White House Author

Joe McKenna is a Research Specialist and the Youth Preparedness Camp Coordinator for the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), which is part of Texas State University. He is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the state-wide initiative that aims to prepare communities through their youth. The TxSSC Youth Preparedness Camp provides the opportunity for teams of youth from across Texas to come together and receive training in emergency preparedness, emergency response, action planning, leadership, and community resilience. In addition, Mr. McKenna has encouraged the integration of CERT programs into K-12 schools through his facilitation, instruction, and support, with the ultimate goal of creating sustainable preparedness programs for educational institutions. Additionally, Mr. McKenna supports various youth groups as they deliver the message of disaster preparedness and the role youth can have in disaster situations.