Michael Palacioz joined the UW Emergency Management team in Fall 2024 as the new UWEM Training and Exercise Manager. He brings a decade of experience in higher education and a deep desire to help communities prepare for and navigate potential disasters.
Tell us about your role as the UW Training and Exercise Manager.
I am responsible for many aspects of the training and exercise program. This includes building out the UW Emergency Management training and exercise calendar, developing and facilitating disaster preparedness workshops, coordinating tabletop exercises and planning training for UW Emergency Operations Center responders and the Incident Coordination Team. I also work on outreach initiatives and programming to inform the campus community about disaster preparedness.
Why did you decide to work in emergency management?
Growing up on the West Coast, I participated in earthquake drills and evacuation exercises from a young age, which sparked my interest in disaster preparedness. That early exposure instilled in me an appreciation for the importance of planning, training and resilience in the face of uncertainty.
This passion has stayed with me throughout my career and has driven my desire to help communities prepare for and navigate potential disasters. While emergency management work is a newer chapter in my professional journey, it builds on years of experience responding to crisis situations in higher education. During my time in residential life and housing, I handled a wide range of emergencies, from large-scale incidents like fires and minor earthquakes affecting entire buildings, to deeply personal crises impacting college students. These experiences have honed my ability to remain calm under pressure and respond thoughtfully and effectively when a crisis situation comes up.
I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to train and educate the campus community, empowering them to feel prepared for when a disaster strikes. Whether it’s a large-scale disaster or a smaller-scale emergency, I am eager to support the campus community.
What professional and educational experience do you bring to the UW?
I have worked in higher education for 10 years. My most recent experience was working with Housing & Food Services at the University of Washington within the Residential Life Department where I oversaw the Care and Conduct program. Prior to working at the University of Washington I worked at Seattle University, the University of Nevada – Reno, the University of Southern California and the University of Arizona. In all of my roles I worked within Residential Life and Housing where I was responsible for overseeing residential buildings and programs. I received my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Marshall University. After graduating from Marshall, I attended the University of Arizona where I got my Master’s of Arts degree in Higher Education.
What’s an item you added to your emergency kit for fun or for comfort?
When it comes to emergency kits, I have to admit my dog’s kit is far more robust than mine. She is fully prepared with everything she needs and she may have too many toys packed for her. For me, I like to keep fidget toys on hand. Typically I like my fidget cube or my infinity cube. Something to keep me distracted during high stress situations.
What are you happiest doing when you’re not working?
I have been playing the saxophone for many years and am heavily involved in community bands in the Seattle area. I play in multiple concert bands but my favorite is playing at the Seattle Reign FC games as part of Reign City Riot.
UW Emergency Management welcomed new Deputy Director Rob Sabarese this Fall. Rob brings almost two decades of emergency management experience to the University of Washington, most recently working for the 
