2025 Annual Conference Speakers
October 21-23, 2025 | Graduate by Hilton Hotel, Fayetteville, Arkansas
General Session Speakers
Surviving as Fire Chief
Tom Jenkins - (UL-FSRI) Research Manager, UL's Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI)
Tom Jenkins is a Research Manager at UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) and a Senior Advisor to the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS). He previously served over 26 years as a career firefighter, including 15 years as Fire Chief for the City of Rogers, Arkansas.
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He holds a B.S. in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering from Oklahoma State University and an M.P.A. from the University of Oklahoma. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and is credentialed as both a Chief Fire Officer and Chief Medical Officer by the Commission on Professional Credentialing. In 2003, he was named a Harry S. Truman Fellow.
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Chief Jenkins is a published author and experienced speaker, with national and international presentations on public safety. He serves on the NFPA 1710 committee and chairs NFPA 1960 (Fire Hose). His previous roles include service on the IAFC Homeland Security and Terrorism Committee and Firefighter Safety Through Advanced Research (FSTAR) working group.
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He was President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) from 2017–2018 and served on its Board of Directors from 2015–2019. He also serves on advisory and executive boards including the PulsePoint Foundation, International Fire Service Training Association, and the International Fire Service Research Center and Policy Institute. He previously served on the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Advisory Board and was appointed to the Homeland Security Advisory Council (2020–2021) and the FEMA National Advisory Council (2023–2025).
Electric Vehicle Fires & Implications
Gordon Lohmeyer - Assistant Agency Director, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX)
Gordon Lohmeyer serves as the Assistant Agency Director, responsible for Strategic Initiatives & Business Strategy, for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). Prior to this, Gordon served as the Division Director of TEEX’s Emergency Services Training Institute, where he oversaw all operations including: Private Sector Programs (Fire/Hazmat/Marine), Public Sector Program (Recruit, EMS, Leadership, ARFF), Rescue Training Programs (Traditional, Heavy Rescue and FEMA), International Operations and ESTIs portion of the NDPC DHS/FEMA Corporative Agreement. In addition, he supports TEEX’s role in the State of Texas Emergency Management Plan, including Industrial Fires of State Significance, which addresses the use of resources and personnel during major incidents or disasters in Texas and other states requiring assistance.
Gordon has over 34 years of experience in industrial safety and emergency response, municipal fire and emergency medical service areas. Prior to joining TEEX, he served as the Fire Chief and Emergency Response Coordinator for Texas Petrochemicals LP. He was responsible for Emergency Services for two facilities in Texas and one in Louisiana. He is a past representative of Channel Industries Mutual Aid (CIMA), one of the largest industrial mutual aid organizations in the world. Gordon also served as a member of the Southwest Louisiana Mutual Aid Association.
Since joining TEEX, he has been instrumental in the design, construction and operation of one of the largest and best Emergency Responder Training facilities in the world; training over 120,000 responders per year.
CAD Statewide (Missouri Unified CAD)
Troy Thurman - Information Sharing Coordinator, Missouri Office of Homeland Security; Missouri Department of Public Safety, Office of the Director
Office of the DirectorTroy Thurman joined the US Army on the delayed entry program while still in high school and served in the Active Army, National Guard, Army Reserves, and Active Guard and Reserves where he obtained 4 different Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), received numerous awards and letters of commendations for achievements and commitment retiring in 2009 as a Sergeant First Class/E-7 with over 20 years of service.
He entered his Law Enforcement career in 1995 where he has served in state and local agencies climbing the ranks and holding almost every position within a law enforcement agency except that of a full time Chief of Police or Sheriff. He served as a lead instructor for a Missouri Law Enforcement Academy for over 10 years. While he has retired from full time law enforcement work with close to 20 years of service, he still works part time with a local police department and has been an active commissioned Law Enforcement Officer in Missouri for over 30 years.
In December 2019 while working for the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Office of Homeland Security, he was chosen to manage the Missouri Data Exchange (MoDEx) process which is tasked with sharing criminal justice information across jurisdictional boundaries for the State of Missouri.
Budgeting Basics in Today’s Fire Service
Les Stephens - Fire Chief, San Marcos Fire Department
Les Stephens, a 36-year veteran of the fire service, has served as Fire Chief for the San Marcos, TX., Department, for almost 16 years. Stephens began his career with the River Oaks Volunteer Fire Department in 1988 and then worked for the Garland, TX., Fire Department for 18 years, rising through the ranks to battalion chief, before leaving to become the chief in San Marcos.
Chief Stephens is a published author and speaker, writing and presenting on numerous topics throughout the United States, including Strategic Decision Making at Commercial Building Fires, Fire Department Budget and Finance, Professional Development, Career Planning, and multiple line of duty death case studies, including the West Fertilizer Plant Explosion and the Precious Faith Temple Fire. He holds numerous certifications including master firefighter, paramedic, fire officer IV, and fire instructor III - master. Stephens served as Garland’s training officer for two years and he was also an instructor with Collin College’s fire science program, Dallas Fire-Rescue’s recruit academy, Texas A&M’s
Municipal Fire School, and Fire Engineering’s Fire Department Instructor’s Conference. Chief Stephens is credentialed as a Chief Fire Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence and a graduate of both the National Fire Academy’s prestigious Executive Fire Officer program and the Leading Educating and Developing Program (LEAD) at the University of Virginia. He is credentialed as a Certified Public Manager, has an associate degree in Fire Protection from Tarrant County College, and a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree from Texas State University.
In 2021, he served as President of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association and currently serves as an advisor for the Fire Science Program at Austin Community College. In 2022, he was honored as the Texas Fire Chiefs Associations’ Fire Chief of the Year and in 2023, the Texas Fire Chiefs Association honored him by awarding him President Emeritus status.
Natural Disaster without FEMA - Discussion Panel
Kay C. Goss, CEM - Senior Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration
​Kay C. Goss is a pioneering leader in emergency management, public administration, and civic education, with over five decades of public service at the local, state, and federal levels. Raised on a farm in Tontitown, Arkansas, she was steeped early in community leadership through her father’s public service. A graduate of Springdale High School, she earned both BA and MA degrees in Government and Public Administration from the University of Arkansas, with doctoral studies at West Virginia University and American University.
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She began her career at the FBI before advancing through academia and state government, ultimately serving as Senior Assistant to Governors Bill Clinton and Jim Guy Tucker. Appointed by President Clinton and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she became Associate Director of FEMA, where she launched the landmark FEMA Higher Education Program, expanding emergency management degree programs nationwide. She was the highest-ranking woman at FEMA from its inception until 2021.
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Goss has held senior roles with Booz Allen Hamilton, Electronic Data Systems, and served as CEO of a Washington-based lobbying group. She continues to shape the field through nonprofit leadership, board service, teaching, and writing — including five published works on government, emergency management, and political history.
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Now based in Alexandria, Virginia, she remains a champion of innovation, professional education, and accreditation in emergency management.
Battalion Chief Carl Keller III - Planning & Accreditation Chief | Special Operations Program Coordinator
​Battalion Chief Carl Keller III began his career with the Fayetteville Fire Department in 2010 and has served in a wide range of operational roles, with a strong focus on Special Operations. Over the years, he has played a key role in advancing the department’s capabilities in complex and high-risk environments.
Since 2015, Chief Keller has served as a sworn, Tactical Medic with the Fayetteville Police Department's Emergency Response Team (ERT). He is also a Rescue Technician with Arkansas Task Force 1’s Helicopter Rescue Team (AHRT). Additionally he has also been instrumental in the development and implementation of the department’s WMD/CBRN response strategies since 2015. He has both planning and operational experience at the task and tactical command level for those response disciplines.
In 2025, he was promoted to Battalion Chief and now serves as the department’s Planning & Accreditation Chief. Additionally he serves as the Special Operations Program Coordinator, overseeing both the Tactical Medicine (TACMED) and AHRT programs directly and coordinating broader Special Operations efforts with outside agencies.
Chief Keller holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science (International & Military Affairs) from The Citadel and has completed graduate-level coursework in Cultural Anthropology, at the University of Arkansas, focusing on Traditional Ecological Knowledge/Indigenous Knowledge Systems and community resilience in disaster contexts.
His passion for education and operational excellence is reflected in his role as an Adjunct Instructor for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) in Hazardous Materials, and for the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University, where he contributes to both instruction and curriculum development.
Chief Keller’s public safety journey began in 1993 as a Wilderness Search and Rescue Technician. A lifelong learner and systems thinker, he is dedicated to finding innovative and effective ways to bridge gaps between disciplines, connect people and ideas, and elevate operational capabilities across the board.
Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Carl has also lived on both the East and West Coasts. He’s happiest when chasing the edge of the horizon or a tattered map—on foot, under sail, or on two wheels.
Geboo Song - Professor of Poltical Science, Public Policy, and Statistics & Analytics, University of Arkansas
Dr. Geoboo Song is Professor of Political Science, Public Policy, and Statistics & Analytics at the University of Arkansas. He also serves as the Vice Chair and Director of Graduate Studies for the Political Science Department, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of the Policy Studies Journal (PSJ), a leading international outlet for research on public policy. His scholarship spans policy theory, risk governance, and public perceptions of science and technology, with a strong emphasis on how communities and institutions prepare for and respond to emerging challenges.
Dr. Song’s recent work examines how cultural values, policy design, and institutional arrangements shape public responses to various risks ranging from climate change and extreme weather to new technologies in health and safety. He has led large-scale interdisciplinary projects supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), collaborating with engineers, natural scientists, and practitioners to address resilience challenges in critical infrastructure, food systems, and public health.
In his role as a teacher, mentor, and research leader, Dr. Song has helped prepare the next generation of public servants and policy scholars. His engagement with emergency management and resilience issues builds on this broader portfolio: identifying governance gaps, anticipating next-generation risks, and fostering innovative, community-centered solutions for disaster response and recovery.
Life After the Fire Service
Keith Elkins - Retired Battalion Chief, Nampa Fire District
Keith has 34 years in the fire service with experience as a volunteer, reserve and career firefighter. He recently retired after 28 years with the Nampa Fire District in Nampa, Idaho as a battalion chief. Keith received his BS in Fire Services Administration from Eastern Oregon University and is an EFO graduate. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at the College Of Western Idaho in the Fire Service Technology program. He lives in Boise Idaho with his wife, daughter and his new granddaughter.
SWD Business Meeting
Brad Hardin - Chief, Fayetteville, AR
Fire Chief Brad Hardin has over 20 years of service with the Fayetteville Fire Department, rising through every rank to lead the organization. A nationally recognized researcher and published author, he is known for his data-driven approach to improving fire services. Chief Hardin led the department through the completion of a $15+ million bond initiative and is currently developing an $18 million package to support the city's growth. He holds a BA from the University of Arkansas, is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, and serves on multiple fire leadership boards at the regional and state levels.
Educational Session Speakers
Educational Session Title Coming Soon.
Daniel DeYear - DFD Retired Deputy Chief
Daniel was originally from The Bronx in New York City and began his Fire Service Career in the Northeast. His time in the Fire Service began over 45 years ago. He previously worked for the Carrollton Fire Department for nearly 10 years, serving in several capacities including Training Chief.
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He then served as an International Fire Marshal and Ambassador for the American Fire Service for the U. S. Department of State, Foreign Building Operations, where he travelled to more than 35 countries providing fire & life safety to the United States Embassies and Consulates around the world.
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Daniel returned to Dallas where he married his wife Janet, began serving the Dallas Fire Department and started a family. He spent the next 32 years with the Dallas Fire Department and held every rank up to Deputy Chief. He also served as a Paramedic, Driver Engineer, Engine Company Lieutenant, Truck Company Captain, Battalion and Section Chief and served as a Deputy Chief in the Training Bureau, Emergency Response Bureau and as the Fire Marshal for the City of Dallas. Chief DeYear recently retired from the Dallas Fire Department.
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in 2013, Daniel served on the Texas State Fire Marshal's, Line of Duty Death Task Force, a year that unfortunately had 20 LODD's in the first six months. He is certified by TCFP as a Master: Firefighter, Fire Inspector, Fire Investigator, and Fire Service Instructor III. He is also certified as a Hazardous Materials Technician, Driver/Operator-Pumper, Incident Safety Officer, Incident Commander, and Fire Officer III & IV.
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He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Fire Prevention Association (education section), International Society of Fire Service Instructors, National Fire and Burn Association, International Association of Firefighters, Christian Firefighters Association, National Eagle Scout Association, and Texas Fire Chief's Association.
He also serves as the Chairman of the TCFP Firefighter Advisory Committee and is a member of the Curriculum and Testing Committee and the Health and Wellness Committees. He is the Vice-President of the Dallas Firefighters Museum, a board of director for Search One, a 25-year member of the CISM team and is a Peer Support Team member. He has two associate degrees, a Bachelors in Fire Protection Management from Dallas Baptist University and post graduate work at the University of North Texas and UT Dallas.
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He has had numerous articles published and has spoken around the country on several topics and recently was the final Keynote Speaker ever at Firehouse Expo 2023, where he had spoken for several years. He was awarded the Texas Association of Fire Educators 2020 Instructor of the Year. Daniel is a recognized public speaker within the fire service and now speaks and teaches programs on Leadership Trust and Culture for many corporate and business events. Daniel has taught Year 1 and Year 2 for the Texas Fire Chiefs Academy for the past ten years; he also teaches at the TFCA Battalion Chiefs Academy and is the sole instructor for the TFCA Company Officer Symposium.
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Daniel started a CPR and First Aid business in 1984 that is still in operation today and is run by his wife Janet. It operates as an American Heart Association Training Center with over 300 instructors and 100 Independent School Districts. His Public Speaking and Teaching operates under the LLC "We Are 2nd!".
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Daniel lives in Plano and he and his wife Janet have three grown children. He is an avid snow skier and enjoys baseball, football, auto racing, and travelling.
Educational Session Title Coming Soon.
Jason Jackson - Vice President, Walmart's Global Security Operations Center (GSOC)
Jason is a recognized executive and thought leader in security, safety, resilience, and crisis management, currently serving as the Vice President of Walmart’s Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) that includes the company’s global crisis management framework, investigative fusion center, emergency operations center, crisis support, alarm central unit, business continuity and disaster recovery teams, travel safety, preparedness and more. With a career spanning nearly two decades at Walmart, he has led the company through some of the most significant crises of the last 20 years. Known for his innovative approach, he's introduced advanced technologies and operating frameworks to enhance the company's crisis management and business continuity capabilities. Jason's diverse experience within Walmart includes leadership roles across various business units, encompassing innovations, transformation, and strategy.
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In addition to his work at Walmart, Jason has served as the Chief Security Officer at Infinite Blue, a resilience technology company, and Chief Security Officer at the Bass Pro Shops family of companies. His responsibilities in these roles ranged from physical and cyber security to regulatory compliance, business continuity, and crisis management across diverse business sectors. Before joining the private sector, Jason worked in law enforcement as a Special Agent/Trooper at the Arkansas State Police and fire service as an Assistant Fire Chief at Sylvan Hills Fire Department. He holds an undergraduate degree in Emergency Administration and Management and graduate degrees in Organizational and Business Security Management (MA) and Business Administration (MBA).