Mr. Lester L. Ingol is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Acting Chief Security Officer. He was detailed into this position in January 2023.
Mr. Ingol is responsible for directing the development and execution of FEMA-wide security programs comprising the full range of security activities including the security of classified information and programs and the protection of FEMA facilities including regional, field and outlying installations/offices, investigations of security concerns, enforcement of security requirements, development of security policies, identification of security initiatives and establishment of/compliance with security standards for the agency.
Prior, Mr. Ingol served as the Deputy Head of the Contracting Activity at FEMA, responsible for the management and oversight of acquisitions totaling approximately $3.76B and 9,800 transactions, annually. During his tenure with FEMA Mr. Ingol has served in multiple leadership positions to include the Director, Acquisition Operations Division, Deputy Director, Preparedness and Internal Operations, Branch Chief for Recovery, Information Technology, Mission Support, and the Resource Support Section Chief in the FEMA National Response Coordination Center where he was responsible for the oversight of Mission Assignments, Finance, Acquisitions, and numerous emergency support functions in 2017 during Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Mr. Ingol has also led acquisitions for response and recovery in support of numerous presidentially declared emergencies and disasters to include the COVID-19 response, Hurricanes Sandy, Michael, Matthew, Laura and Ida.
Prior to his tenure with FEMA, Mr. Ingol began his acquisition career as a Logistician while serving on active duty in the US Marine Corps where he served for 10 years. Soon after his military service he became a contract officer for the Department of the Army where he was a member of the team that implemented contracts for linguistic services in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the Army’s linguist training centers. He was awarded the Army’s Civilian Commendation Medal.
Mr. Ingol received a MA in Management and Leadership from Webster University, and a BS in Management from Park University. Mr. Ingol is a Senior Executive Fellow of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and has also attended The Brookings Institution Executive Leadership program. Mr. Ingol currently resides in Virginia with his wife Marie, and their daughters.