Brené Ball is a Fire & Life Safety Educator and the Digital Content Specialist for Pinecroft Sedgefield Fire District in Greensboro, North Carolina. With 24 years of volunteer experience in the fire service, she has dedicated herself to advancing technology and education both within North Carolina and across the United States and Canada, assisting fire service personnel in integrating technological tools to improve their programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she established Ms. D's Virtual PD, a training program that offers live sessions and on-demand resources for public school and fire service professionals. Brené currently serves as the Past Chair of the North Carolina Fire and Life Safety Educator Association State Council. She received the 2022 NFPA Educator of the Year award and the 2021 NCFLSE Award of Excellence. Her professional role is Media Coordinator at Oak Grove High School in Davidson County, North Carolina. In July 2025, she stepped into the position of Online Fire Program Coordinator at Guilford Technical Community College, where she oversees the college’s online fire training courses. 

Maria Bostian is a North Carolina Fire & Life Safety Educator and a certified Montessori teacher with over 30 years of experience working with children. She is the author of six injury prevention and community helper books. 

Bostian, active member of many risk reduction and public education organizations including Western Region NCFLSE Association, NCFLSE State Council, and Vision 20/20’s Symposium Planning Committee, Champions & Emerging Leaders Group, and the CRR Ambassador’s program, is the newest member of the UNCC’s Engineering Technology and Construction Management faculty and is a contract instructor for the National Fire Academy. In 2020, she was recognized as the NFPA Educator of the Year.  

Bostian provides life safety training and workshops on injury prevention, writing, and literacy across the country. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found thrifting for interesting children’s books or filling lending libraries across her community.  

I am 59 years old and have three adult children and four grandchildren. I have a BSN in Psychology, an AA in early childhood education, and an AS in Occupational Therapy. I spent 30 years educating and counseling children. Then joined Elder Orphan Care in 2016 to bring life-saving care to older adults aging. My passion is to help people feel valued and loved, to bring generations together, and help older adults age safely in place with dignity and purpose.

Frank Blackley is retired from the Wilmington, NC Fire Department with over 35 years of experience in the fire service. He is a senior associate at consulting firm A.P. Triton. He previously served as Fire Marshal, Operations Chief, and Support Services Chief in Wilmington. He helped develop a National Fire Academy class on community risk reduction at the station level. He was involved in the department’s accreditation process and understands the importance of accurate data. He graduated from the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer’s Program, became a Chief Fire Officer, and holds a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Urban and Regional Planning from UNC Wilmington. He is married to Kathy, and they have two daughters.  

Liz Cooper is the Director of Public Communications for Union County, North Carolina. She and her team oversee all communications and marketing for the county government of 35 departments and 1,600 employees, as well as public communications to approximately 270,000 residents. Cooper brings a wealth of experience and a dynamic background to her role. Originally from Georgia, she earned a communications degree with an emphasis on broadcasting from Georgia Southern University before making a mark as a television news anchor and reporter for 12 years, providing her with a diverse perspective on various issues.

For a decade, Cooper has called North Carolina home. After honing skills in effective communication and storytelling in the fast-paced world of news reporting, she seized a new career opportunity in 2019 in government communications. Her commitment to successfully managing strategic communications while delivering accurate and impactful information has led to her current role as director leading a team of nine skilled professionals.

She is also serving a second term on the board of North Carolina City County Communicators as Program Development Chair.

Cooper’s proudest title is wife and mama to two miracle boys, Alex and Wyatt. She and her family live in Waxhaw, North Carolina.

Matt Groseclose joined the Greensboro Fire Department as the Fire and Life Safety Educator in November of 2023. Matt has 20+ years of experience in the fire service, starting his career with the Union Fire Company No. 1 in Oxford, Pennsylvania where he most recently served as a Board of Director and apparatus Engineer.

Matt is a graduate of Shippensburg University, where he remains an active member of the Alumni Association. He is an Eagle Scout through the Boy Scouts of America, having served 9 years as a professional, working with both youth and adults.

Outside of the Fire Service, Matt is a Philadelphia Phillies fan and plans to visit all 30 MLB Ballparks. He enjoys hiking, going to the gym, eating good BBQ and attending NASCAR Races.

He looks forward to being a representative of the Greensboro Fire Department as he educates community members about Fire and Life Safety Prevention.

Dr. Ernest J. Grant is a Clinical Associate Professor and Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Duke University School of Nursing. He is also the immediate past president of the American Nurses Association (ANA), the nation’s largest nurse’s organization representing the interests of the nation’s 5.3 million registered nurses. He is the first man to be elected to the office of president of the American Nurses Association in its 130 years of existence.

A distinguished leader, Dr. Grant has more than 30 years of nursing experience and is an internationally recognized burn-care and fire-safety expert. He also serves as adjunct faculty for the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing, where he works with undergraduate and graduate nursing students in the classroom and clinical settings. For the past four years in a row, Dr. Grant has been recognized by Modern Healthcare Magazine as one of 50 Influential Clinical Executives in Healthcare and as one of 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare. In 2013, Grant received the B.T. Fowler Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Carolina Fire and Life Safety Education Council for making a difference in preventing the devastating effects of fire and burn injuries and deaths within the state.

In 2002, President George W. Bush presented Grant with a Nurse of the Year Award for his work treating burn victims from the World Trade Center site. He was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing in 2011. Grant holds a BSN degree from North Carolina Central University and MSN and PhD degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  He also has received two honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia.

Catherine Gulledge is an Exceptional Children’s educator and accessibility advocate with over 13 years of experience supporting students with diverse and complex learning needs. She has served in both classroom and district-level leadership roles, specializing in independence, safety awareness, and structured life skills through accessible, evidence-based instruction.

Catherine is the founder of AdaptABLE, providing in-home and virtual support to families of children with disabilities by promoting structure, consistency, and strengths-based strategies. She also partners with fire service and safety professionals to make prevention education accessible for individuals with cognitive disabilities. Catherine’s work centers on intentional inclusivity to strengthen families, empower communities, and improve safety outcomes for all.

Don Johnson serves the Town of Garner Fire-Rescue Division as Captain of Community Risk Reduction, bringing approximately 35 years of combined experience in the fire and life safety industry as both a volunteer and career firefighter. His fire service career encompasses experience in fire detection and suppression systems, firefighter and officer, Wake County Fire Academy instructor, fire apparatus maintenance/testing, and community risk reduction. He is a graduate of Columbia Southern University with a degree in Fire Sciences and is a credentialed Fire Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPSE CPC).

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Don serves on his department’s PEER support team and is a leader in the Twelve Stones Addiction Recovery Ministry. He remains deeply engaged in the Garner community, serving on advisory boards for the local YMCA and the local high school Public Safety Academy.

Don has been married to his wife, Lori, for more than 33 years and is a devoted husband, proud father of four, and grateful grandfather of two. In his spare time, he enjoys playing music at his church and especially with his band, Antique Outlaws. He also treasures time spent with family and friends at his home away from home in Surf City, North Carolina.

A native of Greenville, PA, Leigh Kish is a fire and life safety educator with Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire services in North Carolina. With over 20 years in the fire service field, Leigh began her career with the Charlotte Fire Department in 2003 after graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Political Science. Throughout her 19-year career with Charlotte, Leigh was a Telecommunicator, Fire Inspector, and Fire and Life Safety Educator. In 2024 she decided to move on to Gaston County, where she had the opportunity to help build a fire and life safety education program from the ground up. That same year, she earned her Master of Public Administration and Emergency Services Management from Columbia Southern University. Leigh has been married to her husband, Scott, since 2010. He also works for the Charlotte Fire Department as a Logistics Technician. Together, they have one son named Noah and a Pug named Ember. They spend their family time watching Noah watch other kids play video games on TV and going on cruises.

Britney Melvin has served as the Community Risk Reduction Coordinator for New Hanover County Fire Rescue since 2016, bringing over 15 years of experience in prevention education and community outreach. She is an active member of the Eastern Region Fire & Life Safety Educators, serves on the North Carolina State FLSE Council, and is a member of the North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition. She also chairs the Cape Fear Falls Prevention Coalition, where she leads local efforts to reduce fall-related injuries through education and community engagement.

Known for her ability to build meaningful partnerships across agencies, organizations, and communities, Britney creates inclusive, age-appropriate programs that resonate from preschoolers to older adults. Her work prioritizes innovation, accessibility, and impact. She meets people where they are with education that sticks. In recognition of her leadership and measurable success in public safety outreach, she was honored with a 40 Under 40 Award.

Sylvia Peace serves as the Community Risk Reduction Specialist for Greenville Fire-Rescue in Texas, where she has worked since 2013. She coordinates the department’s fire and life safety programs and works closely with community partners to provide these programs. She focuses on Greenville’s older adult population, as this is one of the highest-risk groups in her community. She is the creator and primary admin for the Facebook Fire & Life Safety Educators and Coordinators group, with over 4,300 members from around the globe. She also serves on the Vision 20/20 planning committee, is a member of their Champions and Emerging Leaders group, and serves as one of their Brand Ambassador for CRR Academy. She served on the IFSTA Validation committee for the Fire and Life Safety Educator 4th edition and NFPA’s 2025 EMAC. She is a contract instructor for the National Fire Academy and was also awarded the 2024 NFPA Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year award. 

My name is Wesley Priddy. I graduated from The Art Institute of Charlotte in 2006 with an Associate’s degree in Graphic Design. In 2007, I joined the Eden Fire Department as a volunteer, and in 2016, I became a full-time employee. From my time as a volunteer through today, I have had the opportunity to participate in various public education events, where I discovered a true passion for educating the community. 

Kelly Ransdell works for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as the Director of Public

Education. Prior to this promotion, she was the Regional Director for the South Central US covering NC,

TX, AR, LA, OK, MS, AL and TN. Formerly she was the Regional Education Specialist for the National Fire

Protection Association covering the 17 states in the Southern and New England regions for 5 years. She

works to expand fire and burn education, expand code and standards adoption and works with national

organizations, state agencies, and local fire departments to enhance their overall educational programs.

Before joining NFPA staff in 2015, she worked as the Deputy Director of the North Carolina Department

of Insurance- Office of State Fire Marshal overseeing the Prevention, Programs and Grants Division for

nearly 15 years. In addition, she worked as the State Director of Safe Kids North Carolina which included

42 coalitions covering 72 counties for 11 years. Kelly and her husband live just south of Raleigh, NC and

have two daughters- 19 years old and 13 years old.

My name is Wade Turpin. I am happily married to my beautiful wife, Cheyenne, and we have six children, sometimes called "our circus". I graduated from Averett University with a Bachelor Degree in Sports Medicine. It was at that point where my entire "plan" changed. I have been a firefighter for approximately 8 years now and have been fully engaged in public education in the fire service for about 6 years now. I hold my NCFLSE I certification and plan to further this certification in the future. Currently, I am the Captain of B-Shift at the City of Eden Fire Department. I also am the current leader of the public education at the City of Eden and overseen by the Deputy Chief. I am very proud of what our Public Education has progressed to at the City of Eden.

Beverley Walker is the Manager of the Administrative Training Unit for the Fire and Emergency Services Section of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. As such, Beverley oversees the Community Risk Reduction course curriculum, Instructor courses, and NFA course deliveries.  She has served in this role for about one year.  Prior to becoming a manager, she served as a supervisor and instructor for the Georgia Fire Academy for about 2 years.

Beverley has 25 years of fire service experience, serving as a firefighter, fire investigator, fire prevention educator, and fire officer.  She began her career with the City of LaGrange Fire Department, where she served for 15 years.  She then served with Hall County Fire Services for 10 years.  After working as a college professor for a small college in the fire administration degree program, she joined the Georgia Fire Academy.

Beverley serves as a contract instructor for the National Fire Academy.  Beverley is the author of a textbook entitled Community Risk Reduction Principles and Practice published by Jones & Bartlett.   Beverley has been a technical writer for several training publications, and is a contributing author to the textbook Firefighter Safety and Survival by Ford.   Beverley has served on several validation committees for International Fire Safety Training Association (IFSTA).

Beverley has a Masters degree in Public Administration from Georgia State University, as well as a Masters of Education degree from Columbus State College.   She is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program at the National Fire Academy.

Jon Williams is the Fire Marshal for Union County, North Carolina.  He and his team conduct fire code enforcement, fire investigations and public education for 12 of the 14 municipalities in Union County as well as unincorporated Union County.  Williams also serves as the Chief of Training for Hemby Bridge Fire Department.  Williams has been in the fire service in Union County for 31 years.  He also serves on the Union County Safe Kids Coalition and the Union County Chapter of the Firefighter's Burned Childrens Fund.  Williams is married and has a daughter.  He and his family live in Indian Trail, North Carolina.  

Rick spent 20 years in the public sector fire service, holding positions from firefighter, to inspector, investigator, educator, and fire marshal. After serving as Charlotte Fire's first therapy K9 handler, Rick turned that skill set into a nonprofit that provides therapy dogs to first responder agencies, and trained service dogs for first responders, veterans, and their immediate family members. 

With over 15 years of dedicated service to the Wilmington Fire Department, Wendy is a passionate advocate for holistic community risk reduction. A certified Fire Instructor, Project Manager, and Fire & Life Safety Educator Instructor, she brings a wealth of experience to both the operational and educational sides of the fire service. Through her department and as the founder of Culture Shift, a consulting and training company, she is committed to cultivating a nation of risk-reduction-minded firefighters, transforming how departments approach safety, prevention, and community engagement. She currently serves as the national CRR Week Executive Committee lead and hopes that many North Carolina fire departments will consider participating in CRR Week next year.