Advisory Committees

Interagency Committee on Dam Safety

National Dam Safety Review Board

This page describes the Interagency Committee on Dam Safety (ICODS) and the National Dam Safety Review Board (Review Board), including members lists for these two groups.

Interagency Committee on Dam Safety

The Interagency Committee on Dams Safety (ICODS) was founded in 1980 to encourage the establishment and maintenance of effective federal programs and policies, and guidelines to enhance dam safety and security. The committee serves as the permanent forum for the coordination of federal activities in dam safety and security. FEMA also chairs the committee.

Interagency Committee on Dam Safety Members

Kayed Lakhia – Acting Chair
kayed.lakhia@fema.dhs.gov
Director, FEMA National Dam Safety Program
Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration

Jacob Davis
jacob.davis@usace.army.mil
Dam Safety Program Manager
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

David Capka
david.capka@ferc.gov
Deputy Director, Division of Dam Safety and Inspections
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Kenneth R. See
kenneth.see@nrc.gov
Senior Hydrologist/NRC Dam Safety Officer
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Jennifer L. Dodd, PE
jldodd@tva.gov
GM, River Operations – Dam Safety
Tennessee Valley Authority

Maurice B. Haygood
maurice.haygood@hq.doe.gov
Safety Engineer
Department of Energy - Office of Worker Safety and Health Policy

James Demby
james.demby@usda.gov
National Design Engineer
Engineering Division ‑ USDA/NRCS

Robert Pike
rpike@usbr.gov
Chief-Dam Safety Officer
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Lorena Soriano
lorena.soriano@ibwc.gov
U.S. Section, International Boundary and Water Commission

Jarrod Durig
durig.jarrod@dol.gov
DOL - Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)

Kelly Brom
kelly.brom@usda.gov
Eastern Region Dams Program Manager
U.S. Forest Service

Richard (Ed) Everaert
reveraert@blm.gov  
Dam Safety Officer
Bureau of Land Management

Kate Ashbire
kate.ashbire@noaa.gov
National Weather Service, NOAA, DOC

Michelle Yezierski
michelle.yezierski@cisa.dhs.gov
Chief, Critical Lifelines Branch
Sector Outreach and Programs Division
Office of Infrastructure Protection

Matthew Young, PE, CFM
Matthew.Young@bia.gov
Safety of Dams Engineer; Inspection & Risk Analysis
U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs

Graphic
A picture of a dam

National Dam Safety Program Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years 2024-2029

This strategy builds the foundation for what the program will look like in 5 years to ensure the benefits and risks of dams are understood and managed equitably, enhancing public safety, national security, and the environment while adapting to climate change.

Read the Plan

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National Dam Safety Review Board

The Review Board advises FEMA’s Administrator in setting national dam safety priorities and considers the effects of national policy issues affecting dam safety. Review Board members include FEMA, the Chair of the Board and representatives from four federal agencies (U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Interior) that serve on ICODS, five state dam safety officials, and one member from the private sector.

National Dam Safety Review Board Members

Kayed Lakhia – Acting Chair
kayed.lakhia@fema.dhs.gov Director, FEMA National Dam Safety Program Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration

David E. Capka
david.capka@ferc.gov
Deputy Director, Division of Dam Safety and Inspections
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Jacob Davis
Jacob.Davis@usace.army.mil
Safety Program Manager 
USACE

James Demby
National Design Engineer, Engineering Division
james.demby@usda.gov
USDA/NRCS

Robert (Bob) Pike 
Chief, Dam Safety Office
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
rpike@usbr.gov

Ariya Balakrishnan, Ph.D., P.E., G.E. -State Rep
Division of Safety of Dams
Ariya.Balakrishnan@water.ca.gov

Whit Montague-State Rep
Arkansas Dam Safety
whit.montague@agriculture.gov

Dena Barnhouse - State Rep
Ohio DNR
dena.barnhouse@dnr.ohio.gov

Jill Stewart - State Rep
DHEC South Carolina
Jill.Stewart@des.sc.gov

Ben J Wagner - State Rep
Alaska Department of Natural Resources
ben.wagner@alaska.gov

John S. Wolfhope
Private Sector Representative
jsw@freese.com

William Sturtevant (Non Voting, Dam Owner Rep)
Dam Safety Engineer Colorado Springs Utilities
bsturtevant@csu.org

Jose Lara, CPP (Non Voting, Emergency Management Rep)
Dam Safety Planning Division
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES)
jose.lara@caloes.ca.gov

Meg Galloway (Non Voting, Floodplain Manager Rep)
Association of State Floodplain Managers
meg@floods.org

Lori Spragens (Non Voting State Dam Safety Officials Rep)
Association of State Dam Safety Officials
lspragens@damsafety.org

Katie Schmidt (Non Voting Association Officials Rep)
American Rivers
kschmidt@americanrivers.org

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