Alabama Emergency Management Agency
July 3, 2024
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Emergency managers from Alabama Emergency Management Agency are among the first students to graduate from Florida’s first-ever mid-level leadership development program for emergency managers in St. Augustine, Fla.
Craig Bolling, Aaron Overby, Jeb Hargrove, Janine Speaks, LaTonya Stephens, and Leigh McKee are six of 38 emergency managers who will graduate from the 12-week pilot cohort of the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s (FDEM) Emergency Management Mid-Level Leadership Development Program. The program develops leadership skills not normally included in job—or position-specific training for emergency managers. These include decision-making, project management, communication, collaboration, and giving and receiving feedback.
“This is not just a graduation; it’s a significant step in strengthening our state’s resilience against crises,” said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie. “By advancing leadership skills among our emergency managers, we are not only enhancing our capability to effectively respond to disasters but also ensuring the sustainable growth and readiness of our emergency management workforce. This program is a testament to our commitment to the safety and security of our state and its people.”
The Emergency Management Mid-Level Leadership Development Program is an important investment in the professional growth and development of emergency managers. The course is designed to develop leadership skills and behaviors to effectively plan for, prevent, respond to, and recover from all hazards, ensuring our state’s brighter and safer future.
As the workforce manages increasingly frequent and complex crises, emergency management agencies nationwide face personnel shortages, compounding challenges in response operations. A key recruiting and retention tool is growing professionals who can lead up, down, and out. By utilizing in-person and virtual training systems, leaders gain skills to improve interagency coordination and cross-functional collaboration.
Graduates were handpicked from emergency management agencies across the southeast, including Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, and Alabama. As one of the first leadership programs for emergency managers in the U.S., representatives from other states are attending the pilot program to build interagency partnerships and interoperability among the emergency management community. Based on the course’s early success, FDEM is convening another course for emergency managers from Florida’s cities, counties, and the state university system. Interested emergency managers should contact the Florida Disaster Foundation for registration information and dates for future offerings.
The Emergency Management Mid-Level Leadership Development Program, sponsored by the Florida Disaster Foundation, is designed and delivered by the McChrystal Group. The program leverages the Team of Teams® Leadership Framework to develop trust, common purpose, shared consciousness, and empowered execution among the emergency management community.
