Houston Arts Alliance Welcomes Michelle Dobbins as Director of Disaster Services
Michelle Dobbins
HAA’s Director of Disaster Services
Houston, TX — The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) proudly announces the appointment of Michelle Dobbins as the organization's new Director of Disaster Services. Michelle brings over 17 years of invaluable experience as a thought leader in the nonprofit sector, specializing in disaster management, relief, and recovery.
Prior to joining HAA, Michelle held a pivotal role at BakerRipley, a renowned community development organization, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership in overseeing state and federal grants. Her responsibilities included managing critical programs such as the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR).
This is what Michelle has to say about her new role, “When it comes to inequalities, the arts community faces a unique set of challenges regarding inclusion, economic growth, and disasters. Because art is so broad, and can be considered an entrepreneurial type of business, many survivors do not qualify for and/or receive the assistance necessary to recover after a disaster. As the Director of Disaster Services, I look forward to expanding HAA’s positive impact, and establishing tactical goals so that, collectively, we can continue to assist marginalized, underserved, and vulnerable populations before, during, and after disasters. My hope is that we can merge resiliency and recovery to build a more equitable, stronger, and more sustainable region.”
Michelle's dedication to disaster response and recovery extends beyond her professional capacity. She has played a crucial role in various committees and organizations, serving as the Chairperson for the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (TGCRVOAD), a member of the Harris County Long-Term Recovery (HCLTRC) and Fort Bend Recovers Steering Committees, and as Co-Chair of the Disaster Case Management Workgroup for the HCLTRC. Currently, she serves on the Advisory Roundtable for the Houston Community College Resiliency Center of Excellence.
"Houston Arts Alliance is beyond fortunate to have Michelle Dobbins joining its team and focusing on helping artists and nonprofits navigate disasters. Houston is hit with a federally declared disaster every 9 months on average. And many in the arts community are disproportionately vulnerable to economic and other shocks. With Michelle at the helm of the Disaster Services Division of HAA, we are all more secure. I am confident that Michelle will make significant contributions to the organization’s mission and to the arts community, increasing our reslience and helping us to recover more quickly after a disaster hits,” said HAA CEO John Abodeely.
Michelle is passionate about supporting nonprofits, faith-based organizations, community-based entities, and governmental agencies in their response and recovery efforts. Her commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable, underserved, and marginalized individuals, households, and communities is at the core of her professional and personal ambitions. She holds a master's degree in business administration, further enhancing her ability to navigate complex challenges in disaster management and recovery.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Karen Martinez, Director of Communications
Phone: 713.550.6752
Email: karen@haatx.com
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About the Disaster Services Program
The disaster resilience and recovery program at HAA was established after Hurricane Harvey, in partnership with several organizations that worked with HAA directly on Harvey recovery efforts. The program’s job is to provide critical information to artists and nonprofits about disasters and to help the Emergency Management industry better include artists and nonprofits in their recovery and resilience building.
To learn more about the Disaster Services Program visit https://ready.haatx.com/
About Houston Arts Alliance
Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) is a local arts and culture organization whose principal work is to implement the City of Houston’s vision, values, and goals for its arts grantmaking and civic art investments. HAA’s work is conducted through contracts with the City of Houston, overseen by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. HAA also executes privately funded special projects to meet the needs of the arts community, such as disaster preparation, research on the state of the arts in Houston, and temporary public art projects that energize neighborhoods.
In short, HAA helps artists and nonprofits be bold, productive, and strong.
To learn more about HAA, visit www.houstonartsalliance.com and follow us on Facebook /houstonartsalliance & Instagram @Houstonartsalliance