CTEX 2023 Onsite Program

Instructor Biographies

Derek Alkonis Derek Alkonis retired as an LACoFD Assistant Chief, August 2021 after 31 years. During his time with LA County, he led the Air & Wildland and Training Services Divisions, and worked closely with the IAFF in developing the programs of the: Well ness - Fitness Initiative, CPAT, Peer Fitness Trainer, and Fire Ground Survival. Since 2011 he has been a member of UL's Fire Safety Research Institute's advisory board and also led the im plementation of evidence - based firefighting tactics within LA County Fire Department. Derek is now a Research Program Manager with UL's Fire Safety Research Institute. He is respon sible for assisting fire departments in implementing evidence based firefighting tactics, and identifying where the Institute and UL can use their research capabilities and assets to investi gate wildfire and WUI challenges. Derek is a graduate of the University of California San Diego. Vince Anderson Building collaboration between the fire suppression and fire prevention communities is a career passion for Mr. Vincent Anderson. He currently serves as the Fire Marshal for Redlands Fire Department, CA. In his past position, he held the position as the Deputy Director of Fire Safety with the California State University Campus Fire Marshal Program. Prior to this role, he served as Fire Marshal for the cities of Sunnyvale and Redlands. Vince graduated from UCLA with a BA in History and a minor in Public Affairs. He also holds a Fire Protection Engineering cer tificate from UC San Diego and is a Registered Primary Instruc tor with California State Fire Training. David Baldwin David Baldwin is a retired Battalion Chief with the Sacramento Fire Department. He has served for 36 years in the fire service, with 29 years with the Sacramento Fire Department and seven years with the Donner Summit Fire Department. Chief Baldwin has a Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Services Man agement from Union Institute & University and an Associate of Science in Fire Science Technology from Sierra College. He is a California State Fire Marshall Office certified Chief Fire Officer and Fire Instructor - II. During his years with the Sacramento Fire Department, he served as the department's Wildland and Live Fire Training Programs director. He was involved with many other departmental programs, including Co - authoring the Sac ramento Fire Department Engine Company Handbook, the Lead author of the Sacramento Fire Department Engine Company Hands - On Training Manual, and the Sacramento Fire Depart ment Wildland Handbook. Jeff Baumunk Jeff Baumunk ’ s public safety career spans over 32 years. Prior to being named the Director of Public Safety at El Camino Col lege, Jeff has worked for Jet Propulsion Laboratory Fire Depart ment, La Verne Fire Department, Nevada Task Force 1 (NV), Las

Vegas Motor Speedway Fire and Rescue (NV), North Las Vegas Fire Department (NV), Rio Hondo College, and Copper Moun tain College. Jeff has been a member of the California State Firefighters Association, International Association of Firefight ers, Nevada State Firefighters Association, Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada, California Fire Technology Directors Associ ation, South Bay Fire Chiefs Association, amongst several other organizations. As the Public Safety Director, Jeff is in charge of Administration of Justice program, POST Reserve Police Officer Academies, Law Enforcement Explorer Academy, Fire and Emergency Technology program, Emergency Medical Techni cian program, Paramedic program, and the California Firefight er 1 Academy. Aleisha Beckum Aleisha Beckum, Owner and Founder of uProfyt has her Mas ters in Business Administration and was a former Auditor for the State of California. She brings over 15 years of experience performing audits of Cities and Counties throughout the State, preparing Cost Allocation Plans, Indirect Cost Rate Proposals, managing billions of dollars of grant funds, providing ac counting services, building out compliance programs to ensure our tax - payer dollars (grant funds) are allocated and utilized most efficiently and effectively per the regulations, helping or ganizations maximize their revenues and reduce their tax liabil ity leveraging the regulations, developing processes and sys tems, and lastly, working with all types of organizations to re cover funding left on the table. Ray Bizal Ray Bizal is Director of Regional Operations at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).In this capacity, he oversees Ca nadian and U.S. Regional Directors, who provide outreach and advocacy to NFPA stakeholders regarding the many activities undertaken by the association. This includes supporting the adoption and enforcement of NFPA codes and standards, iden tifying tools and solutions for fire, electrical and related haz ards, and public education outreach. He also advocates for fire and lifesafety at the local and state legislative levels. His region is California and Oregon. He has been a member of many state and national organization, as well as served on many com mittees and task groups, such as CSFA ’ s Life Safety and Fire Investigations Committee. With over 35 years in the fire protec tion profession, Ray is a Fellow in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. He is the 2006 recipient of the Western Fire Chiefs Association ’ s Robert W. Gain Award, the 2014 recipient of the California Fire Chiefs, Northern California Fire Prevention Offic ers ’ Charles H. Gray Memorial Award, the 2020 recipient of the Southern California Fire Prevention Officers ’ William E. Fox Award, and the 2022 recipient of the California State Firefight ers ’ William R. Goss Award. Holding a bachelor ’ s degree in Me chanical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boul der, he is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in California.

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