Area Liaisons

Liaison Map 4-2023 Original Colors.jpgRole of the Liaison Team

All disasters start and end locally, so it's important to coordinate​ with local agencies, businesses​, community groups, and individuals. Local elected officials, emergency managers, law enforcement and other first responder agencies have the ultima​te responsibility for protecting and preparing their communities, and the vast majority of response resources rest with local government, not with State agencies. For these reasons it is important that local leaders have a knowledgeable and trusted point of contact within their jurisdiction. As skilled practitioners, the Liaisons fill this vital role for the State. 

By maintaining contact with local emergency managers and other response agency leaders, the Liaisons serve as representatives of both the State and the local responders. In addition to the traditional preparedness and response functions, homeland security has broadened the role of local government to help protect critical infrastructure and prevent the next act of terrorism by sharing information on threats and suspicious activities and other relevant law enforcement information.

The EMD Liaisons are critical links in this information sharing process. They assist the local jurisdictions and the State, gathering information necessary to identify threats and hazards and their consequences. This information is used to develop and maintain operational and emergency plans at the state and local levels.

Each Liaison possesses a unique skill set allowing them to provide a wide array of knowledge and services to the State. The current cadre represent extensive backgrounds in fire and EMS, military service, private industry, law enforcement, local government, industrial/private security, and emergency management.

Download the 2023 Regional L​iaisons map and contact informat​ion.​ 

The EMD Liaison team is overseen by Assistant Section Chief J.A. "Tony" Domingo.

J.A. "Tony" Domingo 

​Preparedness and Response Assistant Chief ​
james.a.domingo@wv.gov​ 

304-558-5380

Tony spent many years working and volunteering in the fire and emergency medical service fields in Fayette County, WV. He worked for the WV State Fire Marshal's Office for 18 ½ years as a Fire Investigator. He left the State Fire Marshal's Office to become an Instructor/Facilitator at the Center for National Response located at the Memorial Tunnel in Gallagher, WV.  Tony left the Center for National Response to accept a position as the administrator of the Safe Schools Program for the WV Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. During the Summer of 2020, he became the Assistant Deputy Director of the newly created Integrity and Infrastructure Protection Section (now the Preparedness and Response Section) within the WV Depart​ment of Homeland Security's Emergency Management Division.  Tony also served as the EEO Counselor/Coordinator for the WV Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management from December 2017 through January 2021.

Tony has attended classes nationwide concerning firefighting, fire/explosion/explosives investigation, interview/interrogation, forensic death investigation and terrorism. He has instructed various fire, EMS, terrorism, and safety related classes throughout WV.

He is the recipient of a Stork Award, Phoenix Award, WV-IAAI Investigator of the Year and Fusion Liaison Officer of the Year. Tony holds two Bachelor of Science degrees from West Virginia Institute of Technology (now WVU Institute of Technology).​

Rangers 5-2023.jpg​​
​EMD ​Liaisons L-R: Matt Gregg, Theresa White, Carrie Russell, Shawn Dunbrack, Sandy Green, and Ben Hersman.​​
Region I 

Calhoun, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Pleasants, Putnam, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties.

Benjamin Hersman 
benjamin.l.hersman@wv.gov 
​​304-549-7014

Ben joined EMD as the Region I Liaison in November 2021. He has been active in public safety since 1996 when he became a member of the Ripley Fire Department. Since joining the fire department he has held numerous titles and roles.

While a member of the fire department he began working for Jackson County 911/Office of Emergency Services.

Later, he served with Jackson County EMS and Kanawha County Ambulance Authority. During his EMS career, he has worked as both an EMT and a paramedic.

Ben is a West Virginia Public Service Training Instructor for fire and EMS courses. He conducts courses on Stop the Bleed and the Bomb Making Materials Awareness Program. Ben also serves as a Fusion Liaison Officer for the West Virginia Fusion Center.​

Region II 
Brooke, Doddridge, Hancock, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Preston, Taylor, Tyler and Wetzel counties.

Carrie Russell 
Carrie.A.Russell@wv.gov 
681-910-3165

​​​Region III

​​Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral and Morgan counties.​

Sanford Green 
sanford.h.green@wv.gov 
304-807-5135

Sandy has been actively involved in emergency response and public safety in Tucker County since 1982 when he was 'conscripted' into the Canaan Valley VFD. He served as Chief of the Department from 2001 to 2019. He is a past Chairman of the Tucker County E-911 Advisory Council and the Office of Emergency Management Board and volunteered with Tucker County Emergency Medical Service for nearly 20 years.

Sandy is West Virginia's Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) Coordinator and had the honor of working the EMAC desk at the National Response Coordination Center during the response to Hurricane Harvey and the run-up to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. He is in the process of building out the EMAC 'A-Team' cadre, by bringing his fellow liaisons into the fold.

As part of his duties as the Region 3 Liaison, Sandy partners with the EPA's 'START' exercise planning team to deliver an annual, multi-tiered, HSEEP compliant exercise program to the eight WV counties of the EPA's Shenandoah Valley Region. The exercise program has grown in the region and now includes Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties in western Maryland.

Region IV 
Barbour, Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, Tucker, Upshur and Webster counties.

​Shawn Dunbrack
shawn.d.dunbrack@wv.gov 
304-807-5630

Shawn has served the northern mountain counties as the Region 4 Area Liaison since 2015.  The rural mountainous region brings special challenges to emergency personnel including rough terrain, sparse populations, communications. and logistical challenges, to name a few.

Prior to joining EMD, Shawn began his emergency services career in 1984 as a volunteer firefighter/EMT with Marlinton Fire-Rescue where he retired at the rank of EMS Captain.   He also previously served as the Director of Emergency Management and 911 for Pocahontas County. Shawn has extensive private sector logistical experience, having worked as Director of Operations for a transportation company for 23 years.

Shawn is currently assisting with the WV Safe Schools Program as a Safe Schools Specialist, where he is responsible for statewide Crisis Response Plans, Safe Schools Hotline reports and providing school safety training and exercises to school staff.

In addition to being an accredited WV Emergency Manager Level 3, Shawn holds current certification as an Emergency Medical Technician, Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program instructor, Emergency Management Basic Academy Instructor, Stop the Bleed Instructor, Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Instructor, Adjunct Faculty for FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness and numerous other fire, EMS and emergency management credentials.

Region V
Fayette, Greenbrier, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming counties.

Theresa White

theresa.g.white@wv.gov

​304-807-3460

Theresa worked for 14 years with the Fayette County Office of Emergency Management. Having worked from a volunteer basis through Flood Recovery all the way to the position of Director, Theresa has covered multiple levels of duties.

Prior to the emergency management field, she worked for ten years in library science including Goochland County, VA, Raleigh, and Fayette counties in West Virginia.

Theresa is passionate about preparedness education and works with the Local Emergency Planning Committees helping with the Annual Preparedness Fairs along with numerous fairs and festivals. She also plays a key role in the development and instruction of exercises and trainings throughout the state.​

Region VI 
Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, and Wayne counties.

Matt Gregg

matthew.e.gregg@wv.gov

304-549-1369

Region Six Liaison Matt Gregg has dedicated over 20 years of service to the citizens of West Virginia in Mason County. Beginning at the age of 16 as a junior fire fighter, he now holds the rank of Deputy Chief at the New Haven Volunteer Fire Department.

In addition to his fire service, Matt has wor​ked for nearly 20 years with the county's only EMS agency, Mason County EMS.

Over the last 12 years, Matt has held a full-time role with the Mason County Office of Emergency Services, earning the rank of Director before becoming EMD's Region 6 Liaison. During his tenure with Mason County, Matt has gained knowledge in many facets of emergency management including Hazard Mitigation, Flood Plain Management, Administration Management, hazardous materials, and more.

Matt is currently an Indirect Instructor for the US Dep​artment of Homeland Security's Center for Domestic Preparedness and is very active with local amateur radio groups as a DHS Communications Leader, DHS Communications Technician, West Virginia and DHS Auxiliary Communication, and Programmer for the State Interoperable Radio Network.​ 

This page updated December 18​, 2023.