Makayla Peebles knew she was destined for a career in public service. With both parents working as first responders, it was a no-brainer.

What really drew her in was the chaos. Growing up, Peebles’ father was often sick, so she became accustomed to unpredictability at a young age. She believes those early experiences prepared her to step up in stressful situations.

When Peebles arrived at the University of Georgia, she set out on a path toward medical school. She majored in public health, with her sights on a fast-paced career in a hospital emergency department. That changed her sophomore year when she took her first disaster management class.

“I remember everything kind of fell into place, everything started connecting. This is what I want to do,” Peebles said.

DMAN 3100 led to DMAN 3200, and soon, Peebles was committing to a minor in disaster management.

As she neared graduation, Peebles realized the jobs she wanted either required more experience or more education, neither of which she had. It wasn’t until she met Curt Harris, director of the Institute for Disaster Management (IDM), that she considered the Master of Public Health (MPH) program with a concentration in disaster management.

One conversation, and it was clear her academic journey wasn’t going to stop at undergraduate commencement.

In the final semester of the MPH, Peebles interned with the Atlanta Fulton County Emergency Management Agency. Applying what she learned in the classroom, Peebles participated in disaster exercise and wrote high-level emergency plans for the county. She saw firsthand the impact she had on the community, interacting with locals and seeing the changes she made in real time.

“Ultimately, what we do means something, and it’s making a difference in some way. It’s a great feeling to see things actually change because of what you do,” Peebles said.

As Peebles approached the end of the MPH program, she found herself at a crossroads: continue her education with a Ph.D., or enter the workforce? Ultimately, her support system helped her decide to stay in school and pursue higher education.

“What it came down to was, there were too many things that I still wanted to know. I still had questions,” Peebles said.

While some might be overwhelmed by the prospect of being in school for over eight years, Peebles was fueled by her desire to know the answers and control the chaos.

“Studying these things and seeing the worst that humanity can do, the worst the environment can do, coupling that with the generosity that people have, the willingness to go out of their way to help others,” Peebles said, “It’s the perfect representation of humanity. I think that’s what draws me into it.”

In August 2024, Peebles began the Doctoral (PhD) Program in Health Services Research and Policy at UGA’s College of Public Health. Wanting to stay connected to the field, Peebles chose a concentration in disaster management and will work closely with Dr. Harris on her dissertation.

“Makayla exemplifies the ideal integration of research and practice that defines the mission of IDM,” said Dr. Harris, “She represents the next generation of leaders in public health preparedness — innovative, driven and deeply committed to making communities more resilient.”

As the first disaster management Triple Dawg, Peebles is an academic pioneer. While she’s still not entirely sure what’s next for her after the PhD program, it’s clear she wants to impact people’s lives for the better.

“My goal would be to have the research I do influence policy to ultimately make people’s lives better. To be able to change things at the local level, all the way up to a federal level or international level,” Peebles said.

Throughout her education and professional experience, Peebles learned there’s not just one way to be an emergency manager. She believes disaster management is a combination of many fields, making it a viable career path for anyone, regardless of their interests, background, or degree.

“The thing I’ve grown to learn is, there is a place for everybody in disaster management, and emergency preparedness is everyone’s responsibility,” said Peebles.

Written by Erin Mumper

This article was originally published on the Institute for Disaster Management’s website.