Meet Robert Church, NAU’s new director of emergency management

Photo of Robert Church

April 15, 2019

Robert Church started as NAU’s new director of emergency management in March. Church, who spent 12 years as a police officer and most recently was the emergency manager for the Arizona Department of Corrections, has a master’s degree in disaster preparedness and crisis management leadership from Grand Canyon University.

Church has experience as a first responder, incident management team member and emergency operations center member. With this experience, he can help both the NAU and Flagstaff communities prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters.

His certifications and trainings include Certified Emergency Manager, Master Exercise Practitioner, Emergency Management Advanced Professional Series, All-Hazards Communications Unit Leader, L-305 All-Hazards Incident Management Team and Risk Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Specialist.

Church’s honors and awards include:

  • Arizona Department of Corrections: Director’s Renegotiation Award
  • Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education: School Resource Officer Model Site Award
  • Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education: Adjunct Faculty of the Month Award
  • Yavapai College Small Business Development Center: Small Business Achievement Award
  • Town of Clarkdale: A.C.E. Award for accomplishments in the Test, Training and Exercise Coordinator
  • U.S. Navy Reserve Outstanding Volunteer Service Model; Submarine Base San Diego Reserve Bluejacket of the Quarter; Strike Fighter Squadron 305 Reserve Plane Captain of the Quarter

In his new role, Church will be in charge of several duties including updating the NAU emergency plan, training others for emergency management, working with the Emergency Management Advisory Group and assisting departments to establish an emergency plan.

Tallie Valverde