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Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy Faculty & Fellows

Administration

  • Patrick Bordnick

    Patrick Bordnick, PhD, MPH, LCSW is a pioneer in the use of virtual reality and other disruptive technologies for the assessment and intervention of substance use and behavioral disorders and is continuing to examine ways innovation can empower people to make long-term changes in their health and wellbeing. 

    Dr. Bordnick has over twenty years of experience in clinical and laboratory research on cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, amphetamine, heroin, and nicotine addiction, published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals, and received $4.5 million in funding form the National Institutes of Health. From 2007-2016, he was the founding director of the Virtual Reality Clinical Research Lab (VRCRL) at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. This state-of-the-art facility uses the latest technology to study human behavior for the assessment and treatment of addictions along with eating and other behavioral health disorders. Today, he serves as the Dean of the Tulane University School of Social Work and continues his research there across disciplines. His goal for the school is to blend its mission, research, and programs with the community’s needs to create a better quality of life for New Orleanians and beyond.

    In 2018, as part of the Not Impossible Awards, Dr. Bordnick was awarded the Vitality Award for Innovation in Healthcare sponsored by Blue Cross-Blue Shield for VR-Project Δ (Delta) and VR-Qualis Est Vita (Quality of Life). VR-Project Δ puts patients into realistic virtual worlds using smartphone-based virtual reality and recreates situations that identify and trigger cravings akin to drug and alcohol addiction. This tool allows for individualized patient diagnostics and aids in treatment by teaching coping mechanisms to avoid relapse. The other application, VR-Qualis Est Vita, uses virtual reality to help people with autism develop interpersonal skills.

    Dr. Bordnick received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Madonna University (Livonia, Michigan), a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Michigan, and his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Dr. Bordnick also holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of South Florida. He currently resides in New Orleans with his spouse, Dr. Allison Stock, and three daughters.
     

    Quote:  “This is not rocket science, we have the technology and the evidence based interventions, now let’s work together to use VR to improve quality of life for millions of people!”   Bordnick, 2016

     

    VR-Project Delta - Vitality Award - 2018 Not Impossible Awards

    TEDxHouston

     

  • Patrick Bordnick, PhD, MPH, LCSW

    Dean

    Patrick Bordnick, PhD, MPH, LCSW is a pioneer in the use of virtual reality and other disruptive technologies for the assessment and intervention of substance use and behavioral disorders and is continuing to examine ways innovation can empower people to make long-term changes in their health and wellbeing. 

    Dr. Bordnick has over twenty years of experience in clinical and laboratory research on cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, amphetamine, heroin, and nicotine addiction, published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals, and received $4.5 million in funding form the National Institutes of Health. From 2007-2016, he was the founding director of the Virtual Reality Clinical Research Lab (VRCRL) at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. This state-of-the-art facility uses the latest technology to study human behavior for the assessment and treatment of addictions along with eating and other behavioral health disorders. Today, he serves as the Dean of the Tulane University School of Social Work and continues his research there across disciplines. His goal for the school is to blend its mission, research, and programs with the community’s needs to create a better quality of life for New Orleanians and beyond.

    In 2018, as part of the Not Impossible Awards, Dr. Bordnick was awarded the Vitality Award for Innovation in Healthcare sponsored by Blue Cross-Blue Shield for VR-Project Δ (Delta) and VR-Qualis Est Vita (Quality of Life). VR-Project Δ puts patients into realistic virtual worlds using smartphone-based virtual reality and recreates situations that identify and trigger cravings akin to drug and alcohol addiction. This tool allows for individualized patient diagnostics and aids in treatment by teaching coping mechanisms to avoid relapse. The other application, VR-Qualis Est Vita, uses virtual reality to help people with autism develop interpersonal skills.

    Dr. Bordnick received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Madonna University (Livonia, Michigan), a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Michigan, and his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Dr. Bordnick also holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of South Florida. He currently resides in New Orleans with his spouse, Dr. Allison Stock, and three daughters.
     

    Quote:  “This is not rocket science, we have the technology and the evidence based interventions, now let’s work together to use VR to improve quality of life for millions of people!”   Bordnick, 2016

     

    VR-Project Delta - Vitality Award - 2018 Not Impossible Awards

    TEDxHouston

     

  • bordnick@tulane.edu
  • Reggie Ferreira

    Regardt (Reggie) Ferreira, Ph.D., is the Director of the Tulane University’s Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy and Associate Professor of Social Work at the Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He currently serves as the editor for the American Psychological Association Traumatology journal, focused on resilience practices amongst traumatized individuals, families and communities. He received his undergraduate degree in Social Work and master degree in Disaster Risk Management at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and his Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Louisville, in Louisville, Kentucky. He joined the Tulane University faculty in 2013 where he divides his time between administration, applied research, program development, community work, and teaching activities.

    His main research interest is at the intersection of disaster, mental health and resilience; with work conducted in Europe, Africa, North America, the Caribbean and South Asia. Over the past two decades, he has been involved with several projects focused on disaster risk reduction and fostering resilience with projects totaling over $25 million in federal and foundation funding. Dr. Ferreira’s work in the classroom has been recognized with several teaching awards for his innovative approaches to teaching. His interdisciplinary work includes over 100 published journal articles, chapters, and scientific abstracts on a variety of trauma and resilience topics, and his work most recently has featured in popular media outlets such as CNN, Rolling Stone, HBO/VICE, Fox News, NBC, Reuters, Medscape, NPR, ScienceDaily and USA Today. Reggie hails originally from Bloemfontein, South Africa.

  • Reggie Ferreira, PhD

    Director of Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy and Associate Professor

    Regardt (Reggie) Ferreira, Ph.D., is the Director of the Tulane University’s Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy and Associate Professor of Social Work at the Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He currently serves as the editor for the American Psychological Association Traumatology journal, focused on resilience practices amongst traumatized individuals, families and communities. He received his undergraduate degree in Social Work and master degree in Disaster Risk Management at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and his Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Louisville, in Louisville, Kentucky. He joined the Tulane University faculty in 2013 where he divides his time between administration, applied research, program development, community work, and teaching activities.

    His main research interest is at the intersection of disaster, mental health and resilience; with work conducted in Europe, Africa, North America, the Caribbean and South Asia. Over the past two decades, he has been involved with several projects focused on disaster risk reduction and fostering resilience with projects totaling over $25 million in federal and foundation funding. Dr. Ferreira’s work in the classroom has been recognized with several teaching awards for his innovative approaches to teaching. His interdisciplinary work includes over 100 published journal articles, chapters, and scientific abstracts on a variety of trauma and resilience topics, and his work most recently has featured in popular media outlets such as CNN, Rolling Stone, HBO/VICE, Fox News, NBC, Reuters, Medscape, NPR, ScienceDaily and USA Today. Reggie hails originally from Bloemfontein, South Africa.

  • rferrei@tulane.edu
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  • Arturo Rodriguez has worked in higher education for over 20 years. Prior to coming to the Tulane School of Social Work, Arturo served in a range of administrative positions at the University of Miami, Florida International University and Claremont Graduate University. Arturo’s core expertise includes full strategic and operational control over budget development and management, expenditure control and forecasting, financing activities, accounting, reporting, enterprise risk management, audits, sponsored research, policy development, administrative services, on-campus business services, business planning and decision support. Arturo earned his B.A. in anthropology from the University of Miami, and subsequently completed his M.P.H. in epidemiology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Arturo continued his studies at Florida International University where he earned his Ph.D. with a concentration in health promotion and disease prevention. Afterwards, he earned his M.B.A. with concentrations in management and strategy from the Peter Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.

     

  • Arturo Rodriguez, PhD, MPH, MBA

    Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration

    Arturo Rodriguez has worked in higher education for over 20 years. Prior to coming to the Tulane School of Social Work, Arturo served in a range of administrative positions at the University of Miami, Florida International University and Claremont Graduate University. Arturo’s core expertise includes full strategic and operational control over budget development and management, expenditure control and forecasting, financing activities, accounting, reporting, enterprise risk management, audits, sponsored research, policy development, administrative services, on-campus business services, business planning and decision support. Arturo earned his B.A. in anthropology from the University of Miami, and subsequently completed his M.P.H. in epidemiology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Arturo continued his studies at Florida International University where he earned his Ph.D. with a concentration in health promotion and disease prevention. Afterwards, he earned his M.B.A. with concentrations in management and strategy from the Peter Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.

     

  • arodriguez4@tulane.edu
  • 504-247-1451
  • Tona Zwanziger is the Program Manager for the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy at Tulane University. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of New Orleans with a major in Sociology and Minor in Psychology. She completed ten years of service as a combat medic and first aid trainer with the US Army National Guard where she was activated for several hurricane-related missions. Following hurricane Katrina, she served as the Lead Administrator for the engineering firm managing the Recovery Program for the City of New Orleans. Tona received her Master of Social Work degree with a certificate in Disaster Mental Health as well as a Masters of Science degree in Disaster Resilience Leadership from Tulane University where she was awarded the Tulane 34 Award for her academic and service achievements. Her research work includes evaluating resilience and recovery following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and she published her graduate thesis, Resilience and the Knowledge of PTSD Symptoms in Military Spouses. Tona holds the LMSW licensing credential and provides psychotherapy services in a private practice setting a few hours each week. She is a Reviewer for the Journal of Traumatology, serves as Adjunct Faculty for the MSW and DRLA programs as well as for the undergraduate Trauma Series.

  • Tona Zwanziger, MS, LMSW

    DRLA Program Manager & Academic Advisor

    Tona Zwanziger is the Program Manager for the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy at Tulane University. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of New Orleans with a major in Sociology and Minor in Psychology. She completed ten years of service as a combat medic and first aid trainer with the US Army National Guard where she was activated for several hurricane-related missions. Following hurricane Katrina, she served as the Lead Administrator for the engineering firm managing the Recovery Program for the City of New Orleans. Tona received her Master of Social Work degree with a certificate in Disaster Mental Health as well as a Masters of Science degree in Disaster Resilience Leadership from Tulane University where she was awarded the Tulane 34 Award for her academic and service achievements. Her research work includes evaluating resilience and recovery following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and she published her graduate thesis, Resilience and the Knowledge of PTSD Symptoms in Military Spouses. Tona holds the LMSW licensing credential and provides psychotherapy services in a private practice setting a few hours each week. She is a Reviewer for the Journal of Traumatology, serves as Adjunct Faculty for the MSW and DRLA programs as well as for the undergraduate Trauma Series.

  • tzwanzig@tulane.edu
  • 504-247-1453

Tulane Faculty

  • Bill Bertrand

    William Bertrand has worked at Tulane in multiple areas of public health and development since 1967. He pioneered the use of information technology in field studies and the importance of information technology in public health research and education. His recent work is focused on integrating surveillance systems, evaluation information systems, and implementation science as sources of knowledge management for development and public health. His recent projects include certifying and measuring child labor in West Africa, and supporting institutional development and learning systems at the American University of Nigeria He is currently also serving as consultant to  CDC work in Latin America on Zika and the United States Navy on intervention strategies for resistant malaria in Viet Nam.

    View Dr. Bertrand's publications at his NCBI profile page.

  • William E. Bertrand, PhD

    Endowed Chair at Tulane University School of Public Health

    William Bertrand has worked at Tulane in multiple areas of public health and development since 1967. He pioneered the use of information technology in field studies and the importance of information technology in public health research and education. His recent work is focused on integrating surveillance systems, evaluation information systems, and implementation science as sources of knowledge management for development and public health. His recent projects include certifying and measuring child labor in West Africa, and supporting institutional development and learning systems at the American University of Nigeria He is currently also serving as consultant to  CDC work in Latin America on Zika and the United States Navy on intervention strategies for resistant malaria in Viet Nam.

    View Dr. Bertrand's publications at his NCBI profile page.

  • Wbertran@tulane.edu
  • Dr. Figley was named the Paul Henry Kurzweg Chair in Disaster Mental Health at Tulane University in 2008 when he joined the faculty as its senior professor from Florida State University. At FSU Professor Figley served as the senior professor in the area of trauma and Director of the PhD Program in Marriage and Family. Dr. Figley brought his Traumatology Institute to Tulane, which was recognized as the best program of its kind by the University Continuing Education Association in 2000.

    Dr. Figley attained full professor status in 1983 at Purdue University with a joint appointment as professor of psychological sciences. Dr. Figley established the renowned Purdue University Family Research Institute and established two Journals as Founding Editor, the Journal of Psychotherapy and the Journal of Traumatic Stress. In 1995 became Founding Editor of Traumatology, the International Journal. Also Dr. Figley is founding editor several book series (e.g., the Innovations in Psychology book series with Taylor & Francis).

    Currently, Dr. Figley is editor of the oldest book series on trauma (established in 1978), the Psychosocial Stress Book Series. He has published more than 200 scholarly works including 26 books and 130 refereed journal articles. Collectively, his work reports on more than 37 research projects focusing primarily on traumatic stress and resiliency of individuals, families, and communities. This latest book published in 2013, First Do No Self Harm: Understanding and Promoting Physician Stress Resilience (Oxford University Press) was highly praised by the American Psychological Association. He is working on two more books with contracts from Columbia University Press and Oxford University Press, both to be published in 2019.

    He is an elected fellow of five of the leading national professional associations and received many other honors in recognition for his scholarship.

    Dr. Figley is the recipient of numerous lectureships and other honors throughout the world including Northern Ireland, South Africa, England, Australia, Canada, and universities through the United States. He was awarded a senior Fulbright Research Fellowship to conduct research in Kuwait in 2004 and follow-up on work that was started in 1992, shortly after the liberation from and end of the occupation by Iraq. In 2004, Dr. Figley was named lifetime Alumni Fellow by the Pennsylvania State University, the highest honor awarded to its graduates. Most recently, Figley was honored by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York with an honorary degree in June 2014 in recognition of his career-long achievements in social justice for the traumatized.

  • Charles R. Figley, PhD

    Kurzweg Distinguished Chair in Disaster Mental Health and Distinguished Professor

    Dr. Figley was named the Paul Henry Kurzweg Chair in Disaster Mental Health at Tulane University in 2008 when he joined the faculty as its senior professor from Florida State University. At FSU Professor Figley served as the senior professor in the area of trauma and Director of the PhD Program in Marriage and Family. Dr. Figley brought his Traumatology Institute to Tulane, which was recognized as the best program of its kind by the University Continuing Education Association in 2000.

    Dr. Figley attained full professor status in 1983 at Purdue University with a joint appointment as professor of psychological sciences. Dr. Figley established the renowned Purdue University Family Research Institute and established two Journals as Founding Editor, the Journal of Psychotherapy and the Journal of Traumatic Stress. In 1995 became Founding Editor of Traumatology, the International Journal. Also Dr. Figley is founding editor several book series (e.g., the Innovations in Psychology book series with Taylor & Francis).

    Currently, Dr. Figley is editor of the oldest book series on trauma (established in 1978), the Psychosocial Stress Book Series. He has published more than 200 scholarly works including 26 books and 130 refereed journal articles. Collectively, his work reports on more than 37 research projects focusing primarily on traumatic stress and resiliency of individuals, families, and communities. This latest book published in 2013, First Do No Self Harm: Understanding and Promoting Physician Stress Resilience (Oxford University Press) was highly praised by the American Psychological Association. He is working on two more books with contracts from Columbia University Press and Oxford University Press, both to be published in 2019.

    He is an elected fellow of five of the leading national professional associations and received many other honors in recognition for his scholarship.

    Dr. Figley is the recipient of numerous lectureships and other honors throughout the world including Northern Ireland, South Africa, England, Australia, Canada, and universities through the United States. He was awarded a senior Fulbright Research Fellowship to conduct research in Kuwait in 2004 and follow-up on work that was started in 1992, shortly after the liberation from and end of the occupation by Iraq. In 2004, Dr. Figley was named lifetime Alumni Fellow by the Pennsylvania State University, the highest honor awarded to its graduates. Most recently, Figley was honored by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York with an honorary degree in June 2014 in recognition of his career-long achievements in social justice for the traumatized.

  • figley@tulane.edu
  • Download CV
  • Amy Lesen, Ph.D

    Amy E. Lesen is Research Associate Professor at the Tulane ByWater Institute at Tulane University in New Orleans. Lesen works on the coast and in urban estuaries. The overarching theme of her work is the interrelatedness between environmental and human social dynamics in coastal cities and coastal communities, and how those systems are influenced by climate and environmental change. Most of her current work focuses in New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana, and the Gulf Coast. Lesen also does research and writing about the intersection between science and the arts, disaster resilience, informal science learning, scientific public engagement, science communication, participatory research, and interdisciplinarity. She was Associate Professor of Biology Dillard University, a small Historically Black College in New Orleans from 2007 until summer 2014. Lesen has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in Marine Fisheries Biology and a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley in Integrative Biology with a concentration in biological oceanography and paleoceanography. She joined Tulane University in September 2014. Previously, she was an assistant professor at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NYC from 2003 to 2007. Dr. Lesen was chair of the Biology Department at Dillard from 2009 to 2012.

  • Amy Lesen, PhD

    Research Associate Professor at the ByWater Institute

    Amy E. Lesen is Research Associate Professor at the Tulane ByWater Institute at Tulane University in New Orleans. Lesen works on the coast and in urban estuaries. The overarching theme of her work is the interrelatedness between environmental and human social dynamics in coastal cities and coastal communities, and how those systems are influenced by climate and environmental change. Most of her current work focuses in New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana, and the Gulf Coast. Lesen also does research and writing about the intersection between science and the arts, disaster resilience, informal science learning, scientific public engagement, science communication, participatory research, and interdisciplinarity. She was Associate Professor of Biology Dillard University, a small Historically Black College in New Orleans from 2007 until summer 2014. Lesen has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in Marine Fisheries Biology and a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley in Integrative Biology with a concentration in biological oceanography and paleoceanography. She joined Tulane University in September 2014. Previously, she was an assistant professor at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NYC from 2003 to 2007. Dr. Lesen was chair of the Biology Department at Dillard from 2009 to 2012.

  • alesen@tulane.edu
  • 504-314 7808

Fellows

  • Corey Eide

    Corey Eide serves as the director of capability development for Team Rubicon. In this role, Corey oversees the design and development of new services to offer individuals and communities affected by disasters both domestic and international. Prior to joining Team Rubicon, Corey spent over a decade with the American Red Cross in a variety of roles. Most recently he focused on modernizing its disaster recovery program including the redesign of its cash transfer programming. Prior to this, Corey led catastrophic earthquake planning efforts, partnership development and training development. At Tulane University, Corey has developed and taught a number of courses at the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy and the Payson Graduate Program in Global Development. Most recently, this includes the development and facilitation of Leadership in Disaster: Theory and Practice, which explores one hundred years of leadership theory and the application (or lack there-of) of these theories by leaders in the disaster space. International experience includes volunteer work in Haiti, a research deployment to Chile following the earthquake in 2010 and coursework completed in Thailand, Panama, and India. Corey has a Masters of Science in International Development from Tulane.

  • Corey Eide, MS

    DRLA Fellow, MSW Adjunct Instructor, & Director of Capabilities Development at Team Rubicon

    Corey Eide serves as the director of capability development for Team Rubicon. In this role, Corey oversees the design and development of new services to offer individuals and communities affected by disasters both domestic and international. Prior to joining Team Rubicon, Corey spent over a decade with the American Red Cross in a variety of roles. Most recently he focused on modernizing its disaster recovery program including the redesign of its cash transfer programming. Prior to this, Corey led catastrophic earthquake planning efforts, partnership development and training development. At Tulane University, Corey has developed and taught a number of courses at the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy and the Payson Graduate Program in Global Development. Most recently, this includes the development and facilitation of Leadership in Disaster: Theory and Practice, which explores one hundred years of leadership theory and the application (or lack there-of) of these theories by leaders in the disaster space. International experience includes volunteer work in Haiti, a research deployment to Chile following the earthquake in 2010 and coursework completed in Thailand, Panama, and India. Corey has a Masters of Science in International Development from Tulane.

  • ceide@tulane.edu
  • George Haddow

    George Haddow is a founding partner of Bullock and Haddow LLC, a disaster management consulting firm. Mr. Haddow was appointed to serve by President Bill Clinton for eight years in the Office of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the White House Liaison and the Deputy Chief of Staff. Mr. Haddow currently serves on the Adjunct Faculty at Tulane University's Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy (DRLA) and at Tulane's Homeland Security Studies program. He is a co-author of several university textbooks including: Introduction to Emergency Management (5th Edition), Introduction to Homeland Security (5th Edition), Disaster Communications in a Changing Media World (2nd Edition) and Living with Climate Change: How Communities are Thriving and Surviving in a Changing Climate.

  • George Haddow

    Senior DRLA Fellow

    George Haddow is a founding partner of Bullock and Haddow LLC, a disaster management consulting firm. Mr. Haddow was appointed to serve by President Bill Clinton for eight years in the Office of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the White House Liaison and the Deputy Chief of Staff. Mr. Haddow currently serves on the Adjunct Faculty at Tulane University's Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy (DRLA) and at Tulane's Homeland Security Studies program. He is a co-author of several university textbooks including: Introduction to Emergency Management (5th Edition), Introduction to Homeland Security (5th Edition), Disaster Communications in a Changing Media World (2nd Edition) and Living with Climate Change: How Communities are Thriving and Surviving in a Changing Climate.

  • ghaddow@tulane.edu
  • Jeannette Gaudry Haynie, PhD, is a career Marine Corps officer and combat veteran. A New Orleans native and a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, she spent over a decade flying attack helicopters before diverting into academia. She earned her Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of New Orleans and her doctorate in International Relations from The George Washington University while serving on the Joint Staff and, eventually, in the Marine Corps Commandant’s think tank.

    Having spent the first half of her Marine Corps career immersed in an operational environment, Haynie turned her attention to the study of the military and of conflict in many forms, observing how gender shapes different forms of violence. Her dissertation focused on the gender dimensions of terrorism, and she has taught courses on Gender and Conflict and International Relations. In the Marine Corps, she has used her academic work to shape policy development, advocating for deeper consideration of future threats, gender integration, and a broader perspective of what leadership means. In her final Marine Corps role, she helped create doctrine on critical thinking and learning in the warfighting context while assessing how policy and culture affect different groups, limiting diversity, readiness, and warfighting effectiveness.

    Haynie has served within the leadership of the nonprofit Women In International Security, where she conducted research, wrote policy briefs, and planned and moderated a range of events featuring experts on climate change, refugee crises, trafficking, and extremism. With her husband, a Marine infantry officer, she is the creator and co-leader of the Outdoor Leadership Lab, a leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving program for youth based upon Marine Corps training and leadership principles. Haynie is a member of the Presidential Leadership Scholars’ Class of 2019, a leadership program led by four Presidential Libraries and their principals. She is a founding member of nonprofit Sisterhood of Mother B, an organization created to connect and support female graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy while challenging existing ideas about leadership and strength. She co-hosts a podcast on leadership, gender, and military service, runs marathons, and she and her husband have three children.

  • Jeannette Gaudry Haynie, PhD

    DRLA Fellow

    Jeannette Gaudry Haynie, PhD, is a career Marine Corps officer and combat veteran. A New Orleans native and a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, she spent over a decade flying attack helicopters before diverting into academia. She earned her Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of New Orleans and her doctorate in International Relations from The George Washington University while serving on the Joint Staff and, eventually, in the Marine Corps Commandant’s think tank.

    Having spent the first half of her Marine Corps career immersed in an operational environment, Haynie turned her attention to the study of the military and of conflict in many forms, observing how gender shapes different forms of violence. Her dissertation focused on the gender dimensions of terrorism, and she has taught courses on Gender and Conflict and International Relations. In the Marine Corps, she has used her academic work to shape policy development, advocating for deeper consideration of future threats, gender integration, and a broader perspective of what leadership means. In her final Marine Corps role, she helped create doctrine on critical thinking and learning in the warfighting context while assessing how policy and culture affect different groups, limiting diversity, readiness, and warfighting effectiveness.

    Haynie has served within the leadership of the nonprofit Women In International Security, where she conducted research, wrote policy briefs, and planned and moderated a range of events featuring experts on climate change, refugee crises, trafficking, and extremism. With her husband, a Marine infantry officer, she is the creator and co-leader of the Outdoor Leadership Lab, a leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving program for youth based upon Marine Corps training and leadership principles. Haynie is a member of the Presidential Leadership Scholars’ Class of 2019, a leadership program led by four Presidential Libraries and their principals. She is a founding member of nonprofit Sisterhood of Mother B, an organization created to connect and support female graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy while challenging existing ideas about leadership and strength. She co-hosts a podcast on leadership, gender, and military service, runs marathons, and she and her husband have three children.

  • jhaynie@tulane.edu
  • Josh Human has over 19 years of experience within the disaster management and resilience fields. Since 2015, he has been helping Stantec Consulting, a company of over 22K employees, define their Resilience Business Sector and leading the hazard mitigation and resilience sector within the southeast region. Prior to arriving at Stantec, he spent 12 years helping develop the Center for Hazards Research and Policy Development at the University of Louisville into one of the University’s top research units.
    
    His professional expertise primarily lies within mitigation and resilience planning, disaster management, grant identification/attainment, policy/regulation intelligence, system development, risk/vulnerability analysis, and program management. Josh enjoys speaking and educating others on the importance of creating resilience within their environments. He has presented across the world on the topic of hazard mitigation, disaster management, system development, sustainability and resilience. He also understands the importance of publicizing his work and has been published several times within the hazard research field. In addition, he is a member of multiple boards and advisory committees, which help promote the mission of the groups he works with and make the communities more resilient.
    
     
    
    His academic career took him to the University of Kentucky to study Geography and the University of Tennessee to study Urban Planning    
  • Josh Human

    Senior DRLA Fellow & Senior Hazard Mitigation, Disaster Management, Program Development & Resilience Leader at Stantec
    Josh Human has over 19 years of experience within the disaster management and resilience fields. Since 2015, he has been helping Stantec Consulting, a company of over 22K employees, define their Resilience Business Sector and leading the hazard mitigation and resilience sector within the southeast region. Prior to arriving at Stantec, he spent 12 years helping develop the Center for Hazards Research and Policy Development at the University of Louisville into one of the University’s top research units.
    
    His professional expertise primarily lies within mitigation and resilience planning, disaster management, grant identification/attainment, policy/regulation intelligence, system development, risk/vulnerability analysis, and program management. Josh enjoys speaking and educating others on the importance of creating resilience within their environments. He has presented across the world on the topic of hazard mitigation, disaster management, system development, sustainability and resilience. He also understands the importance of publicizing his work and has been published several times within the hazard research field. In addition, he is a member of multiple boards and advisory committees, which help promote the mission of the groups he works with and make the communities more resilient.
    
     
    
    His academic career took him to the University of Kentucky to study Geography and the University of Tennessee to study Urban Planning    
  • Alessandra Jerolleman is an Assistant Professor in Jacksonville State University’s Emergency Management Department.  She is a community resilience specialist and applied researcher at the Lowlander Center, as well as a co-founder of Hazard Resilience, a United States based consultancy providing leadership and expertise in disaster recovery, risk reduction, and hazard policy.   She recently published a book titled: Disaster Recovery through the Lens of Justice.  Dr. Jerolleman is one of the founders of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) and served as its Executive Director for its first seven years. Dr. Jerolleman is a subject matter expert in climate adaptation, hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and resilience with a long history of working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She is involved in various aspects of planning and policy and the national and local level, including participation in several workshops each year.  Her experience includes the following: conducting independent research on disaster risk reduction and hazard mitigation for various organizations such as the National Wildlife Foundation; working as the lead grant writer and emergency planner for the First Peoples’ Conservation Council, through her role with the Lowlander Center on coastal community resettlement; community based resilience planning across the United States; working with Save the Children USA along the Gulf Coast following hurricanes and tornadoes, on a resilience initiative around children’s needs in emergencies; hazard mitigation planning at the local, state and campus level; community education and outreach regarding mitigation measures and preparedness; development of collaborative networks and information sharing avenues among practitioners; and, delivery of training and education to various stakeholders. Dr. Jerolleman speaks on many topics including: Just Recovery; hazard mitigation and climate change; campus planning; threat, hazard and vulnerability assessments; hazard mitigation planning; protecting children in disasters; and, public/private partnerships.

  • Alessandra Jerolleman, PhD, MPA, CFM

    DRLA Fellow

    Alessandra Jerolleman is an Assistant Professor in Jacksonville State University’s Emergency Management Department.  She is a community resilience specialist and applied researcher at the Lowlander Center, as well as a co-founder of Hazard Resilience, a United States based consultancy providing leadership and expertise in disaster recovery, risk reduction, and hazard policy.   She recently published a book titled: Disaster Recovery through the Lens of Justice.  Dr. Jerolleman is one of the founders of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) and served as its Executive Director for its first seven years. Dr. Jerolleman is a subject matter expert in climate adaptation, hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and resilience with a long history of working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She is involved in various aspects of planning and policy and the national and local level, including participation in several workshops each year.  Her experience includes the following: conducting independent research on disaster risk reduction and hazard mitigation for various organizations such as the National Wildlife Foundation; working as the lead grant writer and emergency planner for the First Peoples’ Conservation Council, through her role with the Lowlander Center on coastal community resettlement; community based resilience planning across the United States; working with Save the Children USA along the Gulf Coast following hurricanes and tornadoes, on a resilience initiative around children’s needs in emergencies; hazard mitigation planning at the local, state and campus level; community education and outreach regarding mitigation measures and preparedness; development of collaborative networks and information sharing avenues among practitioners; and, delivery of training and education to various stakeholders. Dr. Jerolleman speaks on many topics including: Just Recovery; hazard mitigation and climate change; campus planning; threat, hazard and vulnerability assessments; hazard mitigation planning; protecting children in disasters; and, public/private partnerships.

  • agazzo@tulane.edu
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  • Adam McAllister has engaged directly with senior political leaders and development agencies around the world to improve public safety, private sector partnerships and climate change resilience. For over 15 years, he has led international disaster preparedness and response programs, supported remote community evacuations, coordinated viral disease containment operations and established business continuity programs for organizations with over $1 billion of assets under management. Adam holds a Master’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management and was the recipient of one of Canada’s highest public service awards for his role in government contingency planning. He has guest lectured on disaster management at York University, Ryerson University and Trent University and has appeared on live national television and radio. He was awarded the Commander’s Medallion from the Canadian Armed Forces for his leadership in disaster exercise planning. Adam is the former lead of the World Bank’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Global Advisory Team and is currently the CEO of McAllister & Craig Disaster Management Inc. where he advocates and advises on systemic approaches to build disaster resilience. He speaks English, moderate French, and enough Dzonghka to politely order black tea. 

  • Adam McAllister, MS

    DRLA Fellow

    Adam McAllister has engaged directly with senior political leaders and development agencies around the world to improve public safety, private sector partnerships and climate change resilience. For over 15 years, he has led international disaster preparedness and response programs, supported remote community evacuations, coordinated viral disease containment operations and established business continuity programs for organizations with over $1 billion of assets under management. Adam holds a Master’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management and was the recipient of one of Canada’s highest public service awards for his role in government contingency planning. He has guest lectured on disaster management at York University, Ryerson University and Trent University and has appeared on live national television and radio. He was awarded the Commander’s Medallion from the Canadian Armed Forces for his leadership in disaster exercise planning. Adam is the former lead of the World Bank’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Global Advisory Team and is currently the CEO of McAllister & Craig Disaster Management Inc. where he advocates and advises on systemic approaches to build disaster resilience. He speaks English, moderate French, and enough Dzonghka to politely order black tea. 

  • Megha Patel, PhD works as a consultant on international and domestic research and evaluation projects in areas that include: child welfare and protection; family strengthening; gender equality; and disaster resilience. She first joined Tulane University in 2010, where she led Tulane’s social workforce strengthening programs in Rwanda in the areas of health and child protection. In 2014, she moved to New Orleans to join Tulane’s City, Culture, and Community, interdisciplinary doctoral program. She now serves as an adjunct professor with Tulane’s Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. As a social work practitioner, educator, and researcher, Dr. Patel has dedicated her career to ensuring children are able to meet their developmental potential and that they are not limited by the inequalities that often exist within communities. Dr. Patel received her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the Pennsylvania State University, and MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. 

  • Megha Patel, PhD

    DRLA Fellow

    Megha Patel, PhD works as a consultant on international and domestic research and evaluation projects in areas that include: child welfare and protection; family strengthening; gender equality; and disaster resilience. She first joined Tulane University in 2010, where she led Tulane’s social workforce strengthening programs in Rwanda in the areas of health and child protection. In 2014, she moved to New Orleans to join Tulane’s City, Culture, and Community, interdisciplinary doctoral program. She now serves as an adjunct professor with Tulane’s Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. As a social work practitioner, educator, and researcher, Dr. Patel has dedicated her career to ensuring children are able to meet their developmental potential and that they are not limited by the inequalities that often exist within communities. Dr. Patel received her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the Pennsylvania State University, and MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. 

  • mpatel@tulane.edu
  • Mark Rogers serves as an Associate Designer of capability research, design, and development for Team Rubicon. In this role, Mark facilitates decision-making amongst internal and external stakeholders to develop meaningful and impactful services for individuals and communities affected by disasters. Before joining Team Rubicon, Mark graduated from the Tulane School of Social Work & Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. While at TSSW and DRLA, Mark served as a case manager for the Disaster Assistance Response Team at the American Red Cross Southeast Louisiana Regional Chapter, providing psychosocial assessments, advocacy, and referrals to services for victim-survivors of violent crime in New Orleans. While at TSSW, Mark also functioned as the liaison to the Graduate and Professional School Association (GAPSA) as the representative for TSSW, conducted research on disaster resilience assessments and their application as well as on torture trauma treatments and treatment approaches, and was awarded the Thomas H. Simmons Memorial Scholarship for exhibiting leadership. Before attending Tulane, Mark was a middle school Physical Education Teacher in Dallas, TX, and a Campaign Volunteer Director, who oversaw all phone banking and canvassing operations for multiple Kansas state and local political campaigns in 2010 and 2012. Mark received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in African & African American Studies.

  • Mark Rogers, ACSW, MS

    DRLA Fellow, MSW Adjunct Instructor, & Associate Designer of Capabilities Research, Design, & Development

    Mark Rogers serves as an Associate Designer of capability research, design, and development for Team Rubicon. In this role, Mark facilitates decision-making amongst internal and external stakeholders to develop meaningful and impactful services for individuals and communities affected by disasters. Before joining Team Rubicon, Mark graduated from the Tulane School of Social Work & Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. While at TSSW and DRLA, Mark served as a case manager for the Disaster Assistance Response Team at the American Red Cross Southeast Louisiana Regional Chapter, providing psychosocial assessments, advocacy, and referrals to services for victim-survivors of violent crime in New Orleans. While at TSSW, Mark also functioned as the liaison to the Graduate and Professional School Association (GAPSA) as the representative for TSSW, conducted research on disaster resilience assessments and their application as well as on torture trauma treatments and treatment approaches, and was awarded the Thomas H. Simmons Memorial Scholarship for exhibiting leadership. Before attending Tulane, Mark was a middle school Physical Education Teacher in Dallas, TX, and a Campaign Volunteer Director, who oversaw all phone banking and canvassing operations for multiple Kansas state and local political campaigns in 2010 and 2012. Mark received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in African & African American Studies.

  • mrogersii@tulane.edu
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  • Joel, CEO of SPIN Global, is a mission-driven consultant and serial entrepreneur focused on emergency management, disaster risk management, and homeland security. He has supported design and implementation of regional, national and multinational emergency management, humanitarian and faith-based initiatives in 40+ countries and in 46 states. He served as an urban campus first responder in Washington D.C., and has participated in numerous domestic and international response and recovery operations (i.e. Hurricane Maria, Thailand/Indonesia Tsunami, Deepwater Horizon, 2010 Haiti Earthquake, et al). 

    Furthermore, he has invented disruptive technologies in use around the world, including Planet Ready and ResponderCQ. He is passionate about private-public partnerships, the intersection of economic development and emergency management, and disaster resilience assessments. He is married, has four children, and is an active volunteer in his local church. 
     

  • Joel Thomas, MA

    DRLA Senior Fellow & CEO of SPIN Global

    Joel, CEO of SPIN Global, is a mission-driven consultant and serial entrepreneur focused on emergency management, disaster risk management, and homeland security. He has supported design and implementation of regional, national and multinational emergency management, humanitarian and faith-based initiatives in 40+ countries and in 46 states. He served as an urban campus first responder in Washington D.C., and has participated in numerous domestic and international response and recovery operations (i.e. Hurricane Maria, Thailand/Indonesia Tsunami, Deepwater Horizon, 2010 Haiti Earthquake, et al). 

    Furthermore, he has invented disruptive technologies in use around the world, including Planet Ready and ResponderCQ. He is passionate about private-public partnerships, the intersection of economic development and emergency management, and disaster resilience assessments. He is married, has four children, and is an active volunteer in his local church. 
     

  • jthomas13@tulane.edu
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  • Robert R.M. Verchick holds the Gauthier-St. Martin Endowed Chair in Environmental Law at Loyola University New Orleans. He is also a Senior Fellow in Disaster Resilience at Tulane University and President of the Center for Progressive Reform, a national policy institute focused on public health and environmental protection. He is one of the nation’s leading scholars in disaster law and the law of climate change adaptation. He has taught as a visiting professor at Yale University, Peking University, and Aarhus University in Denmark.

    In 2009 and 2010, Professor Verchick served in the Obama administration as Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In that role, he helped develop climate adaptation policy for the EPA and served on President Obama's Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. In the fall of 2012, he researched climate adaptation policies in India as a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi, supported by a Fulbright Award.

    Professor Verchick’s writing focuses on climate change adaptation, catastrophic hazards, and environmental regulation. He is an author of three books, including the awardwinning, Facing Catastrophe: Environmental Action for a Post-Katrina World (Harvard University Press 2010) and Disaster Law and Policy (Aspen Press, 3rd ed. 2015) (with Daniel A. Farber, James Ming Chen, & Lisa Grow Sun). His work has appeared in many venues, including the California Law Review, the Southern California Law Review, and the environmental law reviews at Harvard, Stanford, and Berkeley. An enthusiastic speaker, Professor Verchick has presented his research at many schools, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Oxford, the Panthéon-Sorbonne, Peking University, and the National University of Singapore. Professor Verchick holds an A.B. degree with distinction and honors from Stanford University and a J.D. degree cum laude from Harvard University.

    Media Mentions and Interviews, August 2018 - August 2019 

    • Host, CPR’S CONNECT THE DOTS WITH ROB VERCHICK (podcast produced by the Center for Progressive Reform), May 2018-present,  available on Apple Podcasts and at http://www.progressivereform.org/dotsconnected.cfm. 
    • Featured in Richard Paul, LISTENING TO THE ARCTIC (PRX June, 2019) (audio documentary)
    • Quoted in Dana Drugman, Louisiana Lawsuit Wins Jurisdictional Tug-of-War vs. Oil Industry, Sent to State Court, CLIMATE LIABILITY NEWS (June 3, 2019)
    • Interviewed in Tegan Wendland, Coastal News Roundup: Nine-Year Anniversary of The BP Spill, WWNO NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC RADIO (April 19, 2019)
    • Quoted in Carrie Bradon, “Coastal Destruction Is the Real Job Killer,” Loyola University Law Professor Says, LOUISIANA RECORD (May 13, 2019)
    • Interviewed in Tegan Wendland, Coastal News Roundup: Nine-Year Anniversary of The BP Spill, WWNO NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC RADIO (April 19, 2019)
    • Quoted in Greta Moran, Should a Future President Declare Climate Change a National Emergency?, GRIST (Jan. 22, 2019)
    • Quoted in Benjamin Hulac, Litigation lags science decades after first climate suit, ClimateWire (Jan. 7, 2019)
    • Dave Reynolds, CPR Seeks OSHA Standards to Protect Workers During Disaster Cleanups, INSIDE OSHA (Oct. 5, 2018)
    • Nicholas Kusnetz, Pipeline Protest Arrests Raise Questions about Controversial Louisiana Law, INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS (Aug. 24, 2018)
  • Rob Verchick, JD

    Senior DRLA Fellow

    Robert R.M. Verchick holds the Gauthier-St. Martin Endowed Chair in Environmental Law at Loyola University New Orleans. He is also a Senior Fellow in Disaster Resilience at Tulane University and President of the Center for Progressive Reform, a national policy institute focused on public health and environmental protection. He is one of the nation’s leading scholars in disaster law and the law of climate change adaptation. He has taught as a visiting professor at Yale University, Peking University, and Aarhus University in Denmark.

    In 2009 and 2010, Professor Verchick served in the Obama administration as Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In that role, he helped develop climate adaptation policy for the EPA and served on President Obama's Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. In the fall of 2012, he researched climate adaptation policies in India as a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi, supported by a Fulbright Award.

    Professor Verchick’s writing focuses on climate change adaptation, catastrophic hazards, and environmental regulation. He is an author of three books, including the awardwinning, Facing Catastrophe: Environmental Action for a Post-Katrina World (Harvard University Press 2010) and Disaster Law and Policy (Aspen Press, 3rd ed. 2015) (with Daniel A. Farber, James Ming Chen, & Lisa Grow Sun). His work has appeared in many venues, including the California Law Review, the Southern California Law Review, and the environmental law reviews at Harvard, Stanford, and Berkeley. An enthusiastic speaker, Professor Verchick has presented his research at many schools, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Oxford, the Panthéon-Sorbonne, Peking University, and the National University of Singapore. Professor Verchick holds an A.B. degree with distinction and honors from Stanford University and a J.D. degree cum laude from Harvard University.

    Media Mentions and Interviews, August 2018 - August 2019 

    • Host, CPR’S CONNECT THE DOTS WITH ROB VERCHICK (podcast produced by the Center for Progressive Reform), May 2018-present,  available on Apple Podcasts and at http://www.progressivereform.org/dotsconnected.cfm. 
    • Featured in Richard Paul, LISTENING TO THE ARCTIC (PRX June, 2019) (audio documentary)
    • Quoted in Dana Drugman, Louisiana Lawsuit Wins Jurisdictional Tug-of-War vs. Oil Industry, Sent to State Court, CLIMATE LIABILITY NEWS (June 3, 2019)
    • Interviewed in Tegan Wendland, Coastal News Roundup: Nine-Year Anniversary of The BP Spill, WWNO NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC RADIO (April 19, 2019)
    • Quoted in Carrie Bradon, “Coastal Destruction Is the Real Job Killer,” Loyola University Law Professor Says, LOUISIANA RECORD (May 13, 2019)
    • Interviewed in Tegan Wendland, Coastal News Roundup: Nine-Year Anniversary of The BP Spill, WWNO NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC RADIO (April 19, 2019)
    • Quoted in Greta Moran, Should a Future President Declare Climate Change a National Emergency?, GRIST (Jan. 22, 2019)
    • Quoted in Benjamin Hulac, Litigation lags science decades after first climate suit, ClimateWire (Jan. 7, 2019)
    • Dave Reynolds, CPR Seeks OSHA Standards to Protect Workers During Disaster Cleanups, INSIDE OSHA (Oct. 5, 2018)
    • Nicholas Kusnetz, Pipeline Protest Arrests Raise Questions about Controversial Louisiana Law, INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS (Aug. 24, 2018)
  • rverchic@tulane.edu
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