Lora Wilson Email and Phone Number

As the NWS Forensic Services Program Lead, I serve as the NWS Liaison to the National Transportation Board (NTSB), assist in coordination and participation in weather-related investigations, and provide support to NWS staff involved in investigations. This is most frequently alongside the NTSB where I have been both a working group member and party coordinator in their investigations. I assist federal agencies with weather data retrieval and subject matter expertise as it pertains to their… Show more As the NWS Forensic Services Program Lead, I serve as the NWS Liaison to the National Transportation Board (NTSB), assist in coordination and participation in weather-related investigations, and provide support to NWS staff involved in investigations. This is most frequently alongside the NTSB where I have been both a working group member and party coordinator in their investigations. I assist federal agencies with weather data retrieval and subject matter expertise as it pertains to their needs. Similarly, I assist federal attorneys with weather data retrieval and interpretation as it pertains to litigation. I also maintain the Forensic Services policy and procedures for the NWS. I also serve as the Chief Records Manager for NWS operations working with NOAA, DOC, National Archives, and Records Administration (NARA) to ensure NWS records are properly archived, where appropriate. I also work with the NWS CFO to integrate operational needs and requirements into broader NWS records management practices and maintain policies with regard to operational records retention. Show less

Provide programmatic support and program management for agency-wide, multi-year field demonstrations of the National Blend of Models (NBM) multi-year effort that will revolutionize NWS forecast methods and techniques.Wrote and vetted Engagement and Communications Strategy for the National Blend of Models agency-wide initiative.Developed and vetted National Blend of Models Demonstration Team Charter.Co-wrote abstract for 2016 National Weather Association annual meeting… Show more Provide programmatic support and program management for agency-wide, multi-year field demonstrations of the National Blend of Models (NBM) multi-year effort that will revolutionize NWS forecast methods and techniques.Wrote and vetted Engagement and Communications Strategy for the National Blend of Models agency-wide initiative.Developed and vetted National Blend of Models Demonstration Team Charter.Co-wrote abstract for 2016 National Weather Association annual meeting (poster presentation) Co-wrote abstract for 2017 American Meteorological Society annual meeting (oral presentation).Developed National Blend of Models Demonstration Team poster for 2016 National Weather Association annual meeting.Brief senior executives and management on the National Blend of Models Demonstration Team.Prepare weekly project update memo for the Deputy Assistant Administrator/Deputy Director of the National Weather Service and other Senior Executive Service personnel.Maintain conference call and meeting schedule for the National Blend of Models Demonstration Team and associated activities using Google Calendar and GoToMeeting™.Use Microsoft Project for National Blend of Models Demonstration Team program management.Maintain agency-wide internal website for the National Blend of Models field demonstration using Google Sites. Prepare agency-wide emails for the National Blend of Models Demonstration Team. Show less

Prepared and delivered routine and on-demand briefings and formal reports synthesized from multiple sources to the NOAA/NWS Director, Deputy Director and Office Directors, NOAA Administrator and NOAA senior staff, and the DOC Secretary. Staff members from the White House routinely participate in routine and on-demand briefings provided by the NWSOC. In addition, they are recipients of many NWSOC reports and at times will request additional information to be provided to update for… Show more Prepared and delivered routine and on-demand briefings and formal reports synthesized from multiple sources to the NOAA/NWS Director, Deputy Director and Office Directors, NOAA Administrator and NOAA senior staff, and the DOC Secretary. Staff members from the White House routinely participate in routine and on-demand briefings provided by the NWSOC. In addition, they are recipients of many NWSOC reports and at times will request additional information to be provided to update for national security interests.Provided remote and on-support to FEMA’s National Watch Center and National Response Coordination Center during high impact events. Provided phone and webinar-styled briefings to the U.S. Health and Human Services during high impacts events for planning and response.Served as acting supervisor; maintained operations during the supervisor’s absences.Prepared and participated in media interviews for NOAA Public Affairs Office. Assisted with logistics and tours of the NWSOC for Distinguished Visitors such as politically appointed NOAA Officials, White House staffers and the Director of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Show less

Coordinated quarterly NOAA/USGS Joint Hydrology Meetings.Maintained budgets for training and outreach for the hydrology program.Coordinated training for the agency’s hydrology program to establish priorities, plans, activities, goals and objectives to meet NWS policy and program analysis, planning and implementation needs. Planned and executed the 2012 NWS Development and Operations Hydrologist (DOH) Workshop.Coordinated and collaborated annual Flood Safety… Show more Coordinated quarterly NOAA/USGS Joint Hydrology Meetings.Maintained budgets for training and outreach for the hydrology program.Coordinated training for the agency’s hydrology program to establish priorities, plans, activities, goals and objectives to meet NWS policy and program analysis, planning and implementation needs. Planned and executed the 2012 NWS Development and Operations Hydrologist (DOH) Workshop.Coordinated and collaborated annual Flood Safety Awareness Week.NOAA member for the FEMA-led High Water Mark initiative. This multi-agency initiative worked to establish high watermark signs in flood prone areas alerting and educating the public to the flood risk.Maintained the official Turn Around Don't Drown™ trademark certification and user requests through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.Maintained policy directives for the agency’s hydrology program. Show less

Transitioned the regional climate program, and its budget, from a 5 member team to a single-person program manager to ensure all 30 Eastern Region field offices have the skills, tools, and information necessary to properly manage their respective climate programs; also made it consistent with the other NWS regional climate programs.Worked closely with the NOAA Regional Climate Service Director to develop strong partnerships between other NOAA line offices, agencies and… Show more Transitioned the regional climate program, and its budget, from a 5 member team to a single-person program manager to ensure all 30 Eastern Region field offices have the skills, tools, and information necessary to properly manage their respective climate programs; also made it consistent with the other NWS regional climate programs.Worked closely with the NOAA Regional Climate Service Director to develop strong partnerships between other NOAA line offices, agencies and partners.Managed the regional budget for the NWS Eastern Region Cooperative Observer Program (COOP).Guest Instructor for the Cooperative Network Operations Course at NWS Training Center.Issued surface and upper air certificates for observers (NWS, Federal Aviation Administration, and Contract Weather Offices) across the NWS Eastern Region and ensured quality and integrity of the certification tests.Represented NWS Eastern Region Headquarters at volunteer cooperative observer award ceremonies.Ensured all new ERH employees had a safety in-brief upon hire with ERH.Participated in NOAA Tier 1 safety inspections at local Weather Forecast Offices to ensure safety and environmental compliance. Show less

Issued daily weather forecasts, watches and warnings for hazardous weather, occasionally served as shift supervisor and provided quality assurance of weather forecast products. Served as primary NWS point of contact during record flooding along the Rio Grande Fall 2008.Planned and implemented the annual Rio Grande Service Improvement and Expansion Meeting to evaluate and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of planning and response to high impact events, specifically… Show more Issued daily weather forecasts, watches and warnings for hazardous weather, occasionally served as shift supervisor and provided quality assurance of weather forecast products. Served as primary NWS point of contact during record flooding along the Rio Grande Fall 2008.Planned and implemented the annual Rio Grande Service Improvement and Expansion Meeting to evaluate and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of planning and response to high impact events, specifically flooding, in that area. Established additional forecast points along the Rio Grande with the NWS West Gulf River Forecast Center.Ensured local NWS products were produced in the metric system for partners along the US/Mexico border.Maintained a close partnership with the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) in Presidio, Texas as well as the U.S. Geological Survey in San Angelo, Texas, to ensure consistent, accurate information from a data sparse area. Briefed and prepared documents for key officials with the Texas Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service and FEMA on expected climate conditions contributing to the 2008 Texas Wildfire season as an Incident Meteorologist (IMET) Trainee. These efforts helped to secure $10 million to continue operations in Texas that year. Show less

Co-chair of the Subcommittee on Atmospheric Composition (SC-ACIS). This subcommittee oversees two working groups: The Working Group on Atmospheric Transport, Dispersion & Volcanic Ash (WG-ATD&VA) and the Working Group on Fire Weather Services (WG- FWS). It is one of the four subcommittees under the Committee on Services. The Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services (ICAMS) is the formal mechanism by which all relevant Federal departments and agencies coordinate… Show more Co-chair of the Subcommittee on Atmospheric Composition (SC-ACIS). This subcommittee oversees two working groups: The Working Group on Atmospheric Transport, Dispersion & Volcanic Ash (WG-ATD&VA) and the Working Group on Fire Weather Services (WG- FWS). It is one of the four subcommittees under the Committee on Services. The Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services (ICAMS) is the formal mechanism by which all relevant Federal departments and agencies coordinate implementation of policy and practices to ensure U.S. global leadership in the meteorological services enterprise. It is co-chaired by the Deputy Director for Climate and Environment, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Federal Coordinator for Meteorology. Show less