HON. Joe Allbaugh

author
Dr. Chris Meek
  • 23 Jan 2025
  • 2 min read
Joe M. Allbaugh

Mr. Joe M. Allbaugh is President and Chief Executive Officer of MDA, LLC. Mr. Allbaugh is widely recognized in both government and private sectors, for his leadership, integrity and strategic management skills. He has established relationships with decision makers around the world. Additionally, Mr. Allbaugh sustains important relationships with elected representatives, at the state and national levels, with agency officials and business leadership.

In February 2001, Mr. Allbaugh was nominated by President George W. Bush to head the Federal Emerg9ency Management Agency (FEMA). On February 14, 2001, he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in soon after. As Director, he was responsible for the nation’s response and assistance efforts to emergencies and natural disasters.

Seven months later, Director Allbaugh led the federal government’s response to the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Shanksville, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon. Living in lower Manhattan for more than six months through the response, recovery and clean-up phases, the Director managed more than 10,000 employees, with a cost of well over $13 billion dollars. The intricate and sensitive clean-up phase was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. Director Allbaugh was a founding member of the President’s Homeland Security Advisory Council.

Prior to his service as Director of FEMA, Mr. Allbaugh was the National Campaign Manager for the Bush-Cheney 2000 presidential campaign. He served as Chief of Staff to Governor George W. Bush after successfully managing Governor Bush’s 1994 gubernatorial campaign in Texas.

Most recently, Mr. Allbaugh was the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and currently resides in Oklahoma City. The agency, at that time, had 4,200 employees; over 62,000 inmates and offenders; and a budget over $525 millions annually. Currently, he is serving as Chairman of the Oklahoma County Detention Center Trust, and farms in Western Kay County, Oklahoma.