Steering Committee

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

MONTHLY MEETINGS

— VIEW 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.

Rebecca Geisen

COMMITTEE Vice Chair

Managing Director, Regional Water Providers Consortium/Manager, Intergovernmental Coordination, Portland Water Bureau

Rebecca.Geisen@portlandoregon.gov

Rebecca Geisen is the Managing Director of the Regional Water Providers Consortium, a group of 25 drinking water providers in the Portland Oregon metropolitan area. Her work is focused on fostering regional collaboration and coordination in the drinking water sector with a focus on resiliency, outreach, conservation, and partnerships. Rebecca is a leader in emergency drinking water planning. Projects she has led include the UASI funded Emergency Drinking Water Framework project, equipment drills and exercises, and investments in mobile water treatment and distribution equipment. Rebecca has served on the Steering Committee since its inception, served on the RDPO Equity Committee, and is currently the Vice Chair of the Public Works Committee.

 Rebecca’s 25-year water career started at the Oregon Water Resources Department before working for the Portland Water Bureau and Regional Water Providers Consortium. Rebecca has a B.S. in Conservation and Resource Studies from U.C. Berkeley and worked in the non-profit and private energy sector in San Francisco before moving to Oregon in 1997.