DRC Alumni Profiles: 35
DRC Alumni Profiles: 35
Jasmin R. Ruback
DEGREE: 1997, Ph.D., Social and Community Psychology
JOB TITLE: CEO, Ruback Associates
For 16+ years, Dr. Ruback has worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a national program consultant on program development, evaluations, recovery operations, community preparedness, and mitigation. For FEMA, she works with complex concepts of federal doctrine, mission areas, core capabilities, and operational plans. The work she enjoys most involves interacting with communities, organizations, and government officials at the local, state, and regional levels. She often fulfills special projects and deployments planning, preparing for, mitigating, and recovering from large, complex, and often resource-intensive crisis situations.
Dr. Ruback has worked at the DRC twice; once as a graduate student fulfilling a practicum degree requirement, and then, as the first Post-Doctoral Research Fellow of the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware. In this role she managed the multi-year evaluation of the Disaster Resistant Community Initiative: Project Impact. Dr. Ruback has authored or co-authored 10 peer-reviewed articles, 6 book chapters, 27 technical reports, 3 recovery plans, and 11 government publications. Dr. Ruback received her Ph.D. in Social and Community Psychology from Georgia State University and focused on post-disaster trauma, evacuation, and relocation and is a Subject Matter Expert in community dynamics, planning for catastrophes, disaster stress, methodology, and metrics.
Robert A. Stallings
DEGREE: 1971, Ph.D.,
JOB TITLE: Professor Emeritus, University of Southern California
University of Southern California, 1975-2004 (Professor, now named the Price School of Public Policy with joint appointment in the Department of Sociology)
Benjamin D. Wallace
DEGREE: 2016, M.S., Disaster Science and Management
JOB TITLE: International Practice Coordinator, SPIN Global
His current role includes enhancing several of FEMA Region 3’s response plans, researching climate change adaptation for the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and coordinating the international practice area for SPIN Global. His professional interests include climate change adaptation, emergency management technology (e.g., GIS, social media), organizational management/leadership, and policy development. Find him online at www.linkedin.com/in/bendwallace.
Gary Webb
DEGREE: 1998, Ph.D., Sociology
JOB TITLE: Professor and Chair of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, University of North Texas
Gary is primarily interested in studying organizational and community preparedness for and response to large-scale disasters. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and published in a wide variety of journals, including the International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, International Journal of Emergency Management, Natural Hazards Review, Environmental Hazards, and others. Most recently, along with fellow DRC alumni Brenda Phillips and Dave Neal, he co-authored a new edition of Introduction to Emergency Management. He has taught and presented his research internationally in The Netherlands, Denmark, France, South Korea, and Turkey.
Marti Worth
DEGREE: 1976, M.A., Sociology
JOB TITLE: Senior Planner, ERP&M
After moving to Orlando, I was a Senior Planner with ERP&M, Inc, from 1998 to 2009, consulting in seven Florida counties and Kansas to develop Local Mitigation Strategy plans for State and FEMA review and subsequent adoption. I also assisted in developing Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans. This was the most fulfilling and relevant work of all, assisting local governments to plan and develop approaches in order to minimize the potential effects of disasters. I returned to Columbus in 2007 and “retired” in 2009, where I now volunteer with a couple organizations.
Alumni are the university’s most valuable resources. By investing your time, talent and treasure, you make a deep impact that increases the value of a University of Delaware degree. View some of the ways we keep engaged below.
ABOVE: DRC faculty, students and alums at the Annual DRC Alumni Reception, 2019.
Each year DRC hosts the Annual DRC Alumni Reception at the Natural Hazards Workshop! This is a great opportunity to meet DRC alums and to connect/reconnect with old and new friends.
Share Your Knowledge
Each semester, we welcome our alumni to share their work, research, and experiences with our students. Whether they join us in person or virtually, our current students are always excited to hear from those in the expansive network of DRC alumni from around the world. Reach out to drc-mail@udel.edu! We would love to hear from you.
Inspire the Future
Our alumni value providing hands-on experiences for our students, be it through practicums, internships, and invitations for students to come and share their innovative research with the alum’s organization. Some have even designated awards to support students through assistantships, summer internship stipends, and travel support to attend conferences. Contact us at drc-mail@udel.edu if you have an idea of how you want to support this next generation of scholars and practitioners.
Stay Connected
Stay connected to DRC by following the Disaster Research Center on Facebook and on Twitter, signing up for the DRC Dispatch newsletter, and updating your contact information to help us better communicate with you.