Leadership Team

Erin McMahon was appointed Director of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management in August 2023. The Oregon Senate will take up her confirmation as permanent director in September 2023.

She came to the agency as a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, attorney and combat veteran with 24 years of experience advising state and national leaders on emergent and active emergencies requiring operational and civilian support. As the first female Army National Guard general officer in the Office of the General Counsel, she empowered a new generation of leaders to challenge cultural norms and work together to innovate and develop into high-performing teams. In her role as Principal Deputy General Counsel for the National Guard Bureau, McMahon guided the bureau chief through domestic disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, flooding, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Capital Insurrection. She advised federal leaders on the 2021 Oregon wildfires when more than 1,000 fires burned at least 518,303 acres across the state. In that same role, McMahon also spearheaded several groundbreaking programs for the Department of Defense to combat sexual assault. Her efforts were vital to increasing reporting and investigation options, ensuring a more timely and effective response, and providing recovery resources for victims of sexual assault in the military. Most recently, McMahon served as a Senior Advisor at The McChrystal Group in Virginia where she provided executive leader training, coaching, and mentorship to assist organizational leaders in developing teams, building trust and improving employee relations.

Patence Winningham joined the agency as permanent deputy director in September 2023. She previously served as Lane County Emergency Manager since 2019 after having worked with the City of Eugene as an emergency management specialist for more than a decade. She’s a capable and experienced leader, communicator, problem-solver and collaborator who has earned the respect of other emergency managers statewide. She’s also a tireless activist for disaster preparedness, hazard mitigation and other initiatives to reduce risk across the state. Patence has extensive experience in disaster preparedness, including leading Lane County’s response and communication with the State Emergency Coordination Center during a 2019 historic winter storm, followed by another federal disaster declaration due to flooding in April 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in early 2020, she worked with the county to engage FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers to establish a 42-bed COVID recovery center designed to care for some of the most vulnerable people in the county. She went on to lead Lane County’s response to the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire, which placed both her family and her home in danger. She has additionally supported the response to the 2022 Cedar Creek Fire and emergency planning efforts for multiple Olympic Trials and the World Athletics Championship.

Seiji Shiratori has been OEM’s Legislative Coordinator and Strategic Communications and Partnerships Section Manager since March 2024. His team includes the Public-Private Partnership Manager, Tribal Liaison, IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) Coordinator, and Public Affairs staff.

He came to the agency after four years as Policy Director for the Oregon Department of Revenue’s Property Tax Division, 21 years as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State, and several years as a state legislative staffer and lobbyist in Oregon and then with the American Physical Therapy Association’s headquarters in Virginia. In his time as a political officer at U.S. embassies, consulates, policy desks, and military commands, he lived and worked in Pakistan, Portugal, Senegal, Timor-Leste, Bulgaria, Iraq, and Bahrain.

Shiratori has a B.A. in political science from Willamette University and an M.A. in international affairs from American University.

Tony Clem Joined OEM in February of 2024 as the Chief Information Officer. Working with a startup company in Oregon, he worked on some exciting new technology in biometrics and identity proofing. At Oracle Corp. he was responsible for compliance, incident management, and business continuity / disaster recovery, protecting Oracle and Oracle customer data. As the CISO for Polycom he not only managed the security for the company but ensured that all the video and audio products maintained the proper security compliance for Polycom customers including the US government. At Hewlett Packard, before the separation into two companies, he was an architect for technology problem solving at HP customers bringing in technology experts from all over the world to deal with IT issues usually involving information security. His background also includes military service in the U.S. Army, a firefighter/EMT, and a 911 dispatcher.

Amy Mettler joined the Oregon Department of Emergency Management in May 2024 as its new Chief Financial Officer. Mettler’s experience includes 15 years as a state auditor conducting financial, compliance, performance and IT audits; and fraud, waste and abuse investigations. Her expertise includes financial statement and compliance report preparation; bond issuance, debt service, and bond compliance; as well as data mining and analysis, procurement, archiving, departmental and personnel management, IT systems development and adoption, facility and fleet management, budgeting, project management, and full cycle accounting. She has skills, education, and certifications in finance (CGMF), compliance (CPA), and IT (CISA). Mettler is excited to join an agency with a mission that meets her personal passion for preparedness.

Ewa Vicars has joined the OEM in June 2024 as a new HR Manager. Vicars has spent the last decade collaborating and working with several prior OLCC Human Resources Directors, overseeing every aspect of the employment process and being a Team Lead. She oversees the Human Resources department and manages the recruitment, classification & compensation, employee relations, and daily business operations process. She advises agency managers, directors, and employees on how to interpret the policies and procedures relating to OLCC's labor contract. Additionally, she is responsible for developing and implementing procedures and strategies consistent with OEM's hiring mission statement for new employees. She is familiar with all the state and federal labor laws, policies and regulations and she also participated in multiple contract negotiations for local and central table. Vicars’s extensive work with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), internal & external customers, directors, managers, supervisors, and community stakeholders has also contributed to my understanding and working partnership skills.

She believes HR should be seen as the example for others, advocating for others, providing stellar customer service, being proactive, leading effective communications, providing options and solutions, always looking for ways to improve business practices, providing opportunities, and partnering with managers and employees alike to embrace diversity and be inclusive of everyone.

In sum, Ewa believes overseeing the HR of our agency requires a strong Human Resources Manager that can serve as a strategic link within the infrastructure for employees. Advocacy for our hardworking public employees to help them become more proactive in providing better customer service and solutions should always be the standard we adhere to.

State 9-1-1 Program Section Manager Frank Kuchta manages the team of professionals at the Oregon Department of Emergency Management who are tasked with administering the statewide 9-1-1 program. This includes distribution of 9-1-1 revenue to local jurisdictions, oversight of the emergency communications network and support services required to deliver 2 million 9-1-1 emergency calls for assistance made within Oregon each year. Frank came to OEM in 2015 as project portfolio manager for the 9-1-1 program. In this role, Frank made significant contributions to the 9-1-1 program including the replacement and modernization of statewide 9-1-1 network services connecting all 43 Oregon Public Safety Answering Points, and the development of a multi-phased Next Generation 9-1-1 tactical plan. Frank has held several State of Oregon leadership positions, most recently for the Office of the State Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Technology Services, where he oversaw a team of senior project managers responsible for implementing a portfolio of statewide technology initiatives.

Alaina Mayfield was named OEM Preparedness Section Manager in March 2022, a position created as part of the agency's expansion and transition to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. In this role, Alaina oversees several staff and supervises preparedness planning and community programs, training and exercises, and preparedness grants including EMPG, HSGP and SPIRE. While her experience in Oregon emergency management has prepared her well for this role, it's her passion for helping Oregonians and their communities that makes her such an asset to the agency. 

Alaina previously served as the Regional Response and Preparedness Manager, managing a team of five regional coordinators, while acting as coordinator for the Willamette Valley region. Prior to that, she was OEM's Emergency Preparedness Planner responsible for the Threat Hazard Identification Risk Assessment and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (THIRA/SPR), the State National Incident Management System contact, and Emergency Support Function 5 covering Information and Planning. Alaina has served as Planning Section Chief for some of the state's most devastating and complicated disasters, including the 2020 Labor Day wildfires and COVID-19. She started her career at OEM in 2015 as an Emergency Preparedness Specialist working in public information.

Alaina graduated magna cum laude from Western Oregon University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2012. She completed her Master of Science in Emergency Management from the University of New Haven in 2018.

Stephen Richardson is the Hazard Mitigation and Individual Assistance Section Manager, overseeing hazard mitigation and individual assistance programs with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM). Hazard mitigation planning reduces loss of life and property by minimizing the impact of disasters. The Individual Assistance Program provides funding to individuals and households affected by disasters in an effort to facilitate successful recovery.

Stephen Richardson came to OEM in 2020, during the wildfire and COVID-19 incidents supporting the areas of business and industry. Stephen previously worked as a Compliance Specialist with Business Oregon's Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity.  He worked to ensure the integrity of the program, created “Train the Trainer" events hosted throughout Oregon, conducted outreach for education, and advocated for Oregon's small businesses.

While in his role as business and industry support through Business Oregon during the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 Labor Day fires in Oregon, Stephen played a key role in sourcing and distribution of hand sanitizer by organizing and collaborating with Oregon distilleries and private businesses manufacturing hand sanitizer for the state despite the national shortage.  Stephen also worked with businesses to re-tool and provide Personal Protective Equipment.

Stephen's prior career included working in the criminal justice field for over 15 years as a corrections deputy, police officer, canine handler/trainer, and community relations officer. 

Stephen is a graduate of Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Science. In his off time, Stephen is a mentor to men coming out of addiction, involved in his son's Boy Scout Troop, and enjoys dog training. 

Julie Slevin serves as the State Public Assistance Officer at the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. Her responsibility as the State Public Assistance Officer includes management and administration of FEMA's Public Assistance program.  Julie has served as the State Public Assistance Officer for 19 Presidential Declarations. Julie received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Oregon State University in Construction Engineering Management and has worked at the Oregon Department of Emergency Management since 2000.