Tommy Fuller

Tommy Fuller currently works as the Supervisory Security Specialist for the Department of Homeland Security and is assigned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He has over 20 years of experience in Homeland Security, Emergency Management and Law Enforcement service. Mr. Fuller, armed with a wealth of management and leadership experience, joined FEMA in December 2005 after leaving the East Baton Rouge Parish System.  Prior to joining FEMA, he served as the Acting Director of Court Services and the Community Relations Supervisor for Baton Rouge City Court where he was responsible for conducting program management for the Court Services Division. He was responsible for supervising a workforce comprised of civilian and contract employees, oversight of community service, grant programs, drug laboratory, educational courses and instruction, budget development and execution, ensuring effective implementation of programs, and served as the liaison with numerous law enforcement agencies. While at EBRP, Mr. Fuller also served as Drug Court Probation Officer, Deputy Constable and House Arrest Management Officer. In addition, he served as the liaison on behalf of the East Baton Rouge Parish City Clerk of Court and the East Baton Rouge City Court Judges.

After a six month and 14 hours per day venture under the FEMA Individual Assistance Program, in May 2006 Fuller was selected for the FEMA Security Cadre as a security specialist lead at the Baton Rouge Louisiana Recovery Office. He was responsible for management of security efforts to protect personnel, facilities, property and serve as a liaison to local, state and federal agencies. His primary mission was to support the Hurricane Katrina Joint Field Office, multiple Area Field Office’s, and FEMA Emergency Group Sites, Disaster Recovery Centers and Staging Facilities. During this disaster time FEMA Security Disaster Assistance Employees, Federal Protective Services and contract security guards were utilized to meet mission requirements. Mr.  Fuller established collaborative working relationships with multiple law enforcement agencies throughout the State of Louisiana to combat and reduce crime during the response and recovery phases of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Gustav. Mr. Fuller was responsible for developing, maintaining and managing key law enforcement relationships between Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies.  Mr. Fuller began serving as the Supervisory Security Specialist for the FEMA Louisiana Recovery Office (LRO) in May 4, 2014. Through his 14-year career with FEMA, Fuller and his team of emergency management professionals manage large scale security contracts for multiple sites in Louisiana. Mr. Fuller and his team have worked every major disaster declaration and other emergencies in the State of Louisiana and has provided management of multi-million-dollar contracts with fiscal responsibility for multiple federal sites.

Mr. Fuller earned a Bachelor of Science Sociology, a Master of Arts in Social Science from Southern University. Mr. Fuller is also a graduate of the Tulane University School of Professional Advancement Homeland Security Studies Program. After graduating SoPA he accepted the position of Adjunct Instructor teaching Introduction to Emergency Management and The Homeland Security Challenge at Tulane University School of Professional Advancement. Mr. Fuller continues to lead the newly named FEMA Region 6 Louisiana Integration and Recovery Office (LIRO) as the Branch Chief of Security. The recently supported disasters were the Louisiana Floods of 2016, COVID-19 2020, Tropical Storm Marco  2020 and Hurricane Laura 2020

What is your favorite thing about SoPA?
Meeting new students and sharing those experiences that will inspire others.

What advice would you give to someone who's considering finishing their degree, or starting for the first time as an adult?
It is never too late to start a new career. Go forth and do great things.

What is the best advice you've ever received?
Nothing beats a failure but a try.