Our Team
Chad Herndon
Founder and Principal
Chad Herndon has more than 27 years of combined disaster recovery and military leadership experience. Since establishing H2Response in 2013, he has directed scopes of work under some of the nation’s largest FEMA and HUD CDBG-DR programs. His expertise spans construction management, inspections, logistics, and technology implementation, with emphasis on audit-ready documentation and disciplined production control.
Chad’s disaster portfolio includes leading construction operations for the Texas GLO’s Houston and Harris County homeowner programs, managing more than 4,500 damage assessments and 2,800 home repairs; overseeing rapid housing missions such as FEMA’s PREPS program, which completed 16,000 emergency repairs in less than eight months; and supporting Louisiana’s Shelter at Home program, which returned 10,600 homes to habitable condition in 90 days. He has also managed FEMA Section 1206 substantial damage determinations for Lafourche Parish, directing 18,000 inspections within three months of program start, and has most recently provided SME support to Restore Louisiana and FEMA Section 1206 building code enforcement after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
In addition to his civilian career, Chad is a retired Colonel in the Louisiana Army National Guard, where he served as Director of Strategic Plans. His military career included responsibility for statewide operational planning, rapid mobilization of Guard units, and coordination with civil authorities during major disaster events. This background gives him unique insight into both the command-and-control and field-level realities of emergency operations. His dual experience in military command and disaster program management makes him uniquely qualified to lead H2Response’s veteran-driven mission.
Jen Smith
Program and Production Management
Jen Smith has more than a decade of experience managing disaster recovery programs funded by FEMA and HUD. She specializes in program startup, production pipeline management, and large-scale case management operations. Smith’s expertise includes designing workflows that move high volumes of applicants or inspections through to completion without sacrificing compliance or quality.
She was instrumental in managing Louisiana’s Hurricane Ida Disaster Case Management Program, overseeing hundreds of staff and coordinating the work of multiple vendors. Her leadership ensured consistent service delivery for survivors across a wide geographic area, while also providing the State with real-time reporting on case management performance. Smith has also led inspection surge operations, developed QA/QC procedures, and coordinated technology deployments that enabled rapid scaling of program operations.
Her approach emphasizes turning policy requirements into structured, repeatable production processes. By combining technical knowledge with hands-on management of field and call center staff, Smith has consistently delivered programs that meet or exceed production benchmarks under demanding conditions. She remains committed to supporting disaster-impacted communities in Louisiana and across the country through disciplined, compliance-driven program delivery.
Shane Rauh
Appeals and Compliance Specialist
Shane Rauh brings more than a decade of experience supporting FEMA funded programs, with a focus on compliance reviews, policy application, and applicant appeals. His career includes leading case reviews and appeals processes for large scale housing recovery efforts where FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) requirements intersected with state administered housing programs. He has developed and applied eligibility determinations that align with FEMA regulations while ensuring accurate documentation for audit purposes.
Rauh’s FEMA experience includes coordinating with applicants, contractors, and local officials to resolve complex cases involving duplication of benefits, mitigation eligibility, and compliance with federal guidance. He has served as a subject matter expert for appeals teams, providing technical interpretation of FEMA rules and ensuring consistency in case determinations. His work has safeguarded program integrity by resolving exceptional cases that might otherwise delay applicant recovery or jeopardize program compliance.
In addition to his technical work, Rauh’s background includes service in the U.S. military, which instilled the discipline and leadership he applies in high volume disaster operations. His ability to work within FEMA’s regulatory framework, interpret guidance, and apply it in the field makes him a trusted resource for appeals resolution, compliance reviews, and technical assistance across multiple FEMA programs.
Barry (Kelly) Stringer
QA/QC and Estimating
Barry “Kelly” Stringer has extensive experience supporting FEMA funded programs with a focus on inspections, estimating, and quality assurance. He has overseen thousands of FEMA scope reviews and inspections, ensuring that contractor deliverables met program requirements and that documentation was sufficient for reimbursement. His FEMA portfolio includes work on rapid housing missions such as STEP and PREPS, where he trained inspection staff, validated contractor scopes, and enforced consistency across large inspection teams operating under compressed timelines. Kelly has also contributed to FEMA Section 1206 programs, providing technical oversight of substantial damage determinations and supporting compliance with NFIP standards.
In addition to his FEMA work, Kelly has applied his estimating and QA/QC expertise to HUD CDBG-DR housing recovery programs. He has conducted detailed scope reviews for rehabilitation, reconstruction, and elevation projects, ensuring that cost estimates aligned with HUD and state program requirements. He has also reviewed contractor invoices, supported draw validation, and trained staff in scope development and compliance review procedures.
Kelly’s background includes military service, where he developed the organizational and supervisory skills that he applies in fast moving disaster operations. His ability to manage inspection and QA/QC teams under pressure, combined with deep knowledge of FEMA and HUD program requirements, makes him a critical resource for ensuring accuracy, compliance, and audit readiness across disaster housing programs.
Arthur Brian Hadaway
Field Estimating and QA
Arthur Brian Hadaway has supported FEMA funded programs through detailed field estimating, inspections, and quality assurance. His work has included damage assessments, substantial damage inspections, and scope validations under FEMA missions where rapid turnaround and consistent documentation were critical for reimbursement. He has trained inspection staff on FEMA aligned methodologies, ensuring that field teams produced accurate and consistent outputs in compliance with federal requirements.
In HUD CDBG-DR programs, Hadaway has conducted scoping and construction inspections for rehabilitation, reconstruction, and elevation projects. He has applied HUD Housing Quality Standards (HQS), Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) requirements, and green building standards to project inspections, providing a technical basis for approving contractor scopes and progress. His reviews have supported draw validation, change order approvals, and final closeout documentation.
Hadaway is proficient in estimating tools including RSMeans and Xactimate, and he applies that expertise to verify contractor estimates, enforce cost reasonableness, and prevent scope discrepancies. His military background reinforces his ability to perform in high-pressure field environments, maintain consistency across dispersed teams, and train personnel to apply inspection standards accurately.