Signature Work

Sector
Federal Agency | Crisis Communications | Interagency Coordination

Challenge
NOAA needed a coordinated crisis communications structure to align multiple offices, messaging channels, and interagency briefings during high-visibility weather events and agency initiatives.

Approach
Julie Kay Roberts developed the NOAA Crisis Communication Team structure, guided communications staff across the agency, and coordinated messaging and briefings with FEMA and the White House.

Impact
NOAA gained a federal-scale communications model that helped a large, distributed agency speak with speed, accuracy, and authority during major events.

Sector
State Emergency Management | Active Threat | Public-Private Response | Victim & Family Support

Challenge
Following the Pulse Nightclub shooting, victims and families needed urgent support for travel, transportation, and temporary housing during a nationally scrutinized mass-casualty crisis.

Approach
Through pre-established public-private relationships, the Florida State Emergency Response Team coordinated support from JetBlue, Uber, and Airbnb for victims and families.

Impact
The response demonstrated how public-private partnerships can deliver practical, dignified support during an active threat incident and why planning must extend through reunification, family support, communications, and recovery.

Sector
Tourism | Environmental Disaster | Crisis Communications | Economic Resilience

Challenge
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill threatened public perception of Florida’s beaches and created economic risk for the tourism industry, even where beaches remained open and clean.

Approach
Julie Kay Roberts served as liaison between VISIT FLORIDA and the Florida State Emergency Response Team and helped organize the Great VISIT FLORIDA Beach Walk to show the coastline remained open and accessible.

Impact
The campaign created visible proof at a time when perception was driving economic damage, reinforcing that reputational recovery requires both message and operational evidence.

Sector
State Emergency Management | Private-Sector Coordination | Program Design

Challenge
Florida needed a durable structure to integrate businesses and industry as operational emergency management partners before, during, and after disasters.

Approach
Julie Kay Roberts established the ESF-18 standard operating guide, managed the Office of Private Sector Coordination, and supported the Virtual Business EOC, business re-entry, public education, and public-private summits.

Impact
Florida gained a structured model for treating the private sector as a coordinated response and recovery partner rather than an afterthought.

Sector
Aviation | Critical Infrastructure | International | Emergency Preparedness

Challenge
Curaçao Airport Partners needed to evaluate readiness for a severe flooding event and test EOC activation, staffing, procurement, public information, and interagency coordination.

Approach
JK Roberts designed and facilitated the “Rising Waters: Curaçao Airport Flood Response” tabletop exercise, including scenario development, phased injects, participant materials, and real-time facilitation.

Impact
The exercise identified seven improvement areas, established corrective actions, and created a baseline for a 2026 Functional Exercise and a 2026–2028 integrated exercise strategy.

Sector
Defense Mission Assurance | Critical Infrastructure | Human Systems | Arctic & Remote Environment Resilience

Challenge
Arctic homeland defense depends on privately operated lifeline systems and human systems, but no single analysis had connected those dependencies under a realistic disruption scenario.

Approach
Through PSEMA, Julie Kay Roberts led research and stakeholder engagement for two reports commissioned by the Homeland Defense Institute in support of Arctic mission assurance planning.

Impact
The research reframed continuity of society as a prerequisite for continuity of operations and strengthened JK Roberts’ advisory work in critical infrastructure resilience, public-private coordination, operational continuity, and strategic risk analysis.