Meet the Chapters

State Association

President - John Gulserian Emergency Services Officer
Butte County Office of Emergency Management
25 County Center Drive Suite 200
Oroville, CA 95965
(530) 538-7373
JGulserian@buttecounty.net

John Gulserian is the Emergency Services Officer for Butte County and has held that position for the past 6 years.

During this time, his planning and preparedness activities have included the development of an All-Hazard Mitigation Plan, Local Flood Mitigation Plan, updating of the County's Emergency Operations Plan and Upper Ridge Emergency Evacuation Plan. Additionally, he has hosted several WMD drills, Table top exercises and a countywide Emergency Operations Center exercise. Currently, he is project manager to several Homeland Security Grants which provide funding to equip and train emergency responders within the county. Previously, John served in the US Army for 21 years in the Aviation field. He has a Masters Degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from Touro University International.

Vice President - Ron Alves
Principal, Alves & Associates
Fire Captain, Emerg Mgmt Spec.
P.O. Box 120
Cotati, CA 94931
(707) 799-2940
Ronalves@sprynet.com

Ron Alves has over 33 years of experience as a responder and administrator in Emergency Services. His multi-disciplinary private sector background includes functioning as a Paramedic, Public Information Officer, and Regional Manager.

Ron retired in 2012 after serving as a Captain and Emergency Management Specialist with the Marin County Fire Department since 1983. Ron has served as the primary Planning/Intelligence Section Chief for the Marin Operational Area EOC for the past 10 years. Additionally, in this capacity he has served as staff to CalEMA during the Oakland Hills Fire, the Loma Prieta and Northridge Earthquakes.

Ron has been assigned to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) Incident Command Team 4 since 1998. In 2004 Ron became the Planning/Intelligence Chief for CalFire ICT4.

Ron holds a Teaching Credential in Adult Education from the California State College Board of Governors. He instructs Emergency Management related subjects through the California State Fire Marshal's Office, California Community Colleges, the California Specialized Training Institute, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Since 1986 Ron has been an instructor in the FEMA Exercise Design Course. He has designed and conducted well over 200 exercises throughout the nation. Ron worked as a task force member developing the Advanced Exercise Design Course for the California Comprehensive Exercise Program and has piloted this program in California, Nevada, Mexico and Hawaii.

Ron has been a CESA member since 1992. In 2003 he received the Coastal Chapter Diamond Award and in 2007 he received the President’s Award.

Treasurer - Joe Guzzardi, CEM
Santa Barbara County OES
Emergency Manager
105 East Anapamu Street, Suite 3
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 560-1083
jguzzardi@countyofsb.org

Joe has been with the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services since 1998. He is program manager for the Santa Barbara Operational Area Terrorism Working Group and the State Homeland Security Grant Program.

Joe serves as liaison to the 8 city emergency coordinators, various disaster service worker groups and community groups throughout the Santa Barbara Op Area. He also coordinates operation of the Emergency Alert System.

Joe is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, receiving a B.S. in Natural Resources Management. Prior to coming to OES, Joe spent 10 years as the local health inspector, working at Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services. He continues to maintain his state certification as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist.

Treasurer and Immediate Past President - Marsha Hovey

Emergency Services Coordinator
Cupertino OES
10300 Torre Avenue
Cupertino, California 95014
(408) 772-1210
marshahovey@mac.com

Marsha Hovey is employed by Santa Clara County Fire Department as the Emergency Services Coordinator for the City of Cupertino.

She oversees the planning, coordination, training and testing for Cupertino's emergency management programs and works extensively with service clubs, community based organizations, schools and businesses to facilitate an organized disaster response.

Marsha coordinates City and neighborhood based Community Emergency Response teams, a Medical Reserve Corps, Amateur Radio group and several hundred volunteers.

Marsha is a licensed ham radio operator, a former 9-1-1 emergency dispatcher has a BA in Business from San Jose State University and is a Certified Emergency Manager.

Professional Affiliations:
International Association of Emergency Managers
California Emergency Services Association Secretary - 2001-2005
California Service Corps CERT Advisory Committee
Santa Clara County Emergency Managers Association President - 2004
Santa Clara OpArea Disaster Medical Health Committee
Countywide Medical Response System Committee
Cupertino Disaster Council - Vice Chair
Adelante Toastmasters International Association - President - 2002, 2005

Professional Certifications:
Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)
Emergency Management Institute CERT Trainer
American Heart Association CPR Instructor
American Red Cross CPR and First Aid Instructor
FEMA Professional Development Series
FCC Ham Radio Operator
AWR160 Instructor.

Board Member - Janell Myrhe
Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services
55 West Younger Ave
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 808-7802
Janell.myhre@oes.sccgov.org

Janell Myhre is the Director of the Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services.

 

 

Board Member - Lynne Olson
Senior Emergency Services Coordinator
Nuclear Preparedness Program
3650 Schriever Ave
Mather, CA 95655
Office: (916) 845-8762
Lynne.Olson@calema.ca.gov

Lynne is a Senior Emergency Services Coordinator with the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) in the Radiological Preparedness Unit. She has served in her current position as the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) site liaison since June, 2010. Prior to coming to Cal EMA, Lynne was the Amador County Emergency Services Coordinator for 11 years.

As a county Emergency Services and Operational Area Coordinator, Lynne’s responsibilities included coordinating and planning efforts to enhance the County’s ability to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies or disasters. During this time Lynne managed several Homeland Security Grants totaling over $1.8 million dollars, purchasing equipment for all disciplines and jurisdictions in the county, and conducting planning, training and exercise activities. She was also responsible for developing the county’s first Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and initiating the National Weather Service StormReady program becoming the sixth county to receive this designation. Additionally she was deployed under the Emergency Managers Mutual Aid system in support of Cal EMA and Trinity County. Lynne coordinated and conducted eight annual county-wide disaster exercises including full-scale, functional and tabletop exercises for wildfires, bio-terrorism, floods, dam failures, neighborhood evacuations, public health emergencies and the county’s first elementary school full-scale evacuation. Lynne partnered with several agencies to bring fire safety, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction training to first responders. Lynne has also partnered with many private and volunteer organizations to enhance the county’s ability to respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters.

Lynne graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1981 with a Bachelors of Science in Police Administration and upon graduation was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Lynne retired from the Army after 21 years of service.

Board Member - Vicki Osborn
Orange County Sheriff's OEM
2644 Santiago Cyn. Rd.
Silverado, CA 92676
714 628-7019
vosborn@ocsd.org

Vicki Osborn is the Assistant Emergency Manager for Orange County and has been involved with Emergency Management for the last 5 years. Vicki began her career with the Sheriff's Department over 15 years ago as a Radio Dispatcher.

After many years of shift work, Vicki looked for a career change, and promoted to Emergency Management. Her responsibilities included training, disaster plan development and revision related to San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (which could evacuate over 180,000 people), Dams (evacuations there too), Care and Shelter and Facility Management to name a few. In November, 2007 she was promoted to Assistant Emergency Manager and oversees project areas including, the Operational Area, Emergency Management Council, Hazard Mitigation and Planning for all hazards, and technology. Vicki really enjoys working with the entire Orange County Operational Area.

Vicki's first participation with the CESA organization was on the CESA conference committee as the Operations Section Chief. In 2008 when she was elected to the Board and was given the great honor of being selected as the Second Vice President. In this role her duties include chairing the programs committee and organization training programs to the membership. Vicki is excited about the future for the CESA and making any contributions possible to help the entire membership.