Michael A. Coen, Jr. has supported emergency management operations for over 29 years. He currently serves as Chief of Staff to Administrator Deanne Criswell. As a Biden-Harris Administration appointee he is leading the effort to build a diverse and inclusive FEMA workforce that brings different insights, experiences, and perspectives to the decision-making table. He also supports the Administrator’s priorities to instill equity as a foundation of emergency management; lead a people first approach to enable a resilient nation; and promote and sustain a ready FEMA and prepared nation.
Prior to returning to FEMA in January 2021, he served with the Biden-Harris Transition as a member of the Agency Review Team for FEMA. During the Obama-Biden Administration, he served as FEMA’s Chief of Staff for Administrator W. Craig Fugate, assisting in the management of disaster response and recovery operations. He served as the primary liaison to the President’s National Security Council Staff for all matters relating to emergency management in the United States and helped lead response efforts to over 500 presidentially declared Stafford Act events, including the 2011 tornado disasters in Alabama and Missouri, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Hurricane Matthew and the Louisiana floods of 2016.
Coen also served as Counselor to the FEMA Administrator where he provided guidance on strategic plans and policies and emergency management public policy issues. Coen has served in other emergency management and government roles throughout his career, including as Deputy State Coordinating Officer for the State of Louisiana providing technical support and assistance to communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.