SCRANTON — Marywood University will host Vilma Milmoe for an open forum talk from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26 in the Learning Commons, Rooms 331-337. The presentation is free and open to the public.
Milmoe, a 1980 graduate of Marywood University, has more than 38 years in Federal government management, and three years with non-profit organizations. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and community services from Wilkes University and her master of public administration degree, under full fellowship, from Marywood University.
In addition to the open forum, students from various disciplines, including information security, criminal justice, social sciences, computer science, and public administration, to name a few, will have the opportunity to listen to and ask questions of Milmoe during a special presentation to Marywood students.
Milmoe was inducted into the International Network of Women in Homeland Security and Emergency Management (inWEM) 2016 Hall of Fame, and is serving as WEM’s second vice president. Additionally, she received numerous accolades and served in many capacities throughout her career, including: alumna of the Presidential Management Intern Program; AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer; recipient of the FEMA Director’s Awards for work on 9/11 and for training innovation; the Department of Homeland Security’s Secretary’s Award for National Continuity Work throughout 9/11, while serving as a member of the national team.
Milmoe was a member of the President’s Task Force on the Los Angeles Riots and received a Vice Presidential Award for her support to the Northridge Earthquake. She received two additional Administrator Awards from the Department of Energy and General Services Administration, as well as a Coast Guard Service Award for joint projects. She served with the Veterans Administration, Department of Justice, Department of Energy, and was director of the Greater Los Angles Federal Executive Board for Southern California.
Serving as a past division director of Preparedness, Training, and Exercise in Region II and director of the National Response Coordination Center, Milmoe coordinated activities with the Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York City and collaborated with the New York City Office of Emergency Management. She also worked with State Offices of Emergency Management on Regional Partnership Meetings from 1996 until 2001. She served as Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer and Special Assistant to the Federal Coordinating Officer for interim periods.
Prior to serving in her current position as a Senior Policy Advisor, Milmoe served as deputy superintendent of the Emergency Management Institute for eight years, from June 2007 through June 2015. She was acting superintendent five times, which resulted in leadership of the following initiatives: FEMA Disaster Workforce Surge, DHS Surge Capacity Force, Emergency Management Professional Program, National Academies for Basic, Advanced, and Executive Emergency Management (EM), National and State Training Working group, and Virtual Table Top Exercise Program.
She was planning chief to the National Response Coordination Center during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as the Haiti Earthquake.
For additional information about the presentation, call Frances Zauhar, Ph.D., dean of the Munley College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, at 570-348-6233, or email zauhar@marywood.edu.
