U.S. President Donald Trump has named Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as co-chairs of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council.
Kristi Noem Career Highlights
Noem, a 2025 Wash100 Award recipient, was appointed as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in January. Before her appointment, she was the governor of South Dakota, a position she had held since 2018. She was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives in 2006 and to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. During her tenure in Congress, Noem focused on agriculture, tax reform and veterans affairs, among other issues.
Pete Hegseth Career Highlights
Hegseth, a fellow 2025 Wash100 awardee, assumed the defense secretary role in January following his confirmation. A veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard, Hegseth has extensive military experience, including service in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. His previous roles include executive director of Vets for Freedom and a contributor for Fox News.
U.S. Emergency Management and Disaster Response
As co-chairs, Noem and Hegseth will lead the FEMA Review Council, which was established earlier in 2025 to advise the president on FEMA’s ability to address disasters within the United States.
Eleven other people, including Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott, former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and Chubb CEO Evan Greenberg, were also appointed to the council.
