Meet Our 2026 Wildfire Technology Expert Speakers

2026 Speakers

Chair: Kim Zagaris, Wildfire Policy and Technology Director at Western Fire Chiefs Association

Chair: Kim Zagaris

Wildfire Policy and Technology Director
Western Fire Chiefs Association

Paul Linse, National Aviation Program Director at USDA Forest Service

Paul Linse

National Aviation Program Director
USDA Forest Service

Dirk Giles, National UAS Program Manager at USDA Forest Service

Dirk Giles

National UAS Program Manager
USDA Forest Service

Kyle Tolosano, Assistant Director - Aviation at US Forest Service

Kyle Tolosano

Assistant Director - Aviation
US Forest Service

Chief Nick Schuler, Deputy Director at CAL FIRE

Chief Nick Schuler

Deputy Director
CAL FIRE

Chief Scott Gregory, Deputy Director at CAL FIRE

Chief Scott Gregory

Deputy Director
CAL FIRE

Chief Mike Morgan, Director at Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control

Chief Mike Morgan

Director
Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control

Jamie Barnes, Forestry, Fire and State Lands Director at Utah Department of Natural Resources

Jamie Barnes

Forestry, Fire and State Lands Director
Utah Department of Natural Resources

Dustin Miller, Director at Idaho Department of Lands

Dustin Miller

Director
Idaho Department of Lands

Sean Allen, Chief, Forest Logistics & Support at Florida Forest Service

Sean Allen

Chief, Forest Logistics & Support
Florida Forest Service

Tom Cwik, Chief Technology Officer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Tom Cwik

Chief Technology Officer
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Phillip Selegue, Staff Chief Intelligence at CAL FIRE

Phillip Selegue

Staff Chief Intelligence
CAL FIRE

Ian McCubbin, Project Manager and Systems Engineer at NASA

Ian McCubbin

Project Manager and Systems Engineer
NASA

Lisa Lien-Mager, Deputy Secretary for Forest and Wildfire Resilience at California Natural Resources Agency

Lisa Lien-Mager

Deputy Secretary for Forest and Wildfire Resilience
California Natural Resources Agency

Chief David Scheurich, Staff Chief – Cooperative Fire Protection at CAL FIRE

Chief David Scheurich

Staff Chief – Cooperative Fire Protection
CAL FIRE

Chief Brian Marshall, Fire and Rescue Chief at Cal OES

Chief Brian Marshall

Fire and Rescue Chief
Cal OES

Kris Kirkland, Chief Pilot at Nevada Department of Forestry

Kris Kirkland

Chief Pilot
Nevada Department of Forestry

Peyton Bennett, UAS Operations Manager at Florida Forest Service

Peyton Bennett

UAS Operations Manager
Florida Forest Service

Chuck Macfarland, Chief of Air Operations at City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Dept

Chuck Macfarland

Chief of Air Operations
City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Dept

Johnny Sabo, NA at Georgia Forestry Commission

Johnny Sabo

NA
Georgia Forestry Commission

TJ McGovern, Interim Fire Chief at Orange County Fire Authority

TJ McGovern

Interim Fire Chief
Orange County Fire Authority

Dan McKeague, Director, Field Services & Innovation Center, National Technology & Development at US Forest Service (Subject to Final Approvals)

Dan McKeague

Director, Field Services & Innovation Center, National Technology & Development
US Forest Service (Subject to Final Approvals)

Chief Scott Eckman, Battalion Chief-Aviation Program at CAL FIRE

Chief Scott Eckman

Battalion Chief-Aviation Program
CAL FIRE

Chief Robert Garcia, Fire Chief, Angeles National Forest at US Forest Service

Chief Robert Garcia

Fire Chief, Angeles National Forest
US Forest Service

Jessica Haas, Assistant Director - Information Management at USDA Forest Service

Jessica Haas

Assistant Director - Information Management
USDA Forest Service

Michael Norton, Director General, Northern Forestry Center at Canadian Forest Service

Michael Norton

Director General, Northern Forestry Center
Canadian Forest Service

Rob Scott, Assistant Chief at CAL OES

Rob Scott

Assistant Chief
CAL OES

Chris Anthony, Executive Director at FireWERX

Chris Anthony

Executive Director
FireWERX

Chief Jack Worden, Deputy Chief - Office of Wildfire Technology, Research & Development at CAL FIRE

Chief Jack Worden

Deputy Chief - Office of Wildfire Technology, Research & Development
CAL FIRE

Chief Jeffrey Johnson, CEO at Western Fire Chiefs Association

Chief Jeffrey Johnson

CEO
Western Fire Chiefs Association

Sashi Sabaratnam, Chief, Wildfire & Climate Resiliency at Pacific Gas And Electric Co

Sashi Sabaratnam

Chief, Wildfire & Climate Resiliency
Pacific Gas And Electric Co

Mike Falkowski, Lead Scientist at Earth Fire Alliance

Mike Falkowski

Lead Scientist
Earth Fire Alliance

Chief Stu Sprung, Former Chief of Flight Operations at CAL FIRE

Chief Stu Sprung

Former Chief of Flight Operations
CAL FIRE

In Partnership With:

IDGA

QUESTIONS?
Contact us: +1 646 200 7515
Email: idga@idga.org

©2026 IQPC. All rights reserved.