Meet the Chapters

Donna has experience in managing emergency plans, public information, grants, community education, all phases of emergency management and public administration.

Donna's educational background is built on a Bachelors of Arts from UC Davis and a Graduate Degree in Public Policy and Administration from CSULB. Donna is a Certified Emergency Manager through the International Association of Emergency Management and has a solid foundation in emergency management training.

Donna is interested in serving in an active role with CESA-SC because she would like to contributed to the overall mission of the Association - to contribute to the future of emergency management policies and practices. Serving on the Board of CESA-SC will allow her to invest her time, strong emergency management background, and her public administration experience into the mission of CESA-SC.

Anna is currently serving as the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the City of Brea. She is responsible for all aspects of emergency preparedness and planning in Brea, including plan writing, development of policies and procedures, EOC development, maintenance and management, fund recovery activities and management, volunteer coordination including CERT and RACES, grants management for Homeland Security funds, and training for employees, residents and businesses in Brea.

Anna's participation with CESA began in 1991 when she transitioned from fire prevention into emergency management responsibilities for the City of Brea. She has served as the coordinator for social functions at CESA conferences in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008 with an overarching goal of finding a way to help every attendee find an activity where they feel comfortable. She has been with Brea for 26 years and had 2 years of experience with Fullerton Police Department as a Community Services Officer before that.

Following Hurricane Katrina, she was assigned as the Deputy Manager for the Riverside County Local Assistance Center and managed over twenty-five agencies and numerous volunteers who assisted over sixteen hundred hurricane victims.

She has developed and participated as lead spokesperson in Ready to Ride It Out part I and II video, which are two thirty-four minute earthquake preparedness presentations for a local cable channel and was interviewed for several segments on a Q & A half hour TV show.

LeAnn is currently Vice-Chair of the Riverside County Operational Area Planning Committee (OAPC) and is Chairperson of the OAPC Mass Care and Shelter Task Force. Recently, LeAnn was awarded the Southern California CESA Silver Award for her leadership of the Mass Care and Shelter Task Force and the Mass Care and Shelter Guidance for Emergency Planners.

LeAnn developed a CERT program for the City of Moreno Valley and since 1998, she has taught over seven hundred sixty-five students. She is also a Train-the-Trainer (T3) CERT instructor for the State of California and has taught several instructor courses in Northern and Southern California over the years.

Among the numerous local task forces, committees and council's that LeAnn sits on; she is currently on the Government Affairs and By-Laws committees for the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).

As such, he is responsible for the development and implementation of the Emergency Operations Plan and the Hazard Mitigation Plan for the City, as well as all emergency preparedness related community education and outreach programs, including the City's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Brad is certified as an Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM). He is also certified by the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal-EMA) as an Emergency Management Specialist. Before joing the City of Malibu, Brad spent 5 years with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), traveling the country in response to declared major disasters. Prior to that, he worked as an international project coordinator in the music recording industry.

He has been an Assistant Administrator with the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) since June of 2006. As the Assistant Administrator for Operations at OEM he oversees emergency planning and preparedness programs. Prior to coming to the LA County he served with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES) for over 24 years as an Emergency Services Coordinator, Senior Emergency Operations Planner, Deputy Regional Administrator and Acting Regional Administrator for the OES Southern Region Office. Keith has contributed to the development of emergency plans and procedures including the California Emergency Manager's Mutual Aid Plan. Keith has served as adjunct faculty at both the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) and the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Keith is also the Immediate Past President of the California Emergency Services Association (CESA) and a member of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).

This independent agency advises private, non-profit, and governmental organizations throughout the world in comprehensive emergency/crisis management and business continuity programs. Gunnar has been working in the Emergency Services arena since 1976.

Much of Gunnar's planning and consulting work takes place within the international aviation industry. He and his team at EDM have analyzed the emergency management procedures and response operations in numerous catastrophic incidents, and published more than a hundred papers and reports.

Before moving to the US, Gunnar was Commanding Chief and Managing Director of several EMS and rescue systems in Europe, particularly in Germany. He received his education in law and biochemistry from the German Universities of Bonn and Hannover.

Currently, Gunnar delivers key-note presentations at major national and international conferences, and briefs law enforcement agencies, governmental and private institutions worldwide on disaster prevention. In 1999 he was appointed as a principal on the NFPA 1600 Standard Committee on “Emergency/Disaster Management and Business Continuity Programs”. During that same year, he also became President of IAEM Region IX, a position that he still holds today.

Gunnar wants to facilitate the sharing of knowledge on hazard, disaster and emergency service related issues, mentor professionals that are new to emergency management, as well as to facilitate a stronger dialogue between CESA members and representatives of the legislative and societal decision making process.

Randy also responds to fires that have the potential to cause damage to electrical systems which ultimately can affect the electrical power grid in Southern California.

Prior to his current assignment, Randy spent 6 years working as a Corporate Emergency Planning & Preparedness Representative. During that time, he was responsible as a program manager for the following:

• Corporate Emergency Response and Recovery Plan
• Emergency Operations Center
• Mobile Command Center - Search and Rescue/ Emergency Response Training
• Corporate Exercises
• Survival Supplies

Randy started his 24 years in the fire service working for the California Department of Forestry in the early 1970's; retiring as Station Captain for the Orange County Fire Authority in 1996.

Randy posses the following certifications and affiliations:

• Certified Business Continuity Planner, Disaster Recovery Institute International (CBCP)
• Emergency Management Certificate Program, Cal State L.A.
• Certified Emergency Manager, International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM)
• Immediate Past President and current board member of the Orange County Fire Service Association (OCFA)
• Board member - California Emergency Services Association, Southern Chapter
• State Certified Emergency Medical Technician 1 (EMT1)
• American Heart Association CPR/First Aid Instructor
• Member - California State Firefighters Association (CSFA)
• Member - Southern California Fire Prevention Officers Association (SCFPOA)
• Member - Southern California Foresters and Fire Wardens
• Member - Orange County Fire Prevention Officers Association (OCFPO)

She is responsible for day-to-day coordination of disaster preparedness which includes maintaining the EOC in a state of readiness, ensuring that all emergency plans are compliant, and managing the CERT and RACES volunteer programs.

Ellen has considerable experience in emergency planning, hazard mitigation, response and recovery operations having served as Emergency Services Coordinator for the City of Santa Monica, and for the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Emergency Management Division. Prior to her career in emergency management, she served 12 years with Trans World Airlines (TWA) where she developed and taught emergency training programs and received the Award of Excellence.

Highlights of Ellen's career include co-producing an award winning disaster preparedness video titled "Before It's Too Late", which describes and demonstrates what to do in any type of disaster. This video is still used today to educate communities on emergency preparedness. Additionally, she launched the City's first employee emergency preparedness pledge drive which is in its 8th year.

Ellen holds a Master's Degree and is a licensed amateur radio operator. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Fire Department Team Member Award by the Santa Monica Jaycees and also received an award from the Rotary Club of Santa Monica in honor of her service and commitment to the community of Santa Monica.

She is a board member of the California Emergency Services Association (CESA), a member of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), Business & Industry Council for Emergency Planning and Preparedness (BICEPP), and the Orange County Emergency Management Organization (OCEMO). She serves on the Curriculum Committee and Steering Committee of the Orange County American Red Cross and is on the board of the Anaheim Citizen Corps Council.

He is responsible for overseeing the studio's disaster response plan, floor warden program, 11 disaster response teams, and the emergency operations center. Mike also coordinates training, drills, and conducts full-scale disaster simulations related to these programs to ensure an ever-ready state of preparedness. He has also worked in the field of Emergency Services for other companies such as DreamWorks Animation, Six Flags California, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Mike has over 10 years experience in Emergency Management and 8 years as a first responder. He currently holds the designation as a Certified Emergency Manager and is an Emergency Medical Technician. His educational background is in Environmental and Occupational Health and he has earned numerous other certifications in Emergency Management, Hazardous Materials, Health, and Safety.