FEMA National IMAT White Mass Care Branch Director Mikaela Ellenwood and FEMA Region 9 Operations Branch Chief Scott Fenton speak on “Viewing Recruitment Through a New Lens.” The duo argue that the newest generation has higher job mobility and more options, and government must acknowledge that if it’s to be successful in recruitment and retention efforts.
About the Speakers
Mikaela Ellenwood is a broadly experienced and dedicated emergency management professional, having served in non-profit and public organizations for eight years. She currently holds a position on one of FEMA’s National Incident Management Assistance Teams, bringing her experience and skills to bear on critical national disasters. Before this, she worked extensively at the state and local levels, and she volunteered with the American Red Cross. She holds a Master’s Degree from the Naval Postgraduate School where she focused her research on organizational strategies, recruitment, and retention. After spending her entire life in Colorado, she recently moved to Florida, trading the mountains for the beach.
Scott Fenton is a graduate of the 1803/04 Master’s cohort for CHDS and currently works for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). At CHDS, his research explored the epidemiology of misinformation and earned him an Outstanding Thesis Award. Prior to his current position as an Operations Branch Director on the Region 9 Incident Management Team (IMAT), Scott spent a combined 35 years in career and volunteer work in the fire service. Before his fire career, he worked in advertising, marketing, and public relations in the private sector. A lifelong resident of the Monterey Peninsula, he follows his father’s legacy as a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate school.
