Our Directors

John Dane
Director

jdane@csfa.net

Joining CSFA in 2006 as Executive Director John has focused a significant amount of attention on improving CSFA governance, business practices, membership communication and services. He has been tasked by the Board of Directors to make CSFA a more relevant, responsive and transparent organization fully accountable to it membership.

Serving as CSFA Executive Director when FSTI was formed, John has been an active supporter and strategist working with a small team of individuals to assure that FSTI has the best possible foundation for long-term success.

Prior to CSFA, John served as Executive Director of the United States Rowing Association from 2000-2005. During his tenure, USRowing experienced record club growth and event participation. In 2004 he accompanying the national team to Athens where the men won Olympic Gold for the first time in forty years and the women won Olympic Silver for the first time in twenty years. Previously, John ran nationwide state lobbying networks for the international automobile and marine manufacturing industries. John received his Certified Association Executive designation from the American Society of Association Executives in 2007 and has a master's degree from Virginia Tech.

A native of Detroit, he is married to Lisa. They have two sons Erik and Alexander.

Kevin Nida
Director

krnida@krnida.com

More Information

Kevin Nida began his fire service career as an Explorer with Long Beach Fire Department in 1975. In 1980 he joined the Los Angeles Fire Department and has served in numerous field and administrative positions for the past 27 years. He is currently assigned as a Battalion Captain the Mt. Washington/Eagle Rock area of the City after returning from a three year assignment as the department's radio Interoperability coordinator.

Kevin still maintains on-call status as a Communication Unit Leader for the LAFD and now serves as the back-up to the Interoperability Program. As a Battalion Captain, he assists the Battalion Chief with Fire and EMS operations for one of 16 Battalions in the City. He also serves as the Terrorism Liaison Officer for the Battalion passing on intelligence and awareness information to members assigned to the Battalion.

Kevin also serves as the LAFD's representative to the FIRESCOPE Communications Working Group and the OES Urban Search & Rescue Communications Working Group. Kevin is member of the LAFD Urban Search & Rescue Team since 1992. He has been deployed to numerous exercises as well as the Salt Lake City Olympics and hurricane Katrina.

Kevin has been a member of CSFA since 1980 and began his involvement attending every conference since 1991 and as a member/co-chair of the Valor Committee until his election as President in 2004. Kevin has been the driving force behind the modernization, improved management and upgrading of numerous programs at CSFA as well as strongly supporting FSTI. CSFA is a great organization and he hopes to continue it's development and improvement.

Chuck Knapp
Director

cknapp@csfa.net

Chuck Knapp began his career as a Volunteer Firefighter with Victorville Fire Department in November 1975 and hired on as a full-time firefighter in August 1977. In May 1980, Chuck began his career with Barstow Fire Protection District as Fire Inspector. In April 1983 he was promoted to Fire Captain where he remained for the rest of his career.

During his time with Barstow Fire, Chuck had many special assignments which included Assistant Training Officer, Fire-Arson Investigator, Interim Assistant Chief, and Strike Team Leader. He also served on the county wide Arson Task Force and the county wide Haz Mat Team. Chuck has been a Fire Technology Instructor with Barstow College and with Victor Valley College since 1979. He had taught at the Fire Academy for over 10 years and had assisted with many Fire Explorer Academies.

Chuck began his intense involvement with CSFA in 1991 as a Deputy Director for Dan Coffman. He was first elected to the CSFA Board of Directors at the annual conference in Santa Barbara in 1993. Chuck retired from Barstow Fire Protection District in December 2000. He remains active with the California Fire Service through CSFA, FSTI, FIRESCOPE and teaching at both Barstow and Victor Valley Colleges.

Tony Miranda
Director

anthony.miranda@cafsti.net

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.

Chris Ferguson
Director

chris.ferguson@cafsti.net

Chris is responsible for the administration of Granite' Constructions various human resources programs in the Sacramento Valley and North Coast areas, with particular emphasis on recruiting, training, employee and labor relations, EEO and affirmative action requirements, and performance management in a manner consistent with Company policies and procedures, as well as various local, state, and federal employment laws.

Previously, Chris worked for C.A. Rasmussen, Inc., a general engineering contractors in Simi Valley, California. Chris is also a decorated veteran Ranger from the United States Army, 101st Airborne.

Cathy Carter
Director

cathy.carter@cafsti.net

Cathy Carter has sustained a 22-year career in community banking services and has spent the last 16 years as a valued member of the American River Bank team. She has focused those 22 years on client service, personal business development, and maintaining a superb working relationship with clients, coworkers, and community leaders.

Throughout Cathy's 22 years of financial services she has lead her teams through several software conversions along with that, maintained American River Bank's servers and mainframes and has held the responsibility of maintaining and upgrading bank software and equipment. Since Cathy's start in the banking community she has also assisted in the conversions of several acquisitions and has been the principal contributor in establishing day-to-day protocol and procedure for those acquired. Ms. Carter has assisted in laying the procedural groundwork for American River Bank as well, and has and continues to expand her understanding and knowledge of banking operations.

In 2006 Cathy became a respected member of the West Sacramento Rotary International, where even in her brief time she has been selected to lead in the Senior Gift Giving Program. This program benefits low-income and assisted living seniors by providing holiday presents and packages. Along with this Cathy has contributed her talents to The Girl Scouts of America, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Soroptimists, and many other community programs, groups and organizations.

David Spence
Director

david.spence@cafsti.net

David L. Spence is a 21-year veteran Captain/Paramedic of the Los Angeles Fire Department. David has held positions in Internal Affairs, Tactical Training, Administration, Fire Prevention and Fire Suppression. He currently works on the Fire Chief's Planning Staff. David was the Planning Section Chief of the recently successful California Fire Service Training Conference held at Universal City, California in September 2007. David holds an Associates in Arts degree from Pasadena City College and is a senior in standing in English at California State University Northridge.

David holds numerous certifications from the State Fire Marshal's office and other approved Fire Service training agencies. He is a proponent of training and is a member of the Southern California Training Officer's Association. David is active as a Club volleyball coach and player, having competed in the California State Firefighters Olympics and the World Police and Fire Games, taking a Gold Medal in 1999.

David has been married to Roslyn for 25 years and has three children, Madisyn, Saige and Grant.