Leadership
MDEMA Officers
The officers of this Association shall be a President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Parlimentarian. Officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting by a majority vote of active members. The Parlimentarian will hold no voting rights on the Executive Committee.
The term of each officer shall be for one year, beginning July 1 and ending June 30, following the election at the Annual Meeting.
The consecutive term limit for President, First Vice President, and Second Vice President shall not exceed three terms. However, after leaving office for a year or serving in a different officer position, that member can seek re-election for the position of President, First Vice President, or Second Vice President.
PRESIDENT
Michael Jette, 1st Term
Driven by the mission to promote and support an all-hazards approach to Emergency Management in the State of Maryland, Michael Jette brings 25 years of innovative leadership in crisis response and operational continuity to his role as President of MDEMA.
Jette brings vital experience in regional and federal integration to his role at MDEMA. He previously served as the FEMA Region III Lead and National Capital Region Federal Headquarters Liaison for United States Northern Command. In this position, he fostered unparalleled relationships with the District of Columbia and five surrounding states, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, delivering professional expertise in Defense Support to Civil Authorities during multiple national special security events and disasters. During this time, he was detailed to the Department of Homeland Security as a subject-matter expert to develop the 2009-H1N1 Influenza Pandemic Plan, providing a daily decision matrix used by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the President of the United States, and notably serving as the principal author for the interagency medical support plan for the 44th Presidential Inauguration.
A proven executive in professional association governance, Jette is exceptionally well-prepared to guide MDEMA's strategic direction. He spent 15 years in progressive leadership roles—including President, Board of Directors member, Education Chair, and Secretary—for the American College of Contingency Planners, where he led the professional member organization and coordinated successful annual conferences with over 1,000 attendees. He also served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Medical Administrators, providing strategic direction for the professional organization of over 3,000 members nationwide.
Currently serving as an Emergency Management Planner for the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management—a local partner of MDEMA—Jette helps protect a jurisdiction of over 600,000 constituents. In this capacity, he collaborates with county departments, manages the Emergency Operations Center, leads the development of the Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources plan, and successfully coordinates efforts among internal and external stakeholders to enhance community resilience.
A dedicated practitioner and educator, Jette has served as an adjunct faculty member, instructor, and facilitator for a multitude of domestic and international Departments and Ministries of Defense, as well as for civilian Emergency Management and Disaster Risk Reduction courses. Jette holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College. He is a FEMA Basic Academy Graduate, a recipient of certificates in Infrastructure Protection and Infrastructure Disaster Management from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, and has fulfilled the requirements to become a FEMA Level II Master Continuity Practitioner and is soon to join the instructor cadre.
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
Vanesa Calaban, 1st Term
Vanessa Calaban (she/her) is a disaster risk reduction planner with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management, where her portfolio covers everything from disaster housing to recovery planning to hazard mitigation to internal workforce safety and security. Prior to her work at MDEM, Vanessa studied disaster communications and community preparedness initiatives while living in Taiwan. As an emergency manager, she is continually seeking opportunities to learn about and advocate for universal access throughout the disaster cycle.
Vanessa is a Maryland Professional Emergency Manager and a recent graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School's Emergence Program. She holds a Master of Public Administration with an emergency management concentration from the University of Colorado; a Graduate Certificate in Women, Politics, and Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts; and a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College. She enjoys hiking, gardening, meeting new dogs, and finding the perfect GIF for every situation.
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
Lori Stillwell Roper, 1st Term
Lori Stillwell has been an Emergency Management Specialist at the City of Bowie for over two years. She designs and facilitates disaster preparedness programs, coordinating training and mock simulations for staff to ensure they know how to respond to crises. For the community, she delivers educational presentations and outreach to boost local sustainability.
As a lifelong Maryland resident, Lori brings a diverse, 30-year professional background spanning healthcare, emergency medical services, education, childcare, and pet care. Deeply dedicated to the safety, health, and welfare of others, she is passionate about fostering self-reliance and community resilience. Lori actively seeks out opportunities to help individuals bridge critical knowledge and skill gaps.
Lori earned both an Associate of Arts in General Studies and a Paramedic Certificate from the College of Southern Maryland. Most recently, she completed FEMA’s National Emergency Management Basic Academy (NEMBA), the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), and TEEX's Cybersecurity Awareness and Infrastructure Disaster Management series. She was also awarded the Maryland Professional Emergency Management Program (MDPEMP) certification and is currently participating in the FY26 Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP).
Lori enjoys spending quality time with her family and her dog. A highly competitive person, she loves playing board games, dominating trivia nights, and singing karaoke. She also has a wide variety of indoor interests, including diving into a good book series, bingeing true crime shows, and watching mobster or western movies. When she’s feeling creative, Lori loves to spend her time painting, gardening, and cooking.
SECRETARY
Amelia Williams
Amelia Williams is an Emergency Management Specialist with the Howard County Office of Emergency Management, where she leads the Training & Exercise Program and supports various planning, outreach, and operational initiatives. She also serves as an on-call emergency manager, supporting emergency operations center activations and response and recovery operations. Amelia received a Bachelor of Science in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University. She also holds a Graduate Certification in Public Safety Leadership from the University of Baltimore.
TREASURER
Taylor Munir
Taylor Munir serves as the Cyber Preparedness Unit Supervisor at the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM). She holds a Master's in Emergency Management from Tulane University and a Bachelor's in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University, alongside professional certifications in Associate Business Continuity, Associate Cyber Resilience, and Associate Risk Management. Driven by a mission to bolster statewide cyber preparedness, Taylor leads the Cyber Preparedness team to advance operational resilience across Maryland's local jurisdictions.
Backed by a diverse background in global service and public program logistics, including roles as a returned Peace Corps Volunteer in Indonesia, Taylor excels at building interagency coordination and technical capacity. At MDEM, she actively spearheads strategic state initiatives like the State Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) and the Maryland Local Cybersecurity Support Fund. An expert facilitator, Taylor regularly co-leads cybersecurity incident exercises, designs operational resilience frameworks, and represents MDEM on several state and local committees. Outside of her emergency management work, she can usually be found exploring hiking trails or cooking up a big meal for her friends and family.
PARLIAMENTARIAN
Carolyn Malloy
Carolyn Malloy currently serves the State of Maryland as the State National Incident Management System (NIMS) Officer, where she is responsible for all facets of the development of the State NIMS Program, including the Maryland Qualification System (MDQS). Carolyn also serves as the Certifying Officer (CO) for MDQS.
Carolyn has been in the emergency management field for over five years, with expertise in emergency planning, program development, operational readiness, financial sustainability, and continuity of operations. She has worked within state-level emergency management departments in Maryland and Kentucky, and in the healthcare emergency preparedness area with the Eastern Virginia Healthcare Coalition. Her experience includes coordinating state-level and regional responses to COVID-19. civil unrest, and weather-related incidents.
Carolyn is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a Master’s of Science in Safety, Security and Emergency Management, with a concentration in Emergency Management and Homeland Security. She also has a Bachelor’s of Arts in American Studies from the College of Saint Elizabeth.
EX-OFFICIO TREASURER
Michaela Seabrease
Michaela Seabrease is a Senior Emergency Management Specialist with the Howard County Office of Emergency Management, where she leads several key programs, including Finance and Grants, Planning, EOC Technician coordination, and contract management. Her background blends financial oversight with emergency planning, giving her a strong foundation for both operational and strategic initiatives.
Michaela holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration with a double minor in Public Health and Biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She currently serves as Chair of the UASI Finance and Grants Committee supporting regional collaboration and development.
She completed FEMA's Emergency Management Institute Basic Academy in 2023 and has joined the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) as she works toward earning her Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) designation.
