{"id":76699,"date":"2026-01-16T11:47:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T18:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=76699"},"modified":"2026-01-16T11:47:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T18:47:11","slug":"humans-of-nau-whitney-mckay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/humans-of-nau-whitney-mckay\/","title":{"rendered":"Humans of NAU: Whitney McKay"},"content":{"rendered":"

Emergencies are\u00a0<\/span>Whitney McKay\u2019s<\/span><\/b>\u00a0job.\u00a0Since joining the Coast Guard 20 years ago, her career has spanned emergency management tasks, from preparing contingency plans and running exercises to being on the ground after the Boston Marathon bombing.\u00a0NAU\u2019s new emergency\u00a0manager\u00a0shares the pioneering woman who inspired her passion\u00a0and\u00a0her artsy, tasty hobby.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What brought you to NAU?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At its core, it was a desire for new experiences. My husband and I were both born and raised just outside of Boston and spent most of our careers in the Northeast. While we loved the\u00a0energy of New England, we often found ourselves escaping on weekends to the quiet woods of western Maine in search of balance. Over time, that contrast made it clear we were ready for a change.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When the opportunity to move to Flagstaff came along, we jumped at it.\u00a0The culture at NAU, the proximity to extraordinary parks and\u00a0wildlife\u00a0and the abundance of sunshine have all exceeded our expectations. While we\u00a0maintain\u00a0deep roots,\u00a0family\u00a0and fond memories back East, we have\u00a0a strong sense\u00a0that this is where\u00a0we\u2019d\u00a0like to\u00a0be.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How did you get into emergency management?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"WhitneyI joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 2005,\u00a0where I held a variety of roles but was\u00a0frequently\u00a0assigned to\u00a0incident\u00a0management\u00a0teams within Coast Guard\u00a0command\u00a0centers. In those assignments, I helped coordinate responses to a wide range of maritime incidents, including search and rescue operations, boating\u00a0accidents\u00a0and severe weather events.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Later in my career, I served as a\u00a0preparedness\u00a0officer, overseeing the\u00a0region\u2019s\u00a0area\u00a0contingency\u00a0plan, which\u00a0guides\u00a0coordinated response actions for major marine oil spills. This role involved leading multi-agency exercises, managing training\u00a0programs\u00a0and\u00a0maintaining\u00a0ongoing planning and coordination with partners across the region.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When I transitioned out of the Coast Guard in 2014, the skills I developed in preparedness, response coordination and interagency collaboration translated naturally into emergency management roles across the state,\u00a0federal\u00a0and private sectors.\u00a0In those roles, I supported organizations in preparing for a wide range of hazards,\u00a0including flooding, pandemics,\u00a0earthquakes\u00a0and nuclear and radiological incidents. I also\u00a0responded to real-world events,\u00a0including\u00a0the Boston Marathon\u00a0bombing and the widespread devastation following Hurricane Sandy in New York\u00a0City.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"WhitneyToday, overseeing emergency management programs allows me to draw on my strengths in collaboration,\u00a0organization\u00a0and strategic planning to help communities prepare for\u2014and navigate\u2014their most challenging moments.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell me about a day in the life of your job.\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When people think of emergency management, they often picture flashing lights and tactical\u00a0response,\u00a0such as\u00a0police, fire and other first responders in action. While that tactical response is highly visible and essential,\u00a0much\u00a0emergency management happens\u00a0behind the scenes,\u00a0at the strategic level. This includes coordination among responders and campus partners who may not be in uniform, making campuswide decisions, aligning operational\u00a0activities\u00a0and planning for long-term recovery.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Emergency management programs span mitigation, preparedness,\u00a0response\u00a0and recovery, all of which are critical to ensuring the campus is ready before an incident occurs, supported during an emergency and resilient afterward.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

No two days are\u00a0exactly the same\u00a0for me, but many involve reviewing and developing emergency plans in close coordination with the\u00a0campus\u00a0Emergency Management Assistance Group (EMAG). EMAG is a cross-functional group of campus stakeholders\u00a0representing\u00a0multiple departments and leadership areas, and it plays a key role in guiding,\u00a0prioritizing\u00a0and shaping NAU\u2019s emergency management efforts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I also work extensively with our external partners, including the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County Emergency Management. Currently, I am\u00a0participating\u00a0in the planning effort for the county\u2019s Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, with NAU serving as a participating\u00a0jurisdiction. This work helps ensure the university is integrated into broader community preparedness efforts\u00a0because\u00a0emergencies\u00a0know no\u00a0boundaries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is one thing people can do today to be better prepared for emergencies?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Confirm that you are signed up for,\u00a0and receiving,\u00a0emergency notifications and alerts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the NAU community, this starts with\u00a0<\/span>NAUSafe<\/span><\/a>. Current students,\u00a0employees\u00a0and certain affiliates are automatically enrolled to receive emergency text messages, automated phone\u00a0calls\u00a0and email alerts. However, it is important to download the\u00a0NAUSafe\u00a0app and verify that your campus location settings\u00a0are\u00a0accurate\u00a0so you receive campus-specific notifications. You should also ensure that your mobile and preferred phone numbers, as well as your personal email address, are up to date in\u00a0<\/span>LOUIE<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"WhitneyIn addition to campus alerts, it is equally important to enroll in the Coconino County Emergency Alerts system. These alerts provide critical information about community-level\u00a0hazards,\u00a0such as\u00a0wildfires, road\u00a0closures\u00a0and National Weather Service alerts, including\u00a0Grand Canyon river\u00a0flood warnings.\u00a0Visit\u202f<\/span>Emergency Management | Coconino<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to sign up!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking just a few minutes today to confirm your alert settings can make a meaningful difference in how quickly you receive information and how safely\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0able to respond during an emergency.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell me about a significant childhood memory and how it has\u00a0impacted\u00a0your life today.<\/span><\/b>\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Growing up along the coast, some of my most formative memories are tied to the ocean\u00a0and its beauty,\u00a0power\u00a0and unpredictability. I was fascinated by the way the environment could shift so quickly, from calm and inviting to\u00a0challenging\u00a0and dangerous, and how people who lived and worked along the coast had to respect those changes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"JeffFrom an early age\u00a0and my time sailing in the U.S. Coast Guard, I learned that\u00a0this\u00a0environment required awareness and preparation. Weather,\u00a0tides\u00a0and conditions mattered, and\u00a0planning ahead\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0optional\u2014it was part of everyday life. Those early experiences shaped how I think about risk, decision-making\u00a0and responsibility.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, that perspective\u00a0carries\u00a0directly into my work in emergency management. The ocean taught me that preparation\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0about overreacting;\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0about being deliberate,\u00a0informed\u00a0and ready so that when conditions change, you can respond confidently and effectively.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What did you want to be when you grew up?<\/span><\/b>\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I always knew I wanted a career in service, influenced by my family\u2019s long history of serving in the U.S. military. My paternal grandmother was one of the first women to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, and she was deeply proud of her service as a\u00a0staff\u00a0sergeant during World War II.\u00a0I believe her example\u00a0left\u00a0a lasting impression\u00a0on me and shaped my desire to serve others in a meaningful and impactful way.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is your favorite way to spend a day off?<\/span><\/b>\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"RoyalI love spending time outdoors,\u00a0hiking\u00a0and exploring with my husband and our two dogs. When\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not on the trail\u00a0or in the camper,\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0often find me in the kitchen baking,\u00a0especially decorating royal icing cookies.\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0beautiful little edible works of art and make fun, unexpected gifts for friends and family.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are three items on your bucket list?<\/span><\/b>\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Spend New Year\u2019s Eve in Edinburgh, Scotland<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Hike Humphreys Peak<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Build a leading emergency management program at NAU\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Emergencies are\u00a0Whitney McKay\u2019s\u00a0job.\u00a0Since joining the Coast Guard 20 years ago, her career has spanned emergency management tasks, from preparing contingency plans and running exercises to being on the ground after the Boston Marathon bombing.\u00a0NAU\u2019s new emergency\u00a0manager\u00a0shares the pioneering woman who inspired her passion\u00a0and\u00a0her artsy, tasty hobby.\u00a0 What brought you to NAU?\u00a0 At its core, it…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":76700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1817],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humans-of-nau"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76699"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76699\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}