Over the past several years, the state has experienced an unprecedented number of emergencies and disasters. As these climate-driven natural disasters become more severe in California, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) staff has met each new challenge head-on.
The nearly 2,000 staff at Cal OES have responded to increasingly complex disasters in fresh and innovative ways, strengthening the foundation of emergency management to prepare for, respond to and recover from all types of emergencies and disasters.
This week, Cal OES welcomes you to learn more about Aykanush Mikayelyan, an Associate Governmental Program Analyst in the State Hazard Mitigation Planning Unit. The work she does helps reduce the impacts of natural disaster threats in our state. Through strategic planning and coordination, Aykanush works with her team to update California’s State Hazard Mitigation Plan (SHMP). The work she does unlocks critical federal funding, allowing us access to 20% of eligible Hazard Mitigation Grants.
This year, Aykanush worked to make resources from the SHMP more accessible by translating key documents into eight languages and developing a new webinar series focusing on hazards that threaten California. She also created a children’s activity book as an outreach tool.
“My family and I moved from Armenia to California about 30 years ago. Our state is so diverse, and coming from another country, I wanted to make sure I could help meet the language needs of our community,” said Aykanush. “I wanted to give back to our community and state as a whole. I’m able to do that through the work that I do.”
Aykanush has been with Cal OES for more than two years and is passionate about her career. For her, it hits close to home.
“I’m raising my own kids here, and knowing that I can help California stay safe is why I work at Cal OES.”