About

Director, Office of Emergency Preparedness

Jefferson F. Howells, CEM®

jfhowells@purdue.edu | 765-494-0446

Jefferson F. Howells, MS, CEM®, is the director of Emergency Preparedness at Purdue University, bringing more than 24 years of experience in public safety and emergency management. He previously served as an assistant chief with the Purdue University Fire Department and a project manager with the Purdue Homeland Security Institute, with expertise in incident command, emergency operations and multi-agency coordination.

Jefferson is the principal author of Purdue’s Integrated Emergency Management Plan and PurdueALERT Emergency Notification Plan, which guide prevention, preparedness, response and recovery efforts across all campuses. As a Purdue alumnus, he is committed to strengthening institutional resilience and supporting the university’s mission through effective public safety strategies.

Program Manager, Office of Emergency Preparedness

Jason Philhower, CEM®

philhowe@purdue.edu | 765-496-9071

Jason Philhower, CEM®, joined the Office of Emergency Preparedness in December 2023. In his role as program manager, Jason helps administer plans that outline operating procedures for potential emergencies or disasters and the recovery from these events. He provides guidance for administrators, faculty, staff and students on emergency preparedness objectives and strategies. He designs and administers preparedness training courses on how to effectively respond to major emergencies and disasters and engages the campus community in the emergency preparedness process. 

In his first year at Purdue, Jason was able to obtain the Certified Emergency Manager credential from the International Association of Emergency Managers.

Jason came to Purdue from the West Lafayette Police Department where he served as lieutenant of the patrol division. In that role, he managed the patrol shift and provided guidance to patrol officers. He started with the police department as an officer in 1996 and worked his way through the ranks, serving as sergeant before being named lieutenant.

Jason earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Purdue University and his master’s in homeland security and emergency management from Purdue Global.