How do organizations best prepare for and respond to disasters while managing a pandemic the scale of COVID-19? During this workshop, we will discuss the short and long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on planning efforts for other security and emergency events and hear from a panel of leading subject matter experts.
Our speakers are:
Susan Duenas, Public Safety Manager, City of Malibu
Susan has worked in the field of emergency management for over 25 years, accumulating a significant depth of knowledge and experience. She is currently the Public Safety Manager for the City of Malibu, but has also worked for the cities of Oxnard, El Segundo and West Hollywood, as well as the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services for 15 years. Each position provided new and different opportunities and perspectives in emergency management. In her current position, she is responsible for EOC management and training, the City’s alert and warning systems, the CERT program, public education, and homelessness. Over the years she has responded to earthquakes, floods, a commercial airline crash, a train crash, landslides, winter storms, numerous fires, and now a pandemic and civil unrest. Her recent experience with the Woolsey Fire in 2018 was the most challenging of all with the entire City evacuating, a fully staffed EOC that had to be moved to another City for two weeks, and half of the City damaged or destroyed by the fire. In addition to her professional experience, Susan also has a B.A. in Journalism and a Master’s in Public Policy.
Wendy Hopkins, Public Information Officer, California Department of Public Health
Wendy Hopkins has more than 25 years’ experience as a communications and media relations specialist. Currently, Wendy is a Public Information Officer handling Risk Communications for the California Department of Public Health. Her work includes creating health-related messaging for earthquakes, wildfires, pandemics, nuclear incidents, bioterrorism and tsunamis. She is the main liaison to the Office of Emergency Planning and actively participate in all trainings, exercises and real-life emergency activations.
Wendy initially started out as a television news producer in a small market but in just seven years, she was hired by the Governor’s Office as Media Relations Director. Her responsibilities included producing the annual State of the State Address and video messaging for the Governor. When she has spare time, Wendy does professional voice over work, spends time with her dog and also volunteers at the Sacramento Zoo.
Amie Hoeber, National Security Expert and President, AMH Consulting
Amie was the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress for Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District in 2016 and 2018. Amie is an expert in national security and has worked to enhance the defense of our country her entire career. Appointed by President Reagan as the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army following appointments as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (R&D) and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (RDA), Amie worked closely with the Administration and Congress to strengthen America’s national defense. She oversaw all Army research and development budgets, technical developments and forty-one Army laboratories. Managing the Army’s R&D staff, Amie also led Pentagon efforts to protect our troops from nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and oversaw the Army portion of the Star Wars ballistic missile defense research program.
Amie is the founder and President of AMH Consulting which advises the Federal government and private industry on national security, technology, and defense-related environmental cleanup. She has built AMH Consulting into a thriving business and a well-respected advisor to its clients. Amie’s business experience also includes serving on the Boards of Directors of Versar Inc. and chairing the Boards of EAI and Hinz Consulting. Amie is a graduate of Stanford University and did graduate studies at American University and UCLA. She is also member of the 2015 Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative Cohort.
Julie Quinn, Crisis Analyst and Partner, QuinnWilliams (Moderator)
Julie Quinn is a founding partner of QuinnWilliams, LLC a Los Angeles-based firm specializing in homeland security, emergency planning and crisis management. For over a decade she has provided strategic analysis and assessments to public and private sector clients. In 2019 QuinnWilliams was given the Award of Excellence for its lasting contributions to the fields of security and emergency preparedness. The award noted several key projects including their organizational assessment of the County of San Bernardino following the terror attack on December 2, 2015; a new Strategic Plan for the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department; and their analysis of the Paris terror attack in 2015 documented in "The Attacks on Paris: Lessons Learned.”
Prior to QuinnWilliams, Julie collaborated with leading national security expert, Dr. Amy Zegart, to examine Congressional oversight of the U.S. intelligence agencies. Julie earned her BA in Political Science from Stanford University and her Master of Public Policy from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs