Executive Director | United Policyholders

Amy Bach co-founded United Policyholders in 1991 and serves as the organization’s Executive Director and primary spokesperson, shaping and overseeing the Roadmap to Recovery™, Roadmap to Preparedness, and Advocacy and Action programs. Under her leadership, UP has been leading a “WRAP” (Wildfire Risk Reduction and Asset Protection) initiative, working group, and online Mitigation Help Center that are helping increase parcel- and community-level mitigations, insurance incentives, renewal rewards, and programs that are restoring coverage options for property owners across California.

Assistant Chief | CAL FIRE/OSFM/CWMA

Chief Rudy Baltazar brings nearly three decades of fire service experience in emergency response, leadership, fire prevention, and wildfire mitigation. As an Assistant Chief with CAL FIRE’s Community Wildfire Mitigation Assistance Program, he supports CAL FIRE Units, Contract Counties, and local agencies in advancing wildfire preparedness and community resilience. His work includes Safety Element reviews, statewide Fire Hazard Severity Zone map implementation, and developing programs supporting legislative requirements. Chief Baltazar remains committed to public service, collaboration, and strengthening partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies to protect California’s communities.

Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness & Mitigation (CWPM) and Fire Engineering & Investigations (FEI) | CAL FIRE – OSFM

Chief Frank Bigelow serves as the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness & Mitigation and Fire Engineering & Investigations at CAL FIRE. Since starting his career in 2004 as a Firefighter I, he has progressed through various leadership roles, including Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief, and Staff Chief. Chief Bigelow has contributed significantly to wildfire prevention and preparedness, spearheading technological innovations such as the Online Burn Permit process and CALFIRS system. He is an active member of several committees and boards, including the California Fire Safe Council and CAL POLY WUI Fire Institute, and also teaches for the State Fire Marshal and CSTI. With his expertise in GIS and collaborative leadership, Chief Bigelow plays a crucial role in advancing CAL FIRE’s mission to protect California’s communities and natural resources.

Grant Manager | Department of Conservation

Natalie implements, administers, and provides technical assistance for the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program in her role as a grant manager. She brings expertise in policy, environmental governance, and applied resource management to help deliver wildfire resilience to California’s landscapes and communities.

Former California State Fire Marshal | CFSC Board Member

Kate Dargan Marquis currently works on wildfire resiliency strategy through many pathways and institutions. She advises the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; she most recently worked for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as Assistant Director for Preparedness and Response and serves as Board Director and Chief Strategy Officer for Intterra, a wildfire and public safety software company she co-founded in 2010. She is also a longtime Board member and past Co-Chair of the CA Fire Safe Council. Prior to her advocacy phase, Kate was a pioneering California firefighter/chief for 30 years, the first woman State Fire Marshal for California, and a proud Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduate.  She has worked at the community, public agency, industry, technology, and policy levels of the national fire service and is widely recognized for her consensus-building style and innovative approaches to old problems.

Capacity Building Specialist | Department of Conservation

Jenny has worked for the Department of Conservation for the past 26 years, providing capacity-building support to Resource Conservation Districts and others. Jenny also helped start the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program and the Climate Smart Land Management Program. She continues to work with both grant programs and the RCD Assistance Program to help local entities develop their capacity to plan and implement projects throughout California. She enjoys working with such a diverse array of partners to improve resource conditions in California.

Research Director & Senior Policy Advisor | Megafire Action

Dr. Teresa Feo is the Research Director and Senior Policy Advisor at Megafire Action, where she works to translate science and expert knowledge into holistic policy recommendations that allow both communities and ecosystems to thrive with wildfire. She was previously a Senior Science Officer at the California Council of Science and Technology and before that, a CCST Science Fellow with the California Senate Office of Research. Teresa received her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Yale University and her BA in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley.

Director of Operations | Fire Safe Marin

Jennifer Gauna is Director of Operations at Fire Safe Marin, where she oversees the day-to-day management of programs and projects that advance wildfire-adapted communities across Marin County. She built the operating systems for planning, program tracking, and performance measurement that let a small team deliver outsized impact. She leads strategic communications campaigns and grant writing and administration, and she helped launch “Retrofitting for Wildfire,” an online contractor training program developed by Dr. Steve Quarles. Jen is currently supporting FSM’s first strategic planning effort in more than a decade and has introduced AI-enabled tools and data dashboards that improve how the organization tracks and responds to community needs.

Before FSM, Jen served as Legislative Aide to a Marin County Supervisor, where she helped organize support for Measure C, which created the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority. She began her career in financial services operations at Deutsche Bank, ING Furman Selz, and Bank of America Securities. She holds a B.A. in Communications from Miami University, serves as an elected director of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District, and spends her free time with family and friends enjoying the outdoors.

Staff Chief, Communications | CAL FIRE

Nicole Gissell is the Staff Chief of Communications for CAL FIRE, with more than 24 years in the department. She has worked in and overseen a range of programs, including Local Government Programs, Training, and Hand Crews, and has progressed from seasonal Firefighter to Chief Officer.

Assistant Chief | CAL FIRE/OSFM/CWMA

Over 27 years with the fire service. Currently assigned to the Community Wildfire Mitigation and Assistance Program as an Assistant Chief, providing oversight and direction with regard to FHSZ Maps, Fire Safe Regulations, Subdivision Review, Safety Element Review, and NFPA Firewise USA.

Public Information Officer II | CAL FIRE

Josh has been with CAL FIRE for four years and oversees the Department’s Resource Management, Office of the State Fire, and social media communications. This includes covering topics such as defensible space, home hardening, forestry, CAL FIRE’s grant programs, and various other wildfire prevention and preparedness messaging. Prior to joining CAL FIRE, Josh spent 10 years working in marketing in the outdoor industry.

Executive Director | Fire Safe Sonoma

As the Executive Director of Fire Safe Sonoma, Ben understands the critical importance of collaboration between government agencies, NGOs, and, most importantly, residents in creating wildfire resilience. Ben’s passion for proactive wildfire resilience work comes after serving the residents of California for 32 years with CAL FIRE. Ben retired in December of 2025 as the Sonoma County Operations Chief after being involved with all the major wildfires in Sonoma County since 2017. Ben’s focus is to bring everyone together as a unified team working towards a common wildfire resilience goal, knowing that no one specialty or group can complete this alone.

Deputy Commissioner of the Climate and Sustainability Branch | CA Department of Insurance

Michael Peterson was appointed by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to the position of Deputy Commissioner of the newly created Branch of Climate and Sustainability on January 7, 2019. Michael was a legislative consultant for Senator Lara, focusing on climate change, natural resources, and energy policy, as well as being the consultant for the Select Committee on Ports and Goods Movement. He also served as liaison with the California Air Resources Board, of which Senator Lara was a member. He previously worked for the California State Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water.

Michael’s role as Deputy Commissioner of the Climate and Sustainability Branch is to develop and oversee policy initiatives related to understanding and reducing climate risk and promoting a sustainable insurance market in California. The climate and sustainability portfolio includes contributing to wildfire resilience policy development, expanding the existing Climate Risk Carbon Initiative, exploring new scenario analyses of physical and transition risks, leading new initiatives through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Climate Risk and Resilience Executive Task Force, and implementing recent legislation.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Whitman College, a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science – Freshwater Ecology from Western Washington University, and a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from the University of California, Berkeley.

Deputy Chief, Pre-Fire Planning Program | CAL FIRE

Chris Ramey is a Deputy Chief with CAL FIRE, where he oversees the department’s Fire Plan program and supports statewide pre-fire planning efforts. His work focuses on wildfire risk reduction, Community Wildfire Protection Plans, GIS and data integration, and improving the tools and processes used to support local and statewide planning. Throughout his CAL FIRE career, Chris has worked to connect operational experience with long-term wildfire planning and community preparedness. He is particularly interested in practical, data-driven approaches that help planners, fire professionals, and communities better understand risk and prioritize meaningful wildfire mitigation efforts.

Battalion Chief | CAL FIRE

Shelley is a Battalion Chief in the CWMAP Program and has been with CAL FIRE for 23 years, starting as a seasonal employee in a field position and working through the ranks. Shelley began in the San Diego Unit on a Schedule B engine, then was promoted to permanent Firefighter in Riverside, where assignments included a Schedule A engine and the ladder truck. From there, Shelley moved to the San Bernardino Unit, promoting to Engineer and then Captain shortly after. After a period of time in the Emergency Command Center, Shelley transferred to the Pre-Fire Engineer position in the same unit. Intrigued by the work of the Land Use Planning Program, Shelley transferred into the program through the Southern Region Headquarters. Shelley was later promoted to the current position and has loved every minute of it.

Assistant Fire Chief – Fire Marshal | Cosumnes Fire Department

Lantz Rey serves as the Northern California Branch Director for the Fire Marshal Section of Cal Chiefs and has 16 years of experience as a Fire Marshal, including six years with Cosumnes Fire Department and 10 years with Manteca Fire Department. Prior to joining the fire service, Chief Rey worked in land-use planning and development, providing him with a broad perspective on the intersection of community development, fire prevention, and public safety

Senior Director, Strategic Communication, Western States | Insurance Information Institute

Based in North County San Diego, Janet brings more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. She joined Triple-I in 2015 as the organization’s California representative and was appointed Director of Strategic Communication in January 2019.

Prior to Triple-I, Janet spent 16 years with State Farm Insurance in underwriting, management, and public affairs roles. She also served for nine years at Fireman’s Fund/Allianz Insurance Company, where she led external communications, including strategic communication planning and media relations, supporting its specialty lines in entertainment, commercial, and high-net-worth homeowners insurance.

Director | Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force