Staff Directory

Sarah Lee, CAE

Chief Executive Officer
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Sarah@nvfc.org

Growing up in a fire service family, Sarah developed a strong affinity for those who give back to their community. Combined with her 25-year dedication to the nonprofit sector – serving most in the fire and emergency services – Sarah found her calling at the NVFC in 2005. After serving as deputy chief executive since 2006, Sarah became CEO in 2021. She oversees all of the organization’s operations, from membership to programs, and loves the sense of community and giving back her position provides.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree, Sarah has a master’s degree in public administration and nonprofit management, is credentialed as a Certified Association Executive through the American Society of Association Executives, and holds a certificate in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Sarah serves as the membership chair with the Purcellville Volunteer Fire Department in Virginia, where she helps with recruitment and retention. In her spare time, Sarah can be found planning her family’s next camping adventure, volunteering at her kids’ schools, or buried in a good book.

Advocacy

Ryan Woodward

Chief of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs
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Ryan@nvfc.org

Ryan joined the NVFC in 2022. He is available to assist NVFC members with any questions or concerns related to federal legislation or regulations, is the staff liaison when it comes to standards and codes setting committees, and actively promotes the interests and priorities of the volunteer emergency services to Congress and the Executive Branch. Ryan came to the NVFC with a decade of policy experience. Before joining our staff, Ryan worked on the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ government relations team for two years and worked for former Congressman Peter King for eight years, including as legislative director. Rep. King is the former chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security and the former co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.

Ryan grew up on Long Island in a public safety family; his father is a former volunteer firefighter and retired police chief. Ryan has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Gettysburg College. He is an Eagle Scout and a black belt in karate. When Ryan is not walking the halls of Congress, he can be found near water where he enjoys kayaking and paddleboarding.

Ryne Eyestone

Legislative Intern
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Ryne@nvfc.org

Born and raised in Iowa, Ryne joins the NVFC as a legislative intern as part of the Lutheran College Washington Semester program. He will graduate from Luther College in Decorah, IA, in December 2024. Being able to help and advocate for others, as well as forming connections, are things he looks forward to during his time in Washington, DC.

In his free time, Ryne loves being able to spend time with friends and family. You can often find him outdoors either hiking or running, as well as cheering on his favorite sports teams based in numerous Midwest states such as Iowa and Minnesota. Ryne has also found a passion in singing – he has performed in a world-renowned choir and professionally sang the National Anthem twice!

Communications

Kimberly Quiros

Chief of Communications
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Kimberly@nvfc.org

Want to learn more about the NVFC’s programs and initiatives? Kimberly can help! She is the voice behind the NVFC’s newsletter, web sites, advertising, and other outreach endeavors. She also fields media inquiries and is the organization’s primary editor. Her work communicating the NVFC’s messages puts her at the forefront of many of the NVFC’s initiatives, helping create campaigns involving health and safety, recruitment and retention, and much more.

Kimberly received her bachelor’s degree from The College of William and Mary with a major in history – and her love of history, culture, and the arts makes her an avid traveler, frequent museum visitor, and fan of live performances. She received her master’s degree in public communications from American University and worked at a newspaper in Newport News, VA, and at another DC-based nonprofit before joining the NVFC in 2006.

Brittney Deo

Digital Media Manager
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Brittney@nvfc.org

Brittney’s mission is to help communicate the NVFC’s initiatives through engaging storytelling and innovative digital strategies. Joining the NVFC in 2024, Brittney focuses on digital media including social media management, outreach campaigns, and e-communications. She has 15 years of expertise as a former writer/producer in broadcast news and digital marketing consultant. Having a personal connection to the fire service family through her firefighter husband, Brittney is dedicated to amplifying the voices of volunteer firefighters nationwide.

Born and raised in Indiana, Brittney’s journey has taken her through diverse landscapes in Arizona, Hawaii, and Illinois, enriching her perspective and creative approach. She earned her bachelor’s degree in information science and esociety from the University of Arizona College of Information Science, where she cultivated her passion for merging technology with effective communication. In 2021, she returned to her Indiana roots with her husband and two sons, as they sought to be closer to family. Brittney is also passionate about fitness and is a fully certified Pilates instructor, integrating her love for movement and wellness into her daily life.

Training

Rachel Buczynski

Chief of Training and Education
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Rachel@nvfc.org

Rachel is passionate about creating impactful, accessible lifelong learning opportunities for everyone. She oversees the NVFC’s in-person and virtual training and educational activities, including conferences, webinars, and the Virtual Classroom. Rachel brings to this role over 15 years’ experience working with local, national, and international nonprofits on educational events and program development, including the NVFC and other fire service organizations. Her instructional design work has earned a ClearMark award for plain-language educational content.

She holds a master’s degree in adult education and human resource development from James Madison University, a certificate in event management from the George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Texas A&M University. In her free time, she works in her local community as an English teacher for adult immigrants. She also enjoys spending time with her spouse and dogs hiking and exploring and can often be found bopping around the East Coast in their travel trailer.

Amanda Tegtmeyer

Training Coordinator
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Amanda@nvfc.org

Amanda joined the NVFC in 2024 and is passionate about supporting first responders with the tools and knowledge they need for their professional development. With over eight years of experience coordinating public safety training, Amanda works on the NVFC’s in-person and online trainings, including Virtual Classroom courses and webinars. She focuses on the details needed to deliver smooth and effective training that supports the learner.

Amanda earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Western Illinois University. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, which includes her husband, three kids, and their two dogs. When she’s not hiking or exploring new trails, she loves cooking, gardening, and diving into a good book.

Membership

Alyssa Dara

Membership Manager
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Alyssa@nvfc.org

Alyssa is the membership manager for the NVFC, so she makes sure all the members are taken care of. Whether it’s helping someone join or renew their membership, mailing a membership card, or working with state fire associations, she is there to help with any membership inquiry. She also brings with her marketing and communications experience as a communications specialist for multiple trade associations.

You can call her the “membership manager” at home, too. She makes sure all the members in her family – husband, kids, three dogs, and two cats – are taken care of as well. Her bachelor’s degree in political science and her passion for politics has allowed her to intern at Capitol Hill and campaign for several political candidates. Her other passion is animals, and she loves being a foster mom to dogs in need of a second chance.

Laura Towers

Membership Coordinator
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Laura@nvfc.org

Laura is delighted to assist prospective and current NVFC members with everything from benefit questions to renewals.  She also enjoys serving as community manager for Volunteer Voices, the NVFC’s members-only online community. She likes to tout the members in Volunteer Voices as friendly, knowledgeable, and supportive, and she hopes that’s how they find her and the NVFC staff, as well!

Laura received her bachelor’s in communication studies from Alfred University and her master’s degree in media and cultural studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. If she has a few minutes to spare, her family might find her working on a crossword puzzle, fussing with her plants outside, or baking some sort of yummy dessert.

Programs

Lori Shirley

Program Manager
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Lori@nvfc.org

Lori started her career with the NVFC in 2006. She dedicates her time working on both corporate and federal partnerships and is the point of contact for many of the NVFC’s programs. Lori’s volunteer roots in the fire and emergency services date back to her time at the University of the Ozarks, where she served at the grassroots level as the Fire Corps team leader for Johnson County Rural Fire District #1 in Clarksville, AR (her home state), while earning her degree in marketing.

When Lori isn’t managing the world, she enjoys hanging out with the loves of her life: four rowdy kiddos, husband, and their dog. She loves the outdoors and you will often find her hiking or camping with the family. She also has a passion for sports and roots for all Cleveland sports teams, and of course, the Arkansas Razorbacks!