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Francisco Sánchez, Jr.
Senior Advisor for Economic Development,
Hagerty Consulting
Francisco Sánchez Jr. is a nationally recognized expert in emergency management and economic development, with over 20 years of experience in disaster response, recovery, and resilience. He currently serves as Senior Advisor for Economic Development at Hagerty Consulting. Appointed by former President Biden to serve as Associate Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and lead the Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience, he transformed SBA disaster operations, overseeing responses to more than 1,500 disaster declarations and delivering nearly $15 billion in recovery assistance. There, he oversaw recovery efforts for major events like Hurricanes Ian, Fiona, and Helene, the 2023 Maui Wildfires, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, and the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires. Prior to SBA, Francisco was Deputy Homeland Security and Emergency Management Coordinator for Harris County, Texas, where he played a leadership role in the response to several of the costliest disasters in US history, including Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, and Harvey.
Seminar Title
The Lifelines Lifeline: Infrastructure as Economic Opportunity & Preparedness Imperative
Seminar Description
When disaster strikes, plans are only as strong as the physical systems communities rely on. One failed system devolves into cascading failures. A power grid downed by a storm cripples communications, a compromised bridge isolates neighborhoods, a failed water main halts firefighting. Resilient infrastructure is the most critical force multiplier. It is the difference between a coordinated response and catastrophic breakdown. Strategic investments —from transportation and utilities to communications—directly translates to saved lives and faster recovery.
