Mark Ghilarducci

Prior to joining JLWA, Ghilarducci was the Deputy Director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES). During his term as Deputy Director of OES, he served as Chair of the State Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Advisory Committee, and co-chaired both the State Strategic Committee on Terrorism (SSCOT), California's Homeland Security Advisory Committee to the Governor and the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). Ghilarducci has more than 20 years of diversified service in the emergency management, fire, EMS and rescue disciplines. He served as a Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where, appointed by the President he directed and coordinated federal response and recovery operations following the declaration of major disasters and/or emergencies. He also served as the Deputy Fire Chief of the Fire and Rescue Division of California's Governor's Office of Emergency Services. There, he directed Special Operations which included state fire and rescue mutual aid response and administration, development and response activities relating to Urban Search and Rescue (US&R), swiftwater and flood rescue operations, emergency medical services, hazardous materials, terrorism response and planning, special events and training. This included the establishment, coordination and management of California's eight highly specialized, multi-disciplinary urban search and rescue task forces. At the national level, Ghilarducci served as an appointee to the National US&R Response System Advisory Committee. Serving for more than nine years, he has provided direction and advice to FEMA on the implementation and operation of the National US&R Response System and its related activities. Additionally, Ghilarducci was chosen as one of ten individuals to train mayors and other senior city and state officials throughout the United States in terrorism strategy, preparedness, response and recovery for the U.S. Departments of Defense and Justice under the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici national anti-terrorism programs.