Darrin Punchard, FAICP


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FAICP Statement

Darrin Punchard is a nationally recognized expert and pioneer in the field of hazards planning. For over 25 years he has worked to prevent natural hazards from becoming disasters. His accomplishments extend from some of the nation’s earliest hazard mitigation plans to more recent innovations, including integrating resilience throughout the District of Columbia’s Comprehensive Plan, and a first-of-its -kind State Hazard Mitigation & Climate Adaptation Plan for Massachusetts. He’s led the development of pivotal guidance and resources for planners, such as the federal Local Mitigation Planning Handbook, and he was instrumental in forming APA’s Hazard Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Planning Division.

Professional Biography

Darrin Punchard, FAICP, CFM is an urban planning and resilience strategy consultant who has spent his career working to prevent natural hazards from becoming disasters. He has over 25 years of experience in hazard mitigation planning with specialized expertise in risk assessment, risk communication, and actionable strategies for risk reduction. Punchard prepared some of the nation’s first federally approved hazard mitigation plans per the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and to date has assisted hundreds of communities in similar efforts, with emphasis on integrated and participatory planning processes. In 2016, he founded his own consultancy, Punchard Consulting, to help a broad range of public and private sector clients prepare for, recover from, and more successfully adapt to natural hazards. He is a co-founder of APA's Hazard Mitigation & Disaster Recovery Division, and he served six years on the board of directors for the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association.

Education

224944 | University of Florida
Graduation Date: August, 1997
Degree Level: Graduate
Planning Degree

University of Rhode Island
Graduation Date: August, 1995
Degree Level: Undergraduate