2024 MNICS Meeting
| The MNICS Annual Meeting is an interagency information session that brings together all levels of the MNICS partnership experience. The meeting strengthens coordination efforts involved with wildfire suppression and prevention among all the partnering agencies. It is a great opportunity to network, share information and discuss new ideas. There really is no better place than the MNICS Meeting to reflect on a job well done, share experiences and lessons learned, and recognize all of the success that has occurred throughout the 2023 wildfire season. We’ll look forward to seeing you at the next MNICS Meeting. |
Registration – Now open!
Register online
** Reminder – Agency Fire Management Officer’s approval is required to attend.
Location
Holiday Inn & Suites Duluth, Downtown – located at 200 W 1st St, Duluth, MN 55802
Lodging available – Book Online or call 218-722-1202, select option 3 and ask for the MNICS Meeting Block.
Agenda
Draft – 2024 MNICS Meeting Agenda
Guest Speakers
Geremy Olson
Geremy Olson is a “dyslexic author, interactive speaker, and avid outdoorsman” who lives in central North Dakota. He has been a Plans Chief and PIO for the State of ND Forest Service and a Wildland Firefighter and PIO in the Wildfire Type 2 Incident Management Team world. He has had several intense experiences in wildland fire including being involved in a wildfire burn over incident which left him severely injured and in recovery for years. He’s a thoughtful and humorous speaker.
Sarah Draper
Leading Well Strategies, LLC
When’s the last time you felt great and knew you were performing at your best in all areas of your life?
To get where you are, you’ve had to sacrifice a lot. Perhaps your relationships, your health, your fitness, or your sense of purpose have suffered. Maybe you don’t know what it is, but you just don’t feel like you thought you would when you got to where you are.
You deserve to feel and be your best. Those that you lead and those that you love all deserve to have you at your best too!
This is what Leading Well Strategies is all about. A healthy organizational culture begins with healthy leadership. For a leader to lead well, they must BE well. When a leader LEADS well, those they lead can THRIVE.
As a West Point graduate, an Army veteran, and an FBI special agent for 20 years, Draper knows what it means to serve and perform. She also knows the toll that leading in a high-impact and high-consequence environments can take on your physical wellness, your emotional well-being, and your relationships.
She has an M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University, certifications as a Health and Well-being Coach, a Positive Psychology Practitioner, and a Resilience Practitioner. She was a collegiate rower, an Army Master Fitness Trainer, and an FBI Physical Fitness Advisor. She has spent many years helping others as an Employee Assistance Program peer and coordinator.
Sarah concluded her FBI career as an instructor in the prestigious FBI National Academy, a residential educational program for the world’s top law enforcement leaders. Using evidence-based tools, education, and experience she helped hundreds of executives from around the world renew their vitality, restore their relationships, regain their purpose, and lead wellness culture change.
Sarah Lee
NWCG Deputy Program Manager
Sarah started her career in 2000, and in that time has been engaged in supporting incident management and emergency operations, both through wildfire and all-hazard responses. She received her degree, B.S. Microbiology, from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, while working seasonally at Mesa Verde National Park. Sarah has worked on a handcrew, engine crews, in aviation support, and incident business; and has had qualifications in plans, finance, operations, and dispatch. She has worked for NPS in Colorado; BLM in Alaska, Nevada, Montana/Dakotas, and NIFC; and USFS in Idaho. Sarah has held positions in Incident Business (zone, district, and State Office levels), as a Budget Officer, and as an NWCG Coordinator.
Sarah is a member of the Northern Rockies CIMT #2 (FSCC or PSCC). She has instructed over 50 sessions of ICS-300/400, which has included courses for wildland fire, DOI all-hazards, and international versions in China, Haiti, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Mongolia. Outside of decades of wildland fire responses, Sarah has responded to numerous all-hazard incidents, such as: eight hurricanes, an ice storm, a mudslide, a drought, the Centennial of Flight at Kitty Hawk, two Presidential Inaugurations, three Burning Man events, a Rainbow Family Gathering, New Castle Disease Eradication, consultation on the New World Screwworm response, over three years for the Deepwater-Horizon oil spill, 9/11 at the Pentagon Sector, the Columbia Shuttle Recovery for four months, and several law enforcement/search & rescue operations.
When she is not supporting incident response, she enjoys cross-country skiing, hiking with her English Springer Spaniels (Charlie and Cinder), knitting, and reading during her travels. Sarah is passionate about taking care of employees and ensuring the NWCG mission is successful for field-going personnel all the way up to interagency executive leadership.
MNICS Annual Report
Coming Soon!
MNICS Awards
Recognizing the strengths and contributions from outstanding performance, great leadership, and incredible teamwork, from our fellow MNICS community members or MNICS Teams and partners is a part of our annual tradition. Thank you to all who submitted nominations this year, we look forward to recognizing those who went the extra mile this year during the annual meeting.
Congratulations to our 2023 MNICS Award Recipients
Leadership Award – Jeb Backe, Daniel Paulson, Mike Rice
Service to the MNICS Task Force – Seth Grimm
Retirements – Jim Edgar, Larry Himanga, Todd Manley, Brenda Miles
Legacy Award – Brad Witkin
MNICS Working Teams
MNICS Working Teams
Air Operations
Communications
Dispatch
Finance
Information Management
Information Technology
Logistics
Operations
Prescribed Fire and Fuels
Prevention
Training
Type 3 Incident Management
Interested in Joining a MNICS Working Team? MNICS Working Teams meet through out the year to talk about current events, solve problems, and plan for workforce development events, infrastructure, and technology. The Working Teams are responsible for coordinating interagency support on tasks and projects throughout the year, and are an essential part to the everyday mission and success of MNICS. If you have an interest in becoming a member of a MNICS Working Team, contact your MNICS Task Force member for more information.
Why attend the MNICS meeting?
Contribute your ideas – Whether on the line or behind the scenes makes a difference Minnesota’s wildland fire community.
The MNICS meeting is an opportunity for you to join a working team discussion, and share ideas that help set the course of direction in your area of interest.
Participate in general group sessions – Designed with broader topics focused on the MNICS organization and areas of interest impacting wildland firefighting today that help strengthen the MNICS organization, promote the mission and foster interagency relationships.
Network with wildland fire mentors – The MNICS meeting is a great way to align yourself with agency subject matter experts and leaders who can help guide you toward greater involvement with wildland fire and all-hazard emergency management in Minnesota and around the country.
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