Justin Pierce: Speaking at the Resilient City Expo

Justin Pierce

Director, Emergency Management  -  Los Angeles World Airports

Final Approach - How LAX Airport Prepares for Natural Disasters

Airports are a major component of our Nation’s transportation infrastructure. The slightest disruption can cause commerical and cargo flight impacts across the globe. This presentation aims to examine Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) operating environment and how it works with it’s stakeholders to prepare for and respond to natural disasters.

About Justin Pierce

Justin Pierce is the Director of Emergency Management for Los Angeles World Airports serving Van Nuys General Aviation Airport and LAX, which was one of the top ten busiest airports in the world in 2023.

While serving as Director, Justin navigated the airport through its response and recovery from COVID-19 and the City of Los Angeles support to asylum seekers. He led the planning effort for the Super Bowl LVI team arrivals to LAX and currently serves on the committee for LA 2028 Summer Olympics. In addition, he has worked with airport stakeholders to go beyond Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) emergency response requirements, revamped LAX terminal evacuation and repopulation procedures, modernized its alert and warning capabilities, and reimaged th design and functions of a $70 million renovation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

From 2016 – 2019, Justin served as the Deputy Chief of the Preparedness Division for the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (DC
HSEMA). Justin led numerous planning efforts and EOC activations in response to emergencies, National Special Security Events, and other planned events including Presidential Inaugurations, State of the Union Addresses, Papal Visit, MLB All-Star Game, and July 4th Independence Day Celebrations. Other roles that Justin held at DC HSEMA include serving as the Executive Director of the District’s Fusion Center, transforming it into an all-hazards approach to intelligence collection and analysis.

He is honored to have led 54 emergency and federal grant funds. He served in management and intelligence professionals with a $17 million operating budget in local leadership roles on prominent policy groups and committees within the National Capital Region (NCR).

Throughout his career, he has moved back and forth from consulting to public service. He was a Regional Coordinator for Tetra Tech Inc., a global consulting and engineering firm; and the Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for MSA Inc., a small minority women-owned federal government contracting firm in Washington DC. In this role, supported several federal departments to comply with the 2007 National Security Presidential Directive-51/Homeland Security Presidential Directive-20, National Continuity Policy, including presenting primary mission essential functions to White House staff for approval.

From 2012 – 2014 he worked for the City of Alexandra, VA Office of Emergency Management in which one of his many duties was leading several NCR planning, training, and exercise initiatives.

He has deployed to five Presidentially declared disasters under the Robert T. Stafford Act. These experiences introduced him to new people, dynamic challenges, and national concepts that helped shape the emergency manager he is today.

He attended Virginia Tech University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. He has completed higher education programs
at Georgetown University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also has been selected to the Naval Postgraduate School Executive Leaders Program 2302.1.

Justin is happiest with his wife Marissa raising their two girls Kennedy and Madison.