RALEIGH -- North Carolina Emergency Management Director Michael Sprayberry was installed this week as the president of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), beginning a one-year term leading the professional organization of emergency managers.  

Sprayberry was elected by his peers, emergency management directors from other U.S. states and territories, and began his term at the 2017 NEMA Annual Forum this past weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has served as the organization’s vice president for the past year.

“I am honored to serve my fellow emergency managers and look forward to a productive year leading our organization,” said Sprayberry. As one of his goals during his tenure, Sprayberry says he wants to increase diversity of the workforce in emergency management. 
“There are many who do not know what it is that emergency managers do, and how we work to prepare and protect the public,” said Sprayberry. “We can work harder to educate students and qualified young people about our field and recruit them to the emergency management profession.”

NEMA is the professional association of and for emergency management directors from all 50 states, eight U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. NEMA provides national leadership and expertise in comprehensive emergency management; serves as a vital emergency management information and assistance resource; and advances continuous improvement in emergency management through strategic partnerships, innovative programs, and collaborative policy positions. NEMA began in 1974 when state directors of emergency services first united to exchange information on common emergency management issues that threatened their constituencies.

In 1990 NEMA became an affiliate organization of The Council of State Governments (CSG).  CSG supports NEMA in its goals to provide an information and support network among state directors of emergency management and to interface with other national and regional organizations involved in emergency management and state government policy in general.  The CSG–NEMA partnership recognizes the commitment by both parties to the mutual advancement of their respective agendas to promote the role of the state in our federal system of government and to foster excellence in the functions of government.