Megan Lawrence
Nanjemoy,MD
Summary
Detail-oriented public safety professional with experience in emergency communications, records management, and government operations. Skilled in handling high-pressure situations, maintaining accurate documentation, and providing professional services to diverse populations. Proven ability to follow strict procedures while managing sensitive information and coordinating with multiple agencies. With a strong background in supervision, training, and regulatory compliance.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Emergency Communications Officer
City of Alexandria, VA
09.2025 - Current
- Process emergency and non-emergency calls, prioritizing incidents based on severity.
- Handle high-volume inbound calls, providing efficient and professional customer support.
- Dispatch police, fire, and EMS using established protocols.
- Provide pre-arrival instructions and crisis intervention to callers.
- Maintain accurate and timely incident documentation.
- Coordinate with multiple agencies to ensure effective response.
- De-escalate emotionally charged situations while identifying solutions quickly.
Animal Control Officer
St. Mary’s County
01.2024 - 09.2025
- Respond to animal-related complaints and emergencies, including stray or aggressive animals, injured animals, animal bites, and animal neglect/cruelty cases.
- Investigate cases of animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect, and collaborate with law enforcement and legal authorities as needed.
- Safely capture and transport animals using humane methods and appropriate equipment.
- Enforce local animal control ordinances and educate the public on responsible pet ownership and animal welfare. Advocate for the animals and residents within the community to provide better animal welfare services.
- Perform clerical duties; report writing, emails, telephone calls, radio transmissions, faxes, and copies. Maintain accurate records of animal incidents, inspections, and shelter intakes.
- Assist with operations at the St. Mary's County Animal Adoptions and Resource Center. Respond to citizen inquiries; verifies licenses; file offense and incident reports and maintains service logs; reviews records to identify owners of impounded animals.
Agent Team Member
Shadonna Lewis State Farm
04.2023 - 01.2024
- Successfully obtained licenses in property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance, and variable products.
- Conduct policy reviews and provided exceptional customer service to build long-term client relationships and identified coverage gaps and recommend appropriate solutions.
- Collaborate with State Farm Agent in servicing and managing a diverse portfolio of insurance clients.
- Process new insurance policies, endorsements, and claims efficiently and accurately. Assist clients with insurance inquiries, policy changes, and billing issues.
Animal Control Officer
Charles County
08.2022 - 03.2023
- Respond to animal-related complaints and emergencies, including stray or aggressive animals, injured animals, animal bites, and animal neglect/cruelty cases.
- Safely capture and transport animals using appropriate Animal Control equipment.
- Enforce local animal control ordinances and educate the public on responsible pet ownership and animal welfare.
- Perform clerical duties; report writing, emails, telephone calls, radio transmissions, faxes, and copies. Maintain accurate records of Animal Control Reports and Inspections.
Sergeant of Animal Control
City of Alexandria
07.2019 - 08.2022
- Enforces city and state laws pertaining to animal control; captures sick and injured wildlife and domestic animals; issues warnings and/or citations and summonses; provides relevant court testimony in the prosecution of violators; and investigates all animal bites.
- Responds to citizen inquiries; verifies licenses; file offense and incident reports and maintains service logs; reviews records to identify owners of impounded animals.
- Supervised a team of four Animal Control Officers.
- Manage meetings for the Animal Control Department; keep Officers informed of current issues; troubleshoot current cases the Officers are handling; meet with other supervisors once a week for manager's meetings. Work with the Attorney's Office to schedule court cases and ensure Officer appearance.
- Scheduling for the department to ensure there is coverage 24 hours a day 7 days a week; approving and completing Officer PTO request, approve timesheets and work with payroll; work with Officers on overtime status and helping to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue.
- Complete performance reviews with Animal Control Officers. Ensure they are current on all certifications required Virginia State Law.
- Clerical duties; answering phone calls and emails, sending faxes, report writing, reviewing Officer's reports and call sheets, creating case files. Completing FIOA (PIA) requests and submitting them to the City Attorney.
- Implementing new policies and procedures; assisting the Chief of Animal Control in creating new SOPs (Standard Operation Procedures) for the department; assisting in creating a new training standards for new Officers. Training new officers for a minimum of 90 days when they are signed on to the department.
- Worked closely with Commonwealth Attorney and City of Alexandria Attorney in relation to criminal matters; prepare cases/files to go before the Commonwealth and City courts.
- Create community out reach initiatives and encourage a "boots on the ground" approach to community engagement. Attend community events with include public events, vaccination clinics, and career days.
Education
Communications, Emergency Call Taking, & Dispatch
Northern Virginia Regional Criminal Justice Academy
01-2026
Maryland Animal Control
Animal Control Academy
10.2024
Animal Control Academy -
Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy
09-2020
A.A Criminal Justice - undefined
College of Southern Maryland
08-2013
High School Diploma - undefined
Leonardtown High School
06-2011
Skills
- Crisis management and emergency response
- Interagency Coordination
- Emergency communications
- Court and administrative support
- Public interactions and customer service
- Crisis communications and de-escalation
- Records management and documentation
- Policy compliance and procedures
- Data entry and accuracy
- Multi-tasking in fast paced environments
Certification
- FULL LIST OF CERTIFICATIONS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
- BLS Provider - American Heart Association (2019-04)
- Adult/Child/Baby First Aid/CPR/AED (2021-07)
- Cat and Dog First Aid (2021-07)
- Animal Euthanasia Certification Virginia (2020-10)
- FEMA IS-00010.A (2021-02)
- FEMA IS-00011.A (2021-02)
- FEMA IS-111.A (2023-02)
- FEMA IS-00100.C (2020-11)
- FEMA IS-00200.C (2020-12)
- FEMA IS-00700.B (2020-12)
- FEMA IS-703.B (2023-02)
- FEMA IS-00800.D (2021-02)
- FEMA IS-241.C (2024-02)
- FEMA IS-242.C (2024-02)
- ASPCA FIR 1,2,3 (2020-11)
- ASPCA FIR 4,5,6,7,8,10 (2020-12)
- Fear Free Sheltering (2021-04)
- Animal Cruelty Investigations (2021-05)
- Investigating Animal Abuse For Law Enforcement (2020-06)
- Wildlife Intake and Triage (2020-11)
- How to make the Case Adequate Shelter: Temperature and Care (2020-11)
- Top 10 Tips for Taking Wildlife Calls (2020-03)
- Dangerous Dog Cases: Investigations and Prosecutions (2020-04)
- Animal Cruelty: Investigations and Prosecutions (2020-04)
- Animals as Victims: Charging and the Law (2020-04)
- Dog Fighting - Investigations and Prosecutions (2020-04)
- Advanced Cock Fighting: Investigations and Prosecutions (2020-04)
- Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care - CPR and Basic Life Support (2021-11)
- Dangerous Dog Registry - Revision (2022-06)
- The Essentials of Management for First Time Managers -Course (2022-04)
- Prosecuting Farmed Animal Cruelty (2022-08)
- Avoiding Teeth and Bullets: Safely Interacting with Animals as a Law Enforcement Officer (2022-08)
- Handling Conflicts with Wild Snakes (2024-08)
- Solving Conflicts with Woodchucks, Rabbits and Other Garden Nibblers (2024-08)
- Tribal Law and Animal Law (2024-08)
- Help for the Helpers: Recognizing and Addressing Stress Injury in Animal Control Officers (2024-09)
- Creating and Repairing Relations: To improve the lives of animals and people in your community (2024-09)
- Preventing Crimes Against People by Focusing on Animal Abuse (2024-09)
- Recognizing and Understanding the Bias for the Animal Welfare Professional (2024-08)
- NSC - Defensive Driving Course and EVOC (2022-09)
- First Amendment Audits (2023-02)
- Creating Safe Scenes (2024-07)
Timeline
Emergency Communications Officer
City of Alexandria, VA
09.2025 - Current
Animal Control Officer
St. Mary’s County
01.2024 - 09.2025
Agent Team Member
Shadonna Lewis State Farm
04.2023 - 01.2024
Animal Control Officer
Charles County
08.2022 - 03.2023
Sergeant of Animal Control
City of Alexandria
07.2019 - 08.2022
Maryland Animal Control
Animal Control Academy
A.A Criminal Justice - undefined
College of Southern Maryland
High School Diploma - undefined
Leonardtown High School
Communications, Emergency Call Taking, & Dispatch
Northern Virginia Regional Criminal Justice Academy
Animal Control Academy -
Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy