The City of Lloydminster is revealing another emergency management speaker for the Bordering on Disaster Conference kick-off.
The virtual half-day session has already teased that Greg Solecki who led the recovery operations for the flood event that struck Merritt, B.C. will be speaking.
Event planners have announced that Lilia Yumagulova, a Bashkir woman born and raised in the Soviet Union, will bring over 20-years of experience in emergency management, risk analysis and planning when she speaks at the session presented by Cenovus Energy on Friday, April 21.
Yumagulova, who grew up in a low-income area prone to recurring floods, has seen the effects of these disasters on her community, which led to her choice of profession. She serves as the program director for the Preparing Our Home Program, which empowers Indigenous youth leadership in community resilience.
As a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in Indigenous Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, Yumagulova’s research focuses on Indigenous self-determination and the role of women in disaster risk reduction, climate displacement, and planned relocation.
Manager of emergency management with the city Andrew Degruchy says Yumagulova’s expertise and passion for empowering Indigenous communities makes her an exceptional addition to the conference.
“Lilia’s keynote speech promises to be a highlight of the event, offering attendees a unique and insightful perspective on disaster risk reduction and resilience-building. We can’t wait to hear her speak and are confident that attendees will leave feeling inspired and equipped with the knowledge to positively impact their communities.”
This kick off session will come two weeks before the national Emergency Management Preparedness Week and ahead of a two-day conference in September.
Registration details are available on the city’s website.