Meet The Staff

Marc C. Breckenridge
Director of Emergency Management
and Homeland Security

Marc was appointed as Director of Emergency Management in 1993 and is deputized by the Washtenaw County Sheriff. He originally came to the division in 1992 after serving eleven years in the Emergency Medical Services field.  Marc is administrative head of the department, and serves as Chair of the Homeland Security Task Force, Emergency Coordinator of the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Treasurer of the Hazardous Materials Response Team Authority Board, and as Washtenaw County’s representative and Vice Chair of the Southeast Michigan Homeland Security (UASI) Board.

Marc is a graduate of Washtenaw Community College and Central Michigan University’s Center for Public Service. He is certified by the Michigan State Police and the International Association of Emergency Managers, and is also a certified Hazardous Materials Specialist and licensed Paramedic. Marc has received two awards for lifesaving action beyond the call of duty, five meritorious service commendations and six awards for administrative excellence.


David Halteman
Assistant Director
and Enhanced 9-1-1 Coordinator

David was appointed as Assistant Director in March of 1997 and is deputized by the Washtenaw County Sheriff. David previously held communications positions with the Washtenaw County Sheriff Department and with Eastern Michigan University Police.  His responsibilities include management of the county’s Enhanced 9-1-1 system, coordination of various public safety communications projects including the Interoperable Communications Investment Committee for the Homeland Security Urban Area Security Initiative.  David is also a member of the Project Implementation Committee for migration of Washtenaw County's Public Safety Communications System to the Michigan Public Safety Communications System.  David is also responsible for acting on behalf of the Emergency Management Director in his absence.

David is a graduate of the Eastern Michigan University School of Communications Technology, and is a certified Hazardous Materials Technician and Michigan Professional Emergency Manager.  David has earned both a meritorious service commendation and a Sheriff's Unit Citation.


Gregory Williams
Senior Emergency Planner

Gregory came to the division in May of 2003 after gaining 12 years of experience in the public safety field including various positions in law enforcement, firefighting and Emergency Medical Services.  Greg is responsible for managing Homeland Security programs that integrate Washtenaw County’s First Responder community into the larger Detroit Urban Area Homeland Security Initiative.  He serves on two regional Homeland Security Investment Committees, and is professional staff for both the Washtenaw County Homeland Security Task Force and the Regional Responder Safety Investment Committee. 

Greg is deputized by the Washtenaw County Sheriff, is a licensed Emergency Medical Technician, certified Firefighter, Hazardous Materials Technician, Terrorism Response Technician, Michigan Professional Emergency Manager, and is a Response to Terrorism Bombings Instructor through the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.


Denise Wirtz
Executive Secretary

Denise has been with the division since 1982. She was previously with the County's Community Mental Health division for five years.  Denise coordinates numerous record keeping projects, tracks accounts, and is liaison to various county business activities and committees. Denise is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie course, is cross-trained in radiological protection, and is a Michigan Professional Emergency Manager.


Joan Cottrell
EMS Management Assistant

Joan has been with the division as the Washtenaw/Livingston Medical Control Authority Board staff since 1996.  She was previously with Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor for eight years in the Emergency Business Office and also in the Emergency Residency Office.  Joan is a graduate of Washtenaw Community College and the Dale Carnegie course, and is a licensed Emergency Medical Technician.


Kenneth J. Kelly
Emergency Planning Assistant

Ken was Washtenaw County’s Continuity of Government and Local Support Plan project manager in 2005, and returned to the Division full time in 2007.  Ken was previously a popular Washtenaw County radio broadcaster and station operations manager for 18 years… with an extensive local news and public information background.  He attended St. Francis College in New York and the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts; and is presently completing the Michigan Professional Emergency Manager certification program.  Ken’s responsibilities include development and maintenance of Washtenaw County’s Emergency Action Guidelines, and with continually updating the local response plans for hazardous materials facilities, pipelines, dams and spillways.  He also maintains Washtenaw County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, and coordinates Washtenaw County’s annual disaster exercise.