EMAT Board of Directors Spotlight
Mariah Phipps-Jack, Board of Directors Region 1
Mariah Phipps-Jack is a leader in emergency management with over 24 years of experience across the public sector, private sector, and academia. She currently serves as the Director of Emergency Management for the City of Garland, where she oversees strategic planning, emergency response, and community resilience initiatives.
Mariah holds a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Administration and Planning from the University of North Texas. She is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) through the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and a Disaster Recovery International (DRI) Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), reflecting her commitment to industry best practices and standards.
In addition to her leadership role, Mariah is actively engaged in regional and statewide emergency management committees. She has been an active member of the Emergency Management Association of Texas (EMAT) since 2007 and is deeply committed to advancing the emergency management profession throughout the state. She also has served as the Co-Chair of the State Office of Risk Management Continuity Council, a member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee (REPAC), a member of the Regional Emergency Management Support Team, Region 1 Chair of the Texas Higher Education Emergency Management Committee, and a Region 1 Board Member of the Emergency Management Association of Texas (EMAT). Her dedication to public safety and crisis communication has earned her multiple awards, including four NCTCOG Regional Hot Stuff awards, the 2007 Dallas County Commissioners Court Excellence in Emergency Management Recognition, the 2015 EMAT President's Award, and recognition on the 2019 BCI Americas Shortlist.
Mariah is a passionate advocate for professional growth, serving as an instructor for ICS 300 and 400 courses, and a certified Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Instructor. She is also a regular guest lecturer at the University of North Texas, sharing her expertise with the next generation of emergency management professionals.
Beyond her professional life, Mariah is committed to fostering positive team dynamics and empowering others to succeed. She is a graduate of the ICMA High Performance Leadership Academy and is actively involved in applying these insights to her leadership practices, prioritizing accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes integrity, open communication, and support for team growth.
Mariah resides in McKinney, Texas, with her husband, Chris. Together, they have a large, blended family with seven sons and one daughter. In her free time, she enjoys reading, family game nights, and cheering on her favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys.
Previous EMAT Board of Directors Spotlights
John Henderson, Secretary
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator John Henderson began his career with the City of Wichita Falls in December of 2002. His first duties with the City were in Risk Management and serving as the Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator. Then in February of 2009, John became the full time Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. He has received the Advanced Professional Development certificate and is an ICS Instructor. He has completed Advanced Public Information Officer training through FEMA and is a member of the Wichita Falls Area III Incident Management Team. He has deployed to numerous disasters, including Hurricane Harvey, Panhandle Wildfires, Bowie Tornado and Winter Storm URI.
John is a member of the Emergency Management Association of Texas (EMAT) and the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM). John is currently serving on the EMAT Board of Directors for Region 5. He was appointed to fill an unexpired term in November of 2019.
John serves on several committees in the Wichita Falls area. He is currently the Chairman of the Wichita County Local Emergency Planning Committee, the 2-1-1 Advisory Committee, the Emergency Management liaison to the Hotter N Hell 100 Steering Committee, the Vice Chairman of the District 3 Emergency Management Working Group and a member of the Area Public Information Officers Group. John also serves on the Wichita Falls ISD Safety Security Committee as the Emergency Management Liaison and is a member on the Sheppard AFB Emergency Management Working Group.
John received his BBA from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. John is married to Tammy and they have 3 adult children, Tara, Taygan and Tray. He is a lifelong resident in the Wichita Falls area.
Mark Chadwick, PRESIDENT
Mark Chadwick currently serves as on the Board of Directors and as the Vice President for the Emergency Management Association of Texas (EMAT) and is a member of the Awards Committee and Symposium Committee. Mark has served over 36 years in law enforcement, faith-based disaster relief, paid staff for the American Red Cross, and in city and county Emergency Management.
As of November 14, 2022, Mark takes the helm as the Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC) for Medina County after 10 years as the Emergency Management Specialist for Bexar County. In 2022, Mark formed a small veteran owned business, Chadwick Emergency Management LLC, doing Emergency Management consulting. He also is a member of the Texas Region VI Incident Management Team (IMT) and served as a member of the Alamo Area IMT since 2013.
In 2021, Mark wrote and published “Organizing Chaos: A Comprehensive Guide to Emergency Management” and has been informed that as of next semester the Lone Star College will be utilizing this book as their Emergency Management textbook.
Mark has earned numerous professional credentials, including: Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), Certified Texas Emergency Manager (TEM), Master – Military Emergency Management Specialist (M-MEMS) and Engineer Specialist Qualification Designation (ESQiD) through the State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS), Certified Fire Inspector (CFI), Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP), and Professional Continuity Practitioner (PCP) through FEMA. Additionally, Mark is a graduate of the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy (NEMAA) and National Emergency Management Basic Academy (NEMBA). On the academic side, Mark has earned an Associates of Arts in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Behavior Science in Applied Theology & Psychology, a Master of Arts and Doctorate in Theology, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Hardin-Simmons University (HSU), and the academic title of Clinard Scholar from HSU.
For other service roles; Mark has been the past President for the South Central Emergency Management Association (SCEMA), Featured Mentor with the International Association of Emergency Management (IAEM), member of the All Hazards Incident Management Association (AHIMTA) Law Enforcement committee, Board Member San Antonio College Homeland Security/Emergency Management Associates Degree Advisory Board, and member of Texas Legislative appointed committees on the use of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) in Texas. Mark is the first Civilian State Academy Director of Texas for the Military Emergency Management Specialist (MEMS) Academy (SGAUS).
Since 2008, Mark has been an instructor in numerous Emergency Management and related courses through the following agencies: Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS), FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI), Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Bombing Prevention (OBP), New Mexico Tech Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC), Nevada National Security Site Counter Terrorism Operations Support (CTOS), and Louisiana State University National Center for Biomedical Research & Testing (NCBRT). Over the past 13 years, Mark has trained over 27,000 students/responders on a wide array of topics.
Mark has responded to a wide variety of disasters over the years; some of the more notable responses were for Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans 2005, Oklahoma Ice Storm 2007, Hurricane Ike 2008, Super Storm Sandy 2012, West Fertilizer Plant Explosion 2013, Hurricane Harvey 2017, COVID-19 from 2020 to 2022, and Winter Storm Uri 2021. Aside from these responses, Mark has responded to hundreds of disasters and emergencies ranging in size, complexity, and severity.
Mark is a native Texan, born and raised primarily in San Antonio. He served in the US Air Force and Texas State Guard for over 30 years. He is a widower with 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren. Mark enjoys travel, especially throughout the Caribbean, fishing, and hunting.
Brad Britten, MPA, CEM, TEM, IERS
Brad Britten is currently the Interim Secretary and an At-Large Director for the Emergency Management Association of Texas (EMAT). Over the course of the last 20 plus years, Britten has worked as a practitioner within the private sector, local government agencies, and state government agencies and developed public-private partnerships within the private sector emergency response arena.
Britten remains active in supporting local, state and federal emergency management and currently serves as an Emergency Preparedness Senior Associate with Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC at the US Department of Energy (DOE) Pantex Plant in Panhandle, TX. Britten has spent five years supporting emergency planning and preparedness through the US DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Pantex Plant Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) with the State of Texas, local jurisdictions, and the Management and Operating (M&O) contractor at the Pantex Plant. In addition, Britten is an Agency Instructor with the Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI) of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). Britten has served within the Municipal Program of ESTI since 2015, delivering high quality training directly to emergency response departments and agencies across Texas.
With a background in public government emergency response beginning in the Texas Panhandle in 2001, Britten has had the opportunity to work with some of best and brightest emergency management and emergency response personnel in the United States. At the State level, Britten has previously served with the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) as a Regional Fire Coordinator, with the Texas Department of Public Safety/Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) as a District Coordinator, and most recently served with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) as a Health Physicist/Emergency Planner. At the local level, Britten also served as Technical Hazards Coordinator with the Amarillo/Potter/Randall Office of Emergency Management (A/P/R OEM). Britten has been active in the volunteer fire service in Texas since 2001, serving respectively with six fire departments across Texas.
From December 2017 through September 2019, Britten served as Senior Liaison Field Manager with Energy Technologies, LLC (Enertech), managing delivery of pipeline public awareness liaison programs across Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Colorado. Britten currently serves as the President for Leaning Tower Group LLC, managing delivery of a pipeline public awareness liaison program across parts of West Texas, Southeastern New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
Britten is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a Master of Public Administration. He is a Texas Advanced Firefighter (TCFP), a Texas Master Firefighter (SFFMA) and holds Hazardous Materials, Fire Instructor, Emergency Medical Technician, and other Fire certifications. Britten is a Certified Emergency Manger (CEM), a Certified Texas Emergency Manager (TEM), credentialed as an Industrial Emergency Response Specialist (IERS) with the TEEX, and a Certified Texas Teacher through the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC).
Britten has been a EMAT member since 2012. Britten has served on the EMAT Board of Directors since 2018 representing Region 5 as At-Large Director and serving as the Interim Secretary from February 2020. Britten is active in his community, supporting charitable and service organizations. Britten resides in White Deer, Texas and has four children.
Steve Rosa
Steve Rosa currently serves as the Emergency Management Coordinator for Brazoria County.
Steve have worked at Brazoria County for 14 years, starting as the Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator in the Bio-Terrorism division of the health department for 3 years. He then accepted the position of Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator and held that position for 3 years. In 2010 he was appointed by County Judge E.J King as the Emergency Management Coordinator. He was reappointed to this position on January 1, 2015 by County Judge L.M. “Matt” Sebesta Jr.
May 7, 2010 – Steve received his appointment as a Licensed Peace Officer in the State of Texas. OEM in Brazoria County is a division of the Sheriff’s Office.
Steve served a firefighter for 28 years, including 12 of those years as Fire Chief of Bunker Hill Fire Company # 1.
He also served as the City Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Bunker Hill, Illinois for 10 years.
Steve worked 12 years as a Nationally Certified EMT on an ambulance crew.
Steve has 30 years’ experience as an amateur radio operator (HAM) and is a nationally certified Severe Weather Storm Spotter for the National Weather Service.
Steve joined the United States Air Force after graduating high school and served as a Missile Maintenance Technician, completing his course work at the Community College of the Air Force, and then working on ICBM nuclear missiles in underground silos in Wyoming.
Steve is celebrating 42 years of marriage, has 3 children and 4 grandchildren.
Patrice Reisen Hicks, CEM, TEM
Patrice Reisen-Hicks began working for the University of Texas System as the Emergency Management Coordinator in January 2013. While working in this position, Patrice has built effective partnerships between the UT institutions, local jurisdictions, and state agencies in order to strengthen emergency management in the State of Texas. With Patrice’s leadership and guidance, UT institutions are active in preparing for and responding to disaster events.
Prior to the University of Texas System, she worked for the Travis County Office of Emergency Management as an Emergency Planner. As an Emergency Planner, she gained significant experience in the areas of grants management, emergency planning, exercises, and business continuity. Her professional experience began in 1996 with the Texas Highway Patrol and she has also held a position with the Texas Division of Emergency Management for three years. During her emergency management career, Patrice has worked responses to several emergencies and declared disasters including Hurricanes Dolly, Gustav, and Ike, Tropical Storm Hermine, wildfires during the 2011 drought in Travis County, the 2015 Bastrop County Hidden Pines wildfire, numerous floods and winter storms, the H1N1 outbreak in 2009, the Ebola outbreak in 2014, the UT Austin active shooter incident in 2010, and planned events such as Formula One and the nationally acclaimed Urban Shield Full-Scale Exercise. Most recently, she assisted UT institutions during Hurricane Harvey and was responsible for the systemwide response.
Patrice holds an Associate of Arts degree in Mass Communications and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. She is certified as a Master Continuity Practitioner in Business Continuity and as an Incident Command System Instructor. She also holds the Texas Emergency Manager and Certified Emergency Manager designations. Patrice is an active member of the Emergency Management Association of Texas and has served on the Board of Directors since 2013. She currently chairs the Bylaws Committee and serves on the Membership & Marketing and Symposium Committees.