Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) Announces New Leaders, Strengthening Cross-Sector Collaboration for Disaster Safety and Resilience
New professionals bring expanded expertise to advance FLASH's mission of strengthening homes and safeguarding families from disasters of all kinds.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) today announced the 2025 slate of newly elected leaders to its Board of Directors and Leadership Partner roster. The five individuals expand the organization's national presence and strengthen cross-sector collaboration within the disaster safety and resilience movement.
The new board members are Eric Nelson, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Catastrophe Risk Management at Travelers; Kent Nafziger, Vice President at Haas Door Company; and Chris Morris, CEO of The Stonegate Group LLC.
Each brings unique expertise and experience in business strategy, risk management, and industry leadership, enhancing FLASH's ability to advance disaster safety and resilience and to continue delivering innovative awareness, education, and outreach programs.
Kent Nafziger, Vice President, Haas Door Company – Kent Nafziger oversees Marketing, Communications, Customer Service, Product Development, and the Product Configurator Department at Haas Door Company, a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial doors. His 15 years in the garage door industry have given him a comprehensive understanding of product and industry dynamics. He is also actively involved with the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers' Association (DASMA), the trade association for manufacturers of garage doors. His experience in industry communications and stakeholder engagement supports FLASH's mission to advance disaster resilience in homes and communities.
Eric Nelson, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Catastrophe Risk Management, Travelers – Eric Nelson coordinates the evaluation of risk and partners with business units to develop underwriting strategies related to catastrophes. In conjunction with his role at Travelers, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) and currently serves on the IBHS Board of Directors. In addition to his enterprise responsibilities, he is an industry leader in advocating coastal mitigation and adaptation strategies, bringing extensive expertise in risk management and resilience planning to FLASH.
Chris Morris, CEO, The Stonegate Group LLC – Chris Morris leads The Stonegate Group LLC, a consulting firm specializing in digital marketing, business strategy, and sales automation for the building products and home services industries. A veteran in the building products, software, digital marketing, and home services arena, Chris brings his industry knowledge to manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and software companies to help drive actionable growth. He brings expertise in construction innovation, technology-driven solutions, and strategic guidance to FLASH's board.
The new Leadership Partners are Cheryl Nelson, Emmy-nominated broadcast meteorologist and founder and CEO of Prepare with Cher, and John Zarrella, JZ Media President and former CNN bureau chief and correspondent. John previously served as a long-time advisor to the FLASH board.
Cheryl Nelson, Meteorologist and Founder/CEO, Prepare with Cher, LLC – Cheryl Nelson is an Emmy-nominated broadcast meteorologist, TV host, and FEMA-certified instructor at the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, specializing in severe weather awareness, natural disaster preparedness, and travel safety. She has contributed expert insights to ABC News, NBC's TODAY Show, BBC World News, and other major outlets. As founder and CEO of Prepare with Cher, LLC, Cheryl educates audiences on disaster readiness, climate adaptation, and travel preparedness, helping communities and travelers stay safe before, during, and after extreme weather events.
John Zarrella, President, JZ Media and former CNN Correspondent – John Zarrella was CNN's Miami correspondent, named to this position when the Miami bureau was established in December 1983. Zarrella was responsible for CNN's coverage of news in Florida, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. He covered every major hurricane to hit Florida and the Gulf Coast; the Pope's visit to Cuba; the eruption of the Montserrat volcano, and more. Zarrella earned a bachelor's degree in English from St. Thomas University, formerly Biscayne College, where he helped establish the college's journalism program.
"On behalf of our board and partners, I am delighted to welcome Kent, Eric, Chris, Cheryl, and John to our leadership team," said FLASH President and CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson. "These proven professionals bring invaluable experience and knowledge from their respective industries, and their participation has already strengthened our ability to help families and communities as they face risks from disasters of all kinds. The future of the FLASH Partnership is bright, thanks to our array of dedicated professionals and team members who toil daily to advance our mission of building safer, more resilient homes and communities across the country."
For more information about FLASH leaders, programs, and initiatives, please visit www.flash.org.
About FLASH
The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) is the country's leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from disasters. The FLASH partnership includes more than 100 innovative and diverse organizations that share a vision of making America a more disaster-resilient nation, including FEMA, Florida Division of Emergency Management, Huber Engineered Woods, International Code Council, ISO - Verisk Analytics, MyRadar, National Weather Service, Renew Financial, Simpson Strong-Tie, State Farm, Travelers, and USAA. In 2008, FLASH and Disney opened the interactive weather experience StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes in Lake Buena Vista, FL. FLASH's signature program, No Code. No Confidence. - Inspect2Protect.org provides consumers with a one-of-a-kind building code transparency tool to easily identify their community's building code. Learn more about FLASH and access free consumer resources by visiting www.flash.org and www.Inspect2Protect.org, calling toll-free (877) 221- SAFE (7233), following @federalalliance on X, and Facebook.com/federalalliance.
SOURCE Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)
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