From CNN.com: How Deanne Criswell blazed a trail from fighting fires to running FEMA. An excerpt:

“She joined FEMA during the Obama administration, helping to oversee the agency’s response to natural disasters across the country. In 2019, she became the first woman to lead New York City’s Emergency Management Department, where — less than a year into the job — she helped navigate the city through the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, as FEMA’s top official, Criswell hopes her unorthodox career path will encourage others to seize opportunities and take professional risks.”