Stephen brings over 12 years of experience in disaster recovery and emergency management with a focus on work with residential, mitigation, and resilience programs. He has played a role in the recovery and mitigation efforts for some of the nation's largest disasters including, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Harvey, and Hurricane Maria. His experience covers a wide variety of programs and projects, and he has had the privilege of supporting projects in Texas, New York, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Pennsylvania, California, Arizona, and Kansas. An expert with deep knowledge in many federal grants, he brings extensive experience in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA), FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). Stephen's career spans a diverse set of grant funding opportunities. His industry work began with a grant program for elevating flood-prone homes for the residents of New Orleans before continuing with an innovative use of CDBG-DR funding through an HMGP global match program that leveraged large-scale residential buyout programs in New York to provide additional flexibility in recovery and mitigation funding for the State after Hurricane Harvey. He has since had the opportunity to support building stronger communities across Texas by providing oversight for all statewide HMGP projects. Most recently, in response to novel challenges from COVID-19, he delivered large scale programs to help Americans stay housed through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) programs under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and is working to help communities navigate the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).Stephen founded KB Advising (KBA) in 2020 with the vision of building a company that could embody the best values he’s seen in the companies and people that he has worked with throughout his career. He believes that the industry can continue to improve in the ways that it supports grant recipients and believes KB Advising can play a small role in that mission. As a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Stephen started KBA with a particular focus on finding ways to support Tribal Nations as they navigate the complexities of grant administration. KB Advising aims to be the best partner to state and local government, teaming partners, and Tribal Nations through delivering a team of hard-working and caring experts that are committed to providing the highest level of customer service possible.