Liam O’Keefe is the Deputy Managing Director of the Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Mr. O’Keefe oversees the day-to-day direction and operations of OEM, guiding emergency response and recovery activities for the agency, as well as managing and monitoring agency programs, activities and resources.

Since joining the office in March of 2007, Mr. O’Keefe has assisted in overseeing a transformation of the city’s emergency preparedness program, focusing on developing operational emergency plans, conducting training and exercises for first responders, building partnerships with the private sector and community organizations, and providing the public with avenues to learn how to prepare for and stay informed during an emergency. 

Before joining Philadelphia OEM in 2007, Mr. O’Keefe served as a management consultant to FEMA during numerous disaster declarations, including Hurricane Katrina, the Atlantic Hurricanes of 2004, Super Typhoons in Micronesia, and the World Trade Center disaster. In this capacity he held various roles in disaster field offices across the nation; he served as Policy Advisor, Deputy Public Assistance Officer, Project Officer and Training Instructor.   

From 2001 to 2003, Mr. O’Keefe served as an Emergency Preparedness Specialist with the New York City Office of Emergency Management where he assisted in the coordination of World Trade Center disaster response and recovery efforts. In addition to developing various recovery plans, Mr. O’Keefe assisted in the management and coordination of $4.75 billion in grant funding allocated to the City of New York for costs associated with the City’s recovery from 9/11. 

Liam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross.