DHSEM Staffing Changes in the Office of Emergency Management

Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Director Marilyn Gally is transitioning to a role with the Colorado Recovery and Resiliency Office effective August 14, 2017. 

DHSEM Director Kevin Klein stated,  "I want to take this opportunity to thank Marilyn for her service to the State, the Division and, and specifically, the Office of Emergency Management for many years. Marilyn played critical roles in many of the State’s worst moments. From mitigating known hazards, to emergency response, to long-term recovery, Marilyn has been there to help. Marilyn was there for community meetings; putting humanity and hope for disaster survivors. Please join me in wishing Marilyn the best in her new role."

National Search Underway

The search for Gally’s replacement will be a nationwide search and will begin immediately. We will aggressively recruit qualified candidates. Our goal is to have a replacement named within 60 days.

The Acting Office of Emergency Management Director duties will be effective August 14, 2017.

Acting Director of the Office of Emergency Management: Ezzie Michaels

Director Michaels will continue in his role as director of the Office of Preparedness but he will also assume an acting role for the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) while DHSEM conducts a national search for a new OEM Director. In his acting capacity, Michaels will be responsible for the management, direction, and supervision of all sections within the OEM.

Acting Director for Emergency Response Operations: Bruce Holloman

Bruce Holloman will be acting director during a state declared disaster or emergency or other significant event, and will ensure appropriate state response activities and coordination across all levels of government (federal, tribal, state, and local) and the private sector (non-governmental, voluntary, and for profit agencies). He will continue to ensure operational readiness of the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC)  pending the selection of a new OEM Director.

DHSEM Announces New Mitigation and Recovery Staff Member Sean Settle

The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is excited to announce a new member of the Mitigation and Recovery Section. Sean Settle recently joined the team as a Mitigation Specialist. He will be working to support our local and state partners with all aspects of mitigation including project development, multi-hazard planning and grant management.

Settle has been involved with emergency management since 1997 which includes 1,500 hours of Search and Rescue Operations and six years of incident command and planning experience throughout Colorado. His unique background in emergency coordination, multi-hazard planning, public speaking and project management makes him a great addition to the Mitigation Team.

He has worked with variety of city, county, state and federal agencies for intergovernmental continuity and mass casualty planning. He earned an undergraduate degree in Aerospace Operations from Metropolitan State University of Denver and holds 10 professional certifications through FEMA. Settle previously worked for the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority and the City of Colorado Springs before joining the DHSEM in 2014.

DHSEM Announces New Mitigation and Recovery Staff Member Kerry Webster

The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is excited to announce a new member of Mitigation and Recovery team. Kerry Webster recently joined the team as a Mitigation Specialist. She will be working to support our local and state partners with all aspects of mitigation including project development, multi-hazard planning, and grant management.

Webster has been involved in emergency management since 2001. Her previous experience as a structural and wildland firefighter, and most recently in wildland-urban interface fire planning and mitigation, makes her a well placed addition to the team. She has responded on all-hazard incidents, including tornado recovery and the recent floods. She earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental, Population and Organismic Biology and her master’s degree in Geography at CU Boulder, focusing on disturbance ecology. Kerry has worked for the Colorado State Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, and Anchor Point, LLC.

Recovery Specialist Hired for Office of Emergency Management

The Colorado Office of Emergency Management is pleased to welcome Johan "Jo" Barrios to the Mitigation and Recovery Section as a Recovery Specialist.  Barrios' will join OEM on Monday, December 30. 

She holds a masters degree in Civil Engineering and has worked for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers as an Emergency Response Specialist and Assistant Program Manager.  Barrios brings a wealth of experience with flood infrastructure projects.

Jeanne Pace Joines DHSEM as Adminstrative Staff

Please help welcome Jeanne Pace, the new Shared Admin - Mineral Facility in the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Jeanne will be located at the front desk. Jeanne promotes to us from CDOT where she was an Administrative Assistant III, performing administrative duties for the five Central Engineering Units out of the South Holly Street facility.


We are excited to have Jeanne join the Division!