Making an impact, in person

Daniel Kaniewski addressed the National Conference of State Legislatures annual meeting in Chicago, which brought together over 7,000 legislators from across the country to discuss the future of disaster response, recovery, and resilience.

Daniel Kaniewski delivered the keynote address at #ICONHIC2026, focusing on "Building Resilience Before the Next Disaster: Lessons from Policy and Practice." With the FEMA Act currently advancing in Congress, the U.S. disaster policy debate is finally turning toward a central question: how do we actively reward communities that invest before a disaster strikes? We can no longer afford to let resilience depend solely on post-disaster recovery; it must be proactively financed, shared fairly, and aligned across all the stakeholders who rely on our infrastructure to perform under stress.

At Building Innovation 2026, Daniel Kaniewski delivered a bold message about the future of national resilience and the need to shift from reacting to disasters to investing before them. Drawing on experience across FEMA, insurance, and public policy, Dr. Kaniewski challenged the audience to rethink how resilience is funded, measured, and rewarded.

Daniel Kaniewski delivered the keynote address at Insurance Innovators 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee, on “Disaster Resilience in a Changing Risk Landscape.” He highlighted how to close the gap between emergency management and the P&C insurance industry and shift from reactive recovery to proactive investment.

Daniel Kaniewski addressed the 2026 Building Resilience Conference at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in Washington, DC. He shared his vision for resilience, emphasizing that FEMA must evolve from a reactive payer to a proactive risk advisor and that the insurance protection gap must be closed.

Daniel Kaniewski spoke to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit) at their annual symposium in Hollywood, Florida on insurance and emergency management public policy priorities.

As the opening speaker for the California Insurance Emergency Response Association (CIERA) annual meeting, Daniel Kaniewski shared insights from national disasters, evolving risk patterns, the value of preparedness in response and inter-sector collaboration, and the growing need for deep coordination between emergency management and the insurance sector. Hosted by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES).

In this presentation, Dr. Daniel Kaniewski, a former senior FEMA leader and White House official, shared his firsthand experiences with 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Maria, and the pandemic and the lessons that he and the nation took from these disasters. Weaving in personal stories, operational details, and public policy actions, Dr. Kaniewski elucidated lessons applicable not just to those disasters but to any catastrophic event. Only by learning these lessons will history not repeat itself in the future.

Daniel Kaniewski addressed the 2025 Marsh Global Real Estate and Hospitality Conference. He shared insights on disaster resilience, from both a public policy and operational perspective.

Daniel Kaniewski addressed the Resiliency Company Forum during New York City Climate Week 2025. He highlighted the value of hazard mitigation and the role of risk transfer at the community level.

Daniel Kaniewski addressed the Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) Risk and Resiliency Symposium in Beverly Hills, CA, highlighting successful hazard mitigation programs that reduce the risk of disasters, including wildfires.

Daniel Kaniewski delivered closing remarks at the 2025 Business Delivers Innovation Summit at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC. He focused on proactive efforts by the P&C insurance industry and federal, state, and local emergency managers.