EM1 Appoints Tom Sivak as Chief Emergency Manager to Advance AI-Driven Emergency Preparedness and Response

EM1, an AI company redefining emergency management through advanced technology and data-driven innovation, proudly announces the appointment of Tom Sivak as its new Chief Emergency Manager. A nationally recognized leader in emergency preparedness and resilience, Sivak joins EM1 following his impactful tenure as FEMA Region 5 Administrator, where he led operations across six states and 36 tribal nations.

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Sivak initially joined EM1 as Emergency Manager in Residence, where his strategic insight and operational experience rapidly positioned him as a core leader within the company. His promotion to Chief Emergency Manager reflects EM1’s commitment to centering emergency management expertise at the heart of its AI innovation.

“Tom brings a rare blend of deep operational experience and visionary leadership that’s essential to EM1’s mission,” said Tyler Felous, CEO and Co-Founder of EM1. “His experience as a local EM all the way to his tenure at FEMA—particularly his focus on trust relationships—aligns perfectly with our efforts to design AI tools that serve all communities before, during, and after disasters.”

Sivak’s extensive background includes responses to more than 15 presidentially declared disasters, including the second-largest in Illinois history and the high-profile East Palestine train derailment. At FEMA Region 5, he spearheaded focus on natural hazards communities face from extreme heat to urban flooding in addition to enhancing decision-making capabilities by introducing advanced geospatial tools and dashboards to improve situational awareness during emergencies. His focus on helping people is core to the ethos of EM1.

“Tom’s deep commitment to community-centric emergency management has already elevated the way we approach product development,” said Gunnar Holwerda, CTO and Co-Founder. “He’s helping us translate years of field experience into a platform that understands, anticipates, and supports the complexity of real-world disaster response.”

At EM1, Sivak will lead efforts to build trust with the emergency management community, ensuring that EM1’s technology is informed by the needs of practitioners at all levels—federal, tribal, state, and local. His role will also shape policy engagement, training frameworks, and company expansion to operationalize AI into the profession.

“I’m excited to continue serving the emergency management community in this new capacity,” said Tom Sivak. “Technology must be developed with—and for—the people on the front lines. At EM1, we’re building solutions that reflect the realities of emergency management while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI.”

Originally from East Cleveland, Ohio, Sivak is a Certified Emergency Manager with International Association of Emergency Managers, holds a Master of Science in Public Service Leadership from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University. His public service career also includes leadership roles in Cook County and the City of Chicago, where he managed large-scale responses to events including the 2012 Super Bowl and the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Sivak’s appointment, EM1 reinforces its position as a leader in building resilient and tech-enabled emergency response systems, serving communities big and small to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

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