2026 Award Recipients

Lifetime Achievement Awards Press Release

• Career Excellence Award: Harold Damron, CEM
• Clayton R. Christopher Memorial Award: Judson M. Freed, CEM

Individual Awards Press Release

• Emergency Manager of the Year: Rachel Porter, CBCP, AZ-MEM
• Elizabeth B. Armstrong Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Association: Lanita Lloyd, CEM
• Rising Star Award: Megan Berumen, CEM
• Emergency Management Educator of the Year: Edward C. Wolff, CEM 
• Emergency Management Mentor of the Year: Guadalupe “Trey” Hewtty III 

Programmatic Awards Press Release

• Emergency Management Education & Training Program of the Year: University of Central Florida Emergency Management Undergraduate Degree Program
• Preparedness Award: REACT – Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia Preparedness Camp
• Technology and Innovation Award: Response Finance Inc. (ResponseFi) 

Public/Private Sector Awards Press Release

• Business and Private Sector Integration and Public Sector Partnership Award: Colorado Emergency Management Blood Partnership

Student Awards Press Release

• Student Advocate of the Year: University of Central Florida Emergency Management & Homeland Security Advisory Board
• Student Chapter of the Year: California State University, Long Beach
• Student of the Year: Ethan Scenters-Zapico

Volunteer Awards Press Release

• Voluntary Organization of the Year: Sonoma County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD)
• Volunteer Emergency Manager of the Year: Michael F. Collett 

Uniformed Service Awards Press Release

• USC Auxiliary Emergency Manager of the Year: Maj. John A. Bryant
• USC Civilian Emergency Manager of the Year: Dean A. Richardson 
• USC Uniformed Services Emergency Manager of the Year: Lt. Cmdr. Ramon Gil Dominguez