America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast1 Des 2025

FEMA at a Crossroads: What's Breaking, What's Working, and What Comes Next with NRDC

In episode 242 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons checks in on FEMA at a moment of rapid change. With funding delays, political uncertainty, and major reforms underway, FEMA's role in national resilience is shifting in real time. Doug speaks with four guests — Joel Scata (NRDC), Michael Coen (former FEMA Chief of Staff), Samantha Medlock (former FEMA Assistant Administrator), and Derrick Hiebert (AECOM) — to unpack what's happening inside the agency, where communities are feeling the impacts, and what potential improvements could emerge from this period of transition. It's a candid, timely look at the future of FEMA and the evolving landscape of climate adaptation in the United States.

Experts in this Episode:

Joel Scata – Senior Attorney, Environmental Health – Natural Resources Defense Council - transcript
Michael Coen – Former Chief Of Staff at FEMA - transcript
Samantha Medlock – Founder and Principal – Climate Risk Advisors - transcript
Derrick Hiebert – Infrastructure Resilience Practice Leader - AECOM - transcript

This episode was generously sponsored by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

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