Spotlight on Civic Leaders

ALISHA GIMBEL

Director, City of Richardson Office of Emergency Management

 

Tell us about your role as the director of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
The Office of Emergency Management consists of a part-time administrative assistant and four full-time staff to provide organized analysis, planning and resources to prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters. As the OEM’s Director, I serve the City by coordinating programs, plans, training and exercises to increase community resilience

What town or city did you serve in first and in what capacity?
I like to help City departments plan and work together in a collaborative environment to identify efficiencies, thereby building confidence and trust in their ability to resolve complex issues or prioritize an immense workload after a disaster. I feel I’m making a difference when I encourage residents to prepare their households because small steps they take today, like having an emergency supply kit and enough water, can save lives and expedite our community recovery.

My favorite aspect of Emergency Management is mass care, specifically shelter management, because individuals arriving at a shelter following a disaster may have lost everything; providing immediate care in those moments of devastation is why I do what I do. Some of my most rewarding (and exhausting) experiences occurred when working through the COVID pandemic response, sheltering 2,800 individuals from Texas and Louisiana in Richardson after Hurricanes Delta and Laura, leading our community response to the October 2019tornado, and continuing City services after the Richardson City Hall fire.

Do you collaborate with other cities in terms of emergency preparedness? If so, what does that effort look like?
Collaboration and communication are critical pillars of Emergency Management. We work together daily with other city, county, regional and state partners. Local businesses, hospitals, care providers, nonprofit and faith-based organizations play a critical role in community recovery efforts. These relationships are fostered through frequent presentations, meetings, trainings, emails and phone calls to ensure our partners are prepared. Jurisdictions help each other all the time by sharing best practices; our success can also be their success.

What has been the biggest “emergency” you have dealt with since you began working in your current position?
During the novel coronavirus (nCOV/COVID-19/COVID) outbreak, we were incredibly busy: from monitoring national calls in January 2020, to updating protocols with questions about recent travel from Wuhan, China, to monitoring CDC guidance, vaccine distribution, new variants, supply chain issues, and the health of our community, to planning with hospitals, funeral homes and pharmacies. My most intense response was to Hurricane Harvey for six weeks, supporting mega shelter efforts in Dallas and deploying to the Texas coast to assist with recovery efforts like debris removal.

How has the field of emergency management evolved during the years you have served in this capacity?
It continues to grow and change as the threats and impacts to our community have evolved. Our preparedness efforts for emergency operations improvements, special events planning, and better training continue to improve following each disaster.

From your perspective, what advances or positive changes can we expect with regard to the City’s readiness for whatever emergency comes next?
No one can solve big emergencies or disasters at an individual level. Emergency Management is a team sport. A significant factor for success in Richardson is that our volunteers and City departments work together, using a foundational team approach during exercises and active responses to identify issues, solutions, and best practices for the City of Richardson. The Richardson Way includes care, innovation, collaboration, integrity, leadership and respect; I believe these values are fundamental drivers to address future emergency responses in Richardson. Lastly, while I look forward to technological advances, emergency managers must always maintain alternative methods because in every significant disaster response I have been to, technology is limited or unavailable for the first 24 to 72 hours.

Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up and attend college? What was your major? What path led you to the position you hold today with the City of Richardson?
I grew up in Anna, Texas, living in the country with no neighbors in sight. My major at the University of North Texas (UNT) was Emergency Administration and Planning, with a minor in Risk Management and Insurance. I chose this profession intentionally because of the feeling of helplessness I experienced as a high school sophomore on September 11, 2001. I wanted to make a difference, to prevent and respond to the worst days.

Name the best adjectives to describe you.
Determined, diligent, resourceful and collaborative.

 

Did you have a mentor growing up who inspired you? If so, please tell us about him or her.
My mom and dad. My mother was a teacher and my dad retired in 2020 from Collin County Facilities Maintenance. Both my parents taught me the value of working hard and serving others.

Professionally, Don Magner has been my boss for the last three years and has been instrumental in implementing structural changes to bolster city services and readiness throughout his time as Deputy City Manager and now City Manager.

I have been very fortunate to have amazing, dedicated co-workers like my Emergency Management Coordinator, Scott Greeson. Scott is my right-handman; he covers my position when I’m away. Having the flexibility to know that the City is protected when I’m on vacation or working at the regional or state level is invaluable. Scott was also selected as the 2022 City of Richardson Employee of the Year.

We’d love to know you on a personal level…can you tell us about your family?
My husband and I will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary this year in April (and I still like him). We have two girls, ages 9 and 12, two dogs, and one aquatic “rescue” turtle (found injured in a bag of crawfish).

When you aren’t working, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy most? How do you spend your free time when you aren’t working?
I enjoy traveling, skiing and taking vacations with my family. Since my children aren’t driving age, I am also a mom-taxi, taking my daughters to church, school activities, summer camps, dance classes and recitals. I like reading historical fiction, and The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post is my recent favorite.

For the past two years, I have volunteered with Altrusa Richardson to support literacy, victims of domestic violence, and birthday/holiday celebrations at Ability House, a home for individuals with cerebral palsy. Growing up, my aunt had Down Syndrome, so volunteering with Altrusa and Ability House is near and dear to my heart. My husband is my balance and my other half. He’s hilarious and I love to laugh, using humor and enjoying time with my daughters to offset the stresses and demands of being “ready” all the time.

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