JO ANN JAY HOWARD
Post Office Box 160130, Austin,Texas78716
Phone (512) 731-0911; (512) 731-0911
Electronic Mail: joann@h2opartnersusa.com
Education
UniversityofTexasSchoolofLaw,Austin,Texas– Juris Doctorate
EastTexasStateUniversity,Texarkana,Texas? M.A. in Public Administration
AbileneChristianUniversity,Abilene,Texas? B.S. in Education
Legal & Professional Experience
President, H2O Partners, Inc.-present
Federal Insurance Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 1998-2001
Jo Ann Howard & Associates, P.C. Law Firm,AustinandTexarkana,Texas, President 1992-1997
Clark Thomas Winters & Newton Law Firm, Associate, 1988
Member, State Board of Insurance (now, Texas Department of Insurance) 1989-1991 (chief regulator)
Young Folsom & Patton Law Firm,Texarkana,Texas, Associate 1987-1988
United StatesDistrict Court, Western District ofTexas, Intern 1986
University ofTexasSchoolof Law Teaching Quizmaster, Student Instructor of Legal Research & Legal Writing
TexarkanaCourt of Civil Appeals, Intern 1987
Special Deputy Receiver and Legal Counsel for: National County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Insurance Corporation ofAmericaand Guaranty County Mutual Fire Insurance Company 1992-1997
Civic and Professional Organizations
Vice-President Natural Hazards Mitigation Association (NHMA)
Charter Member International Association of Insurance Receivers
Member Advisory Board ,Association of State Flood Plain Managers Foundation (ASFPM)
Member StateBar of Arkansas,TexasandDistrict of Columbia
Member State Bar ofTexas
Member Governor’s Task Force for Women & Minorities
Member Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
Member TexasHealth Care Anti?Fraud Association
Member TexasWomen’sAlliance
Member TravisCountyWomen Lawyer’s Association
Participant LeadershipAmericaand LeadershipTexas
Member Dean’s Roundtable, University of Texas School of Law
Member Advisory Board of theTexasCenterfor Legal Ethics
Associate Member Society of Financial Examiners
Mrs. Howard was appointed as Federal Insurance Administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in March 1998 by President Bill Clinton. Serving as the Administrator of the flood program, she was responsible for managing the more than $523 billion of flood insurance in force in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). After returning toTexasin March 2001, Jo Ann Howard established H2O Partners, Inc. inAustin,Texas. H2O Partners is a firm consulting in flood insurance, hazard mitigation planning, disaster protection and recovery, Public Assistance, HUD programs, homeland infrastructure security, and floodplain management issues.
H2O Partners has worked in the all-hazards area with developing hazard mitigation plans for over 150 counties and 400 cities inTexasand assisting Public Assistance Applicants (cities, counties, states) inLouisiana,Texas, andMississippi.The firm was selected by the State ofTexasfor its Community Assistance Visits and to teach Floodplain 101. In September 2008, H2O began work as a FEMA contractor to deliver NFIP Training nationwide to agents, lenders and adjusters nationwide
Prior to her tenure at FEMA, she served as a gubernatorial appointee to head the Texas Department of Insurance as chief insurance regulator for the State ofTexas. And, as a member of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Jo Ann served as chair of the Federal Legislation Working Group and Vice Chair of the State and Federal Health Insurance Legislative Policy Task Force.
