- Amanda Warren (Community Partnerships Officer),
- Andrew Merrell (Research Analyst),
- Christina Hodnett (Personal Preparedness Program Consultant)
- Joel Belizario (Risk Reduction Education Specialist)
During this session, you will learn how one of the Agency's robust programs, the Be Prepared program, helps build capacity for preparedness public education. This program is aimed at increasing risk literacy and encouraging disaster risk reduction behaviours within educational facilities and beyond.
Amanda Warren, Community Partnerships Officer |
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Amanda graduated from the NAIT Disaster and Emergency Management program in May 2020 and began her emergency management career with AEMA the same month to support the Covid-19 response.
Amanda was hired permanently in the fall of 2022 as the Community Partnerships Officer on the Be Prepared team. During large-scale events, she supports roles in the Logistics section at the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre. |
Andrew Merrell, Research Analyst |
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Andrew began his emergency management career as a wildland firefighter with Alberta Wildfire, gaining experience with wildfire emergencies and their impact on communities, especially during the 2016 wildfire season.
After completing a Master of Arts in Political Science at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Andrew started with AEMA in 2018, where his role evolved into its current form - ensuring the Be Prepared program is backed by research.
Andrew's passion for data and analytics drives both his contributions to the Be Prepared Program and his support of the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre during major activations, such as the 2023 wildfire events. |
Christina Hodnett, Personal Preparedness Program Consultant |
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Christina began her career in Emergency Management as a Community Peace Officer for the Town of Okotoks and had firsthand experience responding to the 2013 Southern Alberta Floods.
Her career with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency began in 2014. For the past 5 years, she has played a key role in developing the Be Prepared program.
During large-scale events, Christina fills roles in the Logistics section at the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre. |
Joel Belizario, Risk Reduction Education Specialist |
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Prior to joining the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, Joel worked with the Government of Alberta’s communications organization for over 14 years. His first experience with emergency management was supporting the Slave Lake Wildfire response (2008) and most recently, he played a key role in the provincial COVID-19 pandemic response.
Since joining the agency, he has focused on delivering and enhancing public education in regard to disaster risk as part of the Be Prepared program. In addition, Joel also worked in the Logistics section at the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre in support of the spring wildfire response this year. |