Akers to offer knowledge

Ryan Akers

Ryan Akers, a Mississippi State University Extension Service assistant professor in MSU’s School of Human Sciences and with the Center for Government Training and Technology, will help the university and organizations around the state prepare for disaster situations. Akers will provide statewide leadership in the development and implementation of Extension emergency management programming. The curriculums will be of use to emergency managers, communicators, first responders and those involved with food safety and agriculture security.

Before joining Extension, Akers was a research associate with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. He conducted research related to disaster management and preparation for low-resource communities and higher education institutions.

Akers earned his bachelor’s degree from Delta State University and a master’s degree in counselor education from MSU. He earned his doctorate in student affairs administration from the University of Georgia and also completed a one-year community preparedness and disaster management advanced certification program at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Akers has completed two Harvard University executive seminars regarding leadership in crisis and has served in a variety of national, regional and state-level leadership roles related to emergency management.