Lori Hodges has spent the last thirty years in the emergency services and emergency management fields. She began her career as a firefighter and a paramedic in Summit County, Colorado, and later worked at both the local and state levels in emergency management, dedicating her work to assisting people on their worst days. She holds a master’s degree in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School, a master’s degree in Political Science and Public Policy from CU Denver, and a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management and Planning from Metro State College of Denver. She is currently completing a PhD in Business Strategy and Innovation from Capella University, writing a dissertation on ways in which to transform emergency management for tomorrow’s challenges. Lori has published multiple articles in industry journals and magazines on emergency management, leadership, chaos theory, and lessons learned from disaster. She is also the author of the historical fiction novel Sweet Twisted Pine, an award finalist in Western fiction.