Amy N. Podraza is a PhD candidate in the Community Research and Action program at Vanderbilt University. She also holds an M.P.S. in Disaster and Emergency Management from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Communication and Government from George Mason University. She is currently part of the Drinking Water Justice Lab, and her research focuses on environmental hazards, risk communication, and its impact on community resilience. Her professional background includes work at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a Program Liaison Specialist for Public Assistance, with Arlington County Government in Arlington, VA, and as a consultant at Guidehouse and Hagerty Consulting on disaster response projects. Her work bridges research and practice, integrating community-engaged methods with real-world emergency management experience.