THP 30: Albert Gembara

Program: Emergency & Disaster Management
Current Position: Technology Integration Officer - Disaster Operations Specialist, U.S. Agency for International Development - Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA)
Hometown: Fairfax, VA

“Albert has a love of learning, of helping others, and making the world a better place for all he meets. As a program officer in USAID and a top student in the EDM program, he personifies the servant leader we hope all our students will someday become.” - Nancy Suski, EDM Executive Director

What is an interesting trend emerging in your field?
Traditional relief organizations, volunteers, and affected communities can provide, aggregate, and analyze information that speeds [up], targets, and improves disaster response activities. This trend toward communications [that are] driven by and centered on people is changing the nature of humanitarian assistance.

What has been your most unique learning experience?
This past April, I was selected to serve on the U.S. Government Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) following the 7.8 Magnitude earthquake in Nepal. It was a unique opportunity to employ and demonstrate the skills and knowledge I acquired from the Emergency & Disaster Management program during the preceding year.