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FEMA announces new leadership at FIMA

FEMA is constantly evolving to advance the agency mission to support our citizens and first
responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our
capability to prepare, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards, David Miller, Associate Administrator for Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, said in a press release Jan. 22. FEMA
continues to challenge and grow our senior leaders. A team culture is strengthened by leaders
with diverse backgrounds who can share the depth and breadth of their experience, crosspollinate
knowledge, and promote a unified broad perspective of FEMA. As such, the FEMA
team at the National Flood Insurance Program will be changing to facilitate our ever-changing
program. I am confident that these assignments advance FEMA’s mission, lend to the
development of senior executives and the organizations, and improve the National Flood
Insurance Program. The partnership of the Write Your Own insurance companies is
critical to the program’s success, and I appreciate your cooperation during this transition.
Between 1980 and 2013, the United States suffered more than $260 billion in flood damages,
and the costs borne by the federal government because of flooding exceed any other natural
hazard.

A majority of coastal areas will face 30 or more days of flooding each year by 2050
because of sea level rise, according to a recent NOAA study. FEMA continues to improve
community efforts to reduce the risks and consequences of flooding nationwide through the NFIP. As part of this effort, in 2014, FEMA enacted,
congressionally mandated reforms to the NFIP to include rate changes and the appointment of a
national flood insurance advocate to ensure consumers can navigate the program.
Ed Connor has spearheaded these efforts while leading the insurance program to mitigate future
flood losses nationwide through sound, community-enforced building and zoning ordinances and
providing access to affordable, federally backed flood insurance protection for property owners.
Effective Jan. 26, Connor will transition to Senior Counselor for FIMA. Connor will serve as a primary source of high-level policy advice and
expertise on complex programmatic and intergovernmental matters relative to Federal Insurance
and Mitigation. He will continue his effective collaboration within FEMA, DHS, other federal
departments and agencies, the White House, Congress and the Property Casualty and
Reinsurance Insurance private sector to advance federal insurance and mitigation activities. Conner will continue to be the primary liaison for the Write Your Own insurance companies and will
serve as my main advisor in working with the companies.

Brad Kieserman will serve as Deputy Associate Administrator for Insurance. Kieserman’s
significant achievements and experience serving as FEMA’s Chief Counsel and recently as
Assistant Administrator for Recovery will greatly assist the agency in furtherance of our flood
insurance and mitigation objectives. He championed the significant gains that have been made in advancing the goals identified in the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act (SRIA). Kieserman
oversaw the policy, resources, and grant activities associated with debris removal, emergency
protective measures, the repair, replacement, restoration, and mitigation of disaster-damaged,
publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain private non-profit organizations, community
service programs, shelter and housing programs, and financial assistance to individuals and
households.
Please join me in congratulating Ed and Brad on their new positions. We are proud to have
their talent and expertise on the NFIP team. As always, I appreciate your partnership.

Sincerely,
David L. Miller
Associate Administrator
Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration.

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