Full Name
Erik Hooks
Job Title
Deputy Administrator
Company (Please input the full name of your organization)
FEMA
Speaking At
Speaker Bio
Erik A. Hooks was appointed as Deputy Administrator of FEMA by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December 2021. Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Hooks devoted more than 30 years to public service in his home state of North Carolina with a focus on public safety, law enforcement and emergency management.
In 2017, Mr. Hooks was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to become the North Carolina Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Advisor, leading the state’s disaster mitigation, response and recovery efforts as the state navigated an increasing number of natural disasters. His responsibilities included cabinet-level leadership for the N.C. Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Section, the N.C. National Guard, the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resilience, the N.C. State Highway Patrol, the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, the N.C. State Capitol Police, the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice, the Governor’s Crime Commission, and support divisions within the Department of Public Safety. In this role, he led approximately 27,000 sworn and civilian public safety professionals, as well as approximately 12,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen.
As North Carolina’s State Administrative Agent, Mr. Hooks administered federal funds to state, local and tribal entities. Hooks also chaired the North Carolina State Emergency Response Commission and coordinated law enforcement counterterrorism prevention, preparedness and response training on a statewide basis resulting in a cohesive team response by both law enforcement and emergency first responders to acts of terrorism or a terrorist threat.
Prior to his appointment at North Carolina Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Advisor, Mr. Hooks served for 27 years in the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, first as a Special Agent before becoming a senior leader at the agency. He has also served on the Executive Committee of the National Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council and is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the FBI National Executive Institute Associates.
Deputy Administrator Hooks holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from North Carolina State University. Additionally, Mr. Hooks successfully completed the FBI National Executive Institute and the Commandant’s National Security Program at the U.S. Army War College.
In 2017, Mr. Hooks was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to become the North Carolina Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Advisor, leading the state’s disaster mitigation, response and recovery efforts as the state navigated an increasing number of natural disasters. His responsibilities included cabinet-level leadership for the N.C. Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Section, the N.C. National Guard, the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resilience, the N.C. State Highway Patrol, the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, the N.C. State Capitol Police, the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice, the Governor’s Crime Commission, and support divisions within the Department of Public Safety. In this role, he led approximately 27,000 sworn and civilian public safety professionals, as well as approximately 12,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen.
As North Carolina’s State Administrative Agent, Mr. Hooks administered federal funds to state, local and tribal entities. Hooks also chaired the North Carolina State Emergency Response Commission and coordinated law enforcement counterterrorism prevention, preparedness and response training on a statewide basis resulting in a cohesive team response by both law enforcement and emergency first responders to acts of terrorism or a terrorist threat.
Prior to his appointment at North Carolina Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Advisor, Mr. Hooks served for 27 years in the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, first as a Special Agent before becoming a senior leader at the agency. He has also served on the Executive Committee of the National Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council and is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the FBI National Executive Institute Associates.
Deputy Administrator Hooks holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from North Carolina State University. Additionally, Mr. Hooks successfully completed the FBI National Executive Institute and the Commandant’s National Security Program at the U.S. Army War College.
