Speakers

David Dodd is founding CEO of the International Sustainable Resilience Center (ISRC) a Specialist Center of Excellence in New Orleans Louisiana, US, focused on disaster resilience and recovery. He transitioned from a leading international consultant in economic development to disaster recovery via Hurricane Katrina, where he was a liaison between Louisiana Economic Development agency and federal recovery efforts. From there, he led economic recovery efforts in Japan and Mexico, both of which suffered extensive damage and loss of life from 9.1 and 7.2 magnitude earthquakes in 2011 and 2010 respectively. His recovery framework was presented to the Vice Prime Minister of Japan, and his Mexico recovery efforts led to creation of a federally-supported nonprofit to respond and recover from subsequent quakes. He also consulted with in recovery efforts from flooding in Brisbane Australia and led a federally funded recovery effort for fisheries in southeastern Louisiana after the British Petroleum oil spill. David also consulted with Électricité de France in Paris on resilience of their power grid. In 2013, David was successful with consulting partner Novaces, LLC in winning a 5-year contract with the US Economic Development Administration to deploy for economic recovery in major disasters. Under that contract, he guided economic recovery in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy, and subsequent efforts in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, and Louisiana. The contract was renewed in 2017, and he worked with the Puerto Rico Economic Recovery team from 2018 to 2023 to increase economic development and resilience capacity after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, centered in in Ponce, the island’s second largest city. David was also Dean of the Economic Development Institute and Founding Chairman of the Resilience Development Institute, both at the University of Oklahoma. David is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. He is a Certified Economic Developer, Fellow Member, and Honorary Life Member of the International Economic Development Council. His work has taken him to 47 states and 5 continents. He currently lives in New Orleans Louisiana.