Brett Hansard

Manager, Risk Communication Program, Center for Integrated Emergency Preparedness
Decision and Information Sciences Division
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 S. Cass Avenue, Bldg. 221
Argonne, IL 60439

Since 1999, Brett Hansard has provided training, product development, and exercise support to the U.S. Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Army, among others. He has a varied background in emergency information and public affairs and serves as spokesperson on stories of local, national, and international significance. As a FEMA public affairs officer, Mr. Hansard provided expertise during more than two dozen disasters, including the 1993 Midwest floods, the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the 1997 Grand Forks flood, Hurricane Floyd in 1999, the 2002 Colorado wildfires, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In September 2001, he served as lead public affairs officer in support of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue efforts at the World Trade Center. In February 2002, he helped coordinate FEMA public affairs operations at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Within the Joint Information Center/Joing Information System, Mr. Hansard has performed a variety of duties, including external affairs lead, public affairs lead, research and writing, news desk, and rapid response. He is also a certified fire information officer. Before joining Argonne, he served as press secretary and research assistant for the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and as a staff member for U.S. Senator Alan Cranston. He has also worked as campaign coordinator and spokesperson for a California State Senate campaign in Los Angeles and written numerous freelance articles for political candidates and senior public officials.

Mr. Hansard received an M.P.P. from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and a B.A. in Journalism from California State University, Northridge. He lives in Los Angeles, California.