I am an Urban Planner by degree as I have a Master's in Urban & Regional Planning from Jackson State University. However, I am an Emergency Manager with over 10 years of experience. Hurricane Katrina started it all. Being from Mississippi, I had the unique position of experiencing the effects of Katrina as they were unfolding. Having lived here my entire life, I was always exposed to hurricanes, but in my lifetime none were ever so severe. I started this Emergency Management journey with FEMA and after approximately two and a half years, I became a consultant for the State of Louisiana where I spent almost four years. During my tenure in Emergency Management, I have worked some of the worse disasters in US history - Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike and most recently Super Storm Sandy. I even worked the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, which was a different type of a disaster, but a disaster of epic proportions nonetheless. The life an Emergency Manager is not always easy and it takes a great toll on your personal life. In those 10 years, I have only been home for one consecutive year. The rest of those years were spent living out of suitcases and hotels. Needless to say, I have an extremely supportive family. Although the life an Emergency Manager has it challenges, I would not change or trade those experiences.