
Joseph Threat
- Chief Resilience Officer and Chief Administrative Officer
- City of New Orleans
Joseph Threat brings over four decades of distinguished expertise in crisis management, grant management, security training, executive municipal infrastructure operations/construction and emergency operations across both military and civilian sectors.
Beginning his career in the United States Marine Corps in 1968, Mr. Threat served multiple tours in Vietnam, accumulating over 26 years of service and retiring as a senior Warrant Officer. His military accolades include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation medal with Combat “V” for Valor, and others recognizing his leadership and bravery.
Transitioning to civilian life, Mr. Threat assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer at Innovative Logistic Support Services (ILSS), where he spearheaded its growth into a multi- million-dollar business. Following this, he founded “Threat Defense,” his consulting firm, providing strategic guidance until 2018. Notably, Mr. Threat served as Executive Director for FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office, overseeing $37 billion in recovery funding post-Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and other major disasters.
Currently serving an eight-year term as the Chief Resilience Officer and as the recently appointed Chief Administrative Officer for Infrastructure in the City of New Orleans. Mr. Threat plays a pivotal role in managing operations, emergency response, and capital projects. He has navigated numerous crises, including the Hard Rock Hotel collapse, Terrorist attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, Super Bowl XIV and multiple hurricanes, demonstrating his steadfast leadership and commitment to public service.
Mr. Threat holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a Minor in Banking, complemented by a Global Master of International Finance, and has completed advanced training in public procurement through the Bloomberg Harvard Kennedy Government Performance Lab.
Sessions
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National & Regional Emergency Management Preparedness
Comprehensive efforts need to be undertaken by governmental bodies, operators, private sector entities, and other stakeholders, at both national and regional levels to anticipate, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from incidents that could disrupt the functioning of critical infrastructure systems. From risk assessment and identification of potential threats and hazards, to understanding the vulnerabilities of these systems, and the complex interdependencies and cascading failures among different critical infrastructure sectors, developing comprehensive emergency strategies to mitigate them is key to successful resilience.