IEM Leadership

Wayne C. Thomas - Vice President of International Homeland Security & Disaster Management

Wayne C. Thomas

Wayne Thomas has more than 20 years of professional experience in state and local government, and has increased public protection from some of the most dangerous technological and natural hazards faced by our nation. In Umatilla, Oregon, one of only eight chemical weapons storage sites in the U.S., Mr. Thomas ensured community protection for potential emergencies involving chemical warfare agents. He was recognized by Oregon Governor Kitzhaber on numerous occasions for outstanding risk management efforts.

Mr. Thomas led the execution of “Hurricane Pam,” an innovative scenario-based exercise that drove catastrophic hurricane planning for 13 parishes and more than 300 participants in Southeastern Louisiana. For the presidentially-mandated Nationwide Plan Review undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security after Katrina, he guided reviews of emergency plans in 65 U.S. jurisdictions and states east of the Mississippi River which resulted in the most detailed picture to date of the nation's preparedness for catastrophic disasters. In 2005, he was invited to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding methods for improving response to catastrophic disasters.

Mr. Thomas has staffed and managed Federal operations centers that responded to public health and terrorism emergencies, including West Nile Virus, Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), anthrax, and smallpox. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, he provided corporate leadership for on-site response and recovery support to FEMA Headquarters, FEMA Regional offices, Joint Field Offices, and state and local Emergency Operations Centers. He has also provided corporate oversight for the delivery of preparedness technical assistance to more than 285 unique state and local jurisdictions and agencies in the U.S.

Mr. Thomas continues to provide leadership for Federal catastrophic planning projects, including catastrophic earthquake planning in the eight-state New Madrid Seismic Zone, catastrophic hurricane planning in southern Florida, and mass evacuee planning in eight major cities across the U.S. He is a member of the International Association of Emergency Managers and the National Emergency Management Association’s private sector committee. He holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Geology.