Local Educator Appointed to FEMA’s National Advisory Council

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced the appointment of several new members to its National Advisory Council including Columbia Southern University’s Misti Kill, Ph.D. Kill serves as the vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the College of Safety and Emergency Services for the university.

“I feel incredibly honored to have been selected,” said Kill. “I’m most excited to work in a capacity that can assist communities throughout the United States and work alongside some amazing and highly accomplished NAC members,” she said.

Kill, along with other newly appointed members of the National Advisory Council, advises FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell on all aspects of emergency management, including preparedness, protection, response, recovery and mitigation for disasters and national emergencies. Council members represent a substantive cross-section of officials, emergency managers and emergency response providers from state, local, tribal and territorial governments, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations.

Kill applied to join the council in early 2022. She will serve a three-year term.

“I was inspired to apply because of my passion for emergency management and desire to ensure our communities are safe and prepared for the potential disasters and emergencies they may face,” said Kill.

A graduate from North Dakota State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead, Kill holds a bachelor’s in both criminal justice and sociology, and a master’s in sociology. She also has a doctorate in emergency management. In conjunction to her work in academia, Kill has been active in the safety field for several years and has responded to a variety of disaster events, in addition to developing and participating in business continuity and community disaster preparedness campaigns and contracting with the National Fire Academy.

For more information, visit FEMA.gov.

About Columbia Southern University

As an innovator in online education, CSU was established in 1993 to provide an alternative to the traditional university experience. CSU offers online associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees such as business administration, criminal justice, fire administration and occupational safety and health. Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu or call (877) 347-6050 to learn more.