Steering Committee

The RDPO Steering Committee provides strategic direction for implementing the regional vision for disaster preparedness.

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE

MEMBERSHIP

The Committee consists of executives representing the five counties, the City of Portland, major discipline groups, the Program Committee, and some private and non-governmental representatives. View the Steering Committee Roster and Standard Operating Procedures.

MEETINGS

The Steering Committee meets monthly. View the calendar. For meeting agendas and minutes, please reach out to RDPO@portlandoregon.gov.

SHAD AHMED

COMMITTEE CHAIR & IMMEDIATE PAST VICE CHAIR

Director, Portland Bureau of Emergency Management

pbemdirector@portlandoregon.gov

Shad Ahmed, MS, CEM, has an extensive background in diverse emergency management leadership roles within local, state, higher education, public health, and public safety agencies across New England.  He serves as a subject matter expert for and has coordinated many projects in emergency management for organizations at the local, state, and national levels. He contributes to advancing the profession through publishing articles and presenting on emerging best practices in the field. He is an instructor in topics ranging from the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) to Incident Command System (ICS) to Continuity of Operations (COOP), having taught for nonprofit, academic, local, state, and federal organizations across the country. He holds a master's degree with a concentration in critical infrastructure protection and was recently appointed to the International Association of Emergency Managers' Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) Commission where he is responsible for reviewing credentials of professionals who are certifying or recertifying as a CEM. He is also a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner, FEMA Master Continuity Practitioner, ASFPM Certified Floodplain Manager, is a graduate of the FEMA National Emergency Management Advanced Academy and holds many other credentials and instructor certifications.

Prior to Portland, he served as an emergency manager with municipal, regional, higher education, and state agencies in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. He also served as director of a university-based research institute with work focused on connecting research to practical applications for public safety disciplines and training for senior officials.  Director Ahmed's background includes experience intersecting related disciplines of law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire, fire marshals, environmental health, emergency communications, occupational safety, and risk management.

Kaylie Guderian

COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR

Emergency Manager, Metro

Kaylie.Guderian@oregonmetro.gov

Kaylie is the Emergency Manager for Metro regional government. She has experience in emergency response planning, including disaster debris planning, training, and exercise development. Prior to working in emergency management, she worked for a hospital system in professional development. She is currently working through the Master Exercise Practitioner program.

Kaylie has also served as chair and vice chair of the RDPO Emergency Management Work Group (REMTEC).