Scott M. Ausbrooks is the State Geologist of Arkansas and serves as Director of the Office of the State Geologist (OSG). He is a registered professional geologist and has been employed with the OSG for over 20 years.

Mr. Ausbrooks was the project leader that oversaw the installation of the Arkansas Seismic Network, which consists of nine-state-of-the-art permanent broadband seismic stations across Arkansas between 2009-10. He was a co-investigator of the study that determined the relationship of nearby saltwater disposal wells and the Guy-Greenbrier earthquake swarm that occurred between 2010-11.

More recent work includes research into potentially human-induced earthquakes related to hydraulic fracturing in the Fayetteville Shale Development Area (FSDA) in north-central Arkansas. Other experience includes geologic mapping, quality control sampling for quarries, preparation of geological reports for bridge replacement projects, landslide studies, drill core inspections, monitor well driller, technical writing, geotechnical logging, surveying, and environmental consulting.

Mr. Ausbrooks holds two Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and Surveying from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and earned a Master of Science degree in Earth Science (Geophysics) from the University of Memphis.

Andrew J. Beal joined the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 1999 and is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer. Mr. Beal’s duties include managing the day-to-day operations of the organization, with special focus on strategic planning and implementation of key initiatives, as well as engagements in innovation and emerging technologies in the insurance sector.

His prior legal experience includes serving as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps and as legal counsel with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. He has also worked in private practice as well as in-house legal counsel for an insurance company. His main areas of focus have been in the areas of corporate, business, and insurance regulatory law.

He earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the Oklahoma City University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. He is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Oklahoma.

Brian Blake is the Executive Director of the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC), which was established in 1983 under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. Brian’s primary role is to lead activities related to earthquake preparedness and mitigation in the CUSEC region. This involves working with a variety of partners and stakeholders to create and implement programs which help communities prepare for, respond to, and mitigate against the effects of earthquakes. Since joining CUSEC in 2003, Brian has led and supported numerous multi-year earthquake outreach and planning projects including the New Madrid Seismic Zone Catastrophic Planning Initiative, the New Madrid Bicentennial, CAPSTONE-14, and the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut.

Brian holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis and resides in the Memphis area with his family. In addition to his work, Brian is a performing musician and award-winning songwriter. 

Hilda Booth has been a preparedness planner and the States Earthquake Program Manager at the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) for eight years. Hilda is the secretary of the Governor’s Earthquake Advisory Council (GEAC) and Arkansas’ rapid inspection team, INSPARK. A graduate of ATU’s Emergency Management program, most of her time is spent working with the 19+ counties in NE AR most likely to be impacted by an earthquake on the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ).

Charlie Cook is the Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch chief for FEMA Region 6. In this role Charlie is responsible for ensuring that communities are building to or above flood-resilient standards. He leads a team that conduct community visits, calls, and other outreach providing technical assistance and expertise. 

Prior to this Charlie worked as a Community Planning and Capacity Building Coordinator. His focus was on building partnerships with other federal agencies, universities, planning districts, non-profit agencies, foundations and others. Charlie also worked for Region 6’s Individual Assistance (IA) program working directly with survivors in their greatest time of need. This included long term disaster housing missions for hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. 

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in music (for fellow music nerds in the audience, yes, he has a soundboard and dabbles in mixing whenever he gets the chance).  Charlie was awarded the Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s award in 2013 and 2023 and the FEMA Administrator’s award in 2018, but his proudest accomplishment is his family which includes three kids—who are all under 10 and over-sugared.   

Anthony Coy serves as the Director of Emergency Management for Craighead County. Prior to this position, he worked for the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management for approximately 14 years where he served as the Northeast Area Coordinator and as the Communications and Support Division Director. During his tenure in Emergency Management, Anthony has had the opportunity to work with counties across the State of Arkansas and gain knowledge of the programs, methods, and plans that worked best. He is a member of the Arkansas Emergency Management Association and serves on the executive board, and a Certified Emergency Manager. He is also a graduate of Arkansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems. He is married and has two grown children.

Dr. Jeffrey Czajkowski serves as the Director of the Center for Insurance Policy and Research (CIPR) for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The CIPR provides research and education to drive discussion and advance thought leadership as well as action on current and emerging insurance issues amongst insurance regulators, policymakers, industry, and academics. This is accomplished through CIPR’s events, research publications, newsletter and website, the Journal of Insurance Regulation, and its extensive NAIC research library holdings.

Prior to joining the CIPR, he served as the Managing Director for the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the University of Pennsylvania, conducting research on various economic and risk-related issues of natural disasters and resilience, as well as on issues of environmental economics. His work has been published in leading risk management, insurance, natural hazards, and environmental economics journals. A significant amount of his research involves working collaboratively in cross-disciplinary research teams and applying research findings through various interactions with top policymakers and senior executives in the insurance industry. This has included serving on two National Academy of Sciences committees, being an academic advisory board member for the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report, a member of the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) Resilience Policy Council, and a fellow for the Willis Research Network.

He holds a B.S. from Carnegie Mellon University, an M.S. in environmental and urban systems from Florida International University, and a Ph.D. in economics from Florida International University.

Preceding graduate school, he worked in New York City as a research associate for Coopers & Lybrand Consulting and was a vice-president for JP Morgan. He has taught economic courses for over15 years at a number of universities and was an adjunct assistant research professor at the International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) at FIU.

Martha Kopper, a Registered Professional Geologist in Missouri and Arkansas obtained her BS and MS in geology from Southeast Missouri State University, Wichita State University, respectively and is currently working towards a Geohazards Certificate at Missouri S&T in geological engineering. Ms. Kopper’s research focuses on landslide and earthquake geohazards. As a FEMA HMGP grant recipient, she collaborates with stakeholders to develop a landslide geodatabase in Arkansas.

Ms. Kopper, Chair for the Arkansas Governor’s Earthquake Advisory Council, has served on the Association of Engineering and Environmental Geologists National Board, and is a member of the Seismological Society of America and American Society of Civil Engineers.

A.J. Gary is the Director of the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) and State Homeland Security Advisor, a position he has held since 2016. As ADEM Director, A.J. serves on numerous committees, including Arkansas Safe Schools, Infrastructure Planning Advisory Committee, Governor’s Cyber Advisory Council, Arkansas Governor’s Earthquake Advisory Council, Chair on the Arkansas 911 Board, National Governors Association’s (NGA) Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council (GHSAC) Executive Committee. A.J. also is the Vice-Chairman of the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC).

He is a retired police chief, serving over 28 years with the Conway Police Department. A.J. has a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management and a Master’s of Public Administration. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and attended the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s Executive Leadership Program.

When not working, A.J. spends time with his wife, three children and four grandchildren. He also enjoys fly fishing.

Wes Ireland currently serves as the Planning Branch Chief for FEMA Region 6 Response Division. He manages six senior operational planners who develop federal response plans and other readiness products in support of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas threats and hazards. He also manages Response GIS, Regional Hurricane Program and Response FEMA Integration Teams activities. When activated in support of a disaster response, he serves as the Planning Section Chief for the FEMA Region 6 Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) responsible for analysis, situational awareness, reporting and crisis action planning.

Wes is a retired Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves with 28 years of service. He served on active duty from 1981–1985 as an infantry officer and in support of Desert Storm and multiple NATO exercises. The remainder of his service was in the reserves as an artillery officer with 14th Marines and as one of the original Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers. He also had a 20-year career in the printing industry before reentering federal service with FEMA in 2010. He has been married to his wife, Lorrie, for 40 years and has one daughter, Shannon.

Harold is a Principal Research Scientist and the technical team leader for geohazards in Research at FM. Prior to joining FM in 2009, he was an Adjunct Professor at San Diego State University where he studied southern California faults, earthquakes, and crustal structure. Harold has a B.S. in Earth Sciences from University of California Santa Cruz, a Ph.D. in Geophysics from Caltech, and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.

On April 3, 2020, Governor Asa Hutchinson appointed Alan McClain as Arkansas Insurance Commissioner. McClain began his career in state government in 1992 with the Arkansas Insurance Department after working with Sedgwick Insurance Group. He worked for the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission for 13 years and was the CEO of that Commission for almost nine years.

Most recently, McClain served as Commissioner of the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS). In this role, which he assumed in 2015, he administered the day-to-day operations of ARS, which administers the Federal Vocational Rehabilitation Act.

McClain has also served on the Arkansas Workforce Development Board and the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. He is a past president of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards & Commissions and the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation.

He holds an undergraduate degree from Hendrix College and a master’s in Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Rusty A. McMillon took office as the Greene County Judge on January 1, 2015. He is the President of the County Judges’ Association of Arkansas. He served on the Arkansas 911 Strategic Planning Committee in 2017-18, after successfully leading the PSAP consolidation effort in his own County, and now serves on the Arkansas 911 Board.

McMillon’s entry into politics began in 2011 when he participated on the Blue-Ribbon Jail Committee to help research the need for a new detention center for the County. He serves on the Greene Acres Nursing Home Board, is President of the Crowley’s Ridge Development Council Board of Directors and serves on the Northeast Arkansas Landfill Board.

McMillon has worked in church ministry, the medical field, and the banking industry. He has his master’s degree in communication studies from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark. He is married to Vanessa McMillon who is a Market Manager for Walmart, and they have a daughter, Alaina. They reside in Paragould, which is the county seat of Greene County.

Dr. Brenda Rourke serves as a Communication Research Scientist in the Center for Insurance Policy and Research at the NAIC. Prior to joining the NAIC she worked for 10 years as a Network Operations Specialist at COX Communications and 4 years as an assistant professor and researcher at Northwest Missouri State University.

She holds a B.A. in English and Communication from Rhode Island College, an M.A. in Communication and a PhD in Communication from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Rourke has presented at regional, national, and international conferences, and published several articles in notable communication journals.

Ben is a Broker with Argenia, a CRC Group Company. He’s located in Fayetteville, AR and is a member of the Personal Lines Practice Advisory Committee.

Mark serves as chief legal counsel for Arkansas Association of Counties (AAC) and its boards and officials; serves as the AAC contact for the county judges, sheriffs and coroners; and serves as fund counsel for AAC Risk Management Services and AAC Workers’ Compensation Trust.

Mark has over 35 years of experience as an attorney in Arkansas. Mark served the Arkansas State Highway Commission for 13 years as staff attorney representing the Highway Department and its officers and employees in regard to personnel matters before the courts of the United States, and in hundreds of contract claims, tort claims and eminent domain cases. Mark earned his Juris Doctor in 1987 from the University of Arkansas School of Law at Little Rock. After obtaining his license to practice law in Arkansas in 1987, Mark served as an associate in the firm of Kemp & Duckett as a general civil lawyer and served as special master & law clerk for the Chancery Court of Pulaski County, First Division. Mark is originally from North Little Rock and graduated from Northeast High School. Mark attended and received his bachelor of arts degree from Ouachita Baptist University in 1984.