(Omaha, NE) -- Amid a very challenging year of spring and summer weather natural disasters, a new Douglas County Emergency Management Director takes over.
Whitney Shipley officially took over as power restoration to thousands continues after last week's windstorm blew though southeast Nebraska.
Shipley succeeds Paul Johnson, who led the county emergency management for nearly 18 years before retiring.
Shipley began her career in Omaha at the Douglas County Health Department as the Coordinator of the Cities Readiness Initiative, a program on public health emergency response.
In 2009, she became an Emergency Management Specialist and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2012.
Shipley holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in biology and worked with the Sioux City Police Department.
(Pictures from Getty Images and Douglas County Government)
Whitney Shipley