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About
We provide high quality and high value services across North America.

History and Formation

Based in Baton Rouge, LA, Emergent Risk Solutions was founded with the realization of the increasing risks associated with the frequency of catastrophic natural disasters.

Since 2005, founder Kipp Nelson has provided services including emergency management, disaster recovery, resilience and mitigation, and project support for federal, state, and local government agencies, private non-profits and enterprises. In 2013, Mr. Nelson incorporated the firm, which provides independent, innovative, and professional project services, adding value to decision-making processes for clients.

As of 2022, the firm staffs more than 75 positions with approximately 50 additional staff available to support our clients. Emergent provides service in 14 states and territories, and support of multiple FEMA contracts across the nation.

Mission

Supporting public and private sector organizations to achieve project success. We achieve our mission by striving to deliver high quality and high value services across North America.

Core Values

We integrate these values into every aspect of our work.

Ensure Ethics, Integrity & Compliance

Provide High Quality & High Value Services

Build Trust & Collaborate

Integrate Lessons Learned & Improve

Promote Diversity & Inclusion

Give Back

Leadership

Our leaders focus on serving internal and external stakeholders and delivering high quality, high value results. Our leaders are providing direction for a staff of over 75.

Kipp Nelson, J.D.

Owner and Managing Director
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Nate Dronette, PMP

Senior Director
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Katie Guessfeld

Program Manager
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Services / Industries

Emergent is continuously expanding our services to best serve our clients across the globe.

We provide these services across each of the divisions below. Select one to learn more.

Emergency Management &
Disaster Recovery
Capital Program &
Project Management
Technology &
Data Systems

National Experience

Emergent has worked with hundreds of public and private organizations across the world. Beyond state and local experience, Emergent actively supports four national FEMA contracts which cross many states and FEMA regions. 

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Continuous Improvement

Emergent continually monitors the evolving federal, state, and local regulatory framework to provide timely, relevant, and practical client guidance. The firm is proud to have provided strategic development and analysis services for public and private organizations, ultimate leading to resolution of many complex emergency management and disaster recovery issues, frequently leading to national change and enhancements of programmatic policy.

In 2021, Emergent embarked on a strategic focus to further enhance project delivery, quality and operational capacity through upgrades of training, systems, processes and procedures. This renewed focus serves the firm’s clients first and foremost, and will ensure consistent and high-quality project delivery, promoting the firm’s core values.

Kipp Nelson

Owner and Managing Director

Mr. Nelson founded Emergent Risk Solutions after Hurricane Sandy in 2013. He served as a key contributor to the underground utility infrastructure and disaster recovery industries since 2005, to date accumulating over 17 years of expertise to support clients in services the firm provides.

Mr. Nelson obtained a J.D. and Graduate Degree in Civil Law from Louisiana State University in 2011, after obtaining an M.B.A. in 2010 and a B.S. in Construction Management in 2001, both from the same institution.

Kipp’s background spans municipal underground utility infrastructure, housing, debris management, response management, temporary repairs, long term recovery management and resiliency. He specializes in delivering custom fit solutions for clients, optimizing program delivery and enhancing the efficiency of the overall recovery operation.

Mr. Nelson is an expert in thinking outside of the box to innovatively obtain, combine and manage funds from multiple reimbursable and non-reimbursable sources including federal, state and local government agencies, insurance and private grant programs, among others.

His goal is to support each division of Emergent Risk Solutions with solutions to all issues, to reach the firm’s mission while incorporating its core values.

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Nate Dronette, PMP

Senior Director

Katie Guessfeld

Program Manager

Nate Dronette, PMP

Senior Director

With a diverse background including business operations, information technology, grant program technical assistance and project management, Mr. Dronette has over 11 years of experience. He ensures high quality and high value operations and project deliverables across all divisions.

Nate obtained a B.S. in Construction Management in 2009 from Louisiana State University. He is a Project Management Professional, as certified by the Project Management Institute, is a QuickBase Certified App Builder and a member of the National Grants Management Association.

For more than a decade, he has acquired grant management experience for more than 25 state and local level disaster recovery recipients across the country, providing project management as well as grant support – application, formulation, management and closeout – and technical roles, ensuring compliance protocols are in place and followed for FEMA, HUD, and Treasury programs.

With humble beginnings working for Louisiana GOHSEP, he persistently worked to solve complex problems and raise the bar. He has assisted hundreds of grant recipients in resolving funding issues across the full spectrum of technical assistance areas.

With an IT background, Mr. Dronette oversees website design and development, and data system and project application design and implementation projects.

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Kipp Nelson, J.D.

Owner and Managing Director

Katie Guessfeld

Program Manager

Katie Guessfeld

Program Manager

Serving as Program Manager of a variety of grant programs for clients across North America, Ms. Guessfeld has refined her experience over the past 11 years. That experience includes managing federal grants in the public sector along with with three years of experience in nonprofit electrical utility administration. Ms. Guessfeld specializes in policy interpretation, budget prioritization and program compliance.

Katie obtained a B.S. from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2007 and is a member of the National Grants Management Association.

Ms. Guessfeld’s experience in the public sector provided her with exceptional subject matter expertise and knowledge of the FEMA Public Assistance Program. Additionally, she served as an integral part of the emergency response unit at the Louisiana GOHSEP Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for many large-scale multi-billion dollar disasters impacting Louisiana.

As Assistant Section Chief of the Grants Administration section at Louisiana GOHSEP, Katie’s oversight of more than $15 Billion in federal grants helped to pave the way for Louisiana be a reliable model for other states to design, implement and refine disaster recovery grant administration and reimbursement programs.

Ms. Guessfeld was part of a national emergency management assistance compact (EMAC) mission where Louisiana GOHSEP provided New Jersey Office of Emergency Management with a team of subject matter experts following Superstorm Sandy. Their purpose was to aid in establishing and implementing comprehensive, compliant grant reimbursement review processes and procedures.

Her private sector experience included knowledge and experience with Rural Utility Services funding for electrical cooperatives, along with many other federal funding sources.

Katie, along with the rest of the Emergent team of grant administration experts, is currently providing grant application development and other grant management services for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other infrastructure bill programs available to both government and private organizations.

Get In Touch

Next Up:

Kipp Nelson, J.D.

Owner and Managing Director

Nate Dronette, PMP

Senior Director