Schedule of Speakers
| Time | Speaker |
|---|---|
| 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Jenna Blum |
| 11:00 AM - noon | Kenneth Harding |
| Noon - 1:00 PM | Town Hall Meeting Weathercasters & NWS |
| 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM | Chris Novy |
| 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Barb Mayes Boustead |
| 3:00 PM - 4:15 PM | Brian Smith |
| 4:15 PM - 4:45 PM | Reynolds Davis |
To see the complete schedule of events, click here.
More Information
Theme: "The Extreme Weather of 2011, Are We Prepared for 2012?"
Our 12th Annual Symposium speakers are listed below. Click the tab for more information.
Jenna Blum
Author of New York TImes & International bestsellers "Those Who Save Us" and "The Stormchasers". One of Oprah's Top 30 Women Writers.
Presentation
"The Accidental Chaser: How a Writer and Weather Weenie Became a Stormchaser Almost by Accident”
Background
Jenna's presentation details how she got involved in storm chasing to research her novel "The Stormchasers", then how the six-year experience changed her life. She actually chose the subject for her novel because she had always been interested in storms. Her presentation is all photos of storms she has encountered and behind-the-scenes shots of what it's really like to storm chase. Jenna Blum has been interested in severe weather since age four, when she saw her first tornado in her grandmother's southeast Minnesota town. Jenna chased as an amateur for several years--with her mom as her captive driver--before research for her second novel, THE STORMCHASERS, led Jenna to Tempest Tours. Having chased with Tempest as a media consort for six years (2006-2011), Jenna now works as a tour hostess, guide, and driver for the company. Jenna has recently relocated from Boston, where she wrote her first two novels to Wichita, KS, where she's researching and working on her third novel. This summer, Jenna will continue to host storm chasing tours for Tempest. Please visit Jenna on Facebook, Twitter, and at her web site: www.jennablum.com
Kenneth Harding
Acting Chief,
Integrated Services Division,
NWS Central Region HQ
Presentation
"Tuscaloosa to Joplin: Lessons Learned and the Path Forward"
Background
Ken is currently the Acting Chief of Integrated Services, NWS Central Region HQ, Kansas City. He is responsible for programs and projects that enhance communication of severe weather threats and impacts. Ken is also the Meteorologist in Charge at the NWS Forecast Office in Topeka, Kansas.His professional interests range from severe weather to seasonal hurricane predictability and extreme Arctic storm development. Ken has lived and forecasted the weather in Colorado, Washington, Alaska, South Dakota, and Kansas. He has been on numerous regional and national assessment teams evaluating science and service after large weather events. His presentation will touch on recent tornadic events and the common findings from them.
Reynolds Davis
Lincoln Amateur Radio Club, Lancaster County, Emergency Coordinator
Presentation
"What You Need to Know to be a Storm Spotter"
Background
Reynolds was instrumental in establishing the Lancaster County SkyWarn spotters system utilizing amateur radio ('ham') operators. It is nationally recognized as one of the best systems in the country.
Reynolds became Emergency Coordinator for Lancaster County in 1978. At that time, there was no formal spotter training program and only 7 pre-assigned spotter points as the Lancaster County Sheriff''s office was the primary spotter agency for the County.
The Lancaster program has grown to having complete responsibility for the county. There are 33 specific spotter locations in the country and 14 support points within Lincoln including major radio and television stations, major medical facilities and other key locations.
There is compulsory annual training and credentialing for all SkyWarn spotters. Last year, there were 166 trained ham-radio spotters in Lancaster County of whom 96 responded to at least one of our 5 callouts (Lancaster SkyWarn is activated by Emergency Management.) Those who responded logged 3,595 miles getting to and from their assignment and generated 471 hours of volunteer time. Seventy-three spotters have completed NIMS training,
Reynolds also developed the software that is used in the Emergency Operating Center (EOC) to records and track storm reports as well as a second system that is used to assign and monitor spotter's locations.
He has received numerous awards for his work in 'ham' radio.
Chris Novy
Assistant Chief Engineer at Fox TV25 Oklahoma City, OK
Presentation
"Hear Me Now, Believe Me Later: Severe Weather Safety"
Background
Chris received his BS and MS in Administration of Justice (Law Enforcement) from Southern Illinois University and has been actively involved with emergency management since 1980. He developed an advanced storm spotter training program with a focus on safety and observation using the latest video and scientific research. Chris holds an Amateur Extra ham radio license callsign WA9V. He is a volunteer with both Canadian County and Oklahoma County Emergency Management as a storm spotter. He also has a passion for working with animals and he volunteers with Pets & People Humane Society--a local no-kill shelter. Chris had a very close encounter with an EF-5 tornado on May 24, 2011 and will explain what went right that day and, more importantly, what went wrong.
Barbara Mayes Boustead
Meteorologist and Climate Program Manager, National Weather Service, Omaha/Valley, NE
Presentation
"A Look Back at The Severe Weather of 2011, and, A Look Ahead to 2012"
Background
For three years (2002-2005), Barb worked as an outreach and customer service program manager for the National Weather Service's climate program at its headquarters in Silver Spring, MD, but her itch to work more directly with the weather drew her out into the National Weather Service forecast offices. Barb moved out to the National Weather Service Forecast Office in the Quad Cities (Davenport, IA) as a forecaster in 2005, then moved westward to the office in Omaha/Valley in 2008. Barbara's professional and research interests include topics such as climate (including climate variability, change, applications, and impacts), severe and extreme weather, and improving communication of weather and climate concepts. Barb will review the extreme weather that struck the U.S. during 2011 and then take a look ahead to what we might expect during 2012.
Brian Smith
Warning Coordination Meteorologist, NWS, Omaha
Presentation
"Situational Awareness Will Save Your Life During Severe Weather"
Background
Brian is the warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service Forecast Office, Omaha/Valley. Brian manages the warning preparedness, public outreach, spotter training program, severe weather, public forecast, and damage survey programs in the Omaha/Valley NWS office. He also fills in as a forecaster. Brian will review the significant storms that occurred in our area during 2011 as well as present a public version of his annual Spotter Training Workshop for Lancaster County. This Spotter Training Workshop is open to the public and everyone is invited to come and learn more about the nature of severe weather. This is also the "make up" storm spotter training session for the Lancaster County Spotters that can't make it to the official March 24 Spotter training session.
