Resilience Planning for Maryland Defense Communities

Biography

LaRon Russell is a Hazard Mitigation Project Officer with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM), where he manages approximately $23 million in FEMA-funded mitigation projects across eight Maryland jurisdictions. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management from Waldorf University and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Emergency Management. A retired U.S. Air Force Public Health Advisor with more than 22 years of service, LaRon brings extensive experience in disaster response, emergency preparedness, public health operations, exercises, inspections, and hazard mitigation. Throughout his military career, he supported mass casualty response operations in Baghdad, Iraq, contributed to West Africa Ebola response efforts while stationed in Japan, served as an Exercise Planner at Pope Army Airfield, and led a team of Inspector General specialists responsible for inspections and organizational assessments. His diverse background provides a practical perspective on building resilient communities, reducing disaster risk, enhancing preparedness, and strengthening interagency coordination.