Administration, Operations, & Training Committee Chair Person
Julie Dimitrov is a Certified South Carolina Emergency Manager with more than 15 years in the field of emergency response. She has her Masters of Science Degree in Management and Leadership.
After moving to Beaufort County, SC in 2000, Ms. Dimitrov took a position with the American Red Cross Palmetto Chapter as Disaster Director. In this capacity she responded to numerous local as well as national disasters to include fires, floods, hurricanes, and train derailments. Ms. Dimitrov was presented the “Richard Gera” award for her outstanding leadership and commitment to the provision of disaster services in the State of South Carolina.
In 2006, Ms. Dimitrov took a position with the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Region 8 as a Public Health Preparedness Planner. In this capacity, Ms. Dimitrov was responsible for emergency response planning, education, and outreach efforts. She crafted the region’s Influenza Pandemic Response Plan and the Standard Operating Guidelines for Mass Dispensing of Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals. She was Region 8’s Operations Chief for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
In addition to her duties with DHEC, Ms. Dimitrov is also the coordinator for South Carolina’s Beaufort, Colleton and Hampton counties Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs. Her development and implementation of the CERT programs within these counties has increased individual and family disaster awareness and preparedness. She is the lead CERT instructor for the State of South Carolina and was recognized by Governor Sanford for her efforts.
Currently, Ms. Dimitrov leads her own consulting firm. She provides assistance to healthcare and emergency management organizations with disaster planning and conducting of training exercises to increase organizational preparedness.
Vice President
Kate Amaral
Senior Associate – Operations
Team Rubicon
Kate Amaral (she/her/hers) is a US Navy Veteran and Senior Associate, Operations for Tennessee and Kentucky at Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response organization. In her day job, Kate leads her team in standing up operations to serve vulnerable communities affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises in Kentucky and Tennessee. Since her retirement from the Navy, Kate has also worked as a school nurse and long-term care nurse. She is currently working on her getting her Masters degree at Columbia Southern University in Emergency Services Management. Kate uses her platform to advocate for disaster survivors, community preparedness, her fellow Greyshirt volunteers, and promote issues relevant to veterans’ mental health. She calls Tennessee home and is a wife and Mom of four.
Secretary
Robert Craig
Disaster Response Coordinator
Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of the UMC
Treasurer
Gary Ward
TN Colonel, Aide de Camp
Retired Major, US Army
Gary is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) with Ameriprise Financial Services. Currently a Lieutenant Colonel, he has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol since 2001. He currently is serving with CAP in the roles of Communications Officer, Emergency Services Training Officer, Finance Officer, Logistics Officer, Safety Officer, Search and Rescue Officer, and Testing Officer. He has been a member of TNVOAD since 2007 and also serves on the TN Emergency Management Advisory Committee at TEMA.
Immediate Past President – Committee Advisor
David Sledge
TN Colonel, Aide de Camp
Worked with his first disaster response in 1976, the 100 year flood in Nashville, TN and continued to volunteer whenever he could till he joined the Army. In 1982, he joined the US Army and later served in the Army Reserves and TN National Guard. He has served as Youth Minister and Brotherhood Director beginning in 1990 for a Baptist Church in Nashville for 5 years. During this time he was a trainer for the TN Baptist Brotherhood Department and on the Middle TN Council. David also served as the TN Chief Ranger for the Independent Order of Foresters over the Volunteer Services membership beginning in 1991. He became the High Chief Ranger over the Mid US for the IOF in 1993 and served in this role for 8 years. He was asked and accepted a position on the IOF International Governors Board for 8 years and was over reorganizing the over one million member volunteer services program and the volunteer and donations support of the Childrens’ Miracle Network with the IOF.
David continues to work as an Emergency Service Coordinator TN Emergency Management Agency since 1995. He has been the Secretary for the TN Emergency Management Advisory Committee since 2007. Since 2015 he has served as the Director of Emergency Services and Disaster Preparedness for the Tennessee Dept. of the American Legion. David has served in the Civil Air Patrol since 2007 and is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the position of the TN Wing Homeland Security Officer and TN Wing Director of Safety. He has also been a member of the TNVOAD since 2007, been on the executive committee since 2008, served as the NVOAD Community Preparedness Committee Secretary since June 2019, and was the 2019 NVOAD National Conference Chair.
Past President – FEMA Liaison
Raymond Rader
TN Colonel, Aide de Camp
Retired Nashville Metropolitan Police Department
Raymond is one of the nation’s premier advanced instructors for tracking and search & rescue. Currently a Lieutenant Colonel, he has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol since 2003. He currently is serving with CAP in the roles of Group 3 Transportation Officer and TN Wing TEMA Liaison. He has served as Group 3 Commander, Counterdrug Officer, Deputy Commander, Emergency Services Officer, Emergency Services Training Officer, Inspector General, Public Affairs Officer, and Safety Officer. He also held the squadron positions of Deputy Commander for Seniors, Emergency Services Officer, and Safety Officer. He has been a member of TNVOAD since 2009 and also serves on the TN Emergency Management Advisory Committee at TEMA.
