The National Guard can be found in every state. They play a unique role in being both a federal and state government asset. In this podcast you will learn about the role of the National Guard in our national defense and also when disasters strike. Our guest represents not only the Washington National Guard, but also emergency management for the State of Washington. Therefore, we’ll also examine the anticipated challenges moving forward as FEMA reduces their support of states and local governments before, during and after disasters.  

Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh is The Adjutant General, Washington National Guard, at Camp Murray, Wash. Maj. Gen. Welsh was appointed as The Adjutant General of Washington on 29 June 2024. General Welsh is the commanding general of all Washington Army and Air National Guard forces and oversees the State’s Emergency Management and Enhanced 911 programs. He also serves as Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor of Washington and as State Administrative Agent for all United States Department of Homeland Security grants awarded to Washington’s state, local, tribal and non-profit agencies and organizations.  

General Welsh enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1988. He transferred to the Air National Guard in 1992 and was commissioned as a 2d Lieutenant in 1994. He has held a variety of positions in air support operations and combat communications units, including command positions at the squadron, group, and wing levels. He is a resident graduate of the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, commanded the 242d Combat Communications Squadron and the 252d Combat Communications Group, served as the Chief Information Officer, J6, and Chief of Staff for the Washington National Guard, and commanded the 194th Wing and the Washington Air National Guard.

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Flooding is the most common hazard we have in the United States. There are many different types of flooding that can occur. Today we’ll be talking with a local flood plain manager about how he and his jurisdiction approaches flood risks.  

Helmut Schmidt – Pierce County Planning and Public Works. Floodplain Administrator & Floodplain Services Supervisor. He has 38 years working in floodplain management and restoration design/construction. He has a comprehensive understanding of the tributary drainage and riverine function of the Puyallup River watershed.  

A lover of history, he also brings both a researched and lived prospective of infrastructure, policy and flood events that have shaped Pierce County Floodplain Management. As Floodplain Administrator, he ensures development and County regulations stay in compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Helmut graduated from St. Martins College and is a Certified Floodplain Manager.

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2025 has been a year of turmoil when it comes to emergency management. In this
podcast we will be discussing how the future of emergency management will be
shaped from one of the leaders in the profession.

Bryan Koon is the President and CEO of IEM International, Inc., a leading professional
services firm focused on emergency management, disaster recovery, and resilience. At
IEM, he integrates innovative technology and best practices to keep the organization of
900+ employees ready to support communities in preparing for, responding to,
recovering from, and mitigating against disasters.

Before IEM, Koon was the Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management
(FDEM), where he enhanced Florida’s emergency response capabilities and fostered
public-private partnerships, notably during Hurricane Irma and the Pulse Shooting. As
President of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) from 2014 to
2016, he advocated for nationwide improvements in disaster response and resilience,
testifying before Congress on the importance of controlling disaster costs and investing
in mitigation.

Koon serves on the FLASH Board of Directors, promoting policies to reduce disaster
risks and bolster community resilience. His career is marked by a passion for building
resilient communities and developing aspiring emergency managers through higher
education partnerships.

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As we look to the future, we need to find new ways of providing financial relief when accidents and disasters damage or destroy private and public property. This podcast looks at the parametric insurance model. Might it be a more efficient and effective way forward to compensate loss?  

Examples of Parametric Policies:  
NYC MTA: https://www.artemis.bm/news/new-york-mta-seeks-metrocat-re-parametric-storm-surge-cat-bond-renewal/
Caribbean reef: https://oceanriskalliance.org/news/from-risk-to-resilience-a-blueprint-for-reef-positive-parametric-insurance/
Jamaica hurricane parametric policy: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2025/11/07/hurricane-melissa-triggers-100-payout-of-150-million-world-bank-catastrophe-bond-for-jamaica  

Jasper Cooke is a people-centric leader with fifteen years of experience in emergency management. His career includes significant depth in strategy development and implementation, grant management, and community resilience. At WSP, Jasper has leadership roles on multiple projects and is focused on WSP growing the emergency management and resilience business at all levels of government.   Prior to WSP, Jasper led first the Hazard Mitigation and then the Recovery Sections for the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) from 2021 to 2023. In each role, he led a statewide team of 40-50 staff managing billions in federal grants. Prior to TDEM, Jasper worked at FEMA, most recently leading the Office of the National Advisory Council where he supported four FEMA Administrators with strategy and program implementation.

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In this podcast we will examine different forms of governance for cities, evaluating the pros and cons of each. We’ll also delve into how civic leaders think about the first responder community, emergency management in general and technology. We will be hearing from someone with vast experience in government having held a wide variety of positions.  

Harry Black the podcast guest is a seasoned executive with extensive leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. He has served as city manager, Chief administrative officer, chief financial officer, program manager, and chief procurement officer, consistently driving organizational transformation through best practices and outcome-based strategies.
 
A pioneer in performance management, Black has developed and implemented data-driven programs that enhance transparency, accountability, and service delivery. His integrated approach incorporates data analytics, lean techniques, smart technologies, and citistat programs to optimize government performance.  

In public financial management, Black has led major municipal finance efforts, overseeing more than $5 billion in bond transactions, including general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, and short-term banknotes.  

An accomplished author and speaker, Black has published works on economic development, pension and healthcare reform, and performance management. He has delivered presentations on police-community relations, infrastructure development, public procurement, and long-term financial planning.   Black holds a BS in Public Administration from Virginia State University, an MA in Public Administration from the University of Virginia, and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia State University.

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The 2025 Eaton Fire alone destroyed more than 9,000 structures and claimed 19 lives in Los Angeles County. Investigations by federal agencies and independent experts traced the fire's origin to Southern California Edison (SCE) equipment failures.  

Ari Friedman, a partner and trial attorney at Wisner Baum LLP is leading the charge to hold energy and insurance companies accountable and responsible for fire damages caused by their utilities. Ari is a dedicated plaintiff’s attorney, specializing in single-event complex litigation, product liability, commercial transportation disasters, wildfire burn downs, personal injury, and wrongful death cases. With over a decade of experience.

His passion for justice, meticulous case preparation, and commitment to client care make him a dedicated advocate for those facing corporate wrongdoing and catastrophic injuries.   He is a graduate of the University of Southern California B.A., International relations, Professional and managerial communication. His law degree is from Pepperdine.

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Renny Vandewege GM of climate and weather at DTN, has two decades of meteorological experience, educating business leaders on weather-induced disasters. DTN has an Operational Decisioning Platform that turns complex data into decision-grade insights—empowering customers to expand their margins, accelerate growth, and outpace risk. With more than 1,200 employees globally, DTN serves the companies that feed, fuel, and protect the world.

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The Trump Administration has been making statements since January 2025 that they, meaning both the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security, want to shift disaster costs, beginning with disaster preparedness and then also disaster response and recovery more to states and local jurisdictions. PEW Charitable Trusts recently released a report, What Waning Federal Disaster Aid Would Mean for State Budgets This is the subject of this podcast. How will a reduction in federal funding for disasters impact state budgets.  

As states face growing disaster costs, declining revenue, and an uncertain federal funding landscape, the need to build more disaster-resilient budgets is greater than ever. At the same time, as federal policymakers weigh proposals to reduce disaster assistance to states, they will need to account for the availability of state resources relative to the federal aid they have historically received and recognize that even modest changes in state budgets can have significant effects on other key initiatives.  

The podcast guest is Colin Foard. He directs Pew’s managing fiscal risks initiative, which helps state policymakers prepare for new and emerging risks to fiscal stability and manage uncertainty by strengthening budgeting practices across several areas. Previously, Foard worked for Pew’s fiscal federalism initiative, contributing to research and technical assistance on natural disaster spending and other aspects of the federal-state fiscal relationship.  

Before joining Pew, Foard spent five years on the staff of a senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives’ appropriations and budget committees, handling committee work as well as a broad policy portfolio that included homeland security, transportation, housing, and immigration issues. He also served as a congressional constituent caseworker and field representative in Oakland, California.  

Foard holds a bachelor’s degree from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and a master’s in Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

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It has been decades since the last significant earthquake in the United States. Yet, there are earthquake risks across the USA. In this podcast we learn about how homeowners and businesses can take proactive steps to improve the seismic survivability of their properties.  

The podcast guest is Kyle Tourjé, a second-generation contractor specializing in structural retrofitting, repair, and geohazard mitigation. As Executive Vice President of Alpha Structural, Inc., he oversees all engineering and construction operations.  

Having grown up in the trade and with over 15 years of experience, including personally repairing and inspecting over 6,000 structures, Kyle combines hands-on construction and field engineering expertise with leadership in real estate and disaster response. His work bridges the gap between engineering solutions and the realities of property ownership and management, code compliance, and disaster response. He has a background spanning construction, insurance claims, and litigation support, he applies practical solutions to California’s evolving structural, legal, and environmental challenges.  

Kyle’s focus is on advancing straightforward, lasting solutions that improve safety and resilience for communities across the region.  

 For more about Alpha Structural, visit http://www.alphastructural.com

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Nonprofits play a critical role in responding to and recovering from disasters. Today we will hear from one of those and then we will also have a discussion about how government and nonprofits can achieve better outcomes by what they do before and how they interact during disasters.  

Liz Baker, CEO of Greater Good Charities — a global organization that has spent the last twenty years providing disaster relief to communities in need. Because of its unique funding and agile operational model, Liz's organization, Greater Good Charities, can respond to often overlooked issues that larger aid organizations often don't have bandwidth to address. They're also there within hours of crises they're responding to, mobilizing quickly, listening locally, and responding with their global resources

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