Alumna Recognized for Outstanding Hurricane Helene Recovery Support
More than a year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, Mary Ensogna ’09 (pictured on the far right above) has been honored with the Civilian Service Commendation Medal for her critical role in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recovery operations.
Ensogna, a realty specialist with the USACE Middle East District, deployed to the Wilmington District Recovery Field Office from June to November 2025. She supported debris removal across 23 counties and more than 125,000 homes, ensuring private‑property work was conducted safely and legally.
Her responsibilities included verifying property ownership, processing Right of Entry applications, coordinating with Geographic Information System (GIS) teams, and working directly with homeowners — particularly in hard‑hit Buncombe County. She also navigated hazardous site conditions and complex policy requirements while helping residents move through Federal Emergency Management Agency documentation and demolition processes.
Despite the challenges, Ensogna said seeing communities rebuild was the most meaningful part of the mission. Leaders praised her expertise and dedication, noting her work was essential to coordinated recovery efforts in the region’s difficult terrain.
Ensogna credits her home district for supporting her deployment. “Public service is one of the truest forms of patriotism,” she said in an April 15, 2026 article on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website. “It was an honor to help others in a meaningful way.”
Ensoga earned a Bachelor of Science in history from Shenandoah in 2009.
