Jeanne-Aimee De Marrais, Senior Director of US Emergencies, Department of Humanitarian Response, Save the Children, leads the agency’s efforts to protect children in U.S. emergencies. She has led the responses to both natural and man-made disasters throughout the U.S., making Save the Children the preeminent, go-to source for governments, corporations and non-governmental organizations for recommendations on child-focused emergency responses. De Marrais is a national expert in child care emergency preparedness, response and recovery and in the protection of children in emergencies. In addition to her work in the U.S., De Marrais has advised numerous countries on crafting national programs for children in emergencies.

 

Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, De Marrais has led Save the Children’s disaster response to every major disaster in the United States. In addition, De Marrais led a recovery effort in Newtown, CT after one of the most devastating school shootings in American history at Sandy Hook Elementary. And in fall 2015, De Marrais lead the start-up of Save the Children’s response to the Refugee Crisis in Greece, serving more than 250,000+ refugees as they arrived in Europe (September – November).

 

Under De Marrais’s leadership, Save the Children developed two signature disaster preparedness and recovery programs aimed at addressing the mental health needs of children and their caregivers. Save’s Resilient and Ready initiative is designed to educate children and build their resiliency when they face disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and fires. Save’s other program, Journey of Hope, helps children cope with, and recover from, the psychological stress from a disaster.

 

Since 2014, De Marrais has served on the National Advisory Council for FEMA. De Marrais and her colleagues have established a strong working relationship with FEMA, both at the national and regional levels. She was instrumental in advising FEMA on updating its annual grant guidance to states to reflect the needs of children and families, as well as helping the Agency establish a “Children’s Working Group.” She served on the National Mass Care Council and serves on the NVOAD Mass Care Committee and she provides technical guidance on children in emergencies to FEMA’s regional emergency management experts.