ABSTRACT
As disasters become more common and intense, how do I see the value of my role as a “paper-pushing” disaster response specialist when it comes to providing immediate assistance to those in need in the most prudent and appropriate manner? With a global portfolio, my reflections are not on a specific disaster but rather will consider responding to a disaster or humanitarian crisis from behind the desk. Humanitarian actors are usually seen as on-the-ground first responders wearing baseball hats and vests – assisting men, women, and children by providing food, non-food items and medicine. I, on the other hand sit in a cubicle, in front of the computer, waiting to read the situation reports that come in and determine how many funds we can send to a local NGO now and later. The life of a humanitarian actor does not always mean being on the ground where the action is. It can also be in office buildings in Chicago, Baltimore, or Geneva where the wheeling and dealing take place.
