Fire Services Training Institute.
An Affiliate of California State Firefighters’ Association
2701 K Street, Suite 201
Sacramento, CA 95816-5113
Phone (800) 451-CSFA
Fax (916) 446-9889
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Our Staff
| Michael S. Williams, President & Executive Director |
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| Aaron Briner, Chief Financial Officer |
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Aaron Briner
Chief Financial Officer
aaron.briner@cafsti.net | Aaron Briner comes to FSTI with a unique background with a combination in business and the fire service that makes him able to converse with CEO's of large corporations as easily as with firefighters. This combination of skills makes him an invaluable part of the FSTI organization. At the age of fourteen he began his career in the family restaurant business performing everything from washing dishes to negotiating leases. The wide ranges of experiences over the years in this service industry are skills that he still draws on today. After eleven years, he moved on to complete his education. He obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Immediately after school, he began his accounting career with KPMG in Orange County. He spent two and a half years with KPMG and then decided to go out on his own. His experience includes performance of financial statement audits in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Governmental Accounting Standards in both the financial services as well as public services industries ranging from publicly traded Fortune 500 companies to County and City governments and the Cal State University system. He also performed Single Audits in accordance with OMB Circular A-133, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance work. During the next four years while expanding his accounting business, he decided to pursue his long-time goal of a career in the fire service. He took four months off to go to the Allan Hancock Fire Academy in Santa Maria and to obtain his Associates degree in Fire Technology. Aaron is currently a firefighter with Montecito Fire Protection District in Santa Barbara, where he resides with his wife and three children. He is on the board of the Montecito Firefighters Association and is the Treasurer of the Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation, a California 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. When you don't find him at work at the fire station, or at a board meeting, you will find him coaching one of his three children's AYSO soccer teams with his wife Sharon, out on the golf course, or you may have to chase him down somewhere on the highway in his motorhome with his family on their way to Zion National Park or Mount Rushmore or wherever the most current family road trip is bringing them. |
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| Kristine L. Mollenkopf, Legal Counsel |
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Kristine L. Mollenkopf
Legal Counsel
| Kristine L. Mollenkopf is a partner of Hardin & Coffin, LLP. Kristine's early career focused on the defense of medical malpractice cases, which gave her significant jury trial experience and an edge in personal injury cases. Today, her practice involves severe-injury accidents, environmental torts, employment litigation, and ADA discrimination claims. Kristine also represents government entities in FEHA discrimination, wrongful termination, and government immunity litigation. Kristine's articles have been published in Verdict magazine and the Risk Management Letter. She is a Santa Barbara County native whose long list of community activities includes serving on the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association, Women Lawyer's Foundation, National Association of Women in Construction, and Rotary Club. Kristine has also been the President of Santa Barbara's memorable Summer Solstice Parade for several years. Education: Santa Barbara College of Law (J.D., 1996); University of the Pacific (B.M., Magna Cum Laude, 1992). Kristine's many academic honors include American Jurisprudence awards in Torts, Legal Research and Writing. Kristine and her husband share a passion for contemporary art, wine, and muscle cars. She unwinds by creating scrapbooks and practicing yoga. |
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| Anthony J. Miranda, Director of Media |
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Tony Miranda
Director anthony.miranda@cafsti.net | Tony joins FSTI management after serving on the Board of Directors. He is one of the founding members of teh Board. His primary responsabilites will be coordinating the FSTI Media Group. Tony Miranda is a managing partner of Ventura, California based Darby & Wade, Ltd, a marketing services company founded in 1998. Mr. Miranda's current ventures include managing interests in a Burbank motion picture, television and new media audio post production facility and a Santa Monica based television production company. Mr. Miranda's prior ventures included the founding of Protocol Telecommunications, Inc., a leading Van Nuys based handheld radio communications equipment rental firm. Mr. Miranda brings over 25 years of diverse business experience dealing with public safety and special event organizations to the FSTI Board. While President/CEO of Protocol Telecommunications, Mr. Miranda provided special temporary tactical wireless systems that were deployed around the world on major concert tours, special events and film productions throughout the 80's and 90's for companies including Warner Bros, MGM and Paramount and artists such as U2, Neil Diamond, The Police, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand and Bon Jovi. Mr. Miranda's public safety projects include radio systems for the 1984 Democratic Convention, The 1988 Republican Convention, The Philadelphia 1992 Columbus Quincentenary and The 1997 President's Conference for a Better America. Institutional clients have included special projects for UCLA, UCSB. UCI, Police and Community Services Organizations and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. |
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| Tom Walton, Emergency Operations Consultant |
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Tom Walton
Director tom.walton@cafsti.net | Sergeant Walton has over 30 years of law enforcement experience with an extensive background in field operations as a patrol deputy and field supervisor with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. He has over 15 years experience as a supervisor of Ocean Dive Team Operations, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Civil Unrest Operations and Planning, Technology Research and Implementation and as Operational Area Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Operations Section Coordinator. Sergeant Walton has participated in CalEMA LEMA meetings and has provided Law Enforcement Mutual Aid debriefs, on major wildfire operations. He served as the Department Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) and was responsible for the Homeland Security Grants. Sergeant Walton has written or assisted in writing plans and guidelines for law enforcement operations in pandemics, civil unrest, wildfire evacuations and flood evacuations. He has participated in the Joint Operations Center (JIC) planning process a at the Operational Area level, including planning for mass fatality events. |
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| Monty W. Gearheart, Technology Manager |
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| Monty is an 8-year U.S. Air Force veteran and CCAF graduate with expertise in multiple, secure hardware and software platforms to include secure communications systems and earth terminal deployment/operations. He owns the technology company, WCES, Inc., started in 1996, which caters directly and exclusively to first responder industries. An ISP, "coder" and overall "uber-geek," Monty is also an expert in on-line training delivery technology to include fire and rescue equipment simulations. Monty is the Information Systems/Technology Director and Business Development Director for the California State Firefighters' Association (CSFA). His current tasks include assisting FSTI with on-line programs, training, website development and overall information project management. |
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