Heather Shaivitz
Associate Director, Administration and Finance
Phone: 443-271-7978
Email: hshaivitz@umaryland.edu
Areas of Expertise: Client and contract management | Business development | Strategic planning and partnerships
Certifications: Maryland State Bar, admitted December 2004
Education: J.D., 2004, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law | B.A. in Political Science, 2001, Gettysburg College
About Heather
I originally went to law school with a strong passion for criminal defense and was certain I’d become a public defender. But during my first year, the 9/11 attacks occurred, and shortly after, CHHS was established at UMB to focus on counter-terrorism and homeland security. After graduating in 2004, I took a one-year fellowship with CHHS while waiting for my bar results (which I passed!), intending to apply to the Public Defender’s office. However, I found the work at CHHS so compelling that I decided to stay, and I’ve been in this field ever since. One of the most impactful projects I’ve led at CHHS was organizing the Senior Crisis Management Seminars through our partnership with the U.S. Department of State. We hosted over 20 week-long seminars for international delegations, covering topics like emergency management, mass casualty response, and prosecuting terror suspects. These seminars required a lot of planning and preparation, but were incredibly rewarding, especially seeing the immediate impact on our participants. What I have always loved most about working at CHHS is the dynamic nature of our work—while emergency planning is our foundation, we are constantly evolving based on real-world events, like pivoting our efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. I also genuinely enjoy working alongside such passionate and dedicated colleagues who truly care about the mission.
What is your working style?
I like to work collaboratively with our staff and clients. I truly believe the most successful managers are respectful, open to listening and learning, and are genuinely nice people. I think most problems can be solved by working together to come up with a mutually agreeable solution, and open communication is key.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
My husband and I have two teenagers so much of my free time is currently spent ubering them around to school and their activities. On the weekends, you can generally find me cheering them on at their lacrosse games. As a family we love to travel and try to visit a new spot each year. We tend to plan very active vacations and a few of our favorites have been Kauai, British Columbia, Utah, and Ashville. I also love attending live sporting events, especially home games at Ravens stadium.
What advice would you give to someone starting in your field?
For better or worse, emergency management is here to stay. Communities will always be faced with natural and manmade disasters, both predictable and unpredictable. I would encourage anyone starting in this field to be open to all areas including public health, cybersecurity, strategic planning, etc. There is so much overlap in these areas – so, the more experience and understanding you have, the more successful you will be. If you are willing to work hard and learn, there will be endless opportunities.
