back to 2009 Senior Fellows

Allan Zenowitz
Former Executive Officer
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Brigadier General, US Army (Ret)
E-mail: arzenowitz@earthlink.net
Phone: (617) 868-1347; (207) 286-1962

Areas of Interest
1) emergency response and preparedness
2) interagency coordination
3) chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorism

Biography
Allan Ralph Zenowitz is a member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Advisory Council; Academe and Policy Research Senior Advisory Committee. As a member of the Senior Advisory Committee, Mr. Zenowitz served on six departmental task forces: Weapons of Mass Destruction, Critical Infrastructure, Intelligence Sharing, Future of Terrorism, Essential Technology, and Administration Transition. In addition he is a Senior Fellow, The George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI).

Mr. Zenowitz served as a Task Force Member at both the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), researching methods of combating Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Terrorism, and the National Security Council on Emergency Management Studies.

In May 2002, Mr. Zenowitz retired as an Executive Officer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He joined FEMA at its inception and was Director of the Resource Management Division in 1980. Additional assignments within FEMA included: Chief of the Federal Plans Division; Chief of the National Defense Executive Reserve Division; Special Assistant for Hazardous Material Management, Office of the Secretary of Defense, assigned to the Pentagon; and Senior Policy Coordinator Officer with the FEMA Training and Fire Programs. All positions have involved government-wide coordination.

Mr. Zenowitz entered Federal service 1971 with the Department of Defense, appointed and served nine years as Regional Director of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (DCPA), redesignated as FEMA in 1979. His responsibilities included emergency coordination in New England, New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and with NATO’s Civil Emergency Coordinating Committee.

In 1965, Mr. Zenowitz served with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as Director of the Massachusetts Civil Defense Agency and Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition he was: Chairman, Massachusetts Emergency Energy Commission; Chairman Massachusetts Emergency Communications Commission; Federal-State Coordinator for the Governor’s Office; Public Safety Advisor and Assistant to the Governor; and member of the Massachusetts Radiological Advisory Commission.

He has served as President of the National Emergency Management Association, a trustee of the Christian Herter Chair in International Relations, and Judge of the annual Harvard Yale Debate.

In the private sector, Mr. Zenowitz was a partner in a management consulting firm specializing in business reorganization and development. He served as an Armored Reconnaissance Unit Commander in the U.S. Army, and held General Staff assignments as a mobilization designee in intelligence, logistics, security, public affairs and as Emergency Manager with the White House Office of Emergency Planning. His military education includes attendance at the U.S. Army Armor School, U.S. Army Logistics Management College, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, U.S. Naval War College, and National Defense University.

He has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, a White House citation for Outstanding Public Service, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award.

Mr. Zenowitz was educated at Trinity College, the University of Connecticut, the University of the State of New York, and the New England School of Law. He holds degrees in government, public policy, and a juris doctorate. He has attended professional courses at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and the School of Public Health.