This week on Q&A, our guest is Brian Kamoie, the Senior Director for Preparedness Policy on the national security staff of the White House. In 1989, Kamoie was one of the students selected to join in the U.S. Senate Youth Program.The program brings high school students from fifty states to Washington for a week of government and leadership education. Kamoie spoke at the event and was referenced by numerous student delegates as inspiring and motivational. Mr. Kamoie shares portions of that speech as well as his own memories as a high school student chosen to participate in the program. Other speakers included President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and Chief Justice John Roberts.
In addition, Kamoie details his duties as Senior Director of Preparedness, and he talks about his service in both the Bush and Obama administrations. He states that last year there were a record number of presidentially declared disasters and emergencies in the United States. He says these disasters are larger than past years in terms of their scale and impact. He shares how he came to government service and discusses many of the people who influenced him throughout his childhood and education.
Brian Kamoie received his bachelor’s degree in policy studies and political science from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. He has a law degree and a master’s degree in public health from the George Washington University in Washington, DC. Prior to joining the government, he was an associate professor of health policy at the George Washington University and continues to serve on the adjunct faculty.