing Manager
Vicki Carothers, Administrative Assistant
Matt Cowles, Government Relations Director (D.C. office)
Alexa Noruk, Legislative Policy Analyst (D.C. office)
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