Our Team

Jon Bratt

Jonathan Bratt

Assistant Vice President, Office of Enterprise Resilience

jbratt@umaryland.edu

MS: Rochester Institute of Technology – Emergency Management & Counter-Terrorism
BS: University of Maryland, Baltimore County – Emergency Health Sciences 

Jon joined UMB in 2018 as the inaugural Executive Director for Emergency Management and later became UMB's first Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Enterprise Resilience. In this role, he established a new division that integrated the Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, and the newly formed Department of Public and Occupational Health. As AVP, Jon directs UMB’s readiness and response efforts across the institution, developing strategies and policies for institutional preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Before his tenure at UMB, Jon held various roles in emergency management, including as Director of the Regional Programs Division within the State's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agency. From 2008 to 2012, he served within FEMA's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) branch, supporting national security and working internationally on nuclear smuggling prevention. His notable response efforts include the 9/11 attacks, the Navy Yard shootings, and the Fukushima radiological emergency. In 2020, Jon was appointed to the Governor's Emergency Management Advisory Council, and he continues to serve as a Maryland paramedic and firefighter.

Carin Cardella

Carin Cardella (Morrell)

Public Information Officer

cmorrell@police.umaryland.edu

MA: University of Wisconsin, Madison – Journalism and Mass Communication
MS: University of Maryland Global Campus - Strategic Communication
BA: Loyola University Maryland – Communication (Specialization: Journalism); Political Science (Minor: Information Systems and Operations Management)

Prior to joining UMB, Carin served as the Public Information Officer for the Maryland Department of Health, Office of Preparedness and Response, where she managed all public communications related to public health emergencies for the State of Maryland. This role included all social media, website design, media relations, graphic design, statewide training, video production, crisis communications, and more. Carin is a former member of the Communications team at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University and has produced newscasts at WBAL-TV in Baltimore.

Laura Cathcart

Laura Cathcart, PhD

Training and Exercise Program Manager

lcathcart@umaryland.edu

PhD: University of Maryland – Science Education
MA: University of Maryland – Science Education
BS: University Maryland – Cell and Molecular Biology and Genetics

Dr. Cathcart designs emergency simulations to help students, faculty, and staff prepare for emergencies at UMB. To improve the culture of emergency preparedness at UMB, Laura created the Preparedness Pro digital credential. Along with teammates, Laura serves as UMB’s emergency manager in a rotational capacity. During COVID-19, she co-led UMB’s response and recovery efforts and an on-campus public vaccine clinic that administered close to 40,000 vaccines. Dr. Cathcart has achieved recognition as a Certified Emergency Manager, Certified Business Continuity Professional and Certified Public Manager.

Laura previously worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in Atlanta, GA teaching public health officials how to prepare for and respond to a pandemic. In past roles for the University of Maryland, she managed biosafety level 2 teaching laboratories and taught microbiology, anatomy and physiology, and emergency medical services classes. Laura volunteered as a firefighter and emergency medical technician in Prince George's County, Maryland for 15 years. Laura serves as UMB’s board member for Downtown Baltimore Child Care. She loves commuting to UMB on her electric bicycle and enjoys watching native plants grow in her garden.

Haley Cifizzari

Haley Cifizzari

Continuity & Preparedness Programs Manager

hcifizzari@umaryland.edu

MS: University of Maryland, Baltimore County – Emergency Health Sciences

Haley joined UMB in August 2023 and currently manages continuity and preparedness programs. Previously, Haley served as a paramedic in Queen Anne’s County while she obtained her master’s degree from UMBC in Emergency Health Services. During this time, Haley had the opportunity to publish multiple research articles focusing on illness and health care availability in areas experiencing threatening economic and social conditions. Haley then transitioned to the field of emergency management, where she managed grant funding, led planning efforts, and served the unhoused population of Laurel, Md. through her involvement with the Laurel Multiservice Center. Haley has achieved recognition as a professional continuity practitioner, a critical infrastructure protection professional, and a certified emergency manager. 

Ethan Donnelly

Ethan Donnelly

Emergency Management Planning Fellow 

ethan.donnelly@umaryland.edu

BA: The Catholic University of America – Criminology (Intelligence Studies Certificate; Minor: Anthropology)

Ethan joined the UMB Office of Emergency Management on July 1, 2024, after graduating from The Catholic University of America in May. Prior to UMB, he interned with the State of Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) and Montgomery County (Pa.) Department of Public Safety (DPS). While at DEMA, Ethan worked on projects across all hazards, including distribution management during natural disasters, preliminary land use, homeland security, and school safety. During his time with Montgomery County DPS, Ethan focused on radiological emergency management planning for the Limerick Generating Station (LGS), a dual-siloed nuclear power plant in Limerick Township, Pa. He has attended trainings and exercises, including a distribution management tabletop, LGS Hostile Action Based Tabletop, and many Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management Institute Independent Study courses.

Christopher Stanton

Christopher Stanton

Executive Director

cstanton@umaryland.edu

MS: Johns Hopkins University – Public Safety Leadership
BS: University of Maryland, Baltimore County – Emergency Health Sciences

Chris joined UMB in 2019 and is an active volunteer firefighter and EMT. Previously, Chris was Program Manager leading a team to provide emergency preparedness and continuity of operations planning, training, and exercises for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). From 2006 to 2008 he successfully worked to obtain Emergency Management Accreditation Program recognition for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. Chris has achieved professional recognition as a Certified Emergency Manager, Certified Business Continuity Professional, and Master Exercise Practitioner.