Valerie Desio

About Me

Turning Chaos into Coordination.

My name is Valerie and welcome to my professional portfolio. I am a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) with seven years of experience in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. My expertise includes disaster response as part of an incident management team, designing and leading training exercises, developing comprehensive emergency plans, and implementing technology-driven solutions to enhance operational efficiency. This portfolio highlights my experience, key projects, and contributions to building stronger, more resilient communities.

Education

Master Degree in
Emergency Management and Homeland Security

2019-2020

Arizona State University
GPA 4.0

Bachelor of
Science in Health Science

2014-2016

University of South Dakota
GPA 3.78 Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Work Experience

EM Specialist

2022-2025

Developed and managed emergency plans, led EOC activations, and coordinated multi-agency responses. Spearheaded training, exercises, and stakeholder engagement to enhance preparedness. Integrated technology for situational awareness and managed hazardous materials reporting to strengthen resilience.

Emergency Management

GIS

Field Leadership

2020-2025

Led incident management across 200+ operations as Incident Commander, Planning Section Chief, and Operations Section Chief. Trained and supervised ICS volunteers, managed situational awareness, and coordinated emergency operations.

Incident Management and Command

Planning and Resource Coordination

Certifications and Training

Continuous learning is a key part of my approach to emergency management. I actively pursue advanced training, certifications, and industry events to stay updated on best practices, technologies, and regulatory changes. I also engage with peers to share insights and innovative strategies, ensuring I’m always prepared to tackle new challenges with the most current solutions.

Certifications

Training

G-191
G-202
G-205
G-235
G-288
G-300
G-358
G-393
G-400
G-402
G-557
G-2300

K-2302
K-2304
K-2306
K-2308

L-105
L-146
L-449
L-962

AWR-362
MGT-403
MGT-416
O-305
PER-343
PER-344
PER-406

W-101
W-103
W-120
W-410
W-603

IS-5
IS-10
IS-15
IS-29
IS-42
IS-100
IS-120
IS-130
IS-200
IS-201
IS-230
IS-235
IS-240
IS-241
IS-242
IS-244
IS-271
IS-288
IS-393
IS-403
IS-520
IS-559

IS-632
IS-660
IS-700
IS-703
IS-706
IS-800
IS-909
IS-922
IS-1000
IS-1300
IS-2200
IS-2900

My GIS Products

My GIS products showcase innovative tools and dashboards designed to support data-driven decision-making, enhance situational awareness, and improve operational efficiency in emergency management and planning.

Speaking Engagements & Industry Presentations

I have had the opportunity to speak at industry conferences and events, sharing insights on emergency management, disaster response, and preparedness to help advance best practices in the field.

2025-Presenter-Leveraging GIS for Smarter Emergency Management [ESRI User Conference] UPCOMING
2025-Presenter-Leveraging GIS for Smarter EPCRA Planning [NASTTPO Conference] UPCOMING
2024-Presenter-Build Your Own GIS Dashboard [WEMA Conference]
2024-Speaker-GIS Dashboards [UWEC GIS Class]

Leveraging GIS for
Smarter EPCRA Planning

Presentation from the NASTTPO Conference on the EPCRA Special Facility and Populations Planning Tool, designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Off-Site Planning.

[COMING SOON]

Leveraging GIS for
Smarter Emergency Management

Presentation from the ESRI User Conference on how Eau Claire County is leveraging GIS to enhance preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery efforts.