George Andreopoulos
Associate Professor of Government at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and at the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York, and Lecturer in International Human Rights at Yale University. He is also the Director of the recently established Center for International Human Rights at John Jay College. He studied history, law, and international relations at the Universities of Chicago and Cambridge. Before coming to CUNY, he taught for several years at Yale University, where he was also the Founding Associate Director of the Orville Schell Center for International Human Rights. Professor Andreopoulos has written extensively on international history, international human rights, and international humanitarian law issues. His publications include The Laws of War: Constraints on Warfare on the Western World (with Sir Michael Howard and Mark Shulman, Yale University Press), and Human Rights Education for the Twenty-First Century (with Richard Pierre Claude, University of Pennsylvania Press). The Human Rights Education book recently appeared in a Japanese translation published by Akashi Shoten, Ltd., in Tokyo.
Professor Andreopoulos recently completed the edition of a book entitled International Human Rights: Concepts and Strategies Half a Century after the Universal Declaration for Peter Lang Publishing, and is writing a book on Humanitarian Intervention for Yale University Press. He serves on the Editorial Board of Human Rights Review. Over the years, Professor Andreopoulos has participated in several missions, most recently in a mission to Sierra Leone to study and prepare recommendations on accountability mechanisms in that country.
Michael J. Armstrong
Joined ICF Consulting in its Emergency Management Practice after two decades in the public sector. Nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate to serve as FEMA’s Associate Director for Mitigation. Coordinated implementation of Project Impact initiative for building disaster-resistant communities. Launched modernization of the floodplain mapping program. Created a new branch specializing in mitigation planning, and issued the first strategic plan for the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program.
Chaired White House Subcommittee on Natural Hazard Reduction. Presidential appointment as FEMA Region VIII Director. Implemented programs for response, recovery, preparedness, and mitigation. Directed FEMA’s Center for Excellence in Community Relations for disaster outreach.
Michael Berkowitz
Deputy Director for Special Projects at the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management in New York City. Worked on major planning initiatives, including the New York City Coastal Storm, Biological Terrorism and Transit Strike contingency plans. Responded to incidents including the 1999 outbreak of West Nile Fever, Tropical Storm Floyd, major flooding in Southern Queens (1999), the crashes of SwissAir 111 and American Airlines 587, as well as the recent anthrax incidents and the World Trade Center disaster.
Previously served as editor of Emergency Preparedness News, a Washington, DC-based newsletter for emergency management professionals.
Charles R. Blaich
A 28-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department. Assigned to the World Trade Center Incident Command Post as the Logistics Chief since the Incident Command Post was established. Permanent assignment is as the Commander of the 15th Division, located in Brooklyn.
M.S. degree in Protection Management from John Jay College and B.S. in Chemistry from St. John’s University. Completed 30 years of military service as a Colonel, US Marine Corps.
Malcolm J. Bowman, Ph.D., P.E.
A Professor of Oceanography at the Marine Sciences Research Center, the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is Director of Undergraduate Studies in atmospheric, marine and environmental sciences. He is also Faculty Director for study abroad and student exchanges for Australia and New Zealand. He has chaired and co-chaired several Gordon Research Conferences on Coastal Ocean Circulation. His current research interests include the physical oceanography of the Black Sea, dynamics of fjords and the effects of rising sea level and storm surges on the infrastructure of the New York Metropolitan region.
Michel Bruneau
Professor of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering and Deputy Director, Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research at State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. Currently conducting research on seismic evaluation and retrofit of existing steel bridges, steel buildings, and masonry buildings. Directed many research experiments investigating the ultimate behavior of such structures subjected to large destructive forces up to collapse.
Conducted numerous reconnaissance visits to earthquake-stricken areas. Member of numerous technical committees, including the Canadian CSA-S16 Steel Design Standard.
Project Director for the versatile earthquake engineering experimental facility being constructed at the University at Buffalo. Published over 150 technical publications and co-authored Ductile Design of Steel Structures.
Mr. Byrne began his career in public service in 1979 with the Fire Department of New York City (FDNY). During his career with FDNY Byrne served as firefighter and company officer. At the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, he led Ladder Company 12 responding to the event and resulting in a unit citation for the company.
Michael F. Byrne
In 1996 he was detailed to the newly created Mayors Office of Emergency Management where he held the position of First Deputy Director. Upon his return the to Fire Department in 1998 he served as the Director for Strategic Planning and the Chief Information Officer in the Office of the Fire Commissioner.
Mr. Byrne retired from FDNY after 20 years of service in 1999 and joined the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the Response and Recovery Division Director in FEMA Region II. He held a leadership position in the federal response operations for several natural disasters including Hurricanes Lenny, Floyd, and Tropical Storm Allison.
Immediately prior to joining the Office of Homeland Security as the Senior Director for Response and Recovery Mr. Byrne served as the Deputy Federal Coordination Officer for Operations responsible for all Federal response assets and recovery program administration in New York City for the attack on the World Trade Center.
Mr. Byrne is married to the former Patricia Prenty for 25 years. He has two children, Lauren and Michael.
Jin Jong Choi
Chief of Search and Rescue (SAR) Section in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Governmental Administration, Republic of Korea. The chief leader of the Korean international rescue team dispatched to Turkey and Taiwan earthquakes. Chief of Bosung Fire Department with over twenty years experience. Chairman in 2000 and currently Vice Chairman of International Search and Rescue Advisory Group of Asia/Pacific Region.
M.A. in Protection Management from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and M.A. and Ph.D. from Chonnam National University in Public Policy and Administration.
Joseph Cirincione
Serves as Senior Associate and Director, Nonproliferation Project, Carnegie Endowment for Peace.
Responsibilities include research, publications, the Proliferation Roundtable seminar series, and the annual Carnegie International Non-Proliferation Conference. Frequent media commentator on proliferation issues and defense policy.
Served as a senior associate at the Henry L. Stimson Center. A professional staff member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Government Operations Committee. Associate Director of the Central America Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Special Assistant to the associate director of the US Information Agency.
Author of Repairing the Regime: The Crisis in Non-Proliferation Policy and numerous articles and reports on national security and threat reduction issues.
Nicholas K. Coch
Researches the effects of hurricanes on coasts and inland areas and analyzes hurricane damage patterns and recovery problems. Carried out the ground and aerial studies of most recent US hurricanes as well as archival studies of older (17th – 20th century) hurricanes.
Specializes in Northern Hurricanes and the vulnerability of the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area and New England to hurricane damage. Consultant to the Mayor’s Emergency Management Organization in New York City and the NY State Office of Emergency Management (SEMO).
Ph.D. from Yale University.
Jeanne-Marie Col
Serves as Senior Interregional Adviser in Public Administration in the United Nations. Involved in restoration of government and democratic machinery in post-conflict situations. Works in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Union). Involved in crisis management, public dialogue, organization development, and project evaluation.
Formerly Associate Professor of Public Administration at the University of Illinois at Springfield, and Assistant Professor at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Coordinates the United Nations Global Programme for the Integration of Public Administration and the Science of Disasters.
Richard S. Colombaroni
Served as Chief of the Bound Brook Volunteer Fire Department in 1999 and 2000. Member of Bound Brook Hose Co. # 1 for 20 years, previously serving as a lieutenant and Captain. New Jersey Division of Fire Safety certified as a firefighter and Level 1 incident manager. Nineteen year veteran of the Bound Brook Police Department, previously serving as a patrolman and detective. Currently holds the rank of sergeant and is responsible for being the duty supervisor for a patrol squad.
Glenn Corbett
Assistant Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY), Technical Editor of Fire Engineering magazine, and Captain Waldwick, NJ Fire Department. He previously held the position of Administrator of Engineering Services, San Antonio Fire Department, and was a fire protection engineer in the Austin, TX Fire Department. He holds a Master of Engineering Degree in Fire Protection Engineering and has received a professional engineer’s license from the State of Texas.
Peter I. Dworsky
Involved in many aspects of emergency management for the past 14 years. Worked as a paramedic at St. Clare’s Hospital in New York City and was the Paramedic Director at Jersey City Medical Center. Currently employed at St. Barnabas Health Care system as staff paramedic and also as senior disaster management instructor at their EMS academy.
M.A. in Public Health from New York Medical College and B.S. in EMS Management from Hahnemann University. Currently completing requirements to become Board Certified in Emergency Management by the International Association of Emergency Managers.
Jack Eichenbaum
City Assessor in the Property Division of the New York City Department of Finance.
Responsible for valuation modeling and other research using the property database. Founded GISMO in 1990, which has become NYC’s broad-based user group for Geographic Information Systems. GISMO supplied much of the volunteer labor that staffed the Emergency Mapping and Data Center formed after 9/11. Teaches the Geography of NYC at Hunter College (CUNY) and Long Island University and leads a variety of geography themed walking tours throughout New York City.
Ph.D. in urban geography.
Michael Flynn
Assistant Professor of Psychology at York College-CUNY and Associate Director of the Center on Violence and Human Survival at John Jay College-CUNY. Co-editor (with Charles B. Strozier) of Genocide, War, and Human Survival, Trauma and Self and The Year 2000:Essays on the End. Editor of The Second Nuclear Age: Political and Psychocultural Perspectives.
Research interests include the psychological and political economy of urban violence; the psychological effects of living in a nuclearized world; literary, autobiographical, and psycho-historical approaches to the self and trauma; and the public and media role of the psychologist.
M.A. and Ph.D. from Duquesne University. B.A. from the College of Idaho.
Brad Gair
FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer since 1999. Assigned to ten Major Disasters and Emergencies declared by the President, including Special Assignments in the Oklahoma City Tornado (1999), Princeville, North Carolina (Hurricane Floyd, 2000), and Los Alamos, New Mexico (Cerro Grande Fire, 2001). Currently on assignment in New York City to the FEMA WTC Long-Term Recovery Office.
Fifteen years of public service, including more than a decade in Arizona local government as a Transportation Planner, Infrastructure Project Coordinator, Public Works Director, and Emergency Manager. Extensive experience coordinating projects with American Indian Communities throughout the Southwest.
B.A. from Villanova University in Geography/Economic Development and M.A. from the University of Arizona in Geography/Regional Development.
Allan Gerson
Research Professor of International Relations at George Washington University. Has lectured and published widely in the field of international law. Served as counsel to United Nations ambassadors Jeane Kirkpatrick and Vernon Walters, and also held senior positions at the US Department of Justice. Most recently served as Senior Fellow for International Law and Organizations at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Co-author (with Jerry Adler) of The Price of Terror, documenting the preparation of the unprecedented case against Libya in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
Ph.D. from Yale University.
Norman J. Glover
Executive Director of AEGIS Institute, a non-profit foundation dedicated to anti and counter-terrorism technology. Chairs the Joint Working Group: Defense against Chemical and Biological Terrorism, a joint activity of the Departments of Defense (USA SBCCOM), Energy (ORNL, SNL) and Justice (FBI) and cognizant professional and public organizations. Pursuing research on defense against Weapons of Mass Destruction at the Royal Military College of Science, UK.
Past President of the Architectural Engineering Institute (AEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a Fellow of ASCE, AEI, the (British) Institution of Structural Engineers and the Society of American Military Engineers.
David R. Godschalk
Stephen Baxter Professor of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. City and regional planning teacher, scholar, and consultant, and a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. Member of board of directors of the Multihazard Mitigation Council of the National Institute of Building Sciences, and of the Mitigation Committee of the National Hurricane Conference. Author of Natural Hazard Mitigation: Recasting Disaster Policy and Planning, which assesses the effectiveness of intergovernmental policy and planning for a hurricane, flood, and earthquake hazard mitigation.
Ph.D. in Planning and M.A. in Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina. B.A. from Dartmouth College. B. Architecture from the University of Florida.
Victor Goldsmith
Director, CUNY-wide Center For Applied Studies of the Environment of the City University of New York. Professor of Geography at Hunter College. Served as Acting Dean of Research at Hunter for two years and Coordinator of Incubator Development. Served on two New York State Governor’s Coastal Erosion Task Forces, the NY/NJ Harbor Oil Spill Oversight Advisory Panel, and the NY State Task Force on Petroleum Spill Emergency Environmental Protection Plans.
Served in an advisory capacity to former Police Commissioners Bratton and Safir as Co-Chair of NYPD/CUNY GIS Technology Committee, where he assisted in developing new methodologies in computer crime mapping and analyses, police training in crime mapping, and new technological developments. Author of Analyzing Crime Patterns: Frontiers of Practice.
F.H. (Bud) Griffis
Professor and Chairman of the Department of Civil Engineering and Director of the Center for Construction Management Technology, Polytechnic University. Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering from Columbia University. Executive Vice President of Robbins, Pope and Griffis Engineers, P.C. of New York City.
Previously was Commander and District Engineer of the US Army Corps of Engineers New York District. Area Engineer and Contracting Officer for the design and construction of Ramon Airbase, Israel. Held command and staff positions in Corps of Engineers units in Viet Nam, Germany, Korea, and Israel. Authored numerous technical papers and two textbooks.
Fausto Guzzetti
Project leader of the Italian national project on the acquisition and use of historical data for landslide and flood hazards assessment (AVI project). Senior research scientist at the Italian National Research Council (CNR). Presently leads the CNR-IRPI Applied Geology group in Perugia.
Worked on landslide mapping and landslide hazard assessment, evaluation of landslide risk, use of historical information on landslides and floods for hazard and risk assessment, and frequency-magnitude statistics of landslides. Visiting scientist at the US Geological Survey from 1985-86.
Francois Haut
Law Doctor and Professor at the University the Pantheon-Assas (Paris II). Currently directing the department of research on the Contemporary Criminal Threats of the Paris Institute of Criminology. In charge of the diploma of 3rd cycle “Analyzes of Contemporary Criminal Threats.” Lectures in Criminology in the Masters and Doctoral programs of Criminal Law and Political Science.
Specialized in the study of emergent threats. Published articles and studies on Street Gangs, particularly the “18th Street Gang,” the degenerated guerrillas such as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. Co-author (with Xavier Raufer) of “The Balkan Chaos” and “Les bandes criminelles” [Criminal gangs] with Stéphane Quéré.
Donald W. Heinbuch
Acting Assistant Chief of Operations for the Baltimore City Fire Department. Has been the incident commander at many of Baltimore’s recent high profile emergencies including the Howard Street Tunnel Fire, The High-rise fire at Charles Towers, and the fire at Clipper Mill. Instructor for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute. Works closely with Firehouse Magazine’s Expo since its beginning in the City of Baltimore.
Douglas Hill
Consulting engineer concerned with climate change effects and their mitigation. Adjunct lecturer at the Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University. Principal in the study Climate Change and a Global City: the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change, part of the US National Assessment. Member of the New York Academy of Sciences and editor of two of its annals: The East River Tidal Barrage and The Baked Apple? Metropolitan New York in the Greenhouse.
Klaus H. Jacob
Senior Research Scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. Conducts research on improving earthquake loss estimates for New York City by developing soil category maps for use with FEMA’s HAZUS software. Investigates how global climate change and related sea-level rise affect the risks from coastal storm surges, flooding and inundation, primarily of infrastructure systems in global megacities.
Conducted research on basic seismotectonics and plate-tectonic processes. Served on the review panel for the USGS/NEHRP National Seismic Hazard Maps for the contiguous US and Alaska. Co-authored the national model and the New York City seismic building codes. Developed methods of wireless vibration measurements for modal spectral analysis of large bridges and skyscrapers.
Edward F. Jacoby, Jr.
Currently Vice President of Region II of the National Emergency Managers Association, Vice-Chair of NEMA’s Legislative Committee and a member of its Response and Recovery Committee.
Appointed chairman of the New York State Disaster Preparedness Commission by Governor Pataki in 1998, overseeing responsibilities including the preparation of state disaster plans, directing state disaster operations and coordinating those with local government operations, and coordinating federal, state and private recovery efforts.
Appointed director of the New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) in September 1995 by Governor Pataki after serving as State Coordinating Officer in successfully battling the Sunrise Fires on Long Island, the most dangerous wildfires the state has ever witnessed.
Ilan Juran
Served for the past twelve years as Chair of the ISSMGE International Commission of Ground Improvement for Infrastructure Construction and as Editor of the Ground Improvement Journal. Served as Senior Advisor of Technology and Science UNDP, chaired the ECO-INWARDS Task Force on Economic Integration of Neutralized Waste as A Resource Deployment Strategy and served as a consultant to international organizations including UNESCO and UNDP.
Currently General Secretary of IMPACTS, International Forum of Metropolitan and Capital Cities in Europe and North America on Information Management Policy Assessment for City Transportation Systems. Established a Franco-American Cooperative Program for Urban Studies focused on Advancing the State of Practice in Urban Infrastructure Engineering, Environmental Systems Management, and Innovative Rehabilitation Technologies.
Alan Leidner
Director of the Citywide Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program and Utility. Works for the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. Served as Director of the Emergency Mapping and Data Center (EMDC) during the 911/WTC rescue and recovery operation.
Has worked over the past thirty years for the Department of City Planning, the Mayor’s Office of Operations and the Department of Environmental Protection. Recent work has focused on the development of an accurate City base map developed through the use of aerial photography and creating tools and applications to enable agencies to use the map to improve their operations and their service to the public.
Robert Jay Lifton
Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The Graduate School and University Center (CUNY) and the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Director of the Center on Violence and Human Survival at John Jay College. Previously held the Foundations’ Fund Research Professorship of Psychiatry at Yale University. An active participant in the formation of the new field of psychohistory.
Co-author (with Greg Mitchell) of Who Owns Death: Capital Punishment, the American Conscience, and the End of Executions, focusing on ethical and psychological aspects of the death penalty. Currently conducting psychological research on the problem of apocalyptic violence, focusing on Aum Shinrikyo, the extremist Japanese cult which released poison gas in Tokyo subways.
Robert J. Louden
Directs the Criminal Justice Center and Security Management Institute at John Jay College. Designs, develops and delivers seminars, workshops and training programs for a variety of public and private organizations. Adjunct Professor in the Protection Management graduate program. Served twenty-one years in the NYPD, including an assignment as the Detective Lieutenant in charge of the Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT), where he was involved in more than 500 hostages, barricade and kidnap incidents. Conducts research and teaches about emergency management.
Dr. Gerald W. Lynch
Dr. Gerald W. Lynch has served as President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice since 1976. The College is the only institution of higher education in the United States which is exclusively dedicated to the study of criminal justice, law enforcement, police science, public safety and public service.
President Lynch received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from New York University. He served as Chairman of the New York State Gambling Study Panel and was a member of the New York State Crime Control Planning Board. Since 1980, he has been an officer of the New York City Police Foundation, a philanthropic foundation that supports police activities and is a member of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy. He is also chairman of numerous organizations, including The New York City Fire Safety Foundation; The City University Drug Education Committee, the Commission on Fire Fighting Code Enforcement Personnel Standards and Education Commission of New York State.
An internationally known expert and advocate of criminal justice education, Dr. Lynch has lectured at the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Police in Lyon, France; the Police Staff College in Bramshill, England; St. Petersburg University, Russia; Abu Dhabi, Australia, Johannesburg, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Spain, Budapest, Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Italy, Guyana, and Germany. He has also lectured throughout the United States and visited South Africa to study the developments following the fall of apartheid. In 1998 – 1999, President Lynch was one of two Americans selected by the British and Irish governments to serve on The Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland. President Lynch teaches, chairs panels, writes and speaks regarding police corruption and ethical behavior, and many other topics related to criminal justice and policing.
John Tepper Marlin
Chief Economist to the City Comptroller. Prepared official estimates of the economic impact of the 1993 WTC bombing and the 2001 WTC attack. Served as an economist for the Federal Reserve Board, the SBA, and the FDIC. Served as CEO of the Council on Municipal Performance and JTM Reports. Has had 15 books published. Currently teaches a course on corporate social issues to MBA students at NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Ph.D. in Economics from George Washington University.
Hugh M. McGowan
Served in the New York City Police Department for thirty-three years, reaching the rank of Detective Lieutenant. Served as Commanding Officer and Chief Hostage Negotiator for the Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT) for thirteen years. Responded to over one hundred and thirty hostage, barricade and suicide incidents each year. Responsible for the tactics and techniques employed by the negotiating team members.
Previously served in the Emergency Service Unit as a citywide field supervisor and Coordinator of Training and Planning. Served as a Detective Sergeant in the NYPD’s Bomb Squad. Supervised numerous terrorist-bombing investigations and was asked to testify before a Congressional panel seeking stricter controls on explosive products.
William A. Morange
Serves as Chief of Patrol for the New York City Police Department. Previously served as Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, Inspector, Deputy Inspector, Captain, Lieutenant, and Sergeant.
Served in the 28th, 30th, 41st, and Central Park Precincts, as well as the Operations Unit, Manhattan North Task Force, Patrol Borough Manhattan North, and the Street Crime Unit.
Served as the Commanding Officer of the 28 Precinct, Manhattan North Task Force, the Operations Unit, Special Operations Division, and the Street Crime Unit. Served as the Executive Officer of Patrol Borough Manhattan North.
Bachelor of Professional Studies from the State University of New York.
Joseph C. Morreale
Senior Associate Provost and Vice President for Planning, Assessment, Research and Academic Support at Pace University. Monitors the implementation of the university strategic plan. Develops and implements a university-wide assessment plan. Implements the annual plan and budget for academic affairs. Maintains all data and statistical information for the university as the institutional research office.
Provided an impact analysis on the WTC attack on Pace University. Researched disaster recovery plans and programs for various universities impacted by disasters in the US. Involved in the establishment of the Pace University Center for the Study of Downtown NY. Published in the fields of faculty development and assessment, health care economics/policy, local government finance, and environmental economics.
Joseph F. Picciano
Acting Regional Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Region II Office in New York City. Responsible for the day-to-day direction, management, and monitoring of all FEMA programs within the Region. Participates in the development and implementation of overall Regional policies as these relate to mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery from disasters or emergencies occurring within New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
Coordinates Federal, State, and local government preparedness provide assistance and guidance to private sector preparedness planning, and functions as a liaison with counterpart officials of bordering or neighboring countries, in the interests of US emergency operations.
Anthony J. Policastro
Head of the Department of Energy’s PROTECT program which is aimed at demonstrating advanced technologies for mitigating the consequences of a chemical or biological attack on the nation’s subways, airport, and buildings. Worked in security technologies for the past seven years as a mechanical engineer at Argonne National Laboratory. Work included testing chemical agent detectors, development of a chemical agent emergency management information system, and developing guidance to the transit industry on chemical and biological attacks.
Past work included subway flow and dispersion, field measurements and modeling of military smokes, modeling of chemical accident releases in highway and rail environments, and environmental impacts of power plants and energy-producing facilities.
Tod Rittenhouse
Managing Principal of the New York Structural Engineering Division and a Member of the Board of Directors of Weidlinger Associates. Participates in both conventional and protective design of many recent domestic, international, and government projects. Participated in several Department of Defense projects. Was resident Project Manager for major structures in London. Coordinated and expanded Weidlinger Associates’ marketing activities in Europe. Currently manages the NY Structural Division as well as several public and private sector design projects.
Member of two ASCE Task Committees on State of the Practice for Structural Security and Mitigation of Terrorism. Recently published papers include Civil Engineering, Fire Engineering, and Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction.
Richard A. Rotanz
Captain Richard A Rotanz has a unique and diverse background in this relatively new and dynamic field of Emergency Management. During thirty years in the fire service, of which twenty-three years have been associated in the New York City Fire Department, Richard (Richie) Rotanz has faced down all manner of disasters, an experience that stood him well as the Co-designer of the developing Masters Degree Program for Emergency Management at John Jay College.
Richie Rotanz is a graduate from John Jay College of Criminal-Justice with a Masters of Science along with other graduate studies from Boise State University and Stony Brook University.
Mr. Rotanz has been assigned to the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) since the fall of 2000 as Deputy Director of Planning and Research. He has directed NYC’s planning initiatives in areas such as bioterrorism preparedness which had established capabilities such as the Syndromic Surveillance and the Point of Dispensing, an emergency medication distribution processes, that enabled NYC personnel to handle the anthrax letter attacks in the Fall of 2001 with calm professionalism and dispatch. Moreover, after New York City’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC) in the World Trade Center was destroyed on September 11th, Richie Rotanz played a principal role in re-establishing and running the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) now located on pier 92.
Richie Rotanz lives on Long Island with his wife Patricia and their twelve children.
Victor W. Sidel
Chair of the Department of Social Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and Professor of Community Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Appointed Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine at Montefiore and Einstein. Served as President of the American Public Health Association and of the Public Health Association of New York City. Member of the Board of Directors of Physicians for a National Health Program.
Member of the first US medical delegation invited to the People’s Republic of China in 20 years. Studied health care in a dozen other countries and served as a consultant for the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Ellis Stanley
The General Manager or the City of Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Department. Prior to that, he was the Director of the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency since 1987.
Stanley is past President of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), the American Society of Professional Emergency Planners, and the National Defense Transportation Association. He also chaired the Certified Emergency Managers Certification Commission. He is Vice-President for Public Sector of BICEPP (Business & Industry Council on Emergency Preparedness and Planning) and is on the Emergency Services Committee of the Los Angeles Red Cross Chapter. He is an Emergency Preparedness Commissioner for Los Angeles County as well as a board member of the National Institute of Urban Search and Rescue.
Charles B. Strozier
Professor of History, John Jay College and the City University Graduate Center since 1986. Director, Center on Violence and Human Survival, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, since 2001 (Co-Director, 1986-2001). Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst, Training and Research Institute in Self Psychology (TRISP), New York City, since 1997 (Senior Faculty Member since 1986). Member of faculty, New York Institute for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, since 1995. Practicing psychoanalytic psychotherapist in New York City, since 1992.
Author of numerous books and articles, including Heinz Kohut: The Making of a Psychoanalyst and Lincoln’s Quest for Union: A Psychological Portrait.
M.A. and Ph.D. in History from the University of Chicago and B.A. from Harvard University.
Michael W. Tantala
Conducts applied research in natural disaster risk assessment and management and structural reliability, dealing with multiple hazards (currently focusing on earthquakes) and addressing many aspects of insurance and emergency response applications. Collaborated on numerous projects for FEMA, the New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Estimation (NYCEM), the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER), the New York State Emergency Management Office (NYSEMO), the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) and the Technical Chamber of Greece.
Taught courses in structural engineering and mechanics. Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society.
Michael Tarnowski
Currently a structural engineer with Applied Research Associates. Developed hurricane evacuation plans as study manager for the Corps of Engineers as part of the Corps’ and FEMA’s Hurricane Evacuation Study Program (1989-1995). Studies completed include evacuation plans for the States of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Southern Massachusetts, a post-storm assessment of Hurricane Bob, 1991, and a collaborative effort for the development of the New York Metro Hurricane Evacuation Study. Other work includes studies on dam safety and seismic evaluations of intake flood-control structures (1996-2000).
Doctoral candidate in Civil Engineering at Northeastern University.
Lucio Ubertini
Full Professor at University of Perugia and University “La Sapienza,” Rome. President of the Italian Group for the Natural Hazards Prevention (GNDCI) of the National Research Council (CNR) and Director of the Institute for Hydrogeological Protection in Central Italy (IRPI-CNR).
President of the Hydrogeological High-Risk Committee, Department of Civil Protection, Italian Government. IAHS Italian representative for IUGG since 1983.
Served as President of the Unesco-Italian Committee for International Hydrological Program (IHP). Author of more than 150 papers/books on hydrological models, sediment transport, real-time flow forecast, irrigation and drainage, and water resources management.
Richard M. Vogel
Assistant Professor of Economics at the State University of New York at Farmingdale. Previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of West Florida. Research interests include natural hazards analysis, disaster impact analysis, and urban economic development. Published papers and articles in The Handbook Crisis and Emergency Management (2001), The Journal of Global Awareness, and The Review of Radical Political Economics.
Ph.D. in Economics from Florida International University and M.A. in Economics from Georgia State University.
Christopher T. Voss
Eighteen year veteran of the FBI assigned to the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit in January 2000. Previously served in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and New York City. Served as a police officer with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Assigned to the Joint Terrorist Taskforce for fourteen years and received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Investigation and the FBI Agents Association Award for Distinguished and Exemplary Service. FBI Crisis Negotiation Coordinator for New York City.
Sean H.T. Waters
Sean Waters is a National Preparedness Officer for FEMA Region II. In this role, he works with state and local partners in preparing for the consequences of an act of terrorism including weapons of mass destruction (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical.). He has also served the Region as the Hazardous Materials Officer. He is a member of the Region II Emergency Response Team – Advanced (ERT-A), the Region II Regional Operations Center (ROC) Staff, the Atlantic Regional Response Team and the Caribbean Regional Response Team. During disasters, he has worked as Operations Chief, Emergency Services Branch Chief, and Operations Support Branch Chief. In addition to his regular responsibilities, he serves as the Tribal Liaison Officer to the region’s seven Federally recognized tribes.
Prior to joining FEMA, he worked five years in New York City government including two years at the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management. Sean is a proud graduate of Iona College in New Rochelle with a Bachelor of Arts in History. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration with a specialization in Inspector General Investigation and Oversight, and a Master of Science Degree in Protection Management with a specialization in Security Management. Both Masters Degrees are from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Steven T. Worley
Member of the San Antonio Fire Department since April 1972 and currently one of two Deputy Fire Chiefs. Worked in Firefighting, EMS, Training, Air Crash/Rescue, Fire Prevention as Fire Marshal, and is currently Administrative Chief, responsible for the following divisions: Fire Prevention, Arson, Training, Personnel, Management Information Services, and Professional Standards.
Involved in the development of a new national fire incident reporting system, NFIRS 5.0. Served as President of the National Fire Information Council, Inc. from 1998 to 2000. Has been a participant in the ICMA Performance Measurement Consortium since 1995. Developed a countywide hazardous materials route that was adopted in 2001. Member of NFPA and IAFC.
Rae Zimmerman
Professor of Planning and Public Administration at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Director of the NSF-funded Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems (ICIS). Former director of the Urban Planning Program. Past President of the Society for Risk Analysis. Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Society for Risk Analysis. Member of the National Academy of Sciences Army Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program Committee, US EPA Board of Scientific Counselors, and US EPA National Drinking Water Advisory Committee’s Research Working Group.
Author of numerous books and articles including Governmental Management of Chemical Risk.
Ph.D. in Planning from Columbia University, Master of City Planning from University of Pennsylvania, and B.A. in Chemistry from University of California (Berkeley).
