President

Mike started at the Arizona Wildfire Academy (AWA) in 2006 as a student. He become an instructor for S-130/190 course for four years from 2013-2016. In 2017, he traded in his instructor shirt for an Incident Management Team shirt and became a Division Supervisor. Mike will fill this role for a short time before moving up into the position of Operations Section Chief (OSC) in 2019. He continues to serve as OSC for the Academy.

Mike started his fire career in 2006 with the Coconino National Forest before being hired with Summit Fire Department the following year in 2007. Today, he is a Captain and Wildland Coordinator for Summit FD.

Mike currently lives in Chino, AZ with his wife Erin and their kids.

Secretary

Colin is a husband to his wife of 19 years and they have two boys, 18 & 14. They spend time riding their off road toys in the desert and sand dunes. He started in the fire service in 2004 at Groom Creek Fire District in Prescott, AZ and worked there until 2011. In 2012, Colin hired on with Golder Ranch Fire District outside Tucson, AZ. He currently works as a Captain and is the wildland coordinator. Colin has an AAS in Fire Science and Paramedicine and is working on his BS of Fire Administration. He is qualified as a strike team, engine and ICT4.

Colin first began as a student at the academy in 2005. From 2007-2019 he was an instructor for S-211, S-212, and S-130/190. He is now on his fifth year of being a member of the IMT and serves as the secretary for the board of directors.

Board Member

Koreena believes in the power of community and finding creative ways for wildland partners to succeed in all aspects of culture, operation, education, development, and outreach. She recently held the Fire Management Officer for Salt River and Pima Agencies with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and is a Primary Operations Section Chief for Southwest Incident Management Team 3. Today, she is the Emergency Medical Services Program Coordinator for the USFS, Region 3.

Koreena holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration and has fully adopted the desert life after moving to Arizona from the Pacific Northwest in 2017. She enjoys reading, skiing, hiking, and adventuring with her family and has served as an AWIMA Board Member since 2018.

Board Member

Wade spent his professional fire career in structure and wildland fire suppression for Prescott Fire Department. Currently Wade works for Arizona Public Service (APS) in the Forestry-Fire & Resource Management Department where he is the Supervisor of Fire Mitigation for APS Transmission and Distribution Operations. Wade has been involved in the Academy as a Student, Volunteer, Instructor, IC Team and now as a Board Member.

Board Member

As of 2023, KJ has 17 years working for Surprise Fire Department in addition to 19 years working in wildland fire. In 2022, he became a board member for the Arizona Wildfire and Incident Management Academy. He is also an active team member on Southwest Incident Management Team 3, serving in the Logistics section.

KJ currently lives in Surprise, Arizona with his wife and three daughters.

Board Member

Byron has a degree in Natural Resources Interpretation, and started his career in fire with the Bureau of Reclamation as a Park Ranger in California in 1983. In 1984 he moved over to the US Forest Service on the Angeles National Forest to work on an Engine Crew. In 1986 he moved over to work for Dalton Hotshot Crew but returned back to an Engine Crew the following year. In 1988, he received a permanent appointment and was assigned to East Fork Station, San Gabriel River District. He was Engine Boss rated in 1991 and Crew Boss rated in 1993. He worked his way through this engine crew, becoming the Station Captain in 2001. From 1995 to 2000 he also worked as a Type 2 Crew Superintendent for a Call-when-needed handcrew. In 2006 he promoted, moving to work as the District Fuels Battalion Chief. In 2008 he was first red carded as a Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN). Byron has operated in the Incident Management Team environment since 2005 in both Trainee and Qualified positions. From 2007 until 2012, Byron was a member of California Team 1, a type 1 IMT.

In March 2012 Byron started work for Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management as the State Planning and Preparedness Officer. Byron currently serves as the State Fire Behavior Analyst and Deputy Prescribed Fire Program Manager.

Byron is currently red carded as a Task Force Leader and Fire Behavior Analyst. Byron has taught classes in fire behavior, basic firefighting and engine operations for over 30 years.

Treasurer

Dennis started in the fire service in 1989 as a paid per call firefighter with the Lakeside Fire District and was then hired as a fulltime FF/EMT in 1993. He became a Paramedic in 1998 and promoted to Captain in 1999. He also worked as a Flight Paramedic on a helicopter with Native Air for 4 years.

In the wildland arena, he has achieved his Engine Boss, Strike Team Leader Engine, and Task Force Leader qualifications. He currently works for the Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District as a Captain/Paramedic after the merger of 3 smaller fire districts in 2014. He is also a Division Supervisor and has been rostered with Southwest Incident Management Team #2.

Dennis attended AWIMA for the first time in 2007 as an instructor for the S-130/190 Basic Wildland Firefighter course. He continues to teach this course at AWIMA and train those entering the wildland fire industry. He has also instructed the S-131 Advanced Firefighter class for several years and has served on the Academy IMT as a Division Supervisor.