Chief Executive Officer
PIO Academy
Riva, Maryland, United States
Mark Brady is well known in the field of public safety public information. He has nearly 50 years of public safety experience, most notably with fire and emergency medical services. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the PIO Academy and Communications Manager for the Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation (YLD). YLD provides monetary awards to aspiring leaders in the field of fire/EMS, hazmat, emergency management and homeland security. He is the recipient of two national awards for his role as an instructor and mentor in the field of public information. In 2022, Brady received the Politano Lifetime Leadership Award from the State of Florida and in 2024 he received the National Leadership Award from the National Information Officers Association.
Brady started his career with the Branchville Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Squad in College Park, MD, at 18 years of age and was soon employed by Prince George’s County, Maryland as a civilian working with the 911 call center and police department before beginning a 40-year career with the fire/EMS department (PGFD). Additional assignments included Public Safety Communications and the Training Academy before being called upon to serve as the Department’s Public Information Officer. PGFD, at the time, was considered one of the largest and busiest combination Fire/EMS departments in the country.
Mark Brady served as the Fire/EMS Department’s Chief Spokesperson and Public Information Officer for 27 years before leaving in February of 2020 to expand his teaching and speaking availability on the subjects of crisis and strategic communications, social media and public safety public information. Brady’s work as a PIO began with the advent of flip cell phones and multi-broadcast fax machines and feels fortunate to have gained experience as a “traditional” PIO.
He started engaging on social media, primarily, Twitter and Facebook, soon after they became popular in 2008. Brady has spoken at many events across the Country as a “subject matter expert” in PIO and social media and is currently a contract instructor with FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in all PIO related classes including Public Information Basics, All Hazards Position Specific, Advanced and Master PIO classes.
Brady is involved in ongoing curriculum review and development for all of FEMA’s Public Information Officer programs.
Mark is married with 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren and resides just outside of Annapolis, Maryland.
Disclosure information not submitted.
Saturday, November 16, 2024
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Saturday, November 16, 2024
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM