The Nueces County Commissioners Court accepted the resignation of Emergency Management Director Deanna Hawkins on Aug. 5 during a regular meeting.
The resignation will be in effect on Aug. 21.
Hawkins told the Caller-Times she had accepted an offer from the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi to oversee the Emergency Operations Center.
“After about 30 years of emergency management, I need some balance, and that is why I have taken this other position,” Hawkins said in the meeting.
Hawkins has been the director since 2023. The emergency management office is charged with reducing loss, protecting infrastructure and supporting the environment from all hazards, according to the county website.
Hawkins has served in other governmental sectors in Nueces County
such as acting as chief of staff to the county judge and as a public liaison for the sheriff’s office.
The Commissioners Court expressed gratitude for her service to the community and for a collaborative relationship over the years.
Hawkins said she will help navigate the transition period and will be available for any concerns the Commissioners Court may have.
She said although she will be leaving this role, she will still be active in Corpus Christi and serves on the South Texas Area Maritime Security Committee. She said she will continue being a part of the emergency management community as vice president of the Coastal Bend Emergency Management Association and board secretary for the nonprofit Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group.
"I have assured the judge that I am a phone call away," Hawkins said.
The Commissioners Court will be working toward selecting an interim director.
Felicity Guajardo covers breaking news and public safety. Contact her at felicity.guajardo@caller.com.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Nueces County emergency management director resigns
