WILLIAM SMITH, DIRECTOR

william smithPrior to joining the Office of Emergency Management in the summer of 2009, William worked as the Operations Officer for the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency.  In that capacity, he was responsible for the City and County’s Emergency Operations Center and worked through multiple special events and natural disasters, including the Downtown Atlanta Tornado of 2008. A Marine Corps Veteran, William deployed to Iraq in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, working as an Amorer and Mortuary Affairs Specialist.

William holds a Bachelors of Science from Georgia Tech (INTA ’01) and a Masters of Public Administration from Georgia State (’05) with a Certificate in Disaster Management.  He and his wife, Amanda, also a Georgia Tech alumnus (INTA ’01), live in Atlanta with their great pyrenees, Buzz.

LAURA GUSTAVSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

LAURA GUSTAVSON, EM COORDINATORLaura started her career in Emergency Management at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). As a Hazard Mitigation Planner, she focused on preparing emergency plans for Georgia's 159 counties. Laura came to Georgia Tech in 2018 as an Emergency Management Coordinator. She graduated from the University of Alabama in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Geography and again in 2012 with a Masters of Science in Weather and Society. Laura is a certified Emergency Manager in the state of Georgia, making her a valuable addition to the Office of Emergency Management team.

She lives in Lilburn with her husband Phillip, her son Max, her daughter Claire and their beagle Scarlett. Laura's passions include sports and weather, and she often jokes that "predicting the weather is almost as hard as being an Atlanta sports fan."

GABRIELLE MASINKO, COORDINATOR

Gabrielle Masinko

Gabrielle Masinko comes to Georgia Tech as a graduate of Jacksonville State University where she earned her master's degree in Emergency Management. This is her first role in emergency management as she was previously a broadcast meteorologist at a local television station in Southwest Louisiana. Gabrielle earned a degree in Professional Meteorology from Mississippi State University in 2018 before entering her weather career. Gabbie is responsible for emergency planning along with supporting day-to-day activities for the Office of Emergency Management.

She lives in Marietta with her husband Justin and their tall beagle, Baxter.

TAMMIE PIERCE, COORDINATOR

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Prior to joining Georgia Tech, Tammie served as the Emergency Management Operations Coordinator and Planning Section Chief for the Berkeley County (South Carolina) Emergency Management Department. In her role as Planning Section Chief, she worked several special events and EOC activations, including Hurricane Ian in 2022. Tammie is a Certified Emergency Manager in the state of Georgia, who also has more than five years of experience working as a bilingual Meteorologist in both the public and private sectors.

Tammie holds a Master of Science in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University and a Master of Science in Applied Meteorology and Climate with Management from the University of Reading. She also earned a Bachelor's degree (first-class honors) in Mathematics, Physics and Computing from the University of Pedagogical Sciences. Tammie is very passionate about helping others and has been an active volunteer with the Ronald McDonald House and the Fisher House Foundation for Veterans in Charleston, SC. She currently resides in Chamblee with her yellow lab, Magnolia.