Preparing disaster response supply chains in Small Island Developing States: The role of data-driven supply chains

Regis Chapman is the Representative and Country Director for the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office, overseeing WFP's work throughout the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. Having opened the Caribbean office in Barbados in July 2018, he has strategically led the growth of an innovative portfolio of support designed to strengthen national social protection, disaster management and food systems, covering regional entities and 22 countries and territories.

Mr. Chapman has an extensive field experience in humanitarian and development programmes around the world in a variety of programme leadership roles, including in the Regional Bureau for Latin America & the Caribbean (2013-2018), Somalia (2010-2013), Afghanistan (2008-2010), Regional Bureau for East and Central Africa (2007-2008), Timor Leste (2006), Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (2006) and Indonesia (2005).

Before joining WFP, he worked with the Red Cross Movement on food security programmes and emergency responses and with the United States Peace Corps.

Michelle Victoria Forbes, a Disaster Risk Management specialist with over twenty (20) years of experience, has an extensive background in disaster risk management planning, community-based disaster management, and emergency operations.

Joining the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) in 2004, she currently serves as Director. She has managed responses to several hazards impact including La Soufriere volcanic eruption in 2021, Hurricane Elsa 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurricane Tomas 2010, April 2011 Floods, Christmas Eve Floods of 2013, and the November 2016 Floods.

A Fulbright Scholar, Ms. Forbes holds a Master's in Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Management from Georgia State University, Atlanta.

The area of Public Policy governing disaster risk management is one of Ms. Forbes's focus, and she says that public policies must adapt to the changing environment and seek to build resilience at all levels - the community, national and regional levels.

Jane Han, a humanitarian logistics and supply chain specialist with USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), has over 15 years of experience in rapid onset natural disaster and complex emergencies, chronic/protracted humanitarian crises, and targeted public health projects, in both response and recovery phases.

She has worked in remote sites and capital coordination offices in resource-limited settings across East Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, South East and Central Asia, the Pacific, and the Caribbean.

With experiences at various levels of implementation and coordination, with donor nations, host nation ministries, and implementing organizations (Save the Children, IMC, MSF, UNICEF and others), including interactions with commercial and military logistics actors, Jane has learned how to productively contribute to more coordinated, regionalized/localized disaster response and preparedness strategies.

Across her assignments, she has maintained a focus on building teams and strengthening systems for improved preparedness and response readiness.

Ms. Elizabeth Riley is the first female Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and was appointed to that position on1 July 2021.

She is a committed regionalist with over 22 years experience in the areas of disaster risk management at the regional and international levels and in environmental management.

At the operational level, Ms Riley has played a leadership role in the coordination of regional responses to all major hazards impacting the region from Hurricane Ivan in 2004 to the La Soufriere Volcanic Emergency in 2021.

She has written, presented, and published technical papers in disaster management and environmental management and has lectured in Disaster Management at the University of the West Indies (UWI). She holds a M.A (Econ) in Environment and Development (University of Manchester, UK), a BSc. (Hons) in Geography (UWI, Mona, Jamaica) and a Masters Certificate in Results Based Monitoring and Evaluation and Information Systems (University of Laval, Quebec).