Blanca Lewis helps lead Georgia emergency preparedness efforts

Blanca Lewis, a State Program Manager at the Georgia Department of Public Health, oversees hospital emergency preparedness across Georgia and helps coordinate statewide response during crises. Her profile highlights more than 20 years of public service, a focus on inclusive leadership, and a push to bring more diverse voices into emergency management.

Why it matters: - Blanca Lewis plays a key role in Georgia’s emergency readiness by helping coordinate resources, volunteers and public health response during crises. - Her work affects hospital preparedness, community protection and the state’s ability to respond to emergencies across diverse populations. - Her profile also spotlights the need for more inclusion in emergency management, a field she says still presents barriers for women and newcomers.

What happened: - Blanca Lewis serves as State Program Manager for Hospital Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Georgia Department of Public Health. - Lewis oversees 22 Medical Reserve Corps units across Georgia and supports hundreds of volunteers. - She coordinates critical resources through the State Operations Center as the ESF 8 Public Health representative during emergencies. - Her profile was published by Influential Women on Nov. 12, 2026. - Learn more about Blanca Lewis.

The details: - Lewis works within Georgia’s emergency management framework, which is governed by the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. - Her responsibilities include training, administrative guidance, coalition building and resource integration to strengthen emergency preparedness and response. - Her specialties include community outreach and emergency preparedness. - Lewis can work in both English and Spanish. - She has more than 20 years of community service experience. - Her background spans public health, emergency management, healthcare, law enforcement, fire and life safety, education and social services. - She has spent about eight years in emergency preparedness and more than four years in her current leadership role. - Earlier roles included victim advocate with a sheriff’s department, fire department inspector, community outreach educator, 13 years with Children’s Healthcare in emergency room and office settings, and social worker with the Department of Children’s Services. - Lewis developed curriculum for local, private and state agencies. - She holds about 37 professional certifications, including Certified Postsecondary Instructor, Fire Inspector, Fire Educator, Caregiver Fire Safety Instructor and CPR Instructor. - Her credentials also include at-risk adult crime tactics specialist, victim assistance specialist and registered medical assistant. - Lewis has training in verbal communication and in creating psychological safety for diverse teams. - She has a bachelor’s degree in Crisis, Emergency and Disaster Management and a Master of Public Health, both from Columbia Southern University. - Lewis is a Certified Emergency Manager and a member of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency community. - She has received a superior rating in Spanish proficiency. - She also received a Hispanic Heritage certificate from Gwinnett County.

Between the lines: - Lewis’s career path shows how emergency management can draw on experience from healthcare, social services, fire safety and law enforcement. - Her emphasis on multilingual communication and community outreach suggests an approach built for diverse and vulnerable populations. - She describes gatekeeping as one of the field’s biggest challenges and sees broader representation as a way to strengthen the profession. - Her profile frames mentorship and behind-the-scenes service as central to public safety leadership, not just frontline response. - Her own career advancement also reflects the value of certifications, cross-training and steady professional development in government emergency work.

What’s next: - Lewis says she intends to keep advancing professionally while supporting the next generation of emergency management leaders. - She continues to mentor others, back community initiatives and encourage women entering the field to stay patient, persistent and willing to learn. - Her profile points to ongoing work in Georgia to improve emergency preparedness and broaden participation in the profession.

The bottom line: - Blanca Lewis is using operational expertise, bilingual outreach and mentorship to help make Georgia’s emergency response system more resilient and more inclusive.