Humanitarian Disaster and Safety and Security Risk Management

Norman D Sheehan is an international risk management and mitigation specialist and advisor and crisis responder to NGOs, Universities and International Development Organizations. His expertise spans more than thirty years of developing and implementing operational security programs, policies, crisis response, critical situation negotiations and implementing and advising humanitarian assistance initiatives.

His experience has required him to engage with traditional power centers to include the United Nations, NATO, European Union, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), international and national non governmental organizations (NGO) and national governmental military structures. He has also negotiated and coordinated with evolving non-traditional powers such as armed local groups and militias. His experience includes negotiations with diverse elements and warlords in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Somalia and Iraq and local militias throughout central and east Africa such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, the Darfur region, borders areas of Chad, Central African Republic and Uganda.

In his past, he served as an emergency responder, trainer, response preparation and planning with Fire/Rescue and Civil Defense in Ireland. In 1985 he joined the humanitarian and development organization GOAL. With GOAL, he led emergency response deployments for prolonged periods in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Sudan, Bosnia, Rwanda, Burundi, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, East Timor, Kosovo and Albania working in coordination with the humanitarian community, the United Nations and various civilian and military governmental representatives.