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 and program development, resilience, and aviation consulting, 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 an attorney, a policy strategist, and emergency management leader with extensive experience designing, funding, and implementing statewide resilience and disaster recovery programs. He has managed multimillion dollar grant portfolios, drafted legislation establishing new resilience and environmental health authorities, and directed complex statewide initiatives that strengthened community preparedness and shelter-in-place capacity.
As Policy Chief for Oregon’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, Spencer led the creation and administration of Oregon’s $10 million Resilience Hubs and Networks Grant, the $5 million Cleaner Air Centers Grant, and two $2 million Warming and Cooling Center Grant programs. He also directed more than $50 million in FEMA Public Assistance reimbursement grants for mass care operations following the 2020 wildfires and the 2024 winter storm. His leadership advanced Oregon’s capacity to deliver equitable, community-based preparedness infrastructure and improved coordination between FEMA, HUD, EPA, USDA, and state agencies.
Earlier in his career, Spencer managed Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP) awards at the county level and served as a registered lobbyist for the Oregon Emergency Management Association, where he helped shape statewide emergency management legislation.
Spencer integrates legal, operational, and fiscal perspectives to help governments and organizations design practical, compliant, and results-driven 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.
Paul Manson, PhD
Senior Consultant
Paul is a research and policy specialist with extensive experience managing and evaluating grant-funded projects in resilience, emergency management, and public policy. For more than fifteen years, he has worked with state and local agencies, universities, and nonprofit organizations to strengthen disaster recovery, resilience planning, and adaptive capacity through applied research and program evaluation.
At Portland State University’s Center for Public Service, Paul has directed and supported numerous federal and state-funded research and evaluation projects focused on community resilience, hazard mitigation, and disaster recovery. His work has been supported by competitive grants from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Oregon Sea Grant, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the National Science Foundation. These projects include analyses of local and regional resilience strategies, rural economic recovery, tsunami and coastal hazards preparedness, and organizational readiness for disaster response.
Paul’s research informs practical approaches for public-sector grant management and program design. He has developed and evaluated policy frameworks that guide local governments and nonprofit organizations in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural disasters. Paul also contributed to the development of Oregon’s Resilience Hubs and Networks Grant Program, which expanded community led preparedness and shelter in place capacity statewide.
His work integrates social science, public administration, and land-use planning to improve how agencies manage grant-funded programs that address climate and disaster risks. Paul holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs and Policy, a Master of Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology.
Jamie McLeod-Skinner, MS, JD
Senior Consultant
Jamie McLeod-Skinner, JD, AICP, is an attorney, certified planner, and nationally respected leader in community resilience, land use, and disaster recovery. As a Senior Advisor 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. Jamie’s background as an environmental planner, who worked on National Environmental Policy Act review and as a Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) member protecting and restoring natural ecosystems throughout Oregon. 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, CEM
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 worldwide.
Ray Wolf, MPP
Consultant
Ray Wolf is a public policy researcher with expertise in community resilience, disaster preparedness, and equitable grant implementation. Originally from Spain, he brings a multicultural and bilingual perspective to his work, emphasizing inclusive approaches to resilience and public policy. His work bridges academic research and on-the-ground practice, focusing on how public institutions can partner with local communities to strengthen readiness and recovery capacity. Ray has supported programs that advance the Whole Community Approach, improve accessibility of emergency management grants, and enhance collaboration between state agencies, local governments, and community-based organizations. His background includes policy analysis, field engagement with wildfire-affected communities, and research on the structural and political barriers to equitable resilience funding. Ray holds a Master of Public Policy with a specialization in emergency management from Oregon State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Liberal Studies.
Jonathan P. Baker
Lead Consultant
Jonathan Baker is a senior business continuity and emergency management specialist with extensive experience designing and implementing Business Continuity and Continuity of Operations Planning, and crisis management programs in both the public and private sectors. He has led business impact analyses, risk assessments, and continuity planning efforts for complex organizations, helping leadership teams understand risk, safeguard critical functions, and strengthen operational resilience.
Jonathan’s background includes supporting global technology companies, local governments, and health systems in building and exercising continuity plans that align with incident management, mass care, and recovery operations. He has developed and managed enterprise continuity programs, created and delivered training and exercises, and supported emergency operations centers during high-consequence events. His work includes ESF-6 mass care leadership, evacuation and shelter planning, continuity program governance, and after-action improvement processes.
He also has experience supporting grant-funded emergency preparedness and continuity projects, including coordinating documentation, compliance reporting, and project tracking for federally funded initiatives. Jonathan has assisted agencies and partner organizations in aligning continuity and emergency management deliverables with grant requirements, ensuring work plans, timelines, and resource allocations meet state and federal expectations.
A skilled practitioner in the practical use of technology, Jonathan integrates platforms such as Microsoft 365, Jira, and AI tools like Copilot to streamline continuity planning, documentation, and decision support. He leverages these tools to improve situational awareness, strengthen governance frameworks, and make COOP and COG programs more accessible and actionable for busy teams.
Jonathan brings a collaborative, coaching-oriented approach to working with executives, continuity coordinators, and emergency management partners, helping organizations translate complex continuity requirements into clear plans, tested procedures, and sustainable resilience programs.
Erick Holsey
Senior Advisor
Erick Holsey is a senior fire service leader with three decades of progressive public service experience across operations, administration, emergency medical services, and community safety. He currently serves as Fire Chief for the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District, where he oversees district wide operations, strategic planning, capital projects, budgeting, personnel management, regulatory compliance, and community engagement. His leadership focuses on delivering high quality emergency response while building resilient organizational systems that are prepared for long term community needs.
Before joining La Pine, Erick served as Division Chief of Emergency Medical and Special Operations at Columbia River Fire and Rescue. There he managed the district’s EMS programs, special operations functions, state and federal compliance, ambulance service area advisory responsibilities, external partnerships, complaint resolution, and multiple operational budgets.
Erick previously spent more than two decades with the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District, rising from volunteer and intern to Firefighter Paramedic, Lieutenant, Division Chief, and Division Officer. His responsibilities included operational leadership, investigation, prevention, equipment management, grant writing, and development of district standards of cover.
A former United States Army Airborne Infantry service member, Erick brings a disciplined, mission centered approach to leadership and decision making. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Fire Administration with a minor in chemistry from Western Oregon University and multiple associate degrees in fire suppression, paramedic technology, and Oregon transfer studies. He holds extensive professional certifications including NFPA Fire Officer 3, Type 3 Incident Commander, NFPA Fire Investigator, and Paramedic.
Erick is also an engaged civic leader, having served on credit union boards, school district committees, regional public safety partnerships, and veterans’ organizations. He is widely recognized for strong work ethic, operational knowledge, and a collaborative leadership style that strengthens public safety systems and community readiness.
Dan Porter
Senior Consultant
Dan Porter is a nationally trained firearms, active threat, and defensive tactics instructor with extensive experience in public safety instruction, emergency preparedness, and threat-interdiction strategies. With more than 25 years of experience across law-enforcement training environments, private-sector safety programs, and emergency management operations, Dan brings a deep capability to jurisdictions seeking to strengthen Active Shooter and Hostile Event Response programs under NFPA 3000.
He holds advanced instructional credentials from the National Fire Protection Association, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, Safariland Training Group, the Massad Ayoob Group, ALICE Training Institute, ALERRT, the NRA Law Enforcement Division, and Rangemaster Firearms Training Services. A longstanding member of IALEFI and ILEETA, Dan has completed more than 1,600 hours of documented coursework covering complex coordinated attack response, armed-intruder training for civilians and law enforcement, deadly-force instruction, defensive-handgun instruction, and structure-based force-on-force engagements.
Dan’s instructional background is complemented by his service as Training Coordinator for Columbia County (Oregon) Emergency Management, where he supported community preparedness, multi-agency coordination, and the delivery of training programs across a diverse operational landscape. He also founded Intrepid Firearms, a federally licensed firearms dealership and training organization, where he designed individualized programs emphasizing safe, stress-inoculated skill development for civilian concealed carriers and organizational clients.
His leadership experience includes firearms and tactics instruction for public safety agencies and private organizations, production and compliance leadership roles in the outdoor products industry, and earlier executive-level work in information technology. This breadth enables Dan to integrate operational, instructional, and organizational perspectives into large-scale preparedness and response planning.
Dan is a member of IALEFI, ILEETA, the and National Tactical Officers Association. He has held a U.S. Coast Guard 100-Ton Master license and completed executive leadership studies at Harvard University. Based in College Station, Texas, he supports clients nationwide.
Nathan Reynolds
Senior Advisor
Nathan Reynolds is an accomplished public safety and emergency management leader with deep experience in threat assessment, complex event security, and multi-agency operational coordination. With more than thirty years in law enforcement leadership, statewide emergency management support, and high-profile event preparedness, he brings a comprehensive understanding of how organizations prevent, respond to, and recover from high-risk incidents.
Nathan experience as Chief of Strategic Relations and Initiatives for the Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Resilience and Emergency Management includes continuity planning, communications systems integration, mass care readiness, and policy analysis. His broader professional portfolio includes major projects evaluating business continuity, disaster response and recovery, incident communications systems, policy and procedure alignment, and threat environments for public agencies and large corporate operations, including Fortune-level organizations. He has also managed public safety logistics, contractor oversight, and operational integration for the World Athletics Championships.
Previously, Nathan served as Director of Event Continuity for TrackTown USA, leading the planning and implementation of public safety, security, transportation coordination, and COVID-19 protocols for the United States Olympic Team Trials in Track and Field and the Prefontaine Classic. He chaired and coordinated a 38-agency Public Safety Committee, developed and refined operational plans and safety policies, and worked directly with city, county, state, and federal partners on mission-critical preparedness, incident management, and security technology integration.
Nathan retired from the Eugene Police Department after a distinguished 28-year career, where he served as Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Patrol Sergeant, SWAT Team Leader, Emergency Vehicle Operations Supervisor, Lieutenant, Watch Commander, and Lieutenant in the Office of the Chief. He led Internal Affairs, the Office of Policy and Accreditation, and the Office of Intergovernmental and Legislative Relations, guiding policy development, accreditation modernization, legislative analysis, and major IT, fleet, and communications system replacement projects involving multimillion-dollar acquisitions. His leadership also included operational command roles during high-visibility incidents and community movements.
He has completed more than 4100 hours of advanced training approved by the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, including FEMA and DHS coursework in infrastructure protection, critical asset risk management, threat and hazard identification, counterterrorism awareness, EOC operations, enhanced sports and special events incident management, and all-hazards ICS qualifications for Operations Section Chief and Incident Commander. Nathan also brings military experience through service in the United States Navy, including deployment to Somalia during Operation Restore Hope.
He serves on the board of Oregon Community Programs, providing strategic planning and organizational leadership to support evidence-based services for children and families.