North Carolina State University

Kate manages the Western Region of the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC). In addition to advancing the broader priorities of WFLC, the Western Region leads the implementation of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy through inclusive interaction with those who have an interest in the outcomes of wildland fire. Working across the west, meeting stakeholders where they are, the Western Region facilitates the development and enhancement of enabling conditions that support: 1) Improvement and innovation in wildlands 2) Identification and remediation/removal of barriers 3) Collaborative identification and prioritization 4) Co-management of risk 5) Acceptance of short-term risk for longer term benefit. Prior to joining the Western Region, Kate enjoyed a rewarding career as Director of Project Wildfire, an education and mitigation organization in Oregon. She also spent over a decade as a structural and wildland firefighter where her passion for the fire service led her to become a fire inspector and prevention specialist. Before joining Project Wildfire, Kate enjoyed a rewarding career as an organizational development consultant for nonprofit organizations. She is a proud alumnus of the University of Washington (GO DAWGS!) and counts the Pacific Northwest as her home but loves to spend time traveling with her husband and two dogs camping, hiking, whitewater rafting, and wine tasting.

Amy Orders is a Senior Director with Environmental Health and Public Safety and an adjunct assistant professor in the College of Education at NC State University.  At NC State, she works extensively with the campus constituents to engage emergency preparedness and safety issues in different capacities. She has served on national boards and international working groups, University task forces, and delivered over 150 invited presentations. With over twenty years of experience in higher education, she couples an extensive technical background with student affairs leadership.

Hannah earned an Associate of Applied Science in Forest (Management) Technology from Hazard Community and Technical College in 2000 and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Management from BYU-Idaho in 2020. She has 22 years of service in state forestry agencies specializing in forestry and wildland fire.  She began her career with Kentucky Division of Forestry.  In 2003, she began with North Carolina Forest Service and since 2016, she has been the Wildfire Mitigation Specialist, which covers 50 counties in eastern NC. She works with individuals, civic groups, organizations, municipalities, and agencies to increase the amount of wildfire risk reduction actions that occur on the landscape.  She serves on the national Community Mitigation Assistance Team and multiple Incident Management Teams.  Hannah is a native of southeast Kentucky. She currently lives in Kinston, NC with her husband, Larry, and two dogs, Twig and Jezebel.  

North Carolina State University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, 1986-Present. Associate Professor. Train NCSU students in entry-level firefighters leading to National Wildfire Coordination Group (NWCG) Firefighter Type2 (FFT2) certification through suppression, preparation, ignition, monitoring, holding, and mop-up on prescribed and wildland fires. Provide instruction of fuels, terrain, weather, and fire behavior for land management decisions and actions.  Lead prescribed fire planning and implementation on NCSU experimental forests and partner lands. Wildland Fire Certifications: National Wildfire Coordination Group (NWCG): ENGB  Engine Boss, FIRB Firing Boss, FEMO Fire Effect Monitor, RXB3 Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, and ICT4 Incident Commander Type 4.