CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW)- Johnny Switzer has been announced by Albemarle County as its new Emergency Management Coordinator, coming from Warrenton, where he served in the same role.  

Switzer has been involved in local government for almost 20 years, according to a county release. 

“I believe in a ‘whole community’ approach to emergency management,” Switzer said in a statement, “where every resident, business, and local organization plays a vital role in our collective resilience.” 

He will lead the new office of Emergency Management, reporting directly to the County Executive. The establishment of the office is part of an ongoing effort by the county to increase its emergency response times, largely due to the difficulty posed by the county’s surface area.  The office will mark the first time the county’s emergency management coordinator will have a full agency at their disposal.   

Switzer supervised a new and growing emergency response agency in Warrenton, even earning recognition from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management for his efforts in 2026 with the Outstanding New Emergency Management Professional of the Year award.   

Switzer succeeds former Emergency Management Coordinator John Oprandy and Emily Peliccia, who served in the post in an interim capacity. He began his role with the county on Monday.