Susan Henry
Chief
Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA)
Susan Henry was appointed Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) in 2020 and has been with The City since 2001.
Prior to this role, Susan was the Deputy Chief of CEMA since 2015, where she was second-in-command. She was responsible for disaster risk reduction, community education and outreach and business continuity. She also provided leadership to Canada Task Force 2, an all-hazards disaster response team, into one of the leading six heavy urban search and rescue teams in Canada. In addition to creating national and international relationships, Henry was also responsible for the management, training, development and deployment of over 150 highly skilled volunteers.
Henry has played key leadership roles in the 2013 Southern Alberta floods, wildfires in Chuckegg Creek, Fort McMurray and Slave Lake, the flooding in St. John, and supporting The City’s response to COVID-19.
Prior to her tenure in CEMA, Henry was a firefighter with the Calgary Fire Department, rising to the rank of Assistant Deputy Chief.
Henry holds a Masters of Science in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University, is a Certified Emergency Manager with the International Association of Emergency Management, received the Medal of Honour for her role in the 2011 Slave Lake wildfires, and is a past winner of the Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award from Public Safety Canada.
Henry was born and raised in Calgary, has a passion for long-distance running and is an adventure traveler.