December 9, 1998 Special Presentation

by

KAY C. GOSS, CEM

Associate Director
Preparedness, Training and Exercise Directorate
FEMA Headquarters

SUMMARY

EIIP Virtual Forum Special Event
Wednesday - December 9, 1998 - 12:00 Noon EST

Are You Ready for Y2K ?

Kay C. Goss, CEM
Associate Director
FEMA Preparedness Directorate

The EIIP Virtual Forum featured guest speaker, Kay C. Goss, CEM, Associate Director, FEMA Preparedness Directorate. The topic for the session focused on FEMA's outreach to States and Locals about Y2K. As explained by Ms. Goss, FEMA's approach to preparing for Y2K problems within the Emergency Services Sector is through partnership with the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA). FEMA is reaching out to emergency management partners --- state and local government contacts, NEMA and IAEM, the major associations of emergency management, private industry and the public.

Goss explained that FEMA is concerned about the technical side of the Y2K problem but most of her remarks addressed the preliminary information obtained from a voluntary self assessment conducted by the States and the feedback received from a survey done by IAEM. The Preparedness Directorate Director also overviewed upcoming Y2K-related activities of her Directorate with information of interest to the broad emergency management audience.

KAY C. GOSS, CEM

Associate Director
Preparedness, Training and Exercise Directorate
FEMA Headquarters
(photo)

Kay Goss is President Clinton's appointee as Associate Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of the Preparedness, Training and Exercises Directorate.

Confirmed by the United States Senate on September 23, 1994, and the first female to serve as Associate Director, Kay is responsible for building State and local emergency preparedness capability through the development of plans and procedures; training of Federal, State and local emergency managers in mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery functions; and testing personnel, plans, procedures, and equipment through a nationwide program of exercises. Also responsible for the Mount Weather Emergency Assistance Center, the Emergency Management Institute, Industrial and International Partnerships, the Radiological Emergency Preparedness, The Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness and the Emergency Food and Shelter Programs. Kay Goss also serves as the Chair of the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board, as a member of the President's Interagency Council on Women, as a member of the President's Interagency Council on Homeless, as well as a member of the National Security Steering Group (NSSG).

Kay is leading the effort to save lives and protect property through more effective partnerships for preparedness at all levels of government, as well as with business and industry and international authorities, including service as co-chair of the Joint U.S.-Russian Committee on Emergencies. Kay also serves on the National Advisory Committee of the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder; on the Executive Committee of the Vice President's Global Disaster Information Network project; on the Government Relations Committee of the Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation; The National Advisory Board of The Fire and Emergency Management Program at Oklahoma State University at Stillwater, and The Advisory Council of the Emergency Administration and Management Program at Arkansas Tech University at Russellvile. She served as Co-Chair of the U.S. Senior Interagency Coordination Group for Terrorism 1996-1998.

Kay, a native of Arkansas, received a B.A. and M.A. in political science and public administration from the University of Arkansas, completed a doctoral program in public administration, except for the dissertation, at West Virginia University, with additional studies at Northwest Missouri State University, San Diego State University, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Her earliest professional experience was as a college professor of government, political science, geography, history and sociology, at Westark Community College in Fort Smith and the University of Arkansas, both at Fayetteville and Little Rock. She also served as an adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, primarily teaching classes in Arkansas Government and Politics.

Kay's past experience spans the national, state and local levels of government and includes legislative and administrative responsibilities for three members of Congress- The Honorable Ray Thornton, Patricia Schroeder, and Wilbur D. Mills. Kay's state experience includes research in a constitutional revision study commission and two state constitutional conventions, coordinating a legislative study on school finance, serving as Chief Deputy Auditor of State, and finally serving for almost twelve years in the Arkansas Governor's Office as Senior Assistant for Intergovernmental Relations. In that capacity, she had primary responsibilities for liaison work with the State Office of Emergency Services, first responders and State and local emergency managers. Her local experience includes serving as a Project coordinator for the Association of Arkansas Counties.

Kay has served on the Executive Council of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government Alumni Association and as President of the Arkansas Political Science Association and of the PI Sigma Alpha Fraternity at University or Arkansas, Little Rock. Currently, she serves on the Boards of the Opera Company of Boston, the Wilbur D. Mills Memorial Foundation, the Wilbur D. Mills Treatment Center for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and the Arkansas Women's History Institute. She also serves as a member of the Career Services Advisory Board of the Kennedy School, chaired by Dean Joseph Nye, and the Kennedy School's Washington Area Regional Alumni Council.

She has written several books and articles on national, state and local government, including Wilbur D. Mills: The People's Congressman, The Arkansas Constitution: A Reference Guide, The City Manager Plan in Arkansas, and Political Paradox: Constitutional Revision in Arkansas.

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