11/13/02 EIIP Virtual Forum Background Page: Citizen Corps Councils

Citizen Corps Councils
An interview and Q&A session with

Elizabeth DiGregorio
FEMA Liaison to the White House for Citizen Corps

Christine Harvey
Citizen Corps Council of Southern Arizona

Leanne Durm
Director of Volunteer Programs
Tennessee Office of Homeland Security

November 13, 2002 -- 12:00 Noon Eastern Time

Contents:
Agenda
Instructions

AGENDA
Avagene Moore, Moderator
(Times below are approximate)

12:00 PM EST - Moderator: Welcome, Instructions, Introduction of Participants

12:05 PM EST - Interviews/Presentations

12:30 PM EST - Audience Q & A (see instructions below)

12:55 PM EST - Moderator: Session Wrap-up

INSTRUCTIONS for FORUM PRESENTATIONS

If you have never joined us before, check your connection in advance by selecting Chat Login under Quick Picks.
Please try to be on time for the session. Remember to convert to your local time. Plan to login a couple of minutes early, to allow time for software to load.
Once you have successfully loaded the chat software, you will be in the Forum room where the session will be held.
The Moderator will provide further instructions on-line. If you need assistance during the session, you may send a Private Message to Amy Sebring.
The session is structured with an introduction, presentation, and audience Q&A. Hold your questions or comments until the Moderator begins the Q&A portion of the program.
Once the Q&A portion has begun, to indicate you wish to submit a question/ comment, send a "?" into the Chat. Then compose your question, but wait until your are recognized by the Moderator to hit the Send button. Questions or comments will be taken in the order that the "?s" appear in the Chat screeen.
If you can't be with us 'live', check back in the Virtual Forum Transcript Archive a few days after the session.

ELIZABETH DiGREGORIO

Elizabeth DiGregorio is the FEMA liaison to the White House for Citizen Corps. Citizen Corps is part of the President's initiative under the umbrella of USA Freedom Corps. Citizen Corps fosters a culture of service, citizenship and responsibility by brining together volunteers and the first responders in a community to find ways to make a community safer, stronger and better prepared for all emergencies. Ms. DiGregorio is responsible for developing the national strategy for Citizen Corps and for overall coordination of the program's implementation.

Ms. DiGregorio was appointed chief of staff by FEMA Director Joe M. Allbaugh in July 2001. As chief of staff, she was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agency and for directing implementation of the priorities and policies of the agency's director. FEMA programs encompass disaster response and recovery, hazard mitigation, training, preparedness exercises, insurance and fire prevention. As chief of staff, Ms. DiGregorio oversaw the agency's internal operations, advised the director on the agency's crosscutting policies and procedures, and served as the focal point for implementing the director's initiatives.

A native of New Mexico, Ms. DiGregorio earned a bachelor of arts degree from Colorado College and a master's degree in public administration from the University of North Texas. She is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and holds a training specialist certificate from Georgetown University.

CHRISTINE HARVEY

Christine Harvey serves as the Chair of the Citizen Council for Homeland Security of Southern Arizona. Her accomplishments also include:

Author of 6 business books published in 22 languages.
President Sunbelt World Trade Association.
Communications and leadership trainer to US military in Europe (US Air Force, US Navy, US Army).
Owner of Intrinsic Marketing, Specialist in marketing with broadcasting, conference speaking, and speechwriting expertise; Eastern European specialist.
4 years in post-Communist Czechoslovakia training 40,000 managers in free enterprise systems.
Past Chairman London Chamber of Commerce in England.
Resident of Europe 23 years, London & Brussels.

LEANNE DURM

Leanne Durm is the Director of Volunteer Programs for the State of Tennessee Office of Homeland Security, a position that promotes Citizen Corps -- President George W. Bush's new volunteer initiative -- and works to maximize Citizen Corps Councils throughout the State of Tennessee.

Prior to assuming this position, she was employed with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) as a WMD/ Domestic Preparedness Training Officer for two years. Leanne has served in the administration of Governor Don Sundquist as Assistant to the Chief Administrative Officer. She also worked for U.S. Senator Fred Thompson for three years in Washington, D.C. where she was employed on the 1997 Special Investigation into Campaign Finance Abuses, the U.S. Senate Governmental Affairs Committee and in the Senator's personal office as a Constituent Services Representative.

A native of Lynchburg, TN, Leanne received an associate's degree from Motlow State Community College and a BS in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.