L. Keith Dowler

Today, Keith is working as the Assistant Director/Regional Healthcare Coordination Center Manager for the Near Southwest Preparedness Alliance. In this role, he manages the daily operations of the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) grant and oversees the region's Healthcare Coordination Center, a twenty-four/seven incident management center for healthcare-related disaster operations.

Keith is a nationally known speaker on topics surrounding coalition building and long term care disaster preparedness and continuty of operations. Recently, he was appointed by the International Association of Emergency Managers Board of Directors as a USA Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) Commissioner (Class of 2016).

Previously, Keith worked for the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Emergency Preparedness, stationed in Roanoke City. In this role he oversaw the health department's Emergency Operations Plan, to include, Mass Prophylaxis, ESF-8 Continuity of Operations, Medical Surge, and Mass Fatality Plans. While serving this this capacity, Keith was tapped as a National Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) Reviewer and founded the healthcare region's first Long-Term Care Emergency Preparedness Working Group.

Prior to civil service Keith taught mathematics at Virginia Commonwealth University while earning his Master of Arts in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degrees. He also maintains his Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) credential through the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).

Keith's hobbies include camping, stargazing, learning to fly, and flux capacitor repair.