Last updated: June 25, 2020
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Recent Additions to Regional Fire and Aviation Team
The fire and aviation management program at the National Park Service regional office supporting Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming has brought on several new staff in the last couple months.
“We are excited to have a number of new staff members on our team,” said Regional Fire Management Officer Jay Lusher. “Our regional office staff provide an important support function for our parks and we are lucky to have a motivated and skilled staff who help facilitate collaboration across the region and beyond.”
Here are some of the new faces in the regional office who will be supporting wildland fire management efforts across Department of Interior regions 6, 7, and 8:
Paul Cerda, Deputy Regional Fire Management Officer for Operations and Preparedness. Paul is coming to the regional office fire staff from his most recent position as a deputy fire staff officer with the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests & Pawnee National Grassland in Colorado. Paul began his fire career working as a member of the Dalton Interagency Hotshot Crew stationed out of the Angeles National Forest in southern California. He also been stationed at the National Park Service Intermountain Regional Office and Rocky Mountain National Park.
Shannon Deane, Regional Wildland Fire Budget Analysist. Shannon began her career working in the tourism industry in Alaska. She first worked as a sales agent with Major Marine Tours in Anchorage, Alaska. She then worked for Regal Alaskan Hotel and later Alaskan Airlines. Shannon later transitioned to federal service with the NPS Alaska Region where she held several positions. She did a detail with the NPS Fire Management Leadership Board and comes to the regional office from her current position as a Budget Analysist with the Bureau of Land Management’s Boise, Idaho, District.
Craig Gallagher, Fire GIS Specialist - NIFC. Craig began his career working as wildland fire fighter for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He later served in the Minnesota National Guard, the United States Army, and the Colorado National Guard. Craig worked for the United States Geological Survey based out of the Denver Federal Center but has spent much of his career in the private sector. He has worked for ATA Services, ADC Services, Axseum Solutions, and is joining the NPS from his most recent position with Skyview Imagery.
Sarah Hartsburg, Regional Fire GIS Specialist. Sarah most recently worked as a GIS specialist and contractor to the NPS to support the agency's fire GIS program. Sarah began her career with the NPS as a fee collector at Zion National Park. She went on to work as a wildland firefighter in various capacities such as fire effects, engines, helitack, and a wildland fire module. She has been stationed out of Zion National Park, the Flathead National Forest, and Bandelier National Monument.
Jeff Hickerson, Deputy Regional Fire Management Officer for Fuels, Planning, and Ecology. For the last 12 years, Jeff had served in the regional office as the regional wildland fire specialist in fuels management. Jeff began his career as a fee collector at Olympic National Park and has since worked at Crater Lake National Park, Fremont National Forest, Everglades National Park, Bandelier National Monument, and Zion National Park. Jeff was a founding member of the Zion Prescribed Fire Module in 1996.