Crystall Merlino
Director for Resilience, Energy, and Sustainability
As the Director for the Resilience, Energy, and Sustainability, Crystall is responsible for strategy, oversight, and delivery of the program for the Department of Homeland Security. She is responsible for implementing policy and guidance for the Department on climate change adaptation and mitigation, resilience, sustainability, and energy/water related matters. She led the development of the DHS Resilience Framework in 2018, which provides a roadmap for the Department in operational resilience and readiness and led the development of the Departments’ Climate Action Plan, signed by the Secretary in September 2020.
Over the past 20 years she has led and supported large-scale government, sustainability, energy, and environmental programs and projects providing leadership, mentorship, contract management, research, and technical support to government and private clients.
Crystall graduated from Arkansas State University, Jonesboro Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science. She is a LEED Green Associate, a chapter member of the National Capital Region, US Green Building Council, and sat on the board as president (2002) and secretary (2000), she was one of the original founding members and board member for the Building Commissioning Association and a member of the Women’s Council on Energy and Environment (WCEE). She also is very active in her local government and school system, participating on many boards to ‘green’ the schools and graduated from the City of Alexandria, VA Academies on leadership and environmental plans. She is a City of Alexandria Eco-City Ambassador, which provides opportunity to take actions to make the city more sustainable.
SESSIONS
An Overview of DHS Resilience Framework, focused on the Resilience Hub Finder Tool
The Department of Homeland Security will provide an overview of the resilience framework and provide a demonstration of the DHS Resilience Hub Finder Tool developed to support U.S. Citizens across the U.S. that are susceptible to climate change threats. This presentation will include examples of resilience policy development, assessments, and results of a resilience hub evaluation.The learning objectives for this session will provide an overview of resilience at DHS and a demonstration of the DHS Resilience Hub Finder Tool.
Learning Objectives
- Discuss the Resilience Program at the Department of Homeland Security.
- Provide an Overview of the Resilience Hub Capacity Analysis
- Provide a Demonstration of the DHS Resilience Hub Finder Tool
Participant Outcomes
- Learn how resilience is addressed at a federal agency
- Learn about the importance of resilience hubs in communities
- Learn how to enhance community safety with the DHS Resilience Hub Finder tool