Director's Office

David Maxwell

Mr. David Maxwell was appointed on June 30, 2006 as Director of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) and State Homeland Security Adviser.  He served as ADEM’s Deputy Director from March 2002 until this appointment.  He has more than 28 years of service with the agency. 

As Director, Maxwell chairs the Arkansas Homeland Security Advisory Group and serves on the Arkansas Terrorism Task Force, the Arkansas Governor’s Earthquake Advisory Council, the Arkansas Fire Protection Board, the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), the Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN) Steering Committee, the Arkansas Tech Emergency Administration and Management Citizens Advisory Council, the Pine Bluff Arsenal Citizen Advisory Commission.  At the national and regional levels, he participates as a state member of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) and chairs the NEMA Preparedness Committee.  He is also on the Advisory Board for the Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium and the Board of Directors of the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC). 

In 1978, he began his career in emergency management working in temporary housing for the State after major flooding in Little Rock, Arkansas, and was promoted to Planning Specialist in 1980.  Later he advanced to ADEM’s Plans and Operations Division Manager.  In that capacity, he ensured the State Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and local jurisdictional plans were maintained and in compliance with state and federal guidelines.  Mr. Maxwell led the division in its mission of coordinating state response and recovery operations, collaborating with federal and local governments, and volunteer agencies with disaster response or recovery responsibilities.  David Maxwell served as the designated State Coordinating Officer for seven federally declared disasters and one federally declared emergency. 

Mr. Maxwell has been awarded the Governor’s Service to the Citizens Award, and has been chairman of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) Operations Subcommittee. 

David Maxwell has a Master’s Degree in Sociology from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas with a Bachelor’s Degree from Arkansas Tech University. David, his wife Lauren reside in Conway, Arkansas.