Peter B. Gudaitis, M.Div.

Mr. Gudaitis currently serves as the Executive Director & CEO of New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS) and President of the National Disaster Interfaiths Network (NDIN).

NYDIS is a 501(c)(3) federation of over 61 faith-based human service providers, charitable organizations and faith communities that work in partnership to provide disaster readiness, response, and recovery services for New York City. NYDIS collaborates with local, state, and national agencies to facilitate the delivery of non-sectarian spiritual care, relief support, recovery services and planning support – as well as providing mitigation education, preparedness training, and risk communication tools to New York City religious communities. NYDIS’ direct services are primarily directed toward under-resourced victim’s families, survivors, and impacted communities.
He has over 30 years of experience as a practitioner and instructor in chaplaincy, crisis leadership, disaster and emergency management, long-term recovery, faith-based philanthropy, and disaster human services – including, early in his career, a decade in Emergency Medical Services. He is a subject matter expert in disaster spiritual care, interfaith coalition building, long-term recovery, and religious literacy and competency in crisis settings.
Currently, Mr. Gudaitis is a member of the Faith-based Caucus of the International Association of Emergency Managers; Guest Lecturer and Advisory Board member for the Metropolitan College of New York, Emergency and Disaster Management Program; Contributing Fellow at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California; Adjunct Professor at Hartford Seminary; In 2012, he was appointed to the New York State Respond Commission by Governor Andrew Cuomo. And, in 2015 he was appointed to the New York City Charitable Organization & House of Worship Recovery Task Force by New York City Council Speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito. His is the Co-Chair of the NYC Faith Sector Community Preparedness Program Advisory Board of the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. And, has served on the Board of Directors of NYC Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster for almost fifteen years.