EMEAA announces Ascenttra as first Platinum Sponsor

WASHINGTON, D.C. — September 25, 2026 — The Emergency Management External Affairs Association (EMEAA) is proud to announce Ascenttra as the association's inaugural Platinum Sponsor, establishing a partnership between two organizations committed to strengthening emergency management and the communities it serves.

Founded in 2007 by President Derek Rowan, Ascenttra helps organizations prepare for the unexpected through preparedness exercises, training, planning, virtual emergency management support and innovative technology. Its team of experienced practitioners has supported organizations in 47 states, four U.S. territories, the District of Columbia and 43 countries, conducting more than 100 customized training and exercise events each year.

EMEAA is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit association focused on advancing emergency management and crisis communications through professional development, collaboration, best practices and thought leadership throughout the profession. Its members represent the people responsible for helping organizations and communities communicate, coordinate and respond when it matters most.

“Ascenttra is exactly the kind of organization we hoped would step forward as EMEAA's first Platinum Sponsor,” said Bob Jensen, EMEAA President.. “They understand emergency management from the inside out. They don't just talk about preparedness. They design it, exercise it, test it, find the gaps and help organizations improve. EMEAA brings a complementary mission by connecting professionals, sharing knowledge and helping strengthen the external affairs side of our profession. Together, we can help turn good ideas and good practices into better outcomes for the people and communities we serve.”

The partnership also brings together two organizations that recognize the importance of innovation while keeping people at the center of emergency management. That combination of people, preparedness, communication and technology creates significant opportunities for collaboration.

“Emergency management is ultimately about people,” said Derek Rowan, President of Ascenttra. “The plans, exercises, technology and systems we build are important, but they only matter if they help people make better decisions when it counts. EMEAA brings together professionals who understand the importance of communication, relationships and collaboration across organizational boundaries. We are proud to support that mission and excited about what we can accomplish together.”

As an EMEAA Platinum Sponsor, Ascenttra will support the association's efforts to provide professional development, training, mentorship, knowledge sharing, networking and other resources to emergency management and external affairs professionals. The sponsorship also creates opportunities for Ascenttra and EMEAA to collaborate on issues affecting the profession and the communities it serves.

For EMEAA, the partnership represents more than the association's first Platinum-level sponsorship. It demonstrates the value of bringing private-sector expertise and nonprofit professional collaboration together in support of a common purpose.

Both organizations believe resilience is built long before a crisis occurs.

It is built through preparation. Through practice. Through relationships. Through trusted information. And through professionals who are willing to share what they have learned so others can be better prepared for what comes next.

Resilient communities. Stronger together.

EMEAA and Ascenttra are proud to begin that work together.

About EMEAA

The Emergency Management External Affairs Association (EMEAA) is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit association established in 2023. EMEAA is a collaborative community promoting emergency management and crisis communications  knowledge, history, experience, global best practices, professional development and thought leadership. Its members and partners work to advance training, collaboration, awareness, recognition, networking and camaraderie throughout the profession.

About Ascenttra

Ascenttra is an emergency management firm established in 2007. Ascenttra provides preparedness exercises, training, planning, technology and virtual emergency management support to government agencies, healthcare organizations, airports, critical infrastructure and private-sector organizations. The company combines experienced emergency management practitioners with proprietary technology designed specifically for the preparedness profession.

Media and Sponsorship Inquiries:

Emergency Management External Affairs Associationwww.emeaa.org/contactus

Ascenttra:www.ascenttra.com

EMEAA Launches Sponsorship Initiative to Strengthen Emergency Management and Community Resilience

Sponsorship support strengthens the people, partnerships and professional resources that help communities navigate emergencies.

WEST CHESTER, PA, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2026 -- When disaster strikes, communities don't have the luxury of figuring out how to work together. The Emergency Management External Affairs Association (EMEAA) is inviting corporations, businesses and philanthropic organizations to become sponsors and help strengthen the professional community that makes that collaboration possible.

EMEAA is a nonprofit professional association that equips emergency management and external affairs professionals to communicate clearly, coordinate successfully, and better serve individuals and communities before, during and after emergencies. When emergencies strike, communities and people need clear information, resources and hope. Sponsorship support helps emergency managers and communication professionals deliver that faster and more effectively.

“When the lights go out, the phones stop working, roads close or families are displaced, nobody asks whether the solution belongs to the public sector or private sector,” said EMEAA Founder Dan Stoneking. “People simply need help. The organizations that have built relationships and learned how to work together are better positioned to provide it.”

For businesses, resilience is not an abstract concept.

A hurricane can close a hotel. A wildfire can disrupt a supply chain. A cyber incident can interrupt critical services. A power outage can affect customers, employees and vulnerable residents. A public health emergency can challenge even the best-prepared organization.

In those moments, businesses become part of the community response.

Employees need information. Customers need answers. Communities need trusted voices. Partners need coordination. Leaders need to make decisions with incomplete information. The quality of those relationships determines the quality of the collective response.

EMEAA sponsorship provides businesses with an opportunity to invest in those relationships while supporting the professionals who work every day to make emergency management and crisis communications more effective.

Sponsors gain access to EMEAA's professional community and resources, including training, mentorship, webinars, professional readings, job resources, community forums and other tools designed to strengthen the emergency management external affairs profession.

Depending on sponsorship level, corporate partners can also receive organizational recognition, social media visibility, lifetime memberships, direct connections with EMEAA leadership and advisors, campaign or issue consultations, opportunities to engage directly with EMEAA members, crisis communications consultation and access to Message Prism.

Four Ways to Make a Difference

EMEAA offers four corporate sponsorship levels:

Bronze — $2,500

Silver — $5,000

Gold — $10,000

Platinum — $15,000

But the value of sponsorship goes beyond the benefits listed on a sponsorship sheet.

It is an investment in capability.

It helps professionals learn from one another. It helps good ideas move across organizational and geographic boundaries. It helps experienced practitioners mentor the next generation. And it helps strengthen the relationships that become critically important when a community is facing its worst day. That is the opportunity EMEAA offers its corporate partners: to help build capability, capacity and connections before they are needed.

Words matter. Understanding matters more. People matter most.

EMEAA believes businesses have an important role in all three.

Resilient communities. Stronger together.

Organizations interested in becoming an EMEAA corporate sponsor can learn more about sponsorship opportunities at: www.emeaa.org/sponsorship

About EMEAA

The Emergency Management External Affairs Association (EMEAA) is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit association established in 2023. EMEAA is a collaborative community promoting emergency management and external affairs knowledge, history, experience, global best practices, professional development and thought leadership. Its members and partners work to advance training, collaboration, awareness, recognition, networking and camaraderie throughout the profession.

ITDRC and EMEAA Announce Strategic Partnership

Logo for the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center.

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 27, 2026. The Information Technology Disaster Resource Center

(ITDRC) and the Emergency Management External Affairs Association today announced the

signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing a strategic partnership focused on strengthening disaster communications, coordination, collaboration, and volunteer support across the emergency management community.

The agreement establishes a framework for joint initiatives designed to enhance information

sharing, professional engagement, and operational collaboration among emergency management and crisis communications stakeholders.

ITDRC is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that supports communities and response

organizations by providing critical connectivity, technology services, and communications

support before, during, and after disasters. The organization collaborates with local, state,

federal, nonprofit, and the private sector, to help communities and survivors recover more

quickly.

EMEAA is a collaborative professional association advancing emergency management external affairs, crisis communications, and public engagement through knowledge sharing, global best practices, professional development, and thought leadership.

“ITDRC has demonstrated the extraordinary impact that skilled volunteers and technology

professionals can have in helping communities respond to and recover from disasters,” said Bob Jensen, President of EMEAA. “EMEAA is proud to partner with an organization that

understands both the operational and human side of emergency management and the importance of serving communities when they need it most.”

“EMEAA plays an essential role in advancing crisis communications and strengthening the

professional community that supports emergency management,” said Joe Hillis, Operations

Director of ITDRC. “We are excited to work together to improve coordination, share expertise, and help organizations communicate more effectively before, during, and after disasters.”

Both organizations recognize the importance of strategic partnerships in supporting emergency managers, communicators, operators, members, and volunteers. Through the partnership, ITDRC and EMEAA will pursue collaborative opportunities that strengthen preparedness, response, recovery, resilience, and public communications in the emergency management community.

### 

About the Emergency Management External Affairs Association (EMEAA) 

The Emergency Management External Affairs Association advances a collaborative community promoting emergency management external affairs knowledge, history, experience, global best practices, professional development, and thought leadership within the profession. Learn more at https://www.emeaa.org.