Ken Graham

Ken Graham is the Director of NOAA's National Weather Service and the Assistant Administrator for Weather Services at NOAA.1 He was appointed to this role on June 7, 2022, becoming the 17th director of the National Weather Service.4

Career Highlights

Previous Positions::

• Director of NOAA's National Hurricane Center
• Meteorologist-in-Charge at the New Orleans/Baton Rouge weather forecast office
• Systems Operations Chief at Southern Region Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas
• Chief of Meteorological Services at NWS headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland
• Meteorologist-in-Charge at NWS forecast offices in Corpus Christi, Texas and Birmingham, Alabama1

Notable Achievements::

• Led the nation through numerous hurricanes, including 30 named storms during the record-breaking 2020 hurricane season1
• Implemented innovative Impact-Based Decision Support Services during several major weather events1
• Received the Louisiana Governor's Emergency Service Award in 20141
• Named the 2022 Weatherperson of the Year by the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes1
• Finalist for the 2021 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal1

Education and Professional Affiliations

• Bachelor's degree in atmospheric science from the University of Arizona
• Master's degree in geoscience from Mississippi State University
• Licensed HAM Radio Operator
• Member of the American Meteorological Society, National Weather Association, and International Association of Emergency Managers1

Leadership Approach

Graham's leadership style focuses on three main pillars: Our People, Our Infrastructure, and Our Future.2 He emphasizes the importance of communication, rapid transformation, and narrowing down priorities to focus on core missions.2 His vision for the National Weather Service includes making the agency more nimble, flexible, and mobile, working closely with critical decision-makers to build a more Weather-Ready and Climate-Ready Nation.3