Full Name Affiliation Title
Attendee List For 2026 Eastern Wildfire Forum 8/24-8/27/2026
Ali Bowling PA DCNR Executive Advisor for Climate and Sustainability 
Avriel Diaz Global Council for Science and the Environment (GCSE) Executive Director 
Brian Pfister PA - DCNR - Bureau of Forestry Wildfire Prevention Specialist
Bryan Whitmore PA Game Commission Fire Program Manager
Carissa Wonkka University of Florida Assistant Professor
Carrie Laboski Penn State University Head of Department of Ecosystem Science & Management
Christine Kirchhoff Pennsylvania State University Associate Professor, Associate Director
Christopher Scott Pennsylvania State University Goddard Chair and Professor of Ecosystem Science and Management
David Cavanaugh The Nature Conservancy PA Fire Program Lead
Diane White Husic St. Lawrence University Executive Director, Center for the Environment
Eliisa Carter Pennsylvania State University PhD Student (Department of Geography)
Emma Stefanacci Penn State — Strategic Communications Communications specialist and research writer
Erica Smithwick Penn State University Professor of Geography
Erik Leeds PEMA Resilience Officer
Heather Preisendanz Pennsylvania State University Director, SAFES
Jesse Kreye Penn State University Associate Research Professor
John C. Mauro The Pennsylvania State University The Interim John Leone Dean, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Katherine Caughron North Carolina State University Master's Student, EFNet Summer 2026 Cohort
Katherine Zipp Pennsylvania State University Associate Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics
Kelsey Irvine PA DEP Energy Programs Specialist
Kevin Robertson Tall Timbers Research Station Fire Ecology Research Scientist
Kyle Myers PA DCNR Michaux State Forest Geospatial Specialist 2
Manzhu Yu Penn State University  Associate Professor
Matt Reed DCNR Forest Fire Protection Chief, Wildfire Operations
Matthew Keefer DCNR Bureau of Forestry Assistant Director
Maurie Kelly Pennsylvania State University Director of Informatics
Melissa Kreye Pennsylvania State University Associate Professor in Forest Resources Management
Meredith Seltzer PA DCNR Director of Climate and Sustainability
Michael Kern PA DCNR Chief Forest Fire Warden
Miranda Mockrin Forest Service, Northern Research Station  
Mobashsira Tasnim Pennsylvania State University Graduate Teaching Assistant
Nathan Weyandt Penn State University  
Neil Pederson Highstead Research Associate
Noah Weidig University of Florida GIS and Remote Sensing Research Associate
Paige D'Agostin UNC Wilmington Master's Student, EFNet Summer 2026 Cohort
Paul Charland Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium Coordinator
Richard Seager Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University Ewing Lamont Research Professor
Robert Scheller North Carolina State University Professor
Roy Brubaker DCNR BOF Michaux State Forest District Forester
Ryan Sundberg U.S. Army Headquarters Wildland Fire Program Manager
Samuel Bearinger DCNR BOF Division of Forest Fire Protection Program Specialist 
Sarah Jasmine Riadi Pennsylvania State University PhD Student
Seth Cassell DCNR Bureau of Forestry Director/State Forester
Shannon Ranio Penn State University Project Manager
Teri Provost Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, DCED CDBG Program Manager
Thomas S. Hughes PEMA  
Todd Breininger DCNR Bureau of Forestry Prescribed Fire Specialist
Victoria Donovan University of Florida Assistant Professor of Forest Management
Winslow Hansen Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies  
Zhen Lei Pennsylvania State University