Retiring after a successful 20+ year career with the U.S. Coast Guard, Bridgette is an experienced advisor in coordinating both nationally and internationally with federal, state, and local agencies during planning, preparedness, and response activities and brings a myriad of critical training skillsets in Emergency Environmental Response and Incident Command Systems to EMSI’s cadre of instructors.

Indicative of her experience, Bridgette is well versed in all-hazards response through countless events that occurred during her time at the Coast Guard’s Sectors, Marine Safety Offices, and the prestigious Pacific and Atlantic Strike Teams. During her service, she served in multiple USCG Planning, Prevention, and Response Departments in various capacities, as an Emergency Management, Training, and Response Specialist for the National Strike Force, as well as selection as a member of the USCG Pacific Area and Atlantic Area Incident Management Assist Teams (IMAT). In her current position, Bridgette serves as the Safety Officer on a standing Spill Management Team (SMT) for EMSI clients that fall under California Office of Spill Prevention and Response regulations.

In her Coast Guard roles on over 75 high profile federal events, she directed multi-million-dollar emergency response actions, including natural disasters; maritime salvage operations; oil/HAZMAT/CBRN incidents; and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emergency and remediation responses. Bridgette gained invaluable knowledge and experience in a wide range of local, regional, and national level incidents and special events, such as Hurricanes KATRINA/RITA in 2005; Super Typhoon IOKE in the mid-Pacific in 2006; the San Diego wildfires in 2007; the Haitian Earthquake in 2010; Hurricane SANDY in 2012; Hurricanes IRMA and MARIA in 2017; and a myriad of National Special Security Events (NSSE). Of particular note, she served as a Deputy Operations Section Chief during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Spill of National Significance (SONS) for 5,000+ Shoreline Branch responders. While supervising the six Strike Teams for Louisiana covering 1,700 miles of shoreline for rapid response operations, she also directed the near-shore skimming operations groups and the Navy On Scene Coordinator (NOSC) teams deployed in support of the efforts.

Indicative of her training acumen, Bridgette was called upon to serve on the NIMS ICS National Level USCG Competency Review Board several times over the years, awarding certifications to members service wide. As a senior member of the National Strike Force Training Workgroup coordinating a Front-End Analysis, she collaborated efforts that resulted in the development of the NSF Training Program Manual and updates completed to all training, curriculum, and qualifications. On an international stage, she served on the US delegation at the Middle East Gulf States Conference on National-Level Response Doctrine and ICS; and the CG/USN International Delegation delivering diplomatic presentations on NIMS ICS and current major response events in the US that were presented in multiple SE Asian countries.

Bridgette holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Excelsior College and is a certified PMI Project Management Professional (PMP), a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP), and NIMS ICS Course Instructor. In addition, she is certified as a Type 1 Safety Officer, Type 1 Operations Section Chief, Type 2 Planning Section Chief, Resources Unit Leader, Situation Unit Leader, Division/Group Supervisor, and an OSHA On Scene Incident Commander. She additionally has held certifications as a Federal On-Scene Coordinator’s Representative (FOSCR), HAZMAT Shipping Certifier, HAZWOPER Trainer, HAZMAT Technician (Levels A, B, C, & D), Radiation Level II Operator and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).