If you’re looking for a simple name to put in a crossword puzzle for who is the director of FEMA, you might be disappointed. As of early 2026, the seat at the top of the Federal Emergency Management Agency isn't occupied by a Senate-confirmed permanent director. Instead, the agency is being run by Karen Evans, who is serving as the Acting Administrator.
She took the reins on December 1, 2025, following a chaotic year of leadership swaps.
Honestly, the "who’s in charge" question has been a moving target lately. Since the start of the second Trump administration in early 2025, FEMA has seen a revolving door of leadership. Deanne Criswell, the first woman to lead the agency, finished her term in January 2025. Since then, the agency has mostly been steered by "acting" officials—people who fill the role temporarily without going through the grueling Congressional confirmation process.
The Current State of FEMA Leadership: Who is the Director of FEMA?
Right now, Karen Evans is the person in the hot seat. Before she stepped up to lead the entire agency, she was FEMA’s Chief of Staff. She’s a veteran of the D.C. bureaucracy, having spent years navigating the intersection of technology, security, and government management.
She replaced David Richardson, another acting official who had a pretty rough go of it. Richardson resigned in late 2025 after a string of controversies, including a disastrous response to flooding in Texas and some widely reported comments where he admitted he didn't realize the U.S. had a specific "hurricane season."
You've probably noticed a pattern here.
📖 Related: Trump Approval Rating State Map: Why the Red-Blue Divide is Moving
The White House has opted not to appoint a permanent, Senate-confirmed leader yet. This is partly because there is a massive "FEMA Review Council" currently looking at how to basically rip the agency apart and put it back together. They want to streamline it, cut "waste," and maybe even hand more power back to individual states.
Why does "Acting" matter?
When someone is an "Acting Administrator" rather than a confirmed "Director" or "Administrator," their power is technically the same on paper, but the political vibe is totally different.
- Permanent Directors have the backing of the Senate. They have "staying power."
- Acting Directors are often seen as placeholders.
Because the administration is pushing for a total overhaul of how the U.S. handles disasters, having a temporary leader like Evans allows them to make quick changes without a permanent head pushing back or getting bogged down in Senate hearings.
A Year of "Acting" Leaders: How We Got Here
To understand who is the director of FEMA today, you have to look at the game of musical chairs that happened in 2025. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for the 20,000+ employees who work there.
- Cameron Hamilton: He started the year as the "Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator." He didn't last long. He was ousted in May 2025 after he publicly disagreed with the idea of abolishing or severely gutting the agency.
- David Richardson: He came over from the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office. His tenure was marked by friction with career staff and intense criticism from both sides of the aisle after the July 2025 Texas floods.
- Karen Evans: The current lead. She is seen as a "fixer"—someone who knows the internal plumbing of the agency and can keep the lights on while the White House decides what FEMA 2.0 is going to look like.
It’s kinda wild when you think about it. FEMA is the agency we rely on for everything from massive hurricanes to "zombie" satellites falling out of the sky. Having this much turnover in a single year is almost unheard of in the emergency management world.
👉 See also: Ukraine War Map May 2025: Why the Frontlines Aren't Moving Like You Think
What This Means for Disaster Response in 2026
You might be wondering: "Does it actually matter who is the director of FEMA if my house floods?"
The short answer? Yes.
While the boots-on-the-ground responders—the search and rescue teams and the logistics experts—are mostly career professionals who know their jobs inside out, the person at the top signs the checks. They decide which states get federal disaster declarations and how fast the money flows.
Under Karen Evans, the agency is currently leaning into a "state-led, federally supported" model. This is a big shift. Basically, the feds are telling states like Florida, Texas, and California: "You take the lead, and we'll send the cash and specialized tools, but don't expect us to run the whole show."
The Musk Factor and "DOGE"
We can't talk about FEMA leadership without mentioning the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Influences from Elon Musk’s efficiency drive have hit FEMA hard. There have been significant workforce reductions and a push to cut programs that some in the administration view as "social engineering" rather than "disaster response."
✨ Don't miss: Percentage of Women That Voted for Trump: What Really Happened
Critics, including former director Deanne Criswell, have warned that these cuts are making the agency "less capable." On the flip side, supporters argue that FEMA had become a bloated bureaucracy that was too slow to actually help people on the ground.
How to Get Help from FEMA Right Now
Regardless of who is the director of FEMA, the process for individuals to get help hasn't changed much on the surface. If you're in a disaster zone, you're still looking at the same basic steps:
- Download the FEMA App: It’s actually pretty decent. It gives you real-time alerts and is the fastest way to start an application.
- DisasterAssistance.gov: This is the portal for everything. If a disaster is declared in your area, this is where you go.
- Documentation is King: Because of the new focus on "cutting waste," the agency is being much stricter about paperwork. If you’re applying for assistance, you need your receipts, insurance papers, and proof of residency ready to go.
Actionable Steps for 2026 Disaster Prep
Since the leadership at the top is in flux, the smartest thing you can do is rely more on your local and state resources. Here is what you should actually do:
- Check your state's "Individual Assistance" rules. Many states are beefing up their own disaster funds because they expect less "hand-holding" from the federal government this year.
- Verify your flood insurance. FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is also under review. Make sure your policy is active and you understand the current "Risk Rating 2.0" pricing, which has made premiums jump for a lot of people.
- Follow your Regional Administrator. FEMA is divided into 10 regions. While the big boss in D.C. is "Acting," many of the Regional Administrators (like Robert Fenton in Region 9) have been around for decades. They are the ones who actually coordinate with your Governor.
The bottom line is that while Karen Evans is the name you need to know for who is the director of FEMA today, the agency is in the middle of a massive identity crisis. Whether that results in a leaner, meaner disaster machine or a weakened federal response is the big question everyone in Washington is arguing about right now.
Keep an eye on the FEMA Review Council’s final report, which is expected to drop any day now. That document will likely name the next permanent nominee and map out exactly how much "federal" will be left in the Federal Emergency Management Agency.