Office of Emergency Management
About Emergency Management
Emergency management is divided into four core functions or phases: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. Each phase makes up an integral aspect of the overall Emergency Management System. The four phases are generally represented as a cycle. For more information, click on the mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery links below.
Director, Emergency Management
James Westbrook has been at Kennesaw State since August of 2013 and assumed the role of Director in January 2023. James was Assistant Director from the creation of the Office of Emergency Management in January 2015 before becoming Acting Director in June 2022. Prior to joining KSU, James worked at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) for over seven years in both the State Emergency Communications Center and as a School Safety Coordinator. He also has a background in 911 operations, hazardous materials, and the fire services. James is an Advanced Certified Emergency Manager through GEMA and a certified Professional Continuity Practitioner through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). James holds a a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Georgia, a Master of Science degree in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University, and is pursuing a Doctorate of Science in Public Safety from Middle Georgia State University.
Continuity Planner
Christy Hendricks has been at Kennesaw State University since April 2013 and currently serves as the Continuity of Operations Planner. Prior to this role, she was the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Kennesaw Campus where she served as the primary liaison for the Crisis Coordinator program. She is a proud alumna of Kennesaw State University, holding a bachelor's (2011) and master's degree (2019). Her background is diverse ranging from a 911 operator to an elementary school teacher. Christy is a Certified Emergency Manager through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). She is also a CPR/AED instructor with the American Heart Association and a FEMA Professional Continuity Practitioner. Christy won the Chief's Award of Excellence and has received Staff Member of the Quarter. Christy enjoys building relationships across campus and remains dedicated to keeping KSU safe and informed.
Emergency Management Coordinator
R. Wayne Randle coordinates Emergency Management Response Operations for KSU. Randle has served as an emergency response officer for over 40 years, responding to over five hundred emergency incidents and federal disasters. Randle began his public service in 1972 with the Alabama Highway Patrol and joined Jefferson County EMA in 1978. Randle joined the Alabama Emergency Management Agency in 1989 and accepted an appointment to the US DHS Preparedness and Response Directorate in 1990. Randle joined KSU in 2019.
Randle earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Alabama in 1978 and received the Professional Emergency Manager Certification (DHS PEM) in 1982 from the National Disaster and Emergency Management University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Randle holds certifications as an instructor of Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events from Texas State University, Radiological Waste Isolation from the U.S. Department of Energy, and is certified as an Instructor of Instructors with the American Heart Association. Randle earned the Emergency Manager Certification from the International Association of Emergency Managers in 2005.
Emergency Preparedness Specialist
Omar-Shariff Roberts II joins us from the Fulton County Board of Health Office of Emergency Preparedness, where he served as the City Readiness Initiative Assistant. While there, he aided in preparing, responding, recovering, and mitigating public health disasters. A proud Georgia scholar, Omar-Shariff graduated from Morehouse College in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Public Health. In 2024, he graduated from the University of Georgia with a Master of Science in Public Health with a concentration in Disaster Management.
Emergency Preparedness Specialist
Jamie Case has been at Kennesaw State University since February of 2020 and assumed the role of Emergency Preparedness Specialist in July of 2023. Jamie assisted OEM as an Exposure Investigator for COVID-19 from 2020 to 2022 and wrote her graduate thesis on the impact of COVID-19 on Emergency Management in Higher Education. Jamie graduated from KSU with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology in 2018 and a Master of Public Administration in 2022.
