Overview

December 5

Government organizations must be prepared for any crisis. In Florida, that means being ready for risks that every state faces, plus tropical storms and hurricanes. To ensure that disaster response teams have the tools they need before, during and after emergencies, the Florida Division of Emergency Management turned to technology.

Join Verizon experts and Kevin Guthrie, the Executive Director of the state's emergency management division, for a live webinar on December 5, 2023, at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET to hear how the division leverages technology to bolster the state's disaster preparedness.

You'll Learn:

How the Florida Division of Emergency Management ensures first responders have the network speed, coverage and security that can help them communicate in critical situations
Steps government leaders in Florida can take to bolster their own agency's emergency preparedness
What technologies, tools and strategies best support mission-critical communications during a crisis

Speakers

Kevin Guthrie

Executive Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management

Kevin Guthrie has more than 30 years of experience in Public Safety and Emergency Management in the state of Florida, including 14 years of experience dedicated to emergency management. He spent 23 years as a Police Officer and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. He served as the Public Safety and Emergency Management Director for the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners. He then served as the Assistant County Administrator for Public Safety for Pasco County, in this position he was responsible for all Emergency Services, Fire/Rescue and the 911 Communications Center Departments. In October 2018, Governor Rick Scott appointed Guthrie as Chief of Staff for the Florida Division of Emergency Management. In January 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him as Deputy Director of FDEM. Guthrie’s primary focuses as Deputy Director included coordinating efforts among all State agencies, Counties and Municipalities in dealing with natural and man-made disasters to ensure that all of Florida is prepared and ready to respond. During the state of Florida’s COVID-19 response, Guthrie served as the Deputy State Coordinating Officer and the State Emergency Response Team Chief.

Beth Bailey

Director, Florida Public Sector, Verizon Wireless

Beth is the current Director of Public Sector in Florida for Verizon Wireless. She manages a sales team that focuses on state, local, K-12, higher education, and non-profit organizations throughout the state of Florida. Beth is responsible for driving the business channel to achieve sales goals, including increasing market penetration. A native of Chicago & a University of Georgia graduate, Beth has held positions over the last 20 years to include, Southern Company – Regional Director, Southern Communications, Motorola – Regional Director, iDEN International Division, ATT Wireless – Premier Client Director- Enterprise. Additionally, she has a background in both wireline, wireless, infrastructure, marketing, sales & sales management. Beth strongly believes in giving back, and is involved in numerous community organizations. When she is not busy working and paying it forward, Beth has resided in Miami Dade County for over 30 years & enjoys being outdoors, traveling and spending time with her family.

Alex Brosky

Crisis Response Manager, Verizon Frontline

Alex is a native of Ft. Benning Georgia, grew up in Louisville Kentucky and has lived in Tampa since joining the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team in 2021. He joined Verizon in January 2019 as an MLA consultant, network real estate working in Tennessee and managed the deployment of 5G millimeter wave small cells for the Nashville and Knoxville markets, and has been in the telecommunications industry for over 20 years. Alex holds a Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University in Broadcast Communications and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University. He is a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps where he served as a Military Policeman in Operation Desert Storm.

Scott McPherson — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government

In 2006, Scott accepted the appointment as CIO for the Florida House of Representatives. Scott guided the development of the legislature’s first “app,” which debuted in March 2013, and garnered 5-star reviews and more than 3,500 downloads before being decommissioned in 2017. Scott served in this role until his retirement in August 2022.

Webinar

Building a Strong Emergency Preparedness Network in Florida