About
Our Company
CH Consulting Group is a woman-owned small business (WOSB) that delivers innovative, yet practical, solutions to government, healthcare and private sector clients.
Our emergency preparedness consulting professionals have years of hands-on experience in the areas of healthcare, emergency services, emergency management, business continuity, risk communications, transportation, hazardous materials, cybersecurity. Additionally, our emergency preparedness consulting team has served in key command and general staff positions during actual responses.
The CH Consulting Group understands the challenges and issues that your organization faces on a daily basis and provides effective solutions based on that understanding. We are also familiar with the political, legal, economic, and operational realities of government, healthcare and private industry, allowing us to foresee and confront potential future problems.
Our Philosophy
- We put our Customers first and strive to secure their loyalty through top quality service.
- We value our Team of Experts and seek to help them achieve their full potential.
- We embrace Professionalism and seek Excellence in everything we do.
- We do our best to help Communities be better places in which to live, work and grow.
Meet The CH Consulting Group Team
CATHY HOCKERT
Founder
Cathy is the owner of CH Consulting Group. Ms. Hockert is a senior government and business leader who has a strong background in community collaboration and engagement, crisis management, and strategic planning across global governmental organizations and business corporations. Ms. Hockert’s expertise includes Planning, Training, and Exercise, Project Management, Crisis Planning and Response Strategies, Risk Communications, Team Building, and Problem Solving.
Ms. Hockert has years of hands-on experience in the fields of emergency management, incident command and EOC operations, business continuity, risk communications, EMS, healthcare, and hazardous materials. She has served in key command positions, including Incident Commander, during actual response and recovery operations throughout the United States.
ALYSSA RATHKE
Consultant
Alyssa has been with CH Consulting since 2020. She has experience in cybersecurity, emergency management, infectious disease mitigation strategies, continuity of operations planning, and project management. Alyssa recently provided her subject matter expertise in cybersecurity to the Army Cyber Institute at West Point.
Alyssa graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minors in Communications and Military Science & Leadership. She has over 5 years of military experience, currently serving as a Military Intelligence Officer in the Minnesota National Guard.
Alyssa is a strong leader with skill sets in communication, analysis, and team-building.
ALISON OSBORN
CONSULTANT
Alison started with CH Consulting as an intern while completing her Master’s degree in Emergency and Crisis Management from the University of Central Florida. After completing her internship she moved into her position as a consultant and project manager.
Alison came to CH Consulting with ten years of experience in the Air Force where she served as a RED HORSE Training Instructor and a Unit Deployment Manager. She is a subject matter expert in control center operations, training development, teaching/instruction delivery, and behavior management.
Alison currently serves as the Regional Information and Planning Manager for Central Florida and the US Virgin Islands for the American Red Cross. In her position, she supervises diverse groups of volunteers, manages exercise programs, writes hazard mitigation and response plans, conducts trainings, and deploys for disaster response.
CATHY HOCKERT
Founder
Cathy is the owner of CH Consulting Group. Ms. Hockert is a senior government and business leader who has a strong background in community collaboration and engagement, crisis management, and strategic planning across global governmental organizations and business corporations. Ms. Hockert’s expertise includes Planning, Training, and Exercise, Project Management, Crisis Planning and Response Strategies, Risk Communications, Team Building, and Problem Solving.
Ms. Hockert has years of hands-on experience in the fields of emergency management, incident command and EOC operations, business continuity, risk communications, EMS, healthcare, and hazardous materials. She has served in key command positions, including Incident Commander, during actual response and recovery operations throughout the United States.
ALYSSA RATHKE
Consultant
Alyssa has been with CH Consulting since 2020. She has experience in cybersecurity, emergency management, infectious disease mitigation strategies, continuity of operations planning, and project management. Alyssa recently provided her subject matter expertise in cybersecurity to the Army Cyber Institute at West Point.
Alyssa graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minors in Communications and Military Science & Leadership. She has over 5 years of military experience, currently serving as a Military Intelligence Officer in the Minnesota National Guard.
Alyssa is a strong leader with skill sets in communication, analysis, and team-building.
ROBERT CARLSON
CONSULTANT
Initially an EMT, Paramedic, and firefighter, Mr. Carlson’s position evolved to leading the Metropolitan County Emergency Medial Services unit regulating and coordinating multiple ambulances, hospitals, and first responder services in system-wide healthcare planning. During this time, Mr. Carlson also served on an Airport disaster response committee, chaired a Metro Region EMS committee, and was a member on the States’s EMS Regulatory Board.
From 2005 to 2015 Mr. Carlson was a planning director with the State of Minnesota, developing projects to meet federal and state preparedness requirements for Minnesota.
For the past five years, Mr. Carlson has developed emergency response plans and exercises for a variety of clients.
KRIS KAUS
Consultant
Kris has 28 years of experience working in the healthcare environment. She had led emergency management and business continuity programs for Level 1 trauma centers and large healthcare systems. Her leadership role as an emergency manager required a strong skill set in ICS, HICS, and NIMS as well as integration of hospital response plans with local, state, and federal response agencies.
Kris has responded to several hospital and local/regional incidents where she has filled roles on the incident command team, regional hospital response team, and the local emergency operations center.
Kris is currently serving as an emergency management and business continuity consultant and an instructor at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness.
ANNA HURT
Consultant
Anna R. Hurt has more than eight years of experience working at the intersection of community planning and development and disaster recovery. She specializes in grant management, program design, needs assessments and recovery plans, especially in rural communities. She has managed recovery programs in Texas, Puerto Rico, Florida and California. Anna holds a B.A. in political science and a M.A. in Security Studies with a community development certificate, both from Kansas State University.
ANDREW JASPERS
Consultant
Andrew Jaspers is an Emergency Management Professional who provides subject matter expertise on the rapidly growing profession of Emergency Management for public, private, and non-profit organizations. He believes that Emergency Management is not only a fundamental part of the community but is also the foundation for building a culture of preparedness and increasing community resilience.
In addition to consulting, Andrew works full-time as an Emergency Management Coordinator in the K12 education industry and has previously worked in local county government as an Emergency Management Deputy Director and Planner.
Andrew holds several degrees in the field of Emergency Services and Emergency Management including an Associates of Applied Science in Emergency Medical Services Degree, a Bachelor of Science in Emergency and Disaster Management Degree from Western Carolina University, and a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
ANN POTTER
Consultant
Ms. Potter is a nationally recognized expert on Healthcare Incident Command. She is a Registered Nurse and is a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional (CHEP). Ms. Potter has served as Committee Chair and National Work Group Member; HICS Center Advisory Board for the 2014 HICS Revision Project. She currently serves as the Advisory Board Member for the Center for HICS Education and Training as is a member of the subcommittee to develop Nursing Home Incident Command System for California Association of Healthcare Facilities. Ms. Potter was the section co-author on Chemical Preparedness, Jane’s Mass Casualty Handbook: Prehospital (2003).
ERIC DILORENZO
Consultant
Eric brings over 23 years of experience in Public Safety and Emergency Management. He serves as a Special Teams Commander and local Emergency Management Coordinator where he brings vast experience leading officers through critical incidents and SWAT operations, and ensures the local unit of government is prepared for all hazards.
Through his prior duties as a School Resource Officer and as a current SWAT Team Commander, he has conducted extensive research on best practices for planning for, responding to, and recovering from Active Intruders. He is a highly sought-after trainer and planner.
Eric has also created comprehensive emergency operations plans and continuity of operations plans for local jurisdictions and businesses.
Eric is a graduate of Georgetown University’s Master’s program in Emergency and Disaster Management and of the 268th Session of the prestigious FBI National Academy. He is certified by ALERRT in Active Shooter Response and Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) as an Active Shooter Response instructor.
BRANDI NEWHOUSE
Consultant
Brandi Newhouse is a recognized expert Emergency Planner, Manager and leader with a diverse crisis management background at the county, region, and state level. Specializing in state and local coordination, mass care, and crisis response, Brandi has served the Southwest Florida community for over six years. As a county Assistant E-911 coordinator, she was responsible for all grant management and purchasing for three Public Safety Answering Points with a combined budget of over $1 million dollars. Additionally, she served as the Emergency Management Planner and Situation Unit Leader for several EOC activations to include 2017’s Hurricane Irma, later leading the county’s recovery efforts. After transitioning into healthcare emergency management, Brandi served as the Regional Healthcare Coalition Coordinator for four coalitions across a nine-county region. She has served as the ESF-8 Health and Medical lead for numerous events and is highly immersed in mass care and sheltering, particularly of persons with access and functional needs. Brandi is a proven multi-talented Emergency Management practitioner, team builder, and manager with a true passion for her work. She stands ready to assist in fulfilling the emergency management and healthcare needs of our clients.
Ms. Hockert has years of hands-on experience in the fields of emergency management, incident command and EOC operations, business continuity, risk communications, EMS, healthcare, and hazardous materials. She has served in key command positions, including Incident Commander, during actual response and recovery operations throughout the United States.
NIA GUMBS
Consultant
Nia Gumbs is an emerging leader in emergency management. She is currently finishing up her Master’s in Disaster Management at Florida International University. Nia has emergency management experience working with the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency and the Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Office of Emergency Management. Her desire to have a career in emergency management stems from growing up in the US Virgin Islands.
KODY MACON
Consultant
Initially starting as a firefighter/EMT, Kody has moved up the ranks and has moved from firefighting to emergency management and instructing. He is an instructor and subject matter expert in public safety to include the fire service, technical rescue, and hazardous materials. Kody serves on multiple committees from the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and Florida Emergency Preparedness Association (FEPA) as well as previous experience serving on multiple student body committees in both his undergraduate program at Purdue University and his graduate program at Florida International University. Kody also works as an instructor for FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness. Throughout his experience, he’s developed a strong skill set with the ICS/NIMS, responding to natural, technological, and human-made disasters as well as HSEEP discussion and operations-based exercises.
LAUREN HOLTZCLAW
Consultant
Lauren is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness with a minor in Psychology. She has experience in the emergency management field and is a proud member of the Virginia Emergency Management Association (VEMA). Outside of the emergency management field, Lauren has worked in the veterinary medicine field for 5 years, currently working at a small animal and exotic animal hospital in Richmond, Virginia. She has incorporated her knowledge of the emergency management field into veterinary medicine emergency preparedness by creating emergency operations plans and conducting emergency preparedness and response exercise simulations.
MEAGHAN WHALEN
Consultant
Meaghan is a recent graduate from Lasell University where she received her Masters of Science degree in Emergency Management and Homeland Security. During her time as a graduate student, she interned for Perses Consulting, LLC and assisted in plan reviews for a local town in Connecticut.
Meaghan has a drive for helping others and takes pride in being part of the bigger solution which were two attributes that guided her to a career path in Emergency Management. As she takes on her consultant position, she hopes to further her knowledge around all things Emergency Management, create life-long connections with others, and successfully assist CH Consulting in their creation of culture in preparedness and resilience.
Ms. Hockert has years of hands-on experience in the fields of emergency management, incident command and EOC operations, business continuity, risk communications, EMS, healthcare, and hazardous materials. She has served in key command positions, including Incident Commander, during actual response and recovery operations throughout the United States.
ALYSSA BREYEN
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Alyssa is a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a Bachelors of Arts in Professional Journalism and an emphasis in Communication Studies. She has over two years of professional journalism and strategic communication experience, as well as a passion for storytelling.
She describes herself as someone who has a mind of a journalist, but a heart for public relations. She has the skillset and knowledge of a Journalist like writing, producing, interviewing, video production and media design, but garnered a passion for tailoring specific stories and content to an array of different clients and corporations.
As an junior at the U of M, Alyssa worked as a Social Media Planning Intern where she utilized her love for public relations to build relationships between six different clients and their social media audiences by creating content, increasing engagement and monitoring social media activity. She spearheaded a marketing project, which developed engaging promotional new hire videos for client’s social media platforms.
Upon graduation, Alyssa was a Production Intern with Twin Cities Live, an affiliate of KSTP-TV, where she utilized her love for people and connection to help build relationships with different vendors and media contacts that were featured on Twin Cities live. She assisted producers with segment writing and researching, social media content creation, event planning and website cultivation. She was the only intern that was ever asked to stay and work another term.
Alyssa has been with CH Consulting Group since November 2019 and has provided support with web design, html and coding, social media strategy and planning, SEO research and more.
