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

Chief Brian Fennessy, Director at US Wildland Fire Service

Chief Brian Fennessy

Director
US Wildland Fire Service

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 USDA Forest Service

Kyle Tolosano

Assistant Director - Aviation
USDA Forest Service

Chief Peter McKechnie, Deputy Commissioner Strategic Capability at New South Wales Rural Fire Service

Chief Peter McKechnie

Deputy Commissioner Strategic Capability
New South Wales Rural Fire Service

Chief Brian Marshall, Fire and Rescue Chief at Cal OES

Chief Brian Marshall

Fire and Rescue Chief
Cal OES

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

Chief Phillip Selegue, Staff Chief Intelligence at CAL FIRE

Chief Phillip Selegue

Staff Chief Intelligence
CAL FIRE

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

Chief David Scheurich

Staff Chief – Cooperative Fire Protection
CAL FIRE

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

Johnny Sabo, Director at Georgia Forestry Commission

Johnny Sabo

Director
Georgia Forestry Commission

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

Chief TJ McGovern, Interim Fire Chief at Orange County Fire Authority

Chief TJ McGovern

Interim Fire Chief
Orange County Fire Authority

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

Jessica Haas

Assistant Director - Information Management
USDA Forest Service

Ian McCubbin, Project Manager and Systems Engineer at NASA

Ian McCubbin

Project Manager and Systems Engineer
NASA

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

Dan McKeague

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

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 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

Chief Tom Firth, Division Chief - Aviation Program Fixed Wing Operations at CAL FIRE

Chief Tom Firth

Division Chief - Aviation Program Fixed Wing Operations
CAL FIRE

Chief Rob Scott, Assistant Chief at CAL OES

Chief Rob Scott

Assistant Chief
CAL OES

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

Michael Norton

Director General, Northern Forestry Center
Canadian Forest Service

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

Chief Chuck Macfarland

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

Chris Anthony, Executive Director at FireWERX

Chris Anthony

Executive Director
FireWERX

Holly Stewart, Assistant Deputy Minister at Government of New Brunswick

Holly Stewart

Assistant Deputy Minister
Government of New Brunswick

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

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