Virginia Emergency Official Steps Into Top Role

State of VA - Lauren Opett is now leading the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. She began serving as the agency's acting State Coordinator on May 18, 2026.

The State Coordinator is the top position at VDEM. The person in that role also serves as the Governor's chief advisor on disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.

Opett is no stranger to the agency. She currently serves as VDEM's Chief of Preparedness, where she oversees the Planning, Awareness and Intelligence, Communications, and Training, Education and Exercises Divisions, as well as Legislative Affairs.

Her background covers every level of emergency management. She has worked at the local, state, and federal levels and spent more than a decade at VDEM supporting responses to disasters of all sizes and types.

Before her current role, Opett served as VDEM's State Exercise Officer. She also worked as the Director of Strategic Communications and as a Senior Advisor on the agency's executive team.

As a member of the Virginia Emergency Support Team, she took on the role of External Affairs Chief. In that position, she directed the state Joint Information Center and coordinated public information between federal, state, and local partners during disaster events.

Opett holds a master's degree in emergency and disaster management along with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Virginia Tech. She also holds several professional certifications, including Certified Emergency Manager, Virginia Professional Emergency Manager, and Master Exercise Practitioner.

No additional details were released about how long Opett will serve in the acting role or who will ultimately fill the position permanently.