March 6, 2018 – Ashburn, VA:
CDBG-DR experts, Randy Irwin and Yolanda Abram, recently joined the IBTS team to assist in the Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts in North Carolina.
The Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, recently welcomed two new subject matter experts onboard to support the State of North Carolina’s recovery efforts from Hurricane Matthew. Randy Irwin and Yolanda Abram each have considerable experience and knowledge working in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) programs at the state level and will serve as Program Manager and Deputy Program Manager, respectively, for IBTS in this effort.
Mr. Irwin has over 40 years of grant management and program delivery expertise. Prior to joining IBTS, Mr. Irwin had oversight responsibility of CDBG-DR and Natural Disaster Resilience funds for a multi-year recovery project in Minot, North Dakota, where he worked alongside the IBTS team. Additionally, he administered numerous community improvement programs, including CDBG, HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) for the City of Oskaloosa, Iowa.
“I am looking forward to bringing my years of CDBG-DR experience to the IBTS disaster recovery team,” said Randy Irwin, Program Manager at IBTS. “I plan to help the organization expand upon opportunities as well as focus on the needs of North Carolina and its residents during the recovery process.”
Ms. Abram has over 20 years of program development and compliance management experience. Prior to joining IBTS, Ms. Abram managed, provided technical assistance, and conducted compliance reviews of grant allocations to local governments in the aftermath of Hurricanes Hugo, Floyd, Frances, Ivan, Irene, and Matthew. She also coordinated recovery efforts of a lead agency responsible for reporting on the status of the $836 million appropriation funded by the North Carolina General Assembly in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd.
“This program is a perfect fit for me given my 13 years of experience working for the State of North Carolina’s Department of Commerce and Department of Safety,” said Yolanda Abram, Deputy Program Manager at IBTS. “Because Hurricane Matthew was so widespread, the recovery efforts will be both challenging and rewarding to work on, especially since I am a resident of North Carolina myself.”
As Program Manager and Deputy Program Manager, Mr. Irwin and Ms. Abram will provide senior subject matter expertise in policy review and design, program implementation, and overall CDBG-DR compliance for the funds the State of North Carolina received following Hurricane Matthew. Their CDBG-DR and state-level recovery program experience will be an invaluable asset to the IBTS team as they help the State of North Carolina rebuild. They will also train IBTS staff and update policies in order to maintain compliance with the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) rules and regulations, communicating these policies back to the State.
Press Contact:
Karen Johnson
Market Engagement Program Director
kjohnson@ibts.org
About IBTS:
IBTS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to helping communities through quality services that reduce risk, enhance public safety, and improve quality of life. IBTS is headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia with branch offices across the country. IBTS’s work is guided by a Board of Directors made up of government officials appointed by five of the most highly respected, grassroots, state and local governmental associations, including the Council of State Governments (CSG), International City/County Management Association (ICMA), National Association of Counties (NACo), National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), and National League of Cities (NLC).
