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About VDEM  

VDEM Leadership


Michael ClineMichael M. Cline, State Coordinator of Emergency Management

Vocational

Joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in 1972. Appointed State Coordinator of Emergency Management in June 1998.

Positions and Accomplishments

Previous positions in VDEM, beginning in 1972, include:

Member of State Disaster Response Team on 37 Presidentially declared disasters.

State Coordinating Officer for Hurricanes Bonnie, Dennis, Floyd, Isabel, Gaston, Jeanne, Katrina and Ernesto; the ’00 and ’03 winter storms; the ’01, ’02, ’03 and ’04 Southwest Virginia Floods; the Pentagon terrorist attack and the ’04 and '06 floods in Central and Northern Virginia.

Deputy State Coordinating Officer for the ’84, ’85, ’89, ’92, ’95 and ’96 floods; the ’93 Petersburg Tornado; the ’93, ’94 and ’96 winter storms and Hurricane Fran.

Member Virginia Emergency Medical Services Board, 1982 – 1988.

Member Gubernatorial Hazardous Materials Task Force, 1986 and 1987.

Member Gubernatorial Emergency Medical Services Task Force, 1989.

Acting Director, Virginia Department of Fire Programs, March to October 1997.

Member Virginia Domestic Preparedness (Terrorism) Work Group, 1998 – 2001.

Military

Three years service in U.S. Air Force.

Education

Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Richmond — 1969.

Virginia Executive Institute — 1997.

Personal Info

A resident of Powhatan, Va. since 1975, Mr. Cline is married and has two sons and three grandchildren.

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Janet ClementsJanet L. Clements, Chief Deputy State Coordinator

Janet Clements serves as the Chief Deputy State Coordinator (deputy director) for VDEM and is responsible for overseeing the Operations, Preparedness, Training and Exercises, Local Support Services and Technological Hazards Divisions and the Public Affairs Office.

Ms. Clements has responded to 27 presidential disasters including Hurricane Isabel, the terrorist attack on the Pentagon in 2001 and numerous other events. She serves as Virginia’s emergency management representative on the National Capital Region’s Senior Policy Group for Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. In addition, she is a member of the Commonwealth Preparedness Working Group and numerous other task forces and committees focused on strengthening Virginia’s all-hazard preparedness, response and recovery efforts. She also serves as Virginia's emergency management representative on the National Capital Region's Senior Policy Group for Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

In addition to her work at VDEM, Ms. Clements serves as an adjunct faculty for the Emergency Management Institute (Emmitsburg, Md.), Virginia Executive Institute, and the University of Richmond, where she teaches courses in public relations and disaster sociology. She has served as president of the Virginia Government Communicators and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.

Ms. Clements received a BA in English with minors in Journalism and Communications from Longwood University. She has a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. She serves as an adjunct faculty for the University of Richmond, the National Emergency Management Institute and for the Virginia Executive Institute.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Clements was the Director of VDEM's Public Affairs Office. Prior to coming to VDEM, she served as Public Information Officer at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Services.

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Jim KeckJames W. Keck, Deputy State Coordinator for Administration

Vocational

Joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in 2004 as Deputy State Coordinator.

Positions Held

United States Air Force Medical Service Corps

VCU/MCV Hospitals

Virginia Department of Transportation

Career Highlights

Served in Turkey for two years.

Served in the Gulf War.

Taught health economics as an adjunct faculty member at San Francisco University.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Economics, University of La Verne

Masters of Health Administration, Medical College of Virginia

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Brett A. Burdick, Director of Technological Hazards Division

Vocational

Joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in 1994 and is currently Director of the Technological Hazards Division.

Positions and Accomplishments

Environmental Programs Manager directing the environmental restoration of the Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Fuel Storage Facility in York County.

Terrorism Program Manager directing Virginia's Consequence Management efforts and preparedness for terrorist incidents.

Member of the Regional Response Team for EPA Region III.

Virginia's representative on the Southern States Energy Board Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee.

Member of the DOD/DOJ Interagency Board for Equipment Standardization and Interoperability.

Professional Geologist in two states.

Certified Hazardous Materials Manager at the Masters Level through the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Geology and Oceanography from Humboldt State University, California

Master of Public Administration from California State University – Dominguez Hills

Graduate Studies at the University of New Hampshire and the College of William and Mary in Virginia

Master of Science from Virginia Commonwealth University

Graduate of Commonwealth Management Institute and the Virginia Executive Institute

Personal Info

A rugby fanatic, Mr. Burdick is married with three children and currently resides in Henrico County.

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Harry E. Colestock, III, Director of Operations

Vocational

Joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in 1993 and is currently Director of Operations.

Positions and Accomplishments

Previous experience at VDEM:

Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) Assessor

State Disaster Response and Recovery Team member for disasters from 1995 through present

White House Crisis Management Center Staff, 1983-1985

National Military Intelligence Center/National Military Command Center Staff, 1977-1980

Co-authored published study of performance measurement in emergency management, 1998

Military

U.S. Air Force Colonel, Retired.

Education

B.S. and M.A. in Geography from Michigan State University.

Air War College

Virginia Executive Institute

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Ted Costin, Director of Preparedness Division

Vocational

Joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in 2005 as Director of the Preparedness, Training and Exercises Division.

Positions Held

Assistant County Administrator, Greensville County, Va.

Planning Director, Greensville County, Va.

Town Manager, Elkton, Va.

Planning Director, Mathews, Va.

Planning Technician, Chesterfield County, Va.

Zoning Inspector, Chesterfield County, Va. EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English, University of Richmond

Master of Urban and Regional Planning, Virginia Commonwealth University

American Institute of Certified Planners, member since 1990

Senior Executive Institute, 2004

Personal Info

Married with two children, Ted enjoys reading and following Packer football.

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Hampton Hart, Director of Office of Training and Exercises

Vocational

Joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in 2003 and is currently Director of Office of Training and Exercises.

Positions and Accomplishments

Previous experience at VDEM:

Deputy Director, Joint Deployment Training Center, USTRANSCOM

Training Support Battalion Commander

Defense Coordinating Liaison Officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia

Military

U.S. Army, Retired.

Education

B.A. in Political Science, Howard University.

Master Exercise Practitioner

Defense Preparedness Institute

Joint Forces Staff College

US Army Command and General College

Personal Info

Mr. Hart is married, has two sons and lives with extremely spoiled Chihuahuas. He currently resides in Henrico County.

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George Roarty, Director of Recovery and Mitigation Division

Vocational

Joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in 1986 and is currently Director of the Recovery and Mitigation Division

Positions and Accomplishments

Manager, Hazardous Materials and Terrorism Planning Branch

Emergency Management Planner

Regional Planner, Crater Planning District Commission

Chairman, Commonwealth Preparedness Working Group Pan Flu Subcommittee

Member of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission Board

Former member of the Richmond Regional and Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Response Systems

Education

Master of City and Regional Planning, Catholic University

Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Marist College

Personal

George is married with two children and currently resides in Chesterfield County.

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Bob Spieldenner, Director of Public Affairs

Vocational

Joined the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in 2003 as Director of Public Affairs.

Positions and Accomplishments

Coalition on Donation - Communications Manager, 2000-2003

United Network for Organ Sharing - Public Relations Specialist, 1998-2000

Virginia Department of Transportation - Public Relations Specialist, 1992-1998

Serves as a disaster action team volunteer with the Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Past president of the Richmond Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Member of the Virginia Government Communicators

Education

Bachelor of Arts, Virginia Military Institute

Graduate studies at the Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Mass Communications

Accredited in Public Relations by the Public Relations Society of America

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Victoria Williams, Director of Human Resources

Vocational

Joined VDEM in 2000 as the Director of Human Resources.

Positions and Accomplishments

Previous state government experience includes:

Private Industry experience includes:

Serves as a volunteer for Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Red Cross

Member of Richmond Human Resource Management Association and the Society for Human Resource Management

Education

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management with a minor in Human Resources, VCU, Richmond, VA

Certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR)

Personal Info

Vicky is married, loves to travel and has several cats and dogs.

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