Donna Erat

Donna Erat is a consultant providing comprehensive client services on public policy issues ranging from rural development to homeland security and emergency management. Ms. Erat works with Federal, Tribal, state, and local governments as well as non-governmental organizations and political associations to build strategic alliances that shape policy and public debate.

Prior to consulting, Ms. Erat was employed with an international consulting firm where she developed federal resources on behalf of clients, including port security and homeland security funds. Ms. Erat also was the Associate Director of Federal Government Relations for the Washington, D.C. law firm of Womble, Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, where she lobbied on behalf of the State of North Carolina and the North Carolina Rural Electric Cooperative Association as well as other clients, securing more than $170 million for recovery projects following the 1999 hurricane season. These projects included housing, economic development, rural community facilities, water and sewer infrastructure. Ms. Erat’s aim was not simply to secure federal disaster relief for North Carolina, but to obtain federal funds that could be used to rebuild North Carolina in a way that would improve the economic, social, and environmental quality of life of its residents.

Previously, Ms. Erat worked at the American Public Works Association (APWA), where she collaborated with the Department of Justice’s Office for Domestic Preparedness (now couched within the Department of Homeland Security) and Texas A & M University to develop the first-ever training program for public works officials, addressing their role in preparing for and responding to acts of terrorism. Ms. Erat also partnered with the National League of Cities and the National Congress of American Indians to rewrite FEMA’s authorizing legislation.

Before her work with APWA, Ms. Erat was employed with FEMA in Washington, D.C. where she served as the Intergovernmental Liaison for the Director on disaster related matters. While at FEMA, Ms. Erat also worked in the Mitigation Directorate, developing program policy and documenting the implementation of a post-disaster program. Ms. Erat wrote reports for the White House and Congress, prepared congressional testimony, spoke with the media, and gave presentations to visiting dignitaries. Ms. Erat’s years with FEMA allowed her to work with and navigate through issues including Tribal governance and Trust Responsibilities, environmental justice and compliance, historic preservation, sustainable community and economic development, and land use planning.

Before joining FEMA, Ms. Erat worked with homeless families and individuals and addicts in recovery as a case manager and counselor. It was in this field of work that Ms. Erat honed her communication and analytic skills, realizing that the same advocacy skills used to secure housing and social services for a client can also be utilized to affect public policy.