Ms. Michelle Edwards is the Senior Director, Mitigation Planning and Research Division.

In her role at ODPEM, Ms. Edwards’ responsibilities include contributing to the development of disaster management. She supports the implementation of policies, plans, and disaster mitigation activities through research which builds on the solid foundation for decision making at ODPEM.

Additionally, Ms. Edwards executed the planning and execution of National Disaster Mitigation and Risk Reduction programmes and best practices to inform the organizations’ goals and strategic objectives and to execute its mandate. This lends support to the organisation’s flagship programme, ‘Building Disaster Resilient Communities’. Ms. Edwards has also facilitated the process of drafting the Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management (CDRM) Policy.

Ms. Edwards holds an MSc. in Natural Resource Management from the University of the West Indies (UWI), and a BSc. in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Technology (UTech). She has undergone extensive training in Emergency Response and Disaster Management – notably the Seminar on Managing Complex Emergencies at the Inter-American Defence College Washington DC.