Passion. Experience. Diligence.
Public Advisors Group is a multidisciplinary consulting firm that helps government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community partners design, fund, and manage programs that strengthen community resilience and operational readiness. Our work spans emergency management, grant writing, grant development, and grant administration, supporting clients in building sustainable capacity to plan for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and long-term challenges.
Our team combines experience in emergency management, policy design, and grant program administration with a strong understanding of public-sector operations and interagency coordination. We help clients translate complex funding and policy systems into clear, actionable strategies—supporting every stage from project development and competitive grant writing to program implementation and compliance reporting.
Spencer Karel, JD, MBA
Principal Consultant
Spencer Karel is a policy, resilience, and emergency management professional with extensive experience leading statewide initiatives that strengthen community preparedness, disaster recovery, and mass care operations. He has successfully applied for grants at the local government level and directed complex statewide programs that expanded shelter-in-place capacity, improved environmental health during extreme weather events at public centers, and enhanced coordination among government agencies and community organizations. Spencer’s background spans program design, legislative policy development, FEMA reimbursement, and intergovernmental coordination. He integrates legal, operational, and fiscal perspectives to help clients design practical, equitable, and sustainable resilience programs. He holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Business Administration from Willamette University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Oregon.
Jamie McLeod-Skinner, MS, JD
Senior Advisor
Jamie McLeod-Skinner, JD, AICP, is an attorney, certified planner, and nationally respected leader in community resilience, land use, and disaster recovery. As a Principal with Public Advisors Group and founder of MS Sage Consulting, she brings over 25 years of experience in local government, infrastructure recovery, housing development, and interagency coordination. Jamie previously served as Interim City Manager for Talent, Oregon, where she led post-wildfire reconstruction and secured over $30 million in state and federal recovery funding, and as Strategic Initiatives Manager for Oregon’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, where she helped launch the state’s Resilience Hubs and Networks program. Her work spans domestic and international recovery operations, including humanitarian engineering in post-conflict regions, and she currently directs New Spirit Village, a wildfire-recovery housing initiative recognized by the Governor as a statewide model. A licensed attorney and American Institute of Certified Planners member, Jamie blends technical, legal, and policy expertise to help communities design equitable, climate resilient systems and long-term recovery solutions.
Steve Pegram
Senior Consultant
Steve Pegram is a nationally recognized emergency management executive with more than 25 years of leadership in disaster response, resilience planning, and interagency coordination across federal, state, and local systems. As Chief of Mass Care Preparedness for the Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, he led statewide initiatives establishing Oregon’s Resilience Hubs program, advanced emergency communications networks, and deployable sheltering capabilities. At Public Advisors Group, Steve brings deep expertise in mass care, operational planning, and multi-agency coordination to support clients in developing sustainable resilience and emergency management programs. His career includes directing Columbia County Emergency Management, serving as Division Chief for Emergency Management Systems with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and supporting FEMA, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and international operations in Afghanistan. A Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), instructor, and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Air Crew, Steve has earned multiple national awards for innovation, training excellence, and cross-sector collaboration that strengthened preparedness and resilience nationwide