Our Team of Specialists: Credentialed & Experienced

R3R is a principal-led firm delivering modern emergency plans for California municipalities. Our work is led by senior partners and a team of experts who bring deep, real-world experience to every project.

Portrait of Founder, Tristan Keady.

Tristan Keady

FOUNDER

Project Role

Captain Keady serves as the vital bridge between R3R's technical team and the City's local stakeholders (OCSD, OCFA, staff). As a Fire Captain, he ensures the plan reflects "operational reality." He will facilitate SME workshops, coordinate all stakeholder touchpoints, and capture the real-world processes that make a plan functional.

Operational Expertise

  • Captain: Novato Fire Protection District

  • Active Shooter (URVI) Trainer: Delivered training to all district fire, law, and EMS personnel.

  • Grant Writer: Secured FEMA and Cal OES grants for ballistic PPE and specialized EMS equipment.

  • Paramedic Preceptor: Trained and certified new paramedics.

Evacuation & Plan Expertise

  • Author: Expert Interviews Regarding Evacuation in the Wildland Urban Interface of Marin and Sonoma Counties, California (Georgetown University Capstone, 2025).

  • Analyzed WUI evacuation impediments, including inadequate infrastructure, congested roads, and delayed evacuation decisions.

  • Recommendations integrating modern GIS (ZoneHaven, Laddris AI) and communication technologies to improve evacuation outcomes.

  • Co-Author: Novato Fire District, Policy for Response to Active Shooter & Violent Incidents.

  • Liaison to Law: Acted as Fire Liaison to Law Enforcement during multiple simulated Unified Response to Violent Incidents (URVI) drills.

Credentials

  • Education: Master of Professional Studies (MPS), Emergency & Disaster Management, Georgetown University (2025)

  • Education: B.A., Social Sciences, University of Oregon

Portrait of Georges Merceron, Chief Strategy Officer.

Georges Merceron

Chief Strategy Officer

Project Role

Georges will serve as the Project Manager and principal contact, responsible for schedule, budget, and deliverable management. His expertise in public health and mass care ensures the "human" side of emergency operations is central to the plan.

Core Expertise

  • Mass Care & Shelter Operations: Led mass care operations for Hurricane Milton and managed shelter site operations for the Columbia Gas Explosion. Developed the Hayward Mass Care Annex and Sacramento Catastrophic Housing Annex.

  • AFN & Vulnerable Population Planning: Designed and managed plans (Sacramento, Hayward) and exercises with core objectives of integrating protocols for individuals with access and functional needs (AFN), animal accommodations, and disaster behavioral health.

  • Federal & State Recovery: Served as Cal OES Interagency Recovery Branch Director and on the Camp Fire Housing Task Force, aligning state and federal resources.

Plan Writing Expertise

  • Hayward, CA Mass Care Annex (2023)

  • Sonoma County Medical Countermeasure (MCM) Plan Update

  • Cal OES Recovery Support Function Program & California Disaster Recovery Framework

  • State of Florida ESF-8 Annex, Biological Incident Annex, & Strategic National Stockpile SOP

  • Pasco County, FL Post-Disaster Recovery Plan (2012) & Catastrophic Incident Annex (2010)

Operational Expertise

  • Project Manager: Sacramento County Catastrophic Housing Annex (2024)

  • Senior Trainer: National Center for Disaster Preparedness (Disaster Housing, Mass Care)

  • Cal OES: Interagency Recovery Branch Director (2019-2024); Camp Fire Housing Task Force

  • MEMA (MA): Disaster Housing Site Manager, Columbia Gas Explosion (2018)

  • State of Florida DOH: Emergency Coordinating Officer (6 years)

Credentials

  • Masters in Public Health (MPH), Global Communicable Disease, University of South Florida

  • FEMA ICS-300, ICS-400, G-205 Recovery, L-967 Logistics Section Chief

Portrait of Brandon Ballard, Chief Executive Officer.

Brandon Ballard

Chief Executive Officer

Project Role

Brandon Ballard is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Redwood 3R, an emergency management and recovery firm focused on resilience, response, and reconstruction. With a background in construction engineering, project controls, and forensic schedule analysis, he leads complex recovery efforts requiring disciplined execution, regulatory coordination, and financial accountability.

Core Expertise

  • Executive leadership and strategic recovery planning across complex public- and private-sector environments

  • Emergency response, recovery, and reconstruction program management

  • Construction and recovery project management across design, pre-construction, and construction phases

  • Cost estimating, budgeting, scheduling, and contract administration

  • CPM scheduling, baseline development, and forensic schedule analysis (TIA, REA)

  • Financial tracking, change management, and dispute support

  • Risk identification, mitigation planning, and operational continuity support

  • Delivery in regulated and high-complexity environments, including healthcare (OSHPD III), laboratories, cleanrooms, infrastructure, and institutional facilities

  • Coordination with public agencies, regulatory bodies, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs)

  • Provide executive and operational leadership across all Redwood 3R engagements

  • Guide strategy, client engagement, and firm-wide delivery standards

  • Oversee multi-stakeholder, schedule-critical recovery programs

  • Develop scalable recovery frameworks integrating technical execution, compliance, and financial controls

Education & Experience

  • B.S., Construction Engineering & Management, San Diego State University

  • Construction Technologies & Architecture, Cuesta Community College

  • Member, Associated General Contractors (AGC) and CMAA Student Chapters

  • AGC Scholarship Recipient; ASC Reno Heavy Civil Competition Team participant

Portrait of Jonathan Venezia, PhD, Quality & Systems Integration Lead.

Jonathan Venezia, PhD

Quality & Systems Integration Lead

Project Role

Dr. Venezia ensures the EOP is technically rigorous, scientifically sound for AFN populations, and architected for modern data systems. An Orange County resident (Yorba Linda), he has innate familiarity with the OCSD/OCFA contract city model.

Core Expertise

  • Technical Compliance & Grant Review: Serves on Federal Advisory Subcommittees for scientific grant review; peer reviewer for >25 journals (e.g., Nature Machine Intelligence, Nature Communications Biology). Brings >15 years experience in federal regulatory compliance, quantitative analysis, and technical reporting.

  • Access & Functional Needs (AFN): Nationally recognized expert in communication sciences, sensory processing, and neurocognitive deficits. Will provide scientific review of all AFN protocols.

  • Applied AI & Systems Architecture: Consultant for Wrethinking, the Foundation, leading development of AI models and AI-driven hardware solutions to address communication impairments. 

Key Responsibilities

  • Operational Data Architecture: Structure the EOP as a database ready for secure, local retrieval systems.

  • AFN Scientific Review: Validate that all communication and evacuation protocols are accessible for residents with sensory or cognitive impairments.

  • Quality Assurance: Oversee final plan rigor and compliance.

Credentials

  • Education: Ph.D., Cognitive Neuroscience, UC Irvine

  • Research Portfolio: >25 peer-reviewed publications (>1200 citations); multi-million dollar funded research portfolio.

Portrait of Bri May, Design & Production Expert (Consultant).

Bri May

Design & Production Expert (Consultant)

Project Role

Bri will provide all document production services, ensuring the final plan is professional, accessible, and adheres to the "plain language" principles requested in the RFP. Her support allows the senior team to focus exclusively on content quality.

Core Expertise

  • Proficient in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Microsoft Word formatting.

  • Expert in Section 508 (ADA) compliance and document remediation.

  • Graphic design and data visualization (flowcharts, tables).