Work

As published in Newsday, March 18th, 2017. More than two years ago, Newsday’s reporting on the long-term impacts of superstorm Sandy finally gained the national attention it deserved. After years of investigations regarding allegations of contractor fraud and underpayments of flood claims after the storm, producers from “60 Minutes” took notice and aired a segment Read More

As published in the Arizona Republic on February 6, 2017: President Trump signed an executive order in late January requiring taxpayers to begin funding construction on his long-promised wall. For the millions who voted for him under the premise that our Southwest border will be more secure, it must have felt like a relief. Finally, Read More

As published in The Hill on January 17, 2017: A decade ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was in shambles. Created merely by executive order in 1979, the agency had no Congressional authorization and no clear mission. FEMA was inadequately funded and hindered by a sprawling DHS bureaucracy that buried the agency’s ability to coordinate Read More

Originally published on FEMA.gov: America is in the midst of an unprecedented increase in energy production. Today, the United States is producing more oil, gas, and renewable energy, and becoming more energy efficient overall. These trends are increasing our energy security, cutting our carbon pollution, and enhancing our economic growth. One area of substantial energy Read More

As published on the ONDCP blog on February 5th, 2013: Drug Laws: Why Do We Have them, and Do They Work? It’s a question often raised in today’s heated discussion about the efficacy of drug policy in America: Do regulations outlawing certain drugs actually work? Let’s go to the data. Here’s what the Nation’s largest, Read More

Originally published on the White House Drug Policy Office blog on February 12, 2013: Are Drugs Today Really Cheaper, Purer, and More Available Than Ever You’ve probably heard this claim: Despite decades of effort, we’ve failed to make any significant progress in reducing drug use in this country. Some critics go so far as to Read More

On January 29th, 2014, I joined fellow White House staff to answer questions from the public online during the first-ever “Big Block of Cheese Day.” Below is text from a White House blog announcing the event: The First-Ever Virtual “Big Block of Cheese Day” – The White House is Open for Questions Summary: On January Read More

As posted on The White House blog on November 7th, 2014: Hardware Hacking for Disaster Response in Red Hook, Brooklyn by Meredith Lee, Rafael Lemaitre, and Brian Forde On October 10 – 11, technologists, entrepreneurs, and innovators across the public and private sectors participated in the first Civic Hardware Hackathon for Disaster Preparedness in support of Read More

Originally published on FEMA.gov: 2014: The fewest number of Disaster Declarations and Fire Grants in More than a Decade Author: Rafael Lemaitre All it takes is one. One hurricane. One tornado. One flood, earthquake, or fire to displace a family, upend a business, destroy a school – or worse.  No one is immune to the Read More

As published in The Huffington Post: Recently we had the privilege of recognizing 10 community organizers at the White House as “Champions of Change.” Each of these Champions represent innovative organizations and programs working across America to reform the way we approach our nation’s drug problem. Among this group of educators, physicians, social workers and Read More