Ray Shirkhodai, Executive Director
Mr. Shirkhodai is the Executive Director of Pacific Disaster Center (PDC). His professional experience in information management and senior leadership includes strategic planning, corporate governance, administration oversight, program development, budgeting, strategic Information Technology (IT) solution development and investment, and fostering strategic partnerships and new markets.Overall, he has over 20 years of experience in Information Systems including over 12 years of leadership, managing enterprise software product development/deployment, identifying key strategic solutions, integration implementation of large-scale projects, Information Systems architecture and planning, managing IT infrastructure and operations, network and communication systems analysis, Internet application development, and managing change and legacy system migration within the full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). He has extensive experience in cost-of-revenue analysis, change-control management, project management, object oriented system and database design, security definition, and requirement analysis. He joined PDC in January 2002 as Chief of Information Systems, and then served as Chief Operations Officer for more than three years before his appointment as Executive Director.
Mr. Shirkhodai earned a B.S. in Computer Science, 1990, at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, and did graduate studies in Artificial Intelligence, 1993.
Chris Chiesa, Chief Information Officer
Mr. Chiesa is the Chief Information Officer of Pacific Disaster Center and a member of the Executive Management Team. He continues to lead PDC's geospatial data acquisition, management, analysis, dissemination and value-added information development activities as he did when he served as Director of the Data and Information Resources Division of Pacific Disaster Center from March 2002 until his appointment as Chief Information Officer. He has nearly 20 years of experience developing and managing product and service applications of geospatial information technologies. He has supported projects around the world including in Egypt, Ukraine, Thailand, Viet Nam, and the Philippines. Mr. Chiesa has also been an instructor for graduate-level GIS analysis and applications development courses and has provided training to researchers, analysts, and scientists in government agencies within the U.S. and abroad. He was honored with a Special Achievements in GIS award in 2005.Mr. Chiesa earned a B.S. in Engineering, 1985, and an M.S. in Natural Resources Management, 1987, from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A., 2002, from the University of Arizona.
Stanley Goosby, Chief Scientist
Mr. Stanley Goosby has been Chief Scientist for Pacific Disaster Center since 1996 and a member of the Executive Management Team. From 1996 to 2001, he also served PDC as a Modeling Analyst and Manager for Applications Development. He has over 25 years experience in earth-science disciplines relevant to natural disaster modeling, scenario simulation and natural hazard phenomenology. He has led and managed teams analyzing geophysical hazards and phenomena resulting from tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic activity in American Samoa, Vanuatu, Thailand and the Philippines. During his years with Pacific Disaster Center, he has enhanced his capabilities by taking special courses in numerical modeling, remote sensing, GIS analysis and disaster management, as well as hazard and risk impacts. He authored The Impacts of Disasters in the Asia Pacific Region, for the First International Conference on Urban Disaster Reduction, 2005.Mr. Goosby earned a B.S. in Physics, 1978, from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; an M.S. in Physics, 1982, from Washington State University; and did graduate studies at the University of California, San Diego.
Vacant: Chief Technology Officer (Ray Shirkhodai, Acting CTO)
Scott Okada, Director of Finance & Administration
Mr. Okada is the Director of Finance and Administration for Pacific Disaster Center and a member of the Executive Management Team. He has substantial experience in fiscal planning and management and in all areas of budgeting, financial analysis, procurement and business information technology applications. He also has experience and training as a financial forecaster, auditor, tax-compliance officer and report compiler for national and governmental organizations. In previous employment, he also had high level oversight of human resources management and loss prevention as well as all cash management and cost control functions. He participated in a small group charged with the creation of multi-island information technology utilization plan. He has worked with the SEC, NASDAQ and government at various levels to advance and support innovative projects. His experience on the Real Property Tax Review Board has also added to his understanding of important facets of land-use and government-oversight responsibilities.Mr. Okada earned a B.A. in Accounting and Management Information Systems, 1985, and a M. B. A., 1996, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Ted Sheppard, Program & Business Development Officer
Mr. Sheppard is the Programs and Business Development Officer and a member of the Executive Management Team. His executive-level skills include team leadership, strategic planning, financial operations, technical development, administrative management and business development. He has a proven ability to direct, plan, organize, coordinate and evaluate organization performance, financial programs, budget development, performance accounting, project planning, quality management and contract review. He specializes in strategic business planning, goal setting, operations re-engineering and program management in research and technology initiatives. His experience includes leadership of university-sponsored technology research, directing the DoD High Performance Computer Center, development of educational outreach programs, functional performance as a large-agency comptroller, plus evaluation of technologies for Navy R&D applications. His strengths are in the areas of science and technology, commercial business, uniformed services, educational/research institutions and computerized financial/accounting applications.Mr. Sheppard holds an MAcc in Accounting from the University of Hawaii, an M.S. in Management from the Naval Postgraduate School and a B.S. cum laude in Business from Baylor University. He also has successfully completed the Philip Crosby Associates Quality College.