About
Chelsea Sawyer
Chelsea Sawyer has been with the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) since 2016, quickly advancing through roles to become an Emergency Preparedness Manager. In this capacity, Chelsea leads the Community Preparedness Division, overseeing a range of critical initiatives including the management of Emergency Support Functions (ESF) such as Transportation, Mass Care, Health and Medical, Food and Water, Public-Private Partnerships, External Affairs, Animal Services, and Cultural and Historical Preservation. She also spearheads the agency’s social and digital media presence, coordinates the Chatham County Disaster Faith Network, and works closely with the county’s disaster recovery committee.
Chelsea earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Tech and is a Georgia Certified Emergency Manager. She served as the Southeast U.S. representative on the Government Social Media Membership Council, where she contributed to advancing best practices in emergency messaging. Chelsea is also a proud member of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), a graduate of Leadership Savannah (Class of 2019), and the recipient of the 2024 Community Hero Award, recognizing her commitment to building disaster resilience in her community.
With extensive hands-on experience in disaster response and recovery, Chelsea has navigated high-stakes situations such as hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, and a military plane crash. She is passionate about crafting clear and impactful crisis communication strategies and fostering community resilience through innovative outreach and collaboration.
Beyond her professional role, Chelsea’s dedication to service is evident in her community involvement. She has chaired the United Way of the Coastal Empire’s Safety Net Community Investments panel and serves as Disaster Response Chair for the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club. Outside of work, Chelsea enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children.