Robert J. Fenton

Robert Joseph Fenton Jr. is an American response worker who has served as the acting administrator of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since 2026. Fenton served as the acting administrator of FEMA from January to April 2021 and from January 2017 to June 2017. Fenton began working for FEMA in 1996. He was appointed Regional Administrator for FEMA Region IX: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Islands in July 2015.

He had a leadership role in the development of the National Incident Management System and the National Response Framework. He was FEMA's acting administrator under President Donald Trump from January 26, 2017, until his successor Brock Long was confirmed on June 23, 2017. Fenton performed the duties of the FEMA administrator in January 2021, while Pete Gaynor was serving as the acting secretary of homeland security and was succeeded by New York Emergency Department Commissioner Deanne Criswell.