We Are FEMA: Leviticus “L.A.” Lewis

Leviticus “L.A.” Lewis�is a self-professed space geek.
Growing up, L.A. was a science fair kid and boy scout who launched
model rockets, joined the Civil Air Patrol and dreamed of one day
being an astronaut or designing spaceships.  â€œI never thought
working at FEMA would give me the chance to work with the FBI and
NASA.†he said.

L.A. is FEMA’s representative working with the White House
Office of Science and Technology Policy and the NASA Planetary
Defense Coordination Office. He coordinates implementation of
select actions within the National Near-Earth Object (NEO) Strategy
and Action Plan. This plan organizes and coordinates efforts to
increase the nation’s preparedness for asteroids and comets whose
orbits come close (within 30 million miles), to Earth. The office
works to ensure the nation can more effectively respond in case
this type of very low-probability, but very high-consequence
disaster should occur. 

As a member of the NEO Impact Threat Emergency Procedures –
Interagency Working Group (NITEP-IWG) he is working to
strengthening NEO impact emergency procedures and action protocols.
L.A. is also a member of the International Academy of Astronautics,
2021 Planetary Defense Conference Organizing Committee. The
Committee is working on conducting the next conference virtually
next April and holding another FEMA/NASA led interagency tabletop
exercise in late 2021.

Prior to joining FEMA, L.A. served 20 years in various command
and staff positions in the US Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer. As
a young adult, he was one of the first U.S. Navy officers assigned
to the Department of Peace Keeping Operations at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York City.

On September 11, 2001, L.A. had retired from his commission as a
Navy Commander and was working as a civilian at the Pentagon. When
the attacks happened, L.A. helped people get to safety. He said the
event drove him back to service. He returned to service, first at
the Transportation Security Administration and later at FEMA. He
joined the agency in 2007 as Director of the National Response
Coordination Center, and later served as both the acting Director
and Deputy Director of the Response Operations Division. He was
also the first FEMA Senior Agency Liaison to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and the FBI National Joint Terrorism Task Force. 

L.A. said he is motivated by President John F. Kennedy’s words
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do
for your county.â€

“Being a public servant is who I am,†said L.A. At FEMA,
L.A. is able to continue serving while also pursuing his passion
for space. “Earth is a really cool place, and I get to do
something on a large scale to protect it,†said L.A.

The We Are FEMA campaign highlights employees like L.A. and
takes a deeper look at the work they do to make our nation safer,
stronger and more prepared. The campaign allows others to learn
more about the mission-driven work and the who, what and why behind
the FEMA mission. The faces of FEMA are diverse, but they share the
same goal: to help people before, during and after disasters. 

To join our team, visit FEMA.gov to see the latest job
openings.