Wes Rapaport

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT WES RAPAPORT

An award-winning journalist, Wes Rapaport is the Chief of Media & Communications at the Texas Division of Emergency Management.In his role, Rapaport works closely with Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd and state executive leadership to coordinate life-safety messaging for Texans before, during, and after disasters. Additionally, he oversees coordination of the Texas State Emergency Operations Center’s joint information center and serves as primary point of contact for media.He joined TDEM from Nexstar Media Group, where he served as a correspondent covering Texas. He was one of the few reporters stationed in Rockport when the eye of Hurricane Harvey passed over the Texas coast in 2017.His work during Hurricane Harvey, which included uncovering price-gouging of hotels in the aftermath of the storm, was nominated for a 2018 Lone Star Emmy. He also worked on the ground during other disasters over the past several years.Wes was awarded a 2021 Lone Star Emmy for his role in KXAN\'s political program State of Texas for an episode titled:\"State of Texas: Protests Against Police Brutality\"(Watch here: https://bit.ly/3Hrb7eo)Prior to moving to Austin, Wes was a reporter, anchor and producer in Lubbock, where he was recognized for his reporting on firefighter health. He has more than a decade of experience in television & video production, and his work has appeared around the globe. His extensive background includes public access television as a producer, director, and mentor. He has interviewed professional athletes, congressional leaders and thousands of everyday Texans. He covered 3 presidential administrations.Originally from Northern California, Wes loves the coast, and enjoys catching a baseball game when he can!Wes graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Television & Broadcast Journalism, where he was involved in Chapman News, Chapman Radio, and Chapman Athletics.