Offering specialized accreditation for  fire and emergency  related degree programs at post-secondary higher education institutions and public fire service certifying entities.

Council of Governors

COG Members

John Cunningham, COG Chair and CABOG/CA Chair
Member Entity: Nova Scotia Fire Service Professional Qualifications Board

E. Rob Freese III, COG Vice-Chair and DABOG/DA Chair
Member Entity: Bucks County Community College, Pennsylvania

Joel Billings
Representing: Degree Assembly
Member Entity: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Term Ends: 2025 (appointed to fill vacancy until election in 2026)

Greg Palmer
Representing: Certificate Assembly
Member Entity: North Carolina Fire and Rescue Commission
Position Term Ends: 2025

David Jolly
Representing: Certificate Assembly
Member Entity: Virginia Department of Fire Programs
Position Term Ends: 2026

Casey Hall
Representing: Degree Assembly
Member Entity: Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Position Term Ends: 2026

Tara Youngblood
Representing: Certificate Assembly
Member Entity: Oklahoma State University Fire Service Training
Position Term Ends: 2027

Richard Carroll
Representing: Degree Assembly
Member Entity: Cleveland Community College, North Carolina
Term Ends: 2027 (Appointed to fill vacancy - election to be held April 2025)

Public Members

Bernie MacKinnon, CABOG Public Member

William Klein, DABOG Public Member

IFSAC Administration - Non-voting Member

Eldonna Sadler
IFSAC Manager

IFSAC Parliamentarian - Non-Voting Member

Mollie Clakley


The IFSAC Council of Governors (COG) consists of twelve members. Voting members of the COG include individuals elected from each assembly of IFSAC, the public member from each board, and the chair of each board. One member of the Administration Office and the IFSAC parliamentarian serve as non-voting members. The responsibilities of the Council of Governors are to:

  • Approve strategic initiatives and goals.
  • Ensure the mission of the organization is carried out.
  • Deal with issues that are common to the assemblies.
  • Resolve disputes between assemblies, boards, and committees.
  • Work with OSU on employee issues with regard to hiring, termination, promotion, pay increases, and performance evaluations.
  • Approve and provide oversight of the budget.
  • Provide direction and assistance to Administration.
  • Serve as a final forum for appeals.
  • Oversee committees of the Council.
  • Consider and approve polidy statements and operational guidelines submitted by committees of the Council or members of the Congress.
  • Ensure compliance with any recognized national or international standards of accrediting bodies, and where conflict may exist between accreditation standards, evaluate and approve specific standards for use by the Congress in measuing itself.
  • Promote the organization.
  • Take a position and express an opinion on behalf of the organization on issues relevant to the mission.
  • Approve internal evaluation instruments by the Congress, separate and apart from specific instruments used by the separate assemblies.
  • Work with Administration concerning financial and long-range planning.
  • Approve fee schedules.

For more information about the Council of Governors, see Article 01 of the IFSAC Bylaws.

Certificate Assembly Board of Governors

CABOG Members

John Cunningham, Chair
Member Entity: Nova Scotia Fire Service Professional Qualifications Board
Chair Term Ends: 2025
Board Term Ends: 2027

Matthew Palmerton, Vice Chair
Member Entity: District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Services
Vice Chair Term Ends: 2027
Term Ends: 2027

Tara Youngblood
Member Entity: Oklahoma State Fire Service Training
Term Ends: 2025

Clinton Manuel
Member Entity: City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Fire Training Academy
Term Ends: 2025

Jay Clevenger
Member Entity: Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal
Term Ends: 2025

Christy Rodgers
Member Entity: Kentucky Fire Commission
Term Ends: 2025

Brandon Erickson
Member Entity: CAL FIRE, Office of State Fire Marshal
Term Ends: 2026

Gary Howard
Member Entity: Iowa Fire Service Training Bureau
Term Ends: 2026

Greg Palmer
Member Entity: North Carolina Fire Commission, Office of State Fire Marshal
Term Ends: 2026

Bill Slosson
Member Entity: Washington State Patrol - Fire Protection Bureau
Term Ends: 2027

Zeyad Sagr
Member Entity: Arab Fire Safety and Security Academy
Board Term Ends: 2027

Bernie MacKinnon
Public Board Member
Position Term Ends: 2025


The Certificate Assembly Board of Governors (CABOG) consists of eleven members elected from Certificate Assembly represented entities and one member elected from the general public.

The functions of the Certificate Assembly Board of Governors are to:

  • Consider and approve policy statements and operational guidelines submitted by committees of the Board or members of the Assembly.
  • Clarify and carry out established policies.
  • Encourage the professional development of the fire and emergency services internationally.
  • Review appeals.
  • Meet prior to the scheduled regular meeting of the Assembly.
  • Establish a forum and dialogue between accredited entities that will encourage reciprocity between entities.
  • Ensure the accreditation process is done on a valid and credible basis.
  • Act upon all accreditation applications and site visit reports.
  • Act on recommendations of committees.

For more information about the Certificate Assembly Board of Governors, see Article 10 of the IFSAC Bylaws.

  • IFSAC Calendar

Upcoming Events 

IFSAC 2025 Spring Conference
Orlando, Florida
April 22-25, 2025

Office/Holiday Closings

Regular business hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Central Time.
The IFSAC Administration office will be closed on the following dates for upcoming events and holidays:
January 20 Holiday
April 21-28 IFSAC 2025 Spring Conference
 

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