Madhu Beriwal, Founder and Chairwoman
Madhu Beriwal, a distinguished disaster and emergency management leader, founded IEM in 1985 and has been at its helm for nearly 40 years. As IEM’s Chairwoman, she continues to actively shape the company’s strategic vision. Madhu serves on President Joseph Biden’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC), offering insights on the security and resilience of critical infrastructure sectors. She also sits on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s President’s Council.
With her expertise, she has transformed homeland security, national defense, and emergency management using innovative technology. Her career began in Louisiana, where she significantly contributed to floodplain management and hurricane evacuations in New Orleans, earning a Special Merit Award from the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association for her achievements.
Since founding IEM, Madhu has led numerous pioneering initiatives. These include developing the Public Protection Performance Architecture for the Department of Homeland Security, creating the Quantitative Emergency Management tool suite, and directing critical projects like the Hospital Preparedness Program and the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program. Her leadership extended to designing interoperable technology solutions for the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security and managing major disaster housing recovery programs in Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina, New York, and Puerto Rico.
Madhu’s contributions to the field have been widely recognized. She was inducted into the International Women in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Hall of Fame in 2012 and named Enterprising Women of the Year in 2011. Her expertise led to her testifying before the Senate and serving on the Army Science Board and the Defense Science Board’s Task Force. She also facilitated critical workshops for the Department of Defense and lectured at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
Under Madhu’s leadership, IEM has emerged as the largest minority- and woman-owned firm of its kind. Her commitment to leveraging science and technology for public protection and her strategic insights in defense and homeland security have established her as a pioneering and visionary leader in the industry. Her role as a lecturer and speaker at prestigious institutions and conferences underscores her continued influence in the field.
Madhu holds a master’s degree from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Calcutta.