Rep. Lori Ehrlich Tabbed For FEMA Regional Director

MARBLEHEAD, MA — There will be an open state representative seat in the 8th Essex District after President Joe Biden named Rep. Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead) as the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Region 1 Director.

Ehrlich spent the last 14 years representing Marblehead, Lynn and Swampscott at the State House and is the Chair of the Joint Committee of Municipalities. She was also appointed to serve on the U.S. Department of Energy Commission on Energy Preparedness.

Ehrlich has founded two environmental non-profit organizations and was active in promoting efforts to support local news in areas of the state where coverage has waned substantially through cutbacks in the industry in recent decades.

"I am humbled by this appointment and cannot wait to join the FEMA family," Ehrlich said.

She earned a Master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. She earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Accounting from Lehigh University and is the only certified public accountant currently serving in the legislature.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)