Marybeth O’Leary has more than 30 years of Emergency Management experience. Her current position is Emergency Management Lead in the Office of Continuity and Emergency Management for the Bonneville Power Administration. She is often an Incident Commander for the agency Type IV Incident Management Team (IMT) as well as preparing a cadre of agency responders to manage incidents that grow beyond the capabilities of those who perform day-to-day operations.
Prior to BPA, Marybeth worked as the Team Lead for the FEMA Region 10 Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT). During her 9 years with FEMA, she responded to disasters across the US as well as territories in the Caribbean and Pacific. She and her team specialized in the initial phase of incident response including large-scale disasters such as Superstorm Sandy, Hurricanes Irma and Maria, Yukon River flooding, and a 500-year flood event in Louisiana.
Before joining FEMA Marybeth spent 21 years as a Lieutenant firefighter/EMT in Snohomish County, Washington. Marybeth holds the distinction of being the only female promoted above the rank of firefighter in the history of the department where she served. She achieved certificates from the International Fire Service Accrediting Congress in Fire Service Instruction, Haz Mat Operations, and Public Education. Marybeth was an instructor at the Washington State Fire Training Academy in Live Fire, Flammable Liquids, and Multi-company Operations. She is an alumnus of the National Fire Academy and the Emergency Management Institute.
Marybeth and her husband Tom live in Vancouver, WA along with two eccentric dogs. Her hobbies are serving in community organizations and catering to eccentric dogs.