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IEM Unscripted DisasterSmiths Podcast

The Hosts

The Podcast Hosts

Tune in monthly for a new episode of IEM’s DisasterSmiths at one of the podcast directories below.

The Lastest DisasterSmiths Episode:

Catch up on all of our previous episodes here.

IEM Unscripted presents DisasterSmiths, a dynamic podcast that dives into the heart of disaster resilience. Join us as we explore the practical solutions, innovative programs, and dedicated service delivery crafted to aid disaster survivors and fortify communities. Our mission is clear – to make our communities more resilient in the face of adversity.

Through lived experience, IEM Experts Chris Smith and Diana Rothe-Smith sit down with fellow disaster recovery and resilience practitioners to discuss how processes, tools, and policies emerge and evolve as disasters strike – addressing and adapting critical needs with every recovery. The DisasterSmiths delves into historical, first-hand accounts to shed light on the roots of disaster recovery and explore how innovative strategies could be employed to enhance resilience for the future.

Tune in for an engaging journey where we unravel the stories behind the scenes, showcasing the resilience-building efforts that often go unseen. The DisasterSmiths podcast is your go-to source for insightful conversations on creating a stronger, more prepared world.

Our goal at DisasterSmiths is to:

  • understand why we do things the way we do before, during and after a disaster;
  • the purpose we intend to serve; and
  • think about how the effects of now will shape communities of the future.

DisasterSmiths Podcast Season 2:

  • When disaster strikes, it’s not just power grids and roads, rather entire local economies hang in the balance. In this compelling episode of DisasterSmiths, we pull back the curtain on Business Emergency Operations Centers (BEOCs). Sometimes overlooked, BEOCs are vital hubs where public agencies and private enterprises join forces in crisis. Joined by seasoned experts, our hosts dive deep into how BEOCs serve as the bridge between government response and business continuity, helping communities rebound faster and stronger. From pre-disaster planning to boots-on-the-ground coordination, discover how building these partnerships before disaster hits can mean the difference between temporary disruption and long-term devastation.

    This episode will challenge your assumptions and leave you thinking differently about the private sector’s place in disaster response.

    Featured Guests

    rob glenn
    Rob Glenn
    Vice President of Global Resilience at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

    Beverly Byerts

    Beverly Byerts
    Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Continuity at the Florida SBDC Network State Office

    james clark
    James Clark
    Vice President of International Homeland Security and Emergency Management at IEM
    Beverly Byerts is the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Continuity at the Florida SBDC Network State Office. In her role, she works with the Network’s statewide partners at federal and state agencies and industry associations to support small businesses. Beverly previously served as the Disaster Recovery Coordinator and Private Sector Liaison for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Emergency Coordinating Officer for the State Emergency Response Team’s Emergency Support Function for Business and Industry. She worked in the Emergency Operations Center in response to some of Florida’s largest recent disasters, including Hurricanes Irma, Michael and Dorian, the Pulse Nightclub shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Rob Glenn leads the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s efforts to connect government and private sector expertise, enhancing national readiness and resilience to help communities and industries prepare for and recover from disasters. Prior to his current role, Rob worked at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he developed frameworks aligning public and private sector disaster efforts. After the historic 2017 season, he helped create Emergency Support Function #14—Cross Sector Business and Infrastructure—with CISA. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched the Office of Business, Infrastructure and Integration, led the longest activation of the National Business Emergency Operations Center, coordinated supply chain stabilization, and implemented the only active Voluntary Agreement under the Defense Production Act to support healthcare resource distribution.
    James Clark guides IEM’s strategic efforts in homeland security and emergency management, leveraging deep experience in disaster recovery, public safety, and crisis operations. Prior to the private sector, James began his career in emergency management at the Louisiana’s Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, where he led a $12 billion recovery program, managing over 200 state staff and nearly 100 contractors to deliver aid and mitigation support. He oversaw community disaster loans, individual assistance, and direct federal aid, improving the state’s resilience. James also managed $100 million in monthly grant payments, directed disaster consulting contracts, ran the State Emergency Operations Center, and served as Alternate State Coordinating Officer during major disaster declarations. Read more >
  • When disaster strikes, it’s not just power grids and roads, rather entire local economies hang in the balance. In this compelling episode of DisasterSmiths, we pull back the curtain on Business Emergency Operations Centers (BEOCs). Sometimes overlooked, BEOCs are vital hubs where public agencies and private enterprises join forces in crisis. Joined by seasoned experts, our hosts dive deep into how BEOCs serve as the bridge between government response and business continuity, helping communities rebound faster and stronger. From pre-disaster planning to boots-on-the-ground coordination, discover how building these partnerships before disaster hits can mean the difference between temporary disruption and long-term devastation.

    This episode will challenge your assumptions and leave you thinking differently about the private sector’s place in disaster response.

    Featured Guests

    rob glenn

    Rob Glenn
    Vice President of Global Resilience at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

    Beverly Byerts

    Beverly Byerts


    Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Continuity at the Florida SBDC Network State Office

    anne bink

    James Clark

    Vice President of International Homeland Security and Emergency Management at IEM
    Beverly Byerts is the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Continuity at the Florida SBDC Network State Office. In her role, she works with the Network’s statewide partners at federal and state agencies and industry associations to support small businesses. Beverly previously served as the Disaster Recovery Coordinator and Private Sector Liaison for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Emergency Coordinating Officer for the State Emergency Response Team’s Emergency Support Function for Business and Industry. She worked in the Emergency Operations Center in response to some of Florida’s largest recent disasters, including Hurricanes Irma, Michael and Dorian, the Pulse Nightclub shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Rob Glenn leads the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s efforts to connect government and private sector expertise, enhancing national readiness and resilience to help communities and industries prepare for and recover from disasters. Prior to his current role, Rob worked at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he developed frameworks aligning public and private sector disaster efforts. After the historic 2017 season, he helped create Emergency Support Function #14—Cross Sector Business and Infrastructure—with CISA. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched the Office of Business, Infrastructure and Integration, led the longest activation of the National Business Emergency Operations Center, coordinated supply chain stabilization, and implemented the only active Voluntary Agreement under the Defense Production Act to support healthcare resource distribution.
    James Clark guides IEM’s strategic efforts in homeland security and emergency management, leveraging deep experience in disaster recovery, public safety, and crisis operations. Prior to the private sector, James began his career in emergency management at the Louisiana’s Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, where he led a $12 billion recovery program, managing over 200 state staff and nearly 100 contractors to deliver aid and mitigation support. He oversaw community disaster loans, individual assistance, and direct federal aid, improving the state’s resilience. James also managed $100 million in monthly grant payments, directed disaster consulting contracts, ran the State Emergency Operations Center, and served as Alternate State Coordinating Officer during major disaster declarations.
    Read more >

DisasterSmiths Podcast Season 1:

  • A Smith is one dedicated to mastering the hardest metals known to man, responsible for brokering the compromise between nature and people. A DisasterSmith molds and shapes how we respond to and recover from disasters, forging tools and programs to help communities recover, rebuild, and increase resilience as disasters evolve. Our hosts, IEM’s own Chris Smith and Diana Rothe-Smith, share how their dedication and experience to the craft have propelled them to DisasterSmith status and how the DisasterSmiths podcast will cultivate conversations with fellow practitioners to drive innovative solutions for a durable, more adaptable world.

    The Hosts

    chris smith

    Chris Smith
    Director, Individual Assistance and Disaster Housing at IEM

    diana rothe smith

    Diana Rothe-Smith
    Manager, Disaster Case
    Management at IEM
    Chris Smith, the Director of Individual Assistance and Disaster Housing at IEM, is pivotal in steering the company’s strategic and operational disaster recovery initiatives, mainly focusing on individual assistance and housing deliveries. His extensive experience in emergency management across various levels of government empowers him to lead with a unique blend of strategic insight and practical expertise. Chris’ career spans over 25 years at the local, state, and federal levels, and his significant tenure includes serving as a critical member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s senior leadership, where he headed the Office of Response and Recovery’s Individual Assistance Division. There, he led a large team through 175 federally declared disasters, efficiently managing the distribution of over $52 billion in federal assistance to those affected by disasters.
    Diana Rothe-Smith serves as IEM’s Program Manager for Disaster Case Management. In this capacity, she applies a wholistic survivor-focused approach to community recovery. Most of Diana’s work has been in coalition development, voluntary agency coordination, and community days of service. She has established long term recovery groups, preparedness councils, unmet needs committees, and community resiliency groups. Diana served as FEMA’s Acting Section Chief for voluntary agency coordination, was a program manager with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and was the executive director for the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD).

Catch Up on Previous Episodes

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