National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

Members

In August 2006, pursuant to the July 25, 2006 Federal Register Notice (PDF 60KB), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) concluded an initial 30-day formal solicitation period for nominations for individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction (ACEHR). Stakeholders in NEHRP, from around the United States, showed strong interest in and support for NEHRP by submitting over 85 nominees for service on the committee.

ACEHR members serve nominal three-year terms, with a maximum of two consecutive terms of service before having to step off the committee for a minimum of one year. The initial terms for the 15 original members were staggered, with members serving 1, 2, or 3 years, followed by possible full 3-year second terms. As initial terms ended, NIST, in consultation with its NEHRP partner agencies, has appointed new ACEHR members who are nationally prominent earthquake professionals. The ACEHR membership provides balanced representation from the earthquake professional community, including key technical areas, geographical areas across the U.S., practitioners and researchers, state and local governments, and the private sector.

Lucy Arendt
Professor, Management
St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI
Term Expires: June 23, 2025

Dr. Arendt, Professor of Management in the Donald J. Schneider School of Business and Economics at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, is an expert on decision making in the aftermath of disasters. She teaches courses in strategy and leadership and has published widely in these areas. Arendt is the first author of Long-Term Community Recovery from Natural Disasters (Taylor & Francis, 2014) along with Daniel J. Alesch. She is the co-author of Natural Hazard Mitigation Policy: Implementation, Organizational Choice, and Contextual Dynamics (Springer, 2012) along with Alesch and William J. Petak. Arendt serves as the Secretary/Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). Arendt holds a Ph.D. in Management Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an M.S. from UW-Green Bay, and a B.S. in Business Administration and Spanish from UW-Green Bay (Summa Cum Laude).

Ann Bostrom
Weyerhaeuser Endowed Professor in Environmental Policy
Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance
University of Washington Seattle, WA
Term Expires: October 8, 2023

Dr. Ann Bostrom is the Weyerhaeuser endowed Professor in Environmental Policy at the University of Washington. She publishes on risk perceptions, communication, and decision making, and has contributed to National Academies reports on science communication and risk-related topics. Dr. Bostrom is a Fellow and former President of the Society for Risk Analysis and received its Chauncey Starr Award for her work on mental models of hazardous processes. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the Washington State Academy of Sciences. Dr. Bostrom co-directed the Decision, Risk and Management Science Program at the National Science Foundation from 1999 to 2001. She completed postdoctoral studies in cognitive aspects of survey methodology at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and in engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, after earning her Ph.D. there in policy analysis. s. She also holds an M.B.A. from Western Washington University, and a B.A. in English from the University of Washington.

Jeff Briggs
Earthquake Program Manager
Missouri State Emergency Management Agency
Jefferson City, MO
Term Expires: July 25, 2025

Mr. Briggs manages statewide earthquake outreach activities, including media relations and event coordination and coordinates activities of Missouri Seismic Safety Commission, a gubernatorially-appointed commission. He also coordinates activities of the Missouri Structural Assessment and Visual Evaluation (SAVE) Coalition, with more than 1,000 members trained to deploy after disasters. He is past president of the national earthquake program managers working group. Mr. Briggs holds a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Missouri - Columbia.

Robert Carey
Bureau Chief
Utah Division of Emergency Management
Salt Lake City, UT
Term Expires: October 8, 2023

Mr. Robert Carey is the Bureau Chief over the Natural Hazards, Mitigation, and Recovery Bureau for the Utah Division of Emergency Management. He previously served as the Earthquake Program Manager where he focused his efforts on developing a strong earthquake community, united in providing current earthquake awareness to reduce the loss of life, property, and damage to the environment. He works closely with Utah Geological Survey and the University of Utah Seismograph Stations along with partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. After a successful Utah Unreinforced Masonry Building Summit, FEMA selected Utah to pilot a program as part its National Mitigation Investment Strategy called Resilient Wasatch Front 2023. This is an effort to develop a strategic plan to reduce the URM building hazard in Utah. He is part of the leadership of the National Earthquake Program Managers. Mr. Carey holds a B.S. in Environmental Science/Geology from Westminster College.

David W. Cocke
President
Structural Focus
Gardena, CA
Term Expires: October 31, 2024

David Cocke founded Structural Focus in 2001 after 20 years at a previous firm. He is a registered structural engineer in California, Arizona, Nevada and several other states, with expertise in new structural design, seismic evaluation, historic preservation, and retrofit design. David has managed a variety of project types and sizes, including large and small historic landmark building strengthening and repairs, new laboratory buildings, repair and retrofit of commercial buildings, design of new studio production facilities, evaluations of large building inventories (industrial, high-tech and film studios), and numerous university and school renovations, additions and strengthening. David has served in many leadership roles and on numerous Boards of Directors of professional engineering organizations as well as preservation organizations. He is also co-founder and Managing Director of SAFEq Institute which serves as a resource for post-disaster inspections information. David is a recognized expert in building business resiliency and continuity related to disaster risks.

Susan Dowty
Government Relations Manager
International Code Council
Brea, CA 92821
Term Expires: June 23, 2025

Ms. Dowty brings over 35 years of experience in the development, application, and interpretation of building code provisions to her position as Government Relations Manager for the International Code Council. She provides support to code officials, design professionals, and the academic community on the implementation and use of the international codes. Prior to her current position, Ms. Dowty was Vice President for S.K. Ghosh Associates, a seismic and building code consulting firm. She is a member of the Structural Engineers Association of California and previously served on its board of directors. She received her Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California State University, Long Beach and her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Thomas F. Heausler
Consulting Structural Engineer
Bay Saint Louis, MS
Term Expires: January 16, 2026 

Mr. Heausler successfully managed the structural design for projects of all sizes and levels of complexity with 41 years of structural engineering consulting experience. In 2019, Mr. Heausler was named a Fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction. Since 2006, Mr. Heausler has been a voting member of the ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings. He is Chair of the NCSEA Seismic Code Advisory Committee and has performed as a grader for the NCEES National Structural Engineering exams. He taught Structural Analysis and Earthquake Engineering at the University of Missouri Kansas City. Mr. Heausler earned Bachelor and Master degrees (Cum Laude) from Tulane University. He holds professional engineering licensure in 27 states including New York, Florida, Texas and Missouri and Structural License in California and Illinois.

Tara Hutchinson
Professor
Department of Structural Engineering
University of California, San Diego
Term Expires: July 25, 2025

Dr. Hutchinson is an earthquake engineering theoretician and experimentalist who has published significant papers in leading structural, civil, and earthquake engineering journals. In addition, she has creatively applied information technology to the evaluation of earthquake damage to structures. Results from her soil-foundation structural analysis and seismic performance of nonstructural building components have also helped in the design of these critical components. She received a Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research, a Fariborz Maseeh Teaching Award, and an Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award at UC Irvine. Dr. Hutchinson holds a Ph.D. degree in Civil (Structural & Geotechnical) Engineering from UC Davis, a M.S. in Civil (Structural) Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from San Jose State University.

Anne Meltzer
Seismologist and Professor
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
Term Expires: October 8, 2023

Dr. Anne Meltzer is a seismologist and Professor at Lehigh University who studies the structure and evolution of Earth's crust and upper mantle. Dr. Meltzer joined a select group of earth scientists recently when she received the American Geophysical Union's (AGU) 2016 Ambassador Award and was made a Fellow of the AGU. For two decades, Dr. Meltzer has been a leader in developing community-driven science initiatives and in ensuring that community priorities guide organizations such as the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology. Dr. Meltzer has worked to expand seismological expertise in other countries, through research collaborations in Pakistan, Tibet, Mongolia, and Chile. Dr. Meltzer holds a Ph.D. in Geology and Geophysics from Rice University, a M.S. in Geology from University of North Carolina, and a B.S. from Guilford College.

Danielle H. Mieler
Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Alameda, CA
Term Expires: July 26, 2023

As a California-licensed Civil Engineer and Sustainability and Resilience Manager for the City of Alameda, CA, Ms. Mieler brings her passion for working collaboratively to create a more equitable and resilient city and region. She previously served as Principal Resilience Analyst for the City and County of San Francisco where she managed the Lifelines Council and Earthquake Safety Implementation Program. She also served as Resilience Program Coordinator for the Association of Bay Area Governments and interim deputy Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Oakland. Ms. Mieler was awarded the SPUR 2020 Good Government Award for her work on San Francisco’s Tall Buildings Study. Ms. Mieler earned a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley and a B.A. in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz. She served as Director and Vice President of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute and was a Housner Fellow.

Ellen M. Rathje
Professor and Janet S. Cockrell Chair
Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
University of Texas, Austin, TX
Term Expires: July 25, 2025

Dr. Rathje is the Janet S. Cockrell Centennial Chair in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, USA. Her research interests include seismic site response analysis, seismic slope stability, field reconnaissance after earthquakes, and remote sensing. She is the Principal Investigator of the DesignSafe cyberinfrastructure for the NSFfunded Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI). She is part of the Leadership Team for the TexNet Seismic Monitoring Program, housed at the Bureau of Economic Geology of UT. Dr. Rathje also is a founding member and previous Co-Chair of the Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association. She received the 2022 Peck Lecture Award from the Geo-Institute of ASCE and the 2018 William B. Joyner Lecture Award from the Seismological Society of America and EERI. Dr. Rathje holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Cornell University.

Jonathan P. Stewart
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Los Angeles 90095
Term Expires: September 15, 2025

Dr. Stewart is an expert on geotechnical earthquake engineering and engineering seismology, with emphases on soil-structure interaction, ground motion and ground failure hazard characterization, and seismic risk analysis for levees and other distributed infrastructure. His work has been recognized with a Fulbright Scholarship from the US State Department, the Distinguished Teaching Award from the UCLA Academic Senate, the Bruce Bolt Medal and the Joyner Lecture from the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute and Seismological Society of America, the Huber Prize and Casagrande Award from ASCE, the NSF CAREER Award, and several best paper awards.  Stewart holds Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in Civil Engineering from University of California at Berkeley.

Douglas Wiens
Geophysicist
Washington University
St. Louis, MO
Term Expires: October 8, 2023

Dr. Douglas Wiens is an American geophysicist specializing in seismology. He is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, and was honored in 2014 with the Cody Award in Ocean Sciences by Scripps Institution of Oceanography. In 2016, he was installed as the Robert S. Brookings Distinguished Professor in Arts and Sciences at the Washington University in St. Louis. He has done extensive research on the structure of subduction zones, the source processes and mechanisms of deep earthquakes, and the structure of the Antarctica. Dr. Wiens has conducted field research and installed seismographs on land and on the seafloor around the world, including Africa, the Pacific, South America, and Antarctica. He is currently supported by the National Science Foundation to study Alaska and Western Pacific subduction zones, as well as Antarctica. Dr. Wiens holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Geological Sciences from Northwestern University and a B.A. in Physics from Wheaton College.

Top of Page