Herman Schaffer is the Director of Community Outreach for the New York City Office of Emergency Management. He oversees the Citizen Corps Council, a collaborative network of non-profits, government organizations, and cultural and faith-based institutions focused on disaster preparedness and response; CERT, OEM’s community-based volunteer program; Ready New York, OEM’s emergency preparedness education program, and cross cultural outreach. Herman also coordinates with regional partners to integrate plans and share resources through the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Team and Urban Area Working Group. Prior to joining OEM in 2005, Herman spent three years as a case manager with Safe Horizon connecting victims of the September 11th attacks with local and federal resources to assist with their recovery. Herman also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia where he helped rural communities develop clean water and hygiene education programs. He maintains his connection with Zambia as the Vice President of Self Empowerment through Education (SEED).