Carlos J. Castillo, CEM

Carlos J. Castillo is a Senior Vice President, Executive Advisor, and FEMA/DHS Market Lead at Tidal Basin. He is an internationally recognized emergency and disaster management leader with over 40 years of experience.

Before joining Tidal Basin, Carlos was the Deputy Administrator for Resilience at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In this presidentially appointed role, he led an organization of more than 1,300 employees and oversaw the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, National Preparedness, Grant Programs, National Continuity Programs, and the Office of Counterterrorism and Security Preparedness. Before his federal service, Carlos served 26 years with the Miami-Dade County (FL) Fire Rescue Department, where he held various leadership positions, including Director of Emergency Management. He worked with local, state, and federal officials on many of the most significant disasters throughout the United States. Carlos was one of the founding members of the National Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Response System and has provided support internationally after earthquakes, hurricanes, airline crashes, and various domestic terrorist events, such as the Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 attacks.  

Carlos holds a master’s in Public Administration from Florida International University and is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM). Carlos has served as an Adjunct Instructor in the Master’s of Disaster Management program at Florida International University and is a guest lecturer on disaster resilience and risk reduction at the University of Miami and Georgetown University. He is a frequent lecturer on disaster risk reduction and emergency management and is regularly interviewed by regional and national news media. Due to his extensive expertise in disaster management, Carlos has represented the U.S. at the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Consortium.  

Carlos J. Castillo, CEM, was interviewed by Jacksonville’s CBS@47 and FOX30 Action News’ Letisha Bereola discussing FEMA’s approach to preparing for hurricane season 2020 in the wake of the pandemic and what to do to be ready to handle the possible effects of Tropical Storm Isaias: