UK Health Security Agency

Virginia is currently Head of Global Disaster Risk Reduction at the UK Health Security Agency. Prior to this she has been a Coordinating Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation, published in March 2012. From 2011 to 2014, she was Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection which since April 1 2013 this was transferred to Public Health England) where she worked on evidence-based information and advice on flooding, heat, cold, volcanic ash, and other extreme weather and natural hazards events. She has been a member and vice-chair of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Scientific and Technical Advisory Group from 2008-2017 and has been actively engaged with many science and technology partners to support the UN member states in their agreement of the Sendia Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and now is engaged in facilitating its implementation.