Last Updated on February 22, 2025 9:40 am
BOONE, N.C. — Students, faculty, staff and the community are invited to attend a forum featuring former FEMA head Brock Long and heat policy expert Ashley Ward. The event takes place Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 12:30 p.m. in Room 420 (Parkway Ballroom) of the Plemmons Student Union at Appalachian State University. This event is free of charge and open to the public.
The forum, part of App State’s Pathways to Resilience initiative, will explore how communities can build resilience for extreme weather events, such as Hurricane Helene, as they continue to occur with more intensity and frequency around the world.
This event will feature two nationally recognized experts in climate resilience and emergency management who will discuss actionable solutions to help communities prepare for and recover from climate-related disasters.
The speakers are:
- Brock Long ’97 ’99, executive chairman of Hagerty Consulting and former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA, 2017-2019).
- Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.
Long is a leading voice in emergency management and preparedness. With extensive experience coordinating disaster response for over 144 presidentially declared disasters, he will share his insights on how FEMA’s Community Lifelines framework can guide communities toward greater resilience, helping to protect lives and infrastructure before, during and after disasters.
“Extreme climate events are growing in both frequency and intensity, making proactive resilience and mitigation efforts critical,” said Long. “Investing in preparedness today is the best way to reduce the devastating human and financial toll of disasters, safeguard lives and ensure our communities can withstand the challenges ahead.”
Ward is a renowned expert in climate health impacts and community resilience. She will address the growing threat of extreme heat, discussing innovative policies and solutions that can reduce its impacts on human health and well-being. Over the last 30 years, heat exposure has killed more people in the United States than any other weather-related phenomenon, according to the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University. Ward launched the hub to convene experts and communities to ensure that everyone — regardless of their location or resources — can thrive even in the face of rising temperatures.
“Climate resilience is not just about surviving — it's about thriving in the face of adversity, preparing communities to withstand the inevitable, adapting to change, and protecting future generations from the risks we face today,” said Ward. She emphasized the critical importance of investing in adaptive systems, adding, “Building resilience safeguards not only our health, but also the lifeblood of our economies. By investing in adaptive systems, we reduce vulnerabilities, ensure stability in times of crisis and create a foundation for long-term prosperity.”
App State’s Pathways to Resilience initiative, a five-year Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), is designed to prepare students to address climate resilience needs and opportunities across multiple disciplines. The effort will cultivate students’ resilience and confidence to excel in fields that are evolving to respond to climate disruption in ways that reduce harm and improve the well-being of communities, from local to global. As part of this project, the forum will serve as a vital learning opportunity, emphasizing the importance of climate education and community engagement.
“We're excited to learn, alongside students from across App State's campus, about our speakers' experience working with communities on proactive policy and efforts to support public health, safety and well-being in the context of climate disruptions,” said Laura England, director of academic sustainability initiatives.
Parking for campus visitors is available in the Rivers Street Parking Deck.
For more information, visit the Climate Resilience Forum event page or contact Laura England at englandle@appstate.edu.
