Alumni Named Director of NOAA's National Weather Service

MSU Department of Geosciences Alumni, Kenneth Graham, has been named as the new NOAA Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and the 17th Director of NOAA's National Weather Service. "What an incredible honor it is to serve alongside the heroes of the National Weather Service whose excellence shines through day after day," Graham shared.

Mr. Graham has been the Director of NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) since 2018 and has worked tirelessly to build partnerships at all levels of government and emergency managers, building awareness and preparedness for the hurricane program. Ken brings scientific integrity, trusted leadership, and communication prowess to lead the NWS into the future.

Mr. Graham began his career in the NWS in 1994 as a meteorologist intern, working his way up the ranks in the organization, mostly at field offices. Before becoming the NHC Director, Ken served as the Meteorologist-in-Charge (director) of the New Orleans/Baton Rouge Weather Forecast Offices for 10 years, including providing critical support for government operations during the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

Prior to leading the forecast office, he served as the Systems Operations Division chief at the NWS' Southern Regional Headquarters in Fort Worth, and as the Meteorological Services Chief at NWS headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. Ken had previously served as the director of the local forecast offices in Birmingham and Corpus Christi.

He earned a bachelor's degree in atmospheric science from the University of Arizona and a master's degree in geoscience from Mississippi State University. He was recently named the 2022 Weatherperson of the Year by the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes and was a 2021 finalist for the Partnership for Public Service's Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal (Sammies). Graham is a member of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association.

A native of Phoenix, Ken and his wife, Laura, have three daughters.

Full Article: NOAA.gov.