Jody Miller Ferguson, a former Pierce County employee, is returning to the South Sound to serve as the director of Emergency Management. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Pierce County Council.
Ferguson most recently served as the Deputy/Interim Director of King County’s Office of Emergency Management. As the OEM leader, she led all planning, coordination and management of emergency preparedness and management for the state’s largest county.
Previously, Ferguson was a Distinguished Fellow at the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C. She served as a state and local advisor for a variety of programs and projects within FEMA’s National Preparedness Directorate.
“We are delighted to welcome Jody back to Pierce County,” said Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County Executive. “The combination of her impressive credentials, proven leadership and valuable ties to FEMA and Homeland Security will serve our residents, should we need to call on them.”
Earlier in her career, Ferguson served twelve years in the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management, where she rose to the Interim Director position.
Ferguson is a recognized international expert in volcanic hazards and has been a field producer for numerous volcano specials for NOVA, the Travel Channel, National Geographic, the History Channel and the Weather Channel.
She earned an associate’s degree from Pierce College, a bachelor’s degree at Pacific Lutheran University and a master’s degree in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
Ferguson begins her new role on Feb. 19, 2019.