James Lee Witt

CEO at Witt Global Partners

Travels From Travels From:
Washington, DC, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

James Lee Witt Biography

Witt Associates, now a part of GlobalOptions Group, Inc. provides disaster recovery and mitigation management services to state and local governments, educational institutions, the international community and corporations.       

In 2003, Mr. Witt became the Chief Executive Officer of the International Code Council (ICC), a 50,000-member association dedicated to building safety, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Through its founders, the ICC has more than 190 years of collective experience developing building safety codes that save lives. The majority of U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose building and fire safety codes developed by the ICC.      

Witt currently is a special advisor to Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to assist with the recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.      

James Lee Witt has over 25 years of disaster management experience, culminating in his appointment as the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where he served from 1993-2001. In this capacity, he is credited with turning FEMA from an unsuccessful bureaucratic agency to an internationally lauded all-hazards disaster management agency. His leadership abilities have been praised by nationally recognized organizations, including the Council for Excellence in Government, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, and the National Association of Broadcasters.      

Mr. Witt was appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in April 1993. In February 1996, President Clinton elevated Mr. Witt to cabinet status - a first for a FEMA Director. As FEMA Director, Mr. Witt coordinated federal disaster relief on behalf of President Clinton, including the response and recovery activities of 28 federal agencies and departments, the American Red Cross and other voluntary agencies. He also oversaw the National Flood Insurance Program, the U.S. Fire Administration and other pro-active mitigation activities that reduce loss of life and property from all types of hazards. Mr. Witt directed 2,500 employees located in Washington, DC and 10 regional offices.      

From 1993 to 2000, Mr. Witt oversaw more than 350 disasters. More importantly, he was responsible for response and recovery operations for six of the ten most devastating disasters of all time, including the most costly flood disaster in the nation's history, the most costly earthquake, and a dozen damaging hurricanes.      

As Director of FEMA, Mr. Witt was the visionary and architect of national government programs related to emergency preparedness and mitigation, response, recovery. In addition to his experience in emergency management on the State and local level, Mr. Witt has expertise integrating community-based disaster management with national emergency management strategy. He initiated Project Impact, the innovative disaster prevention program implemented in over 240 communities to make communities at the local level disaster resistant.      

Mr. Witt integrated flood mitigation, control and protection into FEMA's policy. After the devastating Midwest floods of 1993, Mr. Witt pursued an aggressive flood prone property acquisition and relocation program. By purchasing properties that were repeatedly flooded, he saved taxpayers millions of dollars when floods again ravaged the same Midwest area again in 1995.      

Mr. Witt's professional career includes the formation of Witt Construction, a commercial and residential construction company. After 12 years as a successful businessman and community leader, he was elected County Judge for Yell County, serving as the chief elected official for the county, with judicial responsibilities for county and juvenile court. At age 34, he was the youngest elected official in Arkansas, and was later honored for his accomplishments by the National Association of Counties. After being re-elected six times to the position, Mr. Witt was tapped by then-Governor Bill Clinton to assume leadership of the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services (OES). He served as the Director of the Arkansas OES for four years.

James Lee Witt Speaking Topics

  • Management

  • Politics

  • Leadership and Change

  • Homeland Security

FAQs on booking James Lee Witt

  • How do I book James Lee Witt to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like James Lee Witt for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for James Lee Witt, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for James Lee Witt or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for James Lee Witt

    Speaking fees for James Lee Witt, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book James Lee Witt are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire James Lee Witt, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does James Lee Witt speak about?

    James Lee Witt is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Political.
  • Where does James Lee Witt travel from?

    James Lee Witt generally travels from Washington, DC, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is James Lee Witt’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like James Lee Witt for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book James Lee Witt for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host James Lee Witt or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

James Lee Witt is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Management, Politics, Leadership and Change and Homeland Security. The estimated speaking fee range to book James Lee Witt for your event is available upon request. James Lee Witt generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Thomas Woods, Will Hurd, Bill de Blasio, Jimmy Delshad and Yannos Papantoniou. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling James Lee Witt for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP