EM1 has announced the appointment of Tom Sivak as its new Chief Emergency Manager. A nationally recognized leader in emergency preparedness and resilience, Sivak joins EM1 following his tenure as FEMA Region 5 Administrator, where he led operations across six states and 36 tribal nations.
Sivak’s background includes responses to more than 15 presidentially declared disasters, including the second-largest in Illinois history and the high-profile East Palestine train derailment. At FEMA Region 5, he spearheaded focus on natural hazards communities face from extreme heat to urban flooding in addition to enhancing decision-making capabilities by introducing advanced geospatial tools and dashboards to improve situational awareness during emergencies. His focus on helping people is core to the ethos of EM1.
Tom brings a rare blend of visionary leadership and real-world emergency management experience. His approach deeply aligns with EM1’s mission to build tools that serve all communities—before, during, and after disasters.”
— Tyler Felous, CEO & Co-Founder
At EM1, Sivak will lead efforts to build trust with the emergency management community, ensuring that EM1’s technology is informed by the needs of practitioners at all levels—federal, tribal, state, and local. His role will also shape policy engagement, training frameworks, and company expansion to operationalize AI into the profession.
Originally from East Cleveland, Ohio, Sivak brings a strong public service background and is a Certified Emergency Manager through the International Association of Emergency Managers. He holds a Master of Science in Public Service Leadership from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University. Sivak has held leadership roles in both Cook County and the City of Chicago, where he oversaw major emergency responses, including operations during the 2012 Super Bowl and the COVID-19 pandemic.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)