Meet the Team

Headshot of Cait Cavanaugh

Background

As Associate Director, Cait oversees most day-to-day operations within the Office of Emergency Management. Acting as a generalist in the field, she has a passion for building institutional resilience through deliberate, innovative collaboration. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cait was entrusted to design and manage a complex 24/7/365 quarantine and isolation housing program for residential students. This program became an example for other higher-ed institutions as it cared for the physical, mental and emotional needs of thousands of students over three years.

Firmly believing in the power of community engagement, Cait plays an active role in the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Universities and Colleges Caucus. Between 2019 and 2022, she served as the Symposium Planning Committee chair, responsible for coordinating the organization’s annual gathering of higher-ed emergency management practitioners from across the nation. Cait is also an elected senator for ßÙßÇÂþ»­â€™s Professional Staff Senate, where she serves as the Rules Committee chair and sits on the Executive Committee for the governing body.

Cait’s academic background serves as a reflection of her multifaceted approach to emergency management. She began her educational journey by earning an Associates of Science in Homeland Security, which provided her with an understanding of the intricacies of security, risk assessment and emergency response protocols. Complementing this technical knowledge, Cait also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Law, enabling her to approach emergency management with a broader perspective encompassing ethical considerations and legal frameworks. As a lifelong learner, Cait is also working towards a Master’s degree in Public Administration with an advanced certificate in Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention.

Cait resides in ßÙßÇÂþ»­, New York with her husband, Matt. Outside of work, she can often be found working as a member of the deck crew for motor yacht C-Gem on the Oneida River.

BACK