Chief Cash has been in the fire service since 1995 starting as a junior volunteer firefighter and currently serving as Assistant Chief of Training and Safety with the Cherryville Fire Department in Cherryville, NC.  He began as a career firefighter with the City of Shelby, NC in 2005, where he currently holds the rank of Battalion Chief of Operations over C-Platoon since 2015.

Chief Cash holds a Master’s of Business Administration from Columbia Southern University, a Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science concentrating in Town, City, and County Management degree from Appalachian State University, and an Associate’s degree in Fire Protection Technology from Cleveland Community College.

He is a graduate of the North Carolina Association of Fire Chief’s Executive Development Program in October 2015.  He received the NCSFA Firefighter of the Year in 2015, NCAFC Volunteer Officer of the Year in 2019, and he was awarded his Chief Fire Officer Designation by the Center for Public Safety Excellence in 2019.  He currently serves on the Executive Board of the North Carolina State Firefighters’ Association.

Chief Cash currently serves on the Cleveland County United Way as a Board Member and on the Fund Distribution Panel, as well as serving as Co-Chair for the City of Shelby’s United Way Campaign.  He is a volunteer with the Cherryville Little League program serving as a Board Member and Umpire Coordinator in the past.  He is a member of First Baptist Church in Cherryville.

Chief Cash currently resides in Ranlo, NC with his lovely bride Erin.  They enjoy traveling around the country and the Caribbean together.

Shelby is the Fire Analysis Research Manager at the National Fire Protection Association. She manages the Annual Fire Experience Survey, the Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service, as well as subsequent reports such as Fire Loss, Home Fires, and overall data collection, management, and analysis for developing national estimates of fire incidents. She holds both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Georgia and previously taught at Auburn University.  She enjoys applying social and behavioral science to her studies in fire data whenever possible. If she's not being a geek about data, you can find her living in Massachusetts spending time with her wonderful son, dogs, or travelling with her partner.

Dan Kerrigan is a 37-year veteran of the fire and emergency services profession, serving in positions from firefighter through fire chief, emergency management director and chief fire marshal. Over his career, Dan has served in volunteer, combination, and career fire departments of varying size and complexity. He is co-author of the bestselling book Firefighter Functional Fitness, a member of the IAFC-SHS Board of Directors, serves on the First Responder Center For Excellence Health and Fitness Advisory Committee and is a task force group member for the current IAFF-WFI Wellness-Fitness initiative. He is an international speaker on firefighter health and wellness, and works closely with national and International organizations in advocacy and leadership roles to improve fire, and EMS health and wellness, with a focus on equal access to services regardless of status as career or volunteer. Kerrigan earned his graduate degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University. He holds an undergraduate degree in Community and Human Services from Empire State College and is a credentialed Executive Fire Officer (EFO) through the United States Fire Administration (USFA), a credentialed Chief Fire Officer (CFO), a Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),

Eric Valliere began his fire service career in 1991 with the Mesa Fire Department (AZ) and later joined the Scottsdale Fire Department, where he retired in 2025 as the Assistant Fire Chief over Professional Services. He has led divisions across Operations, EMS, Training, Prevention & CRR, Logistics, Administration, and Safety, Health & Wellness. He holds a BSBA in Finance and the Chief Fire Officer Designation (CFOD).

Chief Valliere has served on the FDSOA Board since 2013 and became CEO in 2025. He has been an influential leader in the Phoenix Regional Automatic-Aid System, serving in roles including Co-Chair of the Valley Safety Officers Committee, Co-Chair of the Regional Operations Consistency Committee, and Chair of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association Safety Section. He also supports the Drexel FIRST Center’s Safety Climate Program as an instructor and Advisory Board member.

He is passionate about advancing fire service safety, promoting effective risk management, and building strong safety cultures through engaged leadership.

Beginning his fire service career in 1992, Sarasota County Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Darin Wallentine leads the Logistics, Safety, and Risk Section. Chief Wallentine previously served with the Tucson Fire Department, where he led the Safety and Wellness Division and advanced comprehensive firefighter health initiatives.

In 2021, Chief Wallentine was elected to the IAFC Safety, Health, and Survival (SHS)  Section Board of Directors as an At-Large Director. He has remained actively engaged in its growth and national impact and currently serves as the Vice-Chair for the IAFC Safety, Health, and Survival Section, bringing more than three decades of progressive fire service leadership to the role. As an SHS board member, Chief Wallentine represents the SHS Section as the Chairperson for the annual Firefighter Safety Stand Down. The annual collaborative between the IAFC, IAFF, NVFC, FDSOA, and NFPA to deliver critical safety resources and guidance to prevent career and volunteer firefighter injuries and death.

Chief Wallentine holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Safety Leadership and Administration from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University at Fullerton.

Chief Wallentine lives in Sarasota, FL with his wife Teresa and has three grown children and two granddaughters.

Mark is an Emergency and Wildland Fire Management Specialist with over 25 years of all-risk public safety experience, including law enforcement, structural and wildland fire, and incident management, having graduated the National Incident Management Organization's Field Command School. As the owner of Grounded Truths LLC, he specializes in community wildfire protection, hazard mitigation planning, and the use of advanced geospatial tools for wildfire risk assessments. Mark’s extensive background with the U.S. Forest Service began with the Wildland Fire Apprenticeship, then serving in progressive Fire Management positions, including as a Captain in Prescribed Fire & Fuels and as a Fire Prevention/Mitigation Battalion Chief, where he was instrumental in building FireWise Communities and managing complex interagency prevention/mitigation programs.

A seasoned instructor with over 13 years of wildland and prescribed fire teaching experience, Mark has taught a variety of wildland fire courses, from Basic Wildland Fire Academy (S-130/190) to Intermediate Fire Behavior (S-290), and Prescribed Fire Burn Boss (RX-300). He has previously served as the Chair of the Missouri Prescribed Fire Council, where he mentored partner staff and successfully tripled the number of Prescribed Burn Associations statewide. He's also designed and served as an evaluator for interagency wildland fire exercises in both live-roleplay and sandtable formats.

Chief Johnson's career spans 25 years of public service.  In his early career he started the fire service in 1993 with the El Dorado County Fire Department and joined the U.S. Forest Service in 1995 where he held positions from firefighter to fire captain.  He was an instructor of Fire Science at the College of Southern Nevada.  Later he held the positions of Assistant Chief and Fire Training Instructor at Clark County Fire Department in the State of Nevada. These roles required him to supervise a paid and volunteer firefighting staff, 13 Fire Stations and EMS personnel. 

Currently Chief Johnson is the Fire Chief for Ebbett’s Pass Fire District, a position he was appointed to in September of 2014. The Ebbett’s Pass Fire District provides fire suppression, advanced life support, and ground emergency medical transport for its 6,750 residents and visitors within the Special Districts 225 square mile boundary. Chief Johnson is very proud of the quality of service provided and their bound to our community.

Charlie Kludt has been a member of the Viborg Volunteer Fire Department in Viborg, South Dakota since 1993. He has served positions of secretary and Training Officer for the department. He has certifications as Rescue Technician, driver-operator, inspector, instructor, and NWCG wildland. He is an on-call EMT for the Viborg Ambulance service.

Charlie’s full-time occupation is Station Captain FF/EMT and Fire Prevention Inspector at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls, SD, since 2001.

He served as Southeast District Director to the South Dakota Firefighters Association from 2010-2014. In 2014, he was elected as State SDFA President and still serves in the position.

In 2015, he became an NVFC State Director for South Dakota. Currently serving as Wildland committee member.

He and his wife, Dawn, are members of the South Dakota-Local Assistance State Team (SD-LAST).

Prior to a firefighting career, he was a Jr/Sr High School vocational instructor, coach, and Administrator. He served as mayor for 14 years; Planning and Zoning Chairman; School Board member; and church committee member (which has a “forever” term limit). 

I have been in the fire service since graduating high school in Newton Massachusetts in 1994. Starting out on Malden Rescue 2, an auxiliary civil defense unit that supported area towns with lighting and air supply. I was then hired as a seasonal wildland firefighter for the Commonwealth, Massachusetts and during my off-season would live in New Hampshire working at a ski resort and also volunteering as a call firefighter with the Lincoln, New Hampshire fire department. In 2000 I then joined the US Army as a military police officer and moved to Fort Carson, Colorado, where during my 7 years in Colorado I also was a member of the Stratmore Hills, and Southwest Highway 115, Divide fire departments. I was also a captain on the El Paso County sheriffs office Wildland fire crew. In 2006 I moved back to Massachusetts and I’m employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of conservation and recreation bureau of Forest fire control where I serve as the district one Forest fire warden which covers Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. I am currently an ICT type four crew, boss and engine boss. I am also a member of the Barnstable county type three incident management team. I’m also a member of the north east Forest FIRE, compact fire prevention team, and am recently a member of the NWCG NIMS integration sub committee.

Tyler Gibbs is a veteran member of the Greenlawn Fire Department with 18 years of frontline experience. He is a certified paramedic, fire instructor, and code enforcement official, with a background in fire dispatch. Tyler regularly supports departments across Long Island as a trusted advisor on fire service technology and operational modernization.

Joseph Mistovich, Professor Emeritus, retired after 35 years at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, where he served as Chairperson of the Department of Health Professions. He became a Nationally Registered Paramedic in 1981 and continues to maintain his certification after 45 years. He has authored fifteen EMS textbooks and more than fifty journal articles and is a frequent speaker at EMS conferences. He served on the CoAEMSP Board of Directors for more than nineteen years and remains active as a Reader and Program Action Team Member. He continues to teach at the EMT and Paramedic levels as an invited lecturer at several institutions, including Penn State University and the Ohio Fire Academy.

Pam Rogers brings over 15 years of experience in EMS and fire service, and more than 25 years as an instructor and educator. She has trained staff and volunteers across generations and settings from remote wilderness areas in the West and rural health clinics in Lesotho, South Africa, to multimillion-dollar corporations and small-town fire departments in Idaho. Pam currently serves as the EMS & Fire Volunteer Coordinator for the City of Moscow Volunteer Fire Department, supporting a team of 100 volunteer firefighters and EMTs who respond to more than 3,000 incidents annually in rural Idaho.

Julie “Jules” Scadden, PM, CAC, is a paramedic, EMS educator, and public safety professional with more than 32 years of experience in emergency medical services. Throughout her career, she has served as Director of two blended volunteer/paid ambulance services in Eastern and Central Iowa while continuing to provide direct patient care through active ambulance service shifts. Jules has extensive experience in grant writing and program coordination, successfully securing and managing numerous grant opportunities for EMS agencies and municipalities. She currently serves the City of Dysart as a Grant Writer and Policy & Procedure Specialist. In addition to her professional leadership roles, Jules is actively involved in EMS advocacy, quality improvement, and education at the local, state, and national levels. She serves on the Iowa Quality Assurance and Scope of Practice Committee, is President of the Tama County EMS Association, Chair of the Tama County EMS Essential Services Advisory Council, a member of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Advisory Group, and Vice Chair of the National Volunteer Fire Council EMS/Rescue Section. A dedicated educator and presenter, Jules frequently speaks at regional, state, and national EMS conferences, specializing in pediatric emergency care and the treatment of children with special healthcare needs. She also contributes to the development, review, and writing of EMS educational materials.

David is a 22 year member of the fire service and currently serves as a Lieutenant and coassigned to the Training Division with the Columbia County Fire Rescue (Ga.) and a part time Firefighter with Grovetown (Ga) DPS. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia State Firefighter's Association, National Volunteer Fire Council State Director, Georgia Pipeline Emergency Response Initiave Board of Directors, NFPA’s Working Group on Flammable Refrigerants, Alternate to NFPA 1021 and 1056 Committees, and was Secretary of IFSTA's Pumping Apparatus Driver Operator 3rd Edition Curriculum Committee, contributor to the “Training Officer’s Desk Reference”, and is a Safety and Health coordinator with HEPACO LLC. As an active instructor for the Georgia Fire Academy with Firefighter Basics, David is constantly engaged with teaching live fire, leadership, HAZMAT, and Firefighter Survival/RIT classes.

Jeff Cash, CFO, has over 43 years in the fire service and is the retired City Manager/Fire Chief of the City of Cherryville, North Carolina, his hometown. Currently, Chief Cash serves as the Training and Education Coordinator for Volunteer Fire Insurance Services of North Carolina (VFIS of NC).  Jeff also serves in the track services division, including fire protection/emergency medical services for the Speedway Motor Sports, (Charlotte Motor Speedway). He holds a degree in Fire Protection. He is a Past President of the NC State Firefighters Association. He has received the following recognitions: Cherryville FD Firefighter of the Year, Western NC Association Fire Officer of the Year, NCSFA Firefighter of the Year, NC Association of Fire Chief’s Career Chief of the Year, NC Society of Fire & Rescue Instructors, Instructor of the Year, the IAFC-VCOS-John Buckman Leadership Award, and the NVFC-James Monihan Leadership Award.  He also received the North Carolina American Legion Fire Service Person of the Year Award. Recently, upon his retirement, he was awarded the NC Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Roy Cooper.

He served on the Executive Committee (Secretary-Treasurer) of the National Volunteer Fire Council as North Carolina’s Director. Chief Cash is a previous member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Board of Directors. He also served as a principal committee member of NFPA 1021 and a Board member of the IAFC-Safety Health & Survival Section (NVFC Liaison).  He is an active fire service instructor, teaching since 1983. Chief Cash has testified twice before US Congressional Committees on Fire Service issues.  Chief Cash has spoken or taught in 36 states. Chief Cash also serves on the Caromont Health System Board of Directors, as Chairman.

Brian Focht CFPS, CFEI, is a 40-vetern of the fire service and Past Chief of the Willow Grove (Fire Company and a Career Lieutenant with the Horsham Fire Company serving as shift supervisor and Training Officer. He is a Pro Board level 3 fire instructor and teaches at several academies. He is a PA Department of Health Paramedic and Instructor. He has authored articles on Natural Gas and Electrical Emergencies and Designed a Training Video and Program for Emergency Services on dealing with Autism. He co-authored a book on Tactical Response to Natural Gas Emergencies by PennWell.  He was the 2014 OCAILA Community Achievement Award, 2016 Recipient of the Garry Breese IAFC Safety Performance Award, 2017 Liberty Museum Valor Award for Community Betterment and 2019 PA Department of Health Instructor of the Year.   A NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist and many other professional credentials and meritorious citations. 

I believe in training today for tomorrow’s emergencies. I have made it a career goal to continually better myself and those I mentor. I teach leadership development, Incident Safety, Auto and Machinery Rescue and Utility response on a regular basis. 

Robbi King serves as the Director of Public Safety Solutions Engineers at Vector Solutions, where he is focused on delivering tailored safety and operational solutions to public sector clients. With a robust background in public safety, including roles as the Deputy Coroner at the Camden County Coroner’s Office and Assistant Chief of Fire at Camden County Fire Rescue, King plays a pivotal role in aligning agency needs with scalable, effective software from Vector Solutions that improve outcomes and operational readiness.

Matthew Shronts is a seasoned senior solutions engineer and accredited chief fire officer with extensive experience in fire service leadership and public safety operations. He earned his master’s degree in public administration with a focus on Firefighting and Protective Services from Southern Illinois University, equipping him with advanced expertise in emergency management and organizational leadership.

Pam Rogers brings over 15 years of experience in EMS and fire service, and more than 25 years as an instructor and educator. She has trained staff and volunteers across generations and settings from remote wilderness areas in the West and rural health clinics in Lesotho, South Africa, to multimillion-dollar corporations and small-town fire departments in Idaho. Pam currently serves as the EMS & Fire Volunteer Coordinator for the City of Moscow Volunteer Fire Department, supporting a team of 100 volunteer firefighters and EMTs who respond to more than 3,000 incidents annually in rural Idaho.

Alyssa is the membership manager for the NVFC, so she makes sure all the members are taken care of. Whether it’s helping someone join or renew their membership, mailing a membership card, or working with state fire associations, she is there to help with any membership inquiry. She also brings with her marketing and communications experience as a communications specialist for multiple trade associations.

Laura is delighted to assist prospective and current NVFC members with everything from benefit questions to renewals.  She also enjoys serving as community manager for Volunteer Voices, the NVFC’s members-only online community. She likes to tout the members in Volunteer Voices as friendly, knowledgeable, and supportive, and she hopes that’s how they find her and the NVFC staff, as well!

Gamunu "Gam" Wijetunge brings a focus on people-centered EMS and 911 systems improvement to his role as Director of the Office of EMS. An OEMS team member for more than 20 years, Gam led collaborative projects related to improving post-crash care, the EMS workforce and EMS system emergency preparedness, including the development of the EMS Workforce Agenda for the Future and EMS Agenda 2050. When not applying his energy towards improving EMS systems nationwide, Gam volunteers as a paramedic and fire captain at a rescue squad in Wheaton, Maryland where he served as president for nearly a decade.

Dr. Candice McDonald is the Chief of Protective Services at the NASA John Glenn Research Center. She is also an adjunct professor with the University of Arkansas. She is a member of the Fire Engineering/FDIC Advisory Board, volunteer with the Winona Fire Department, and past president of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firefighters Association. She holds an associate degree in health and human services, a bachelor’s degree in organizational management, a master’s degree in organizational leadership, and a doctorate in business administration with a specialty in homeland security. She is a certified firefighter, EMT, inspector, fire life and safety educator, and fire & emergency services instructor. 

Nancy is the Co-Founder of AFM and in 2022, Nancy transitioned to the role of Executive Director in order to support the growth of AFM into the future. Nancy is a veteran “firefighter wife” and professional social worker. Nancy puts her passions to work through culturally relevant program & curriculum design, organizational growth & development and preparing teams of firefighters to go to Africa to train in topics ranging from fire prevention to active bleeding control.

José is a social change enthusiast, entrepreneur, mobilizer and a fire safety advocate with a wide range of experience in community mobilization based in Nairobi, Kenya. At 4 months old, José was burnt in a house fire that burnt 85% of his face and left hand. José has made fire safety education his life purpose; he's worked professionally in community fire safety advocacy since 2019 and has worked with AFM and other grassroots organizations to develop a number of exciting programs.

Kevin D. Quinn joined the fire service as a volunteer in 1976 with Station #3 of the Union Fire District in Rhode Island and retired as Deputy Chief of the Union Fire District. Chief Quinn continues to respond to fires and alarms as an active volunteer with his original station #3. Chief Quinn holds a Master of Science in counseling and educational psychology and a Master of Science in education. He retired in 2007 from the public education system.  Chief Quinn has represented Rhode Island on the NVFC’s Board of Directors for over 36 years, is the immediate past chair, and is currently serving on the Health, Safety, and Training Committee. 

Amber Lynn Scott (Ph.D., University of Southern California) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Kentucky. Her main research interests are focused on exploring teamwork, trust, and safety within high reliability organizations (HROs) and teams (HRTs).