The City of Fredericksburg and Gillespie County hired Ashley Morris as Emergency Management Coordinator on Monday, Nov. 17.

“I am excited to build preparedness in Fredericksburg and Gillespie County,” Morris said. “My goal is to ensure that those who live, work and visit this community are safe from severe weather and other hazards.”

Morris is the first woman to be hired into the position. She brings over eight years of emergency management experience, having served in various locallevel positions in Maryland and Texas. In the Lone Star State, she worked for the Williamson County Office of Emergency Management and the City of Leander Fire Department.

In Gillespie County, Morris will lead all emergency management efforts for the city and county, including disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation.

She will also manage Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation and situational awareness during disasters, as well as weather briefings and planning section duties.

Morris earned both her Bachelor of Science in geophysics (with an emphasis in atmospheric science) and her master’s in geography (with an emphasis in natural hazards) from Texas Tech University. She is working toward a doctorate in Emergency Management from Oklahoma State University.

Morris holds the IAEM Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) credential, earned in 2022, and the Maryland Professional Emergency Management (MDPEMP) credential, awarded in 2023. She graduated from the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy (NEMAA) in August.

Her professional background includes membership on the Type III Maryland State Incident Management Team and the National Capital Region Incident Management Team. She participates in professional associations such as the American Meteorological Society (AMS), National Weather Association (NWA) and the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).

Originally from northwest New Mexico, Morris has family ties in West Texas.

She replaces Frank Stead, who had been serving as the interim Emergency Management Coordinator since Justin Calhoun’s retirement in April of this year.