Former FEMA Executive Joins IEM to Support Operations in Puerto Rico

Experienced emergency manager to assist with building energy resilience

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Feb. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- IEM, the nation's largest woman-and minority-owned disaster recovery and emergency management firm, welcomes Alex Amparo as Director of LUMA Energy Operations. Amparo will serve as a liaison with LUMA and help bolster IEM's response and recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.

"IEM is excited for Alex to lead our efforts supporting LUMA and Puerto Rico's energy resiliency," said Bryan Koon, IEM's Vice President of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "Alex's distinguished career in emergency management, at the state and federal levels, spans more than two decades and will contribute to IEM's service to, and impact on the island."

Most recently, as a member of the Senior Executive Service, Amparo served as the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistant Administrator for National Preparedness. In this role, he oversaw FEMA's efforts to provide states, territories, tribes and localities with guidance, programs, education, training, and exercises to instill equity, promote climate resilience, and ensure a ready FEMA and prepared Nation. He received the 2021 Presidential Rank Award for his dedication to helping rebuild Puerto Rico and contributions at FEMA.

Amparo previously served on a detail as FEMA's Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator for response and recovery operations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Amparo's work directed FEMA's recovery efforts, ensured effective and efficient use of federal funds, and provided capacity building and disaster readiness to the Commonwealth and the USVI to manage future large events as the two islands work to rebuild and restore communities and critical infrastructure.

"I look forward to collaborating with our clients to support expedited execution of projects and furthering Puerto Rico's recovery," Amparo said. "I'm committed to building relationships and helping provide immediate relief while navigating programs that foster long-term resilience."

Amparo's prior FEMA roles include Acting Director of External Affairs, Assistant Administrator of Recovery, and Senior Advisor to the Office of Response and Recovery. Under his leadership, over $90 Billion in federal disaster aid was dispersed across 535 major disasters and emergencies including individual assistance to over 30 million disaster survivors. Additionally, Mr. Amparo spearheaded a pilot program that allowed FEMA to provide fixed-capped grants based on estimates for large infrastructure repair projects which was a catalyst to the implementation of Section 428 Public Assistance Alternative Procedures. While at FEMA, Amparo also led an interagency team in support of field operations as the Senior Coordinating Official for the Southwest Border Coordination Center. In this position, he executed the Department of Homeland Security's implementation of a whole-of-government effort to safely and humanely manage the nation's southern border.

At the state level, Amparo was Director of Emergency Management at the Florida Commission on Community Service (Volunteer Florida) and was a senior staff member in the office of the late Gov. Lawton Chiles.

About IEM
IEM is a global crisis and disaster management consulting firm dedicated to building a safe, secure, and resilient world. Founded in 1985, IEM is the largest woman- and minority-owned firm in the world focused on providing services and expertise at every stage of the emergency management cycle — from preparedness and mitigation to response and recovery. We integrate science, technology, and real-world experience to provide our customers with innovative solutions and outcomes that matter. For information, visit www.iem.com.

SOURCE Innovative Emergency Management, Inc.