History of Fire Safe Sonoma
Serving the residents of Sonoma County for over 25 years!
Fire Safe Sonoma is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to increase awareness of wildfire issues in our county and help local residents and firefighting agencies to achieve improved wildfire safety. Formed in 1998, Fire Safe Sonoma has been instrumental in helping to educate residents about wildfire prevention and safety, especially through distribution of their publication “Ready, Set, Go.” Fire Safe Sonoma acts as a liaison between local communities and agencies, actively seeks grant funding for wildfire related projects, and manages grant programs.
Over the past two decades, Fire Safe Sonoma has managed over $2 million in grant-funded projects including the first Sonoma County curbside chipper program and the first Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Volunteer With Us
Help Your Countywide Fire Safe Council by becoming a volunteer!
Thank you for your interest! We are always looking for volunteers. We can always use help with fundraising, multi-media content creation and working with FireWise communities. If you’d like to learn more about this opportunity, please complete our volunteer intake form HERE. Once completed, send us an email at: m[email protected] to let us know we have a new form to review.
The Fire Safe Sonoma Team
Executive Board Members
The board of Fire Safe Sonoma is composed of members with over a century of expertise in wildland fire prevention and safety.
Roberta MacIntyre has served over 35 years in the fire service. She started out as a volunteer firefighter, became a career firefighter for a metropolitan fire department working in fire suppression, and eventually discovered how much more she could do in fire prevention. After several years working in fire prevention, Roberta eventually became the Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal for the County of Sonoma.
Now in “retirement” Roberta takes pride in bringing her well-honed fire service experience, executive management skills, and oral, and interpersonal communication skills volunteering as President and CEO of Sonoma County’s premiere fire safe council, Fire Safe Sonoma. Roberta is currently living in the Northern San Francisco Bay Area where you can often find her a few miles from home hiking with her dog “Buddy” in beautiful Northern California.
Vern Losh – Vern Losh, has spent most of his adult life in the fire service. He served as a firefighter for South Placer County Fire Protection District as well as the Sonoma County Fire Chief. More recently, Vern has served as the California State Firefighters Association’s Grant Committee Chair. Vern is currently an independent fire safety consultant developing solutions for the development of land and facilities as it relates to fire and building codes. This work includes the application of common sense solutions to the ever-changing risks of wildland-urban interface fires. In his spare time, when he isn’t volunteering for Fire Safe Sonoma, Vern enjoys spending time with his beautiful grandchildren.
Ken Hite is our Treasurer and has been a member of the Board for 6 years. Prior to moving to Sonoma County, Ken lived in Seattle for 15 years where he was President of a non-profit that supported State Parks and raised over $2mm to fund a park endowment. In his professional life, Ken was a Senior Executive with several large corporations focused on Information Technology, Contracts Management, and Finance. He brings those skills to the business operations side of FSS
Fire Safe Sonoma Board Members
Paul Lowenthal is the Division Chief Fire Marshal for the City of Santa Rosa. Paul is also the Fire Department’s Public Information Officer. Paul started his path in the fire service at the Bennett Valley Fire Protection District. He then moved to Pasadena in 1998 and attended Cal State Los Angeles and worked for the City of South Pasadena Fire Department. Paul relocated back to Santa Rosa in 2001 and worked for the Sonoma County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Paul was then hired by Santa Rosa and has worked in Fire Prevention and Fire Operations for the last 22 years. Paul was promoted to Fire Marshal in December of 2021 and has developed the City’s Vegetation Management Program and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Paul has also been a Board Member for Fire Safe Sonoma since 2016.
Marshall Turbeville is the Fire Chief of the Northern Sonoma County Fire District and a CAL FIRE Battalion Chief. Marshall has been involved in individual and community level wildfire risk reduction projects ranging from Firewise USA recognition to prescribed burning. His expertise is sharing information to residents, properties, and communities from his 25 years of firefighter experiences including responding to Sonoma County’s recent destructive wildfires Marshall is also on the Board of COPE Northern Sonoma County, Friends of Lake Sonoma, and Pole Mountain Lookout Association. He also teaches at the Santa Rosa Junior College Fire Technology and Natural Resource Management programs.
Linda L. Collister is a retired Fire Marshal/Division Chief and CUPA Program Manager with over 20 years of experience. She has an extensive background as a Hazmat Specialist responding to emergency incidents throughout Sonoma County. As a Chief Officer in northern Sonoma County, she has responded to many incidents including the large and devastating wildfires affecting the City of Healdsburg and surrounding communities. Linda has written and been awarded grants for fuels reduction projects in the Open Space surrounding the City of Healdsburg and helped initiate the first CalVTP awarded to a municipal fire department in California. She has worked with the Communities Organized to Prepare for Emergencies (COPE) and Fire Wise Communities groups on community risk reduction projects. After her retirement from the City of Healdsburg in May 2022, she was hired as a full-time Fire Technology Tenure Instructor for the Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC). She has been an Associate Instructor in the Fire Technology program since 2005 and an instructor with the Fire Academy.
Steve Mosiurchak – Chief Mosiurchak was born and raised in Sonoma County. Steve has served in the fire service since 1997 and his service includes time as a firefighter. He has been with the County of Sonoma since 2002, where he currently serves as the Sonoma County Fire Warden. He is a certified Fire Marshal and Chief Officer with The State Fire Marshal’s office. He is a Certified Fire Inspector 2 with NFPA and holds a BS Degree in Fire Science and OSHA Law. In his spare time, Steve enjoys working with his father installing fire sprinkler systems.
Geoff Peters is a fundraiser, lawyer, entrepreneur, manager, commercial flight instructor, SCUBA diver, emergency services trainer and volunteer, and olive farmer. Geoff has served as COO or CEO or on boards of directors and in numerous other roles with many nonprofit and for-profit enterprises. He has started business and nonprofit enterprises, argued cases in the Supreme Court and taught people how, effectively, to assist first responders in disasters. He is currently Board Chair of the largest fundraising group in the world with 4,200 employees. Geoff started the Asti-Cloverdale COPE after meeting other COPE leaders and Fire Chief Turbeville. His involvement with COPE led him to inquire about training and learning about CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). COPE focuses on preparedness before an event, while CERT focuses its preparedness on volunteer training on what to do during an event. Since there were no CERT organizations active in Sonoma County, he took additional training to be a CERT Trainer and Program Manager and founded Northern Sonoma County CERT under the auspices of the Cloverdale and the Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection Districts.
Fire Safe Sonoma Staff
Marika Ramsden, Firewise Outreach Coordinator
Marika was born in Santa Cruz but grew up in the United Kingdom. After graduating from the Scottish University of Saint Andrews with a master’s degree with honors in Sustainable Development, she cycled the UK, followed by the coast of California leading workshops on sustainability for youth. In 2013, she settled in Sonoma County where she developed the youth program for the international One Planet Living movement and worked with Credo High School to help them become the first One Planet School in the world. Marika is well connected in the Sonoma County non-profit world, having organized multiple county youth summits, and worked alongside them to coordinate projects, presentations, and workshops. One of Marika’s primary goals is to find ways to help communities become more resilient and that is exactly how she fits in with Fire Safe Sonoma. In April of 2022, Marika jumped right into the role of Executive Coordinator, bringing her knowledge, skills, and abilities to continue the mission of Fire Safe Sonoma; to increase awareness of wildfire issues in our county and help residents and firefighting agencies to achieve improved wildfire preparedness. Marika shares her Santa Rosa home with her husband, Stephen and their active 2-year-old daughter.
Emily Tugaw, Community Coordinator
Emily was born and raised in Sonoma County. After graduating from Meredith College in 2012 with a degree in Theater she moved back to Northern California and began her creative career. Having been a lover of the outdoors since she was a little girl, Emily has always felt deeply connected to nature and is passionate about preserving it. She’s extremely excited to be a part of Fire Safe Sonoma and has already seen the incredibly positive impact this non-profit has had in her community. When she’s not working, you can catch Emily producing/acting in her latest film, running after her three-year-old daughter, spending time with friends and family or exploring the outdoors!
Rebecca Fisher, Program Assistant
Rebecca joined the Fire Safe Sonoma team as a California Climate Action Corps fellow in 2023 and is now a member of our staff. Rebecca grew up in Reno, Nevada where she found her love and enjoyment for the outdoors. She later moved south to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she studied Earth & Environmental Science and Journalism. There she became interested in conservation and outreach regarding climate change effects. After graduating in May of 2023 with her B.A., Rebecca spent the summer in Las Vegas working at her local REI, inspiring and educating individuals to get outdoors and be active in their community. Rebecca then moved to Sonoma County in September of 2023 for her fellowship and is excited to continue spreading that message in the world of fire safety and resiliency. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys running and finding new local coffee shops.
Current Fellows
Julie Edwards, California Climate Action Corps Fellow
Julie Edwards will be joining us as a fellow for Fire Safe Sonoma through California Climate Action Corps. She grew up in Cloverdale, and gained her B.S. degree in Environmental Science, Geography, and Management at Sonoma State. As a life-long resident of Sonoma County, Julie has first-hand experienced the disastrous effects of fires, and hopes to apply her degree to help her community and continue learning about fire safety. In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, and camping. In 2024, she participated in the Land Management program at Sonoma State, where she worked on restoration projects with non-profit organizations throughout Sonoma County. Julie is very passionate about the environment, and excited to set off her career learning and working at Fire Safe Sonoma.
Aidan De Jong, California Climate Action Corps Fellow
Aidan, one of our newest fellows with the California Climate Action Corps (CCAC), is teaming up with Fire Safe Sonoma (FSS) for the next year. Hailing from Wild West Virginia, Aidan developed a deep appreciation for natural environments early on. As a teenager, he relocated to Washington, D.C., where he contributed to community outreach events for the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.
After moving to California in 2022, Aidan pursued architecture while living in San Francisco with a focus on sustainability. However, his exposure to California’s diverse ecosystems, along with his observation of local action committees in Marin County, inspired him to shift his studies to environmental science at the College of Marin. During his time with FSS, Aidan is committed to gaining hands-on experience in sustainable practices aimed at mitigating wildfire impacts and supporting local communities in their efforts to achieve fire safety.
In his free time, Aidan enjoys road biking and exploring California’s stunning coastline with his friends.
Melia Zimmerman, California Climate Action Corps Fellow
Melia Zimmerman found Fire Safe Sonoma through the California Climate Action Corps, taking on the role of Fire Resiliency Fellow for the 2024-2025 term. Melia is originally from San Mateo, moving to Sonoma county to attend Sonoma State University where she obtained her B.A. in Global Studies with a concentration on Development. Her first exposure to the environmental sector came from Sonoma State’s Center for Environmental Inquiry where Melia quickly discovered her passion. As she gained experience as a naturalist, land steward, and restoration project leader, she also began to focus her studies on climate change. Melia’s unique combination of studying climate change, development, culture, and even Spanish has prepared her for an enriching career involved in building strong community connections and educating people about their local environment. When she’s off the clock, Melia enjoys playing instruments and gardening with friends and neighbors.
Alena Brammer, California Climate Action Corps Fellow
Alena was born and raised in San Jose and moved to Sonoma County to study at Sonoma State University where she received a degree in Environmental Studies, Geography and Urban Planning with a focus in Society and the Environment. During her time in college, she participated in a land management training internship and volunteered and studied in the campus gardens. After graduating, she spent a year in Santa Barbara working as a Garden Educator, teaching in and maintaining school gardens. She has since moved back to Sonoma County and is happy to be back. Alena has been passionate about the environment since she was young, and spent most of her childhood camping, hiking and playing outside. As a 2024/2025 Climate Action Corps fellow, Alena is very excited to be a part of the Fire Safe Sonoma team, and to hopefully help make an impact on the community she calls home once again. When she’s not at work, Alena still enjoys her childhood hobbies of camping and hiking, and also loves cooking, gardening and working on anything creative!
Past Fellows
Harry Hubbell, Fire Safe Sonoma’s California Climate Action Corps Fellow
Harry Hubbell is joining us for the year, as a Fire Resilience Fellow, through the California Climate Action Corps. He moved to Sonoma County his freshman year of high school and immediately fell in love with the countryside. For fun, Harry likes to fish, surf, and bike throughout northern California and Oregon. After a B.S. in political science from University of Oregon, he worked in the emerging solar industry in Austin, Texas. Working in a new industry gave him valuable experience working with all sorts of different people, some very easy to work with and others very difficult. After a year in Texas, Harry felt it was time to come back to California and try to find a career that was climate focused. Harry is so excited to learn more about all things fire and use his people skills to help raise fire awareness in the Sonoma County community in order to make Sonoma a safer place for all of us to live.
Mason Inumerable, Fire Safe Sonoma’s GrizzlyCorps Fellow
Mason spent two years as a GrizzlyCorps Fellow and spent two years working with Fire Safe Sonoma. He was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley of LA and got his B.A. in Political Science at the University of California, Riverside. Riverside was where he lived for 7 years before moving up north and joining the GrizzlyCorps program. Mason always knew that he wanted to make a difference but has recently become more interested in the natural world and the great outdoors through his love of hiking and camping. Prior to GrizzlyCorps, he worked as an advocate for better forest management policy for the Sierra Club’s Stop Clearcutting California Campaign. His experience with GrizzlyCorps and Fire Safe Sonoma has been an eye-opening experience and a career transition in his life. He has quickly grown an interest in resource conservation, land management, prescribed fire, fire prevention, and much more. In his free time, Mason enjoys hiking and spending time with his kitties. He loves watching basketball, baseball, and football and is always occupied with a sport at some point in the year.
Cailin Notch, CivicSparks Fellow
Born and educated in California’s Bay Area and raised in Southern Oregon, Cailin has roots in both states. Before joining CivicSpark, she traveled to South America and Europe on a gap year, before which she was a city planner with the Metropolitan Planning Group serving Petaluma in the North Bay. She finds meaning in resiliency work and has volunteered with the City of Ashland activating their Climate and Energy Action Plan and Rogue Climate, a climate justice organization based in Southern Oregon. She is excited to bring capacity to Sonoma County residents on wildfire resiliency efforts. She has deepened her appreciation for nature during the new paradigm of COVID and enjoys backpacking, car camping and cycling. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from U.C. Berkeley.
Organizational Documents
In the interest of transparency, we provide the following documents for public review:
