National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

William R. Blanton, Jr., CFM
Chief, Earthquake and Wind Programs Branch
Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Department of Homeland Security
400 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472
(202) 646-3151
bill.blanton@fema.dhs.gov

Bill Blanton has been with FEMA since 1998, and is the Chief of the Earthquake and Wind Programs Branch of the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA) Risk Management Directorate. This branch is responsible for several programs and initiatives, including the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) and the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP). Previously, Bill was the Chief of the Building Science Branch at FEMA. Prior to that, he was the Chief of the Engineering Management Branch at FEMA. Before his Federal career, Bill spent 10 years with Dewberry, an engineering and architectural firm supporting FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, where he was ultimately elevated to the position of Engineering Director for Contracted Studies.

In total, Bill has over 30 years of experience in the areas of engineering, engineering management, project management, and program leadership. Through his time with FEMA, Bill has been assigned to lead and/or participate in a number of congressionally mandated initiatives, along with several program re-envisioning projects.

Education:
B.S. Geology, George Mason University
Program Management Professional Certificate, Engineering Management, The Catholic University of America