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.

Jasen Dodson serves as a Battalion Chief for Loudoun County Fire and Rescue and in the data center alley of Loudoun County.  Jasen has served the department for 23 years.  He has been a hazmat technician for 22 years and served as a Safety Officer for the department.  He is currently the Chairman of the Northern Virginia Emergency Response System (NVERS) Emerging Technologies Workgroup.  The NVERS Emerging Technologies Work Group is comprised of multiple jurisdictions in the Northern Virginia region and has developed a Data Center Response Manual.  In addition, the workgroup has developed tactical one-pagers for battery energy storage systems, electric vehicles, photovoltaic and wind.

 He is also the Chairman of the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) Emerging Technology Workgroup that received the Governor’s Award for the development of the VDFP Electric Vehicle and Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Safety Awareness course.  He is also a member of the Council of Governments (COG) ESS/EV Committee, a technical panel member of the UL Electric Vehicle Committee, a member of the USFA and IAFC battery safety committee.  

Bill Hopson is a 48 year veteran of the New Jersey Fire Service.  He began is career in 1978 with the Seaside Heights, NJ Fire Department.  For the last 35 years, he has served with the Beachwood NJ Fire Department.  Bill has been an active and engaged fire service instructor since 1982.  Bill has delivered fire service training across the country and in various parts of the world. Bill is a 3^rd generation fireman and a strong supporter of the NVFC and their mission.

Seth McPherson brings more than 27 years of experience in the energy industry, with a career spanning solar operations, electrical work, and major energy infrastructure. He currently serves as a Solar Technician III at AES’s Clover Creek facility near Mona, Utah, where he has supported safe, reliable solar operations for more than four years. Before joining AES, Seth previously worked in construction and as an electrician at the Intermountain Power Plant in Utah. Outside of work, Seth is a father of three and a proud new grandfather.

Douglas Cline, Chief of the Professional Development Division with Horry County Fire Rescue, a combination Metro Department with over 750 Fire and Emergency Medical Personnel, serving a diverse population and 1255 square miles of jurisdiction. Chief Cline is a 46-year student of the fire and emergency services, as well as a well-known international speaker and instructor presenting dynamic power packed /high intensity programs on leadership, instructor development, officer development, fire ground tactics, rapid intervention team training and firefighter safety and survival. Cline is a highly published author of articles, blogs and textbooks for both Fire and EMS.  As a Chief Officer, Cline is a distinguished authority on Leadership, Officer Development and has traveled internationally delivering distinguished programs on these topics. 

Following the death of his daughter Casey by a distracted driver in 2009 in Ocean City, New Jersey,  Mr. Feldman created  EndDD.org , “End Distracted Driving,” and has developed science-based distracted driving presentations, as well as other resources used by businesses, schools and community groups in educational initiatives. Mr. Feldman coordinates a network of volunteer speakers who have presented to more than 550,000 students across the U.S. and in Canada, all without cost to schools.

Mr. Feldman has personally given more than 1000 distracted driving presentations to more than 150,000 teens and adults since 2011. He has been the keynote speaker at a number of legal, medical, traffic safety and business conferences. Current projects include developing programs for elementary and middle school students and evaluation of distracted driving initiatives to maximize their effectiveness. He is a member of the NTSB’s National Distracted Driving Coalition, subcommittees  youth education, the annual “Do Not Disturb While Driving Day,” as well as the prosecution of distracted driving cases. He works with state highway safety offices on distracted driving and vulnerable road user educational programs.

Mr. Feldman is a Of Counsel to the Philadelphia law firm of Anapol Weiss.

After his daughter’s death, he obtained his masters in counseling from Villanova University and worked at Penn Wissahickon Hospice providing grief counseling to patients and family members. Mr. Feldman frequently combines law and counseling and speaks to lawyers, as well as community groups, on topics relating to grief and loss and has written articles on improving the dialogue of loss, supporting those who have suffered the tragic loss of a loved one and empathic listening.

He is a recovering distracted driver.

Mr. Feldman can be reached at [email protected]

Tom Jenkins is a Senior Advisor and Research Program Manager with the UL Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), supporting the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS). He previously served as Fire Chief for the City of Rogers, Arkansas, where he led a nationally accredited department of more than 160 career firefighters.

A past President and Chairman of the Board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), Jenkins remains active in advancing the fire service through national leadership, standards development, and advisory roles, including service on the FEMA National Advisory Council and the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

He holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering from Oklahoma State University. Jenkins is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and holds Chief Fire Officer and Chief EMS Officer designations.

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.

Howard R. "Skip" Elliott is a nationally recognized expert in transportation policy, safety, security, and organizational strategy. He is the founder and president of HRE Integrity, a management consulting firm helping organizations maximize effectiveness and long-term business value.

Prior to founding HRE Integrity, Skip served as Administrator of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) at the U.S. DOT, unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, where he oversaw the safety of the nation's pipelines and the secure transport of hazardous materials nationwide. He also served as the President-appointed acting Inspector General of the U.S. DOT.

Skip built a distinguished 40-year career in the freight rail industry, including serving as vice president of public safety, health, and environment at CSX Transportation until his retirement in 2017.

His contributions to transportation safety have earned him numerous honors, including lifetime achievement awards from the Association of American Railroads and the Transportation Research Board, as well as the recent Warren Isman Chairman's Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Hazardous Materials Committee. He is a graduate of Indiana University and a distinguished alumnus of Columbia Southern University.

Tommy Sipsy, Doctorate in Forensic Science, M.F.Sc, B.S., IAAI CFI, CI, NAFI CFEI

Biographical Information: Dr. Tommy Sipsy serves as the manager of the fire investigation unit at Southern Company Gas, where he has worked for the past 41 years. Sipsy possesses a bachelor's degree in fire science, specializing in fire, arson, and explosion investigations, from Eastern Kentucky University; a master's degree in forensic science; and a doctorate in forensic science from Oklahoma State University. As manager of the fire investigations unit for SCG, he allocates considerable time to investigating fires and explosions in conjunction with public and private sector investigators, as well as testing natural gas systems within or adjacent to a facility. Over the past 41 years, he has gained significant expertise in the fuel gas codes and regulations of NFPA 54 and CFR 49.192. Sipsy has acquired certifications from the International Association of Arson Investigators (CFI, CI) and the National Association of Fire Investigators (CFEI). Sipsy is a past president of the Georgia Fire Investigators Association and currently serves as the T&E chair and currently serves as the president of the IAAI Foundation.

David Eskew is a seasoned textile executive with nearly 25 years of experience in the US textile industry. More than half of his career has focused on serving the specialized needs of firefighters and first responders, leading sales and marketing strategies and driving growth for fabric and garment manufacturers. David has played key roles in the transition to non-PFAS product portfolios, helping customers navigate this pivotal change while maintaining the highest standards of protection and performance. Earlier in his career, David gained extensive experience in various textile manufacturing technologies (fiber, yarn, and fabric formation) and spent eight years in the government and defense sector, further broadening his industry expertise. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Textile Management from Clemson University and a Master’s degree in Textile Technology and Apparel Management from North Carolina State University, in partnership with the Institute of Textile Technology. In 2023, he further enhanced his leadership capabilities by completing the Darden Leadership Program at the Darden School of Business.

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.