Episode 5: Leading Through Crisis & Embracing the Future of AI with Tom Sivak
What do a Super Bowl, a hurricane, and a 300-page recovery plan have in common? In this episode of Careers & Coffee Talk, emergency management leader Tom Sivak connects the dots between hands-on crisis response and cutting-edge innovation — including how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of emergency management.
Tom’s 20+ year career has taken him from the local level to FEMA Region 5 to his current role as Chief Emergency Manager at EM1, where he’s leading the charge to integrate AI into crisis operations in smart, scalable, and human-centered ways.
We talk about:
☕ Why “presence is the mission” — and how leadership is built in everyday moments
⚡ How AI can free up time for emergency managers to focus on people, not paperwork
🧠 What it takes to build trust — both with teams and with emerging technology
📍 And why listening to learn is the key to both resilience and innovation
Whether you're a seasoned emergency manager or just AI-curious, this episode is packed with insights, practical takeaways, and a whole lot of heart.
About Tom Sivak
Thomas C. Sivak is an emergency management leader with over 20 years of experience in public safety, disaster response, and resilience. As the Chief Emergency Manager at EM1, an AI-driven emergency management company, he spearheads the integration of artificial intelligence into crisis response and operational planning. His focus includes consequence management, streamlined resource coordination, and situational awareness. By aligning emerging technologies with the core principles of emergency management, his engagement at EM1 supports the delivery of scalable, efficient, and innovative solutions to enhance preparedness and response for communities across the Nation.
Previously, Mr. Sivak served as FEMA Region 5 Administrator (2022–2025), leading disaster response across six Midwestern states and coordinating with 36 federally recognized tribes. During his tenure, he directed responses to over 15 presidentially declared disasters, including Illinois’s second-largest disaster and the East Palestine train derailment. He personally deployed to major disasters in Minnesota and North Carolina, emphasizing hands-on, coordinated leadership.
Sivak advanced FEMA Region 5’s operational readiness, introducing innovative response protocols and securing landmark hazard mitigation investments. He also expanded the regional workforce and developed incident annexes for biological threats and power outages, while leveraging geospatial tools to enhance situational awareness. His strategic efforts were pivotal in preparing FEMA for the 2024 Republican and Democratic National Conventions—National Special Security Events requiring complex coordination.
Earlier in his career, Sivak held leadership roles with the Cook County Department of Emergency Management, Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, Hamilton County Indiana Emergency Management, and City of Indianapolis Division of Homeland Security, planning for large-scale operations during events such as the 2012 Super Bowl, response to the 2011 Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse, receiving evacuees from Hurricane Maria to Chicago in 2017, COVID-19 pandemic and Civil Unrest activations.
He is a Certified Emergency Manager with the International Association of Emergency Managers, holds an M.S. in Public Service Leadership from DePaul University and a B.A. from Marquette University, and is from East Cleveland, Ohio.