Leadership

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With over 30 years in public health preparedness, Sharon Denton-Gow is a seasoned trainer, planner, and educator dedicated to strengthening community resilience. She has taught at the college level for 28 years and currently serves as an Associate Faculty member at Post University and an Agency Instructor II for Texas A&M’s Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) program.

As the Training Coordinator for the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County,

Sharon has led training across South Florida on key topics such as Point of Distribution (POD) Operations, Incident Command System (ICS), Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), and mass prophylaxis planning. She has developed emergency operations plans and coordinated with local, state, and federal partners to improve preparedness and response systems.

Her hands-on experience includes deployments for hurricanes, H1N1, and COVID-19. Sharon has designed and led emergency exercises nationwide, serving as a facilitator, evaluator, and subject matter expert for public health and emergency management initiatives.

John Meizoso brings over 20 years of service as a firefighter/paramedic and currently serves as a Captain with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, overseeing life safety operations at Miami International Airport and four general aviation airports as Bureau Officer-in-Charge of the Aviation Life Safety Bureau.

Throughout his career, John has served in critical roles, including the Communications Division, Terrorism Response Bureau, and Rapid Deployment Force. He is a member of Florida Task Force 1 (Urban Search and Rescue), a Planning Team Manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Incident Support Team, and has contributed to national emergency management efforts.

He holds multiple credentials, including Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), Certified Hospital Emergency Professional (CHEP), and Executive Fire Officer (EFO), and earned a Master’s in Education from Augusta State University.

With over 45 years of public service, Bob Palestrant is a nationally recognized leader in emergency management, homeland security, and crisis response. His career spans roles as a registered nurse, firefighter/paramedic, and emergency manager, including 28 years with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and later as District Chief at Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) Department of Fire Rescue at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport.

Bob has responded to major incidents, including 9/11 with Florida Task Force 1, and has led or supported Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) level events as Incident Commander or part of Unified Command. He remains active in regional and national homeland security workgroups and regularly speaks at international conferences.

He holds a Master’s in Homeland Security (cum laude), is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), and was named State Homeland Security Person of the Year by Homeland Security Today in 2021.

Edgar brings over 20 years of multi-disciplinary experience in law enforcement, fire and life safety, environmental health, and emergency management. He is a certified instructor in ICS, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operations, and all-hazards incident management, and is actively involved in the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association (FEPA), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and the All Hazards Incident Management Team Association (AHIMTA).

As Team Coordinator for the Southeast Florida Regional AHIMT and a member of the State Qualification Review Committee, Edgar has led and supported numerous tabletop (TTX), functional, and full-scale exercises, and holds multiple Type III ICS qualifications, including Incident Commander, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, and Safety Officer.

Edgar has deployed to several Type 1 incidents, including Hurricane Michael, the Surfside Building Collapse, mass migration operations in Texas Hurricane Idalia, wildfires in New Mexico, and flash flooding in New Mexico, delivering critical support to high-impact emergency responses. 

Rick is a seasoned public safety leader with over 40 years of experience, including more than 30 years with the City of Miami Police Department. He retired as Commander of the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, where he led hurricane preparedness efforts, managed the Emergency Operations Center, and oversaw key Department of Homeland Security grant programs. He has also served as Emergency Manager for Nova Southeastern University and the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO).

He has served as Incident Commander for major events, including the 2003 Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA) summit and the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. His service has earned numerous commendations, including the Legion of Merit and multiple Officer of the Month awards.

Rick holds a B.S. from the University of South Florida, an M.S. from DeVry University. He is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s Command Officer Development Course (CODC), and has been a FEMA certified ICS instructor since 2006.