The panel of webinar presenters will share information about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) emergency management programs, and how these efforts align regarding preparation for and response to disasters. The webinar will cover why it’s important to consider children’s unique needs before, during, and after weather events and other emergencies. Participants will learn about actions they can take and about resources available for providers and others.
Webinar participants who complete the evaluation and obtain an 80% or higher on the course post-test will receive a certificate for 1 nursing contact hour.
Presenters
Lieutenant Commander Dana Williams, MPH, is a Senior Advisor in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Children’s Health Protection Division. One of her focus areas at EPA is to consider the unique environmental health needs of children before, during, and after emergencies. She has spent over 16 years as an Environmental Health Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and has worked on a variety of environmental health projects across EPA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). She received her MPH from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, and lives with her family in Washington, DC.
Joel Blanco-González serves as the Disaster Response and Recovery Support Coordinator for EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic), bringing more than 15 years of experience protecting human health and the environment. He specializes in emergency management and has a strong background supporting federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners in the aftermath of hurricanes and earthquakes. Throughout his career, he has contributed across the emergency management lifecycle—prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery—helping people before, during, and after incidents, emergencies, and disasters. He is currently focused on preparedness for the 2026 global sporting events taking place in cities across the country.
Luis Torrens has served with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for over 12 years, bringing extensive experience across public health preparedness, emergency response, and recovery operations. He began his federal career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he spent six years supporting public health and healthcare preparedness efforts in New Jersey as a Public Health Advisor embedded with the New Jersey Department of Health.
Since 2019, Mr. Torrens has worked with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), where he supports federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters and public health emergencies as a Regional Emergency Coordinator. Throughout his tenure at HHS, he has responded to a wide range of incidents, including major natural disasters such as Hurricanes Maria and Helene; infectious disease responses including Ebola, Zika, COVID-19, and MPOX; supported national security special events such as Presidential Inaugurations, State of the Union addresses, and Presidential State Funerals; and no-notice operations, including Operation Allies Welcome.
Mr. Torrens holds a Master of Public Health from the CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Syracuse University.