Traci Brasher is the Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 6, which is comprised of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and 68 Tribal Nations.
Traci received her associate and bachelor’s degree from Wayland Baptist University. She then went on to receive a master’s degree in education and human development from George Washington University. In addition, Traci received a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Organizational Development from Northcentral University in 2010. Traci also completed the necessary coursework and comprehensive exam to become a Doctoral Candidate at Northcentral University.
Traci began her career in emergency management in 1993 with the U.S. Department of Energy nuclear weapons facility, Pantex, in Amarillo, Texas. In 2000, she relocated to the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters office in Washington D.C. Following 9/11, Traci served in a liaison capacity as a National Emergency Management Team member in support of Continuity of Operations.
In 2003, Traci received an appointment to the U.S. House of Representatives, Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Operations. In 2007, Traci was named the Director of Emergency Preparedness for the U.S. House of Representatives where she successfully administered a comprehensive emergency preparedness program for Member of Congress, over 12,000 staff, and up to two million visitors per year.
In 2014, Traci began working for the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), as the State Coordinator for Recovery, Mitigation, and Standards Services, and relocated to Austin. Traci also served in several other leadership positions with TDEM in 2015 and 2016.
In November 2016, Traci became the Recovery Division Director for FEMA Region 6. Since that time, she has served in several Senior Executive Service Acting positions, including Public Assistance Division Director and Individual Assistance Division Director at FEMA HQ, leading some of the largest grant programs in FEMA. Moreover, Traci is an advocate for leadership development, particularly mentoring and coaching women in government and promoting a culture of diversity.