Craig Fugate

Craig Fugate began his emergency management career as a volunteer firefighter, Emergency Paramedic, and Lieutenant with the Alachua County Fire Rescue. He later served as the Emergency Manager for Alachua County in Gainesville, Florida for a decade, transitioning to the role of Bureau Chief for Preparedness and Response for the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) in May 1997. His extensive experience in the field includes managing the largest federal disaster response in Florida history during the 2004 hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne, as well as the 2005 hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, and Wilma.

Fugate served as President Barack Obama’s Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from May 2009 to January 2017. During his tenure, he led FEMA through numerous record-breaking disaster years, including the Joplin and Moore tornadoes, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Matthew, and the 2016 Louisiana flooding. He set clear and compelling visions, missions, and priorities for FEMA, driving the agency to achieve better outcomes for disaster survivors. Under his leadership, FEMA effectively managed over 500 Presidentially-declared major disasters and emergencies, significantly restoring public faith in the Federal Government’s disaster response capabilities.

Currently, Fugate provides senior-level advice and consultation in the area of disaster management and resilience policy through Craig Fugate Consulting LLC. He also holds the position of Chief Emergency Management Officer at One Concern. Renowned for simplifying complex emergency management concepts, Fugate combines informative, insightful content with what attendees describe as "Craigisms," making him a genuinely engaging speaker. He has participated in events such as TedMed 2010 and continues to be a sought-after speaker on topics including Crisis Management.