Her Story
About Olivia
Olivia Dengering is an emergency management and emergency services professional with approximately 10 years of experience supporting individuals and communities during emergencies and times of crisis. She serves as a DSA Cadre Specialist with FEMA and has worked as a Crew Lead with FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security since 2020. In these roles, she has supported disaster response operations, coordinated personnel and resources, assisted disaster survivors in accessing emergency aid and recovery resources, trained team members, and maintained accurate documentation in fast-paced environments. Her earlier experience as an Integration Technician included supporting multi-site security operations across 47 national locations, where she developed expertise in logistics, scheduling, compliance, documentation, access control, and operational support.
Alongside her emergency management career, Olivia is deeply involved in community service and ministry. Since July 2025, she has served as Ministry Coordinator at Anderson Baptist Church, where she leads faith-based food pantry outreach serving approximately 1,500 individuals each month. She oversees distribution, inventory, reporting, volunteer scheduling, client assistance, and compliance while recruiting and training volunteers and developing community partnerships to strengthen resources for families in need. She also serves as a volunteer firefighter and participates on her county's Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) board, extending her commitment to emergency preparedness, community resilience, and public service.
Olivia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory and Composition from Austin Community College, graduating with a 3.87 GPA, and holds Pro Board High-Angle Ropes Rescue certification through TEEX Training. Her professional and community work reflects her strengths in multitasking, coordination, adaptability, and compassionate service. Olivia encourages women entering emergency management and other male-dominated fields to be patient, extend grace, recognize their unique strengths, and remain confident in who they are. Her approach is grounded in service, faith, dignity, compassion, and a commitment to helping others through challenging circumstances.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Olivia
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering emergency management and emergency services is to be patient and give yourself and others grace, particularly because this can be a male-dominated industry. Recognize that your ability to multitask is a strength and a gift, and use it to your advantage. Most importantly, be comfortable and confident in who you are, remain patient through challenges, and bring your own strengths and gifts to the work you do.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide me are patience, grace, service, compassion, reliability, adaptability, and faith. In my work and community service, I believe in treating people with dignity and compassion, supporting those who are experiencing difficult circumstances, and serving others with a spirit of humility and care.
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