Julie, LPC, PhD is a licensed professional counselor and professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She specializes in treating trauma, substance use disorders, and resilience-building. She has a special interest in the mental health and well-being of first responders. She is a critical incident stress debriefing facilitator with the Chippewa Valley Emergency Support Service and has conducted numerous trainings on the impact of traumatic stress throughout the Midwest.

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileygreenfitness

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

Jacob is a Lieutenant with the Cibolo Fire Department and has been proudly serving in the fire service for over 10 years. He’s passionate about leading with strong values, building deep relationships, and helping firefighters find purpose in their work. Jacob has been married for 7 years and is a proud dad of two kids. 

His family plays a huge role in shaping who he is—both at home and at the firehouse. He brings that same sense of connection and care into his leadership, believing that when you set clear expectations, build trust, and truly care about your team, great things happen. Based in the fast-growing I-35 corridor in Texas between San Antonio and Austin, Jacob is proud to serve a community that’s expanding quickly—and he’s just as committed to growing the people around him. At the heart of everything he does is one simple belief: firefighters are here to serve, and we do it best when we serve each other first.

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileygreenfitness

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

THE GROWTH EXPERIENCE was born of a deep need among men for a deeper sense of connection, meaning and presence in an increasingly chaotic and lonely world.

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Many of the social, tribal and cultural institutions that used to support men have lost relevance and meaning in the digital age, yet healthy spaces for men to connect are needed more than ever.

THE GROWTH EXPERIENCE empowers men and creates community through shared experiences that allow men to push beyond their boundaries and gain new skills and brotherhood to support their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth.

@thegrowthexperiencecollective

@thegrowthexperience_ryan

@thegrowthexperience_matt

@thegrowthexperience_nathan

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileygreenfitness

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

Mid-roll Sponsor: @fhtribune

Marcos Orozco was born and raised in Texas and became passionate about fitness at the age of 12 when his Dad bought him his first gym membership.  He played sports throughout high school and ran track for ASU (400m and 4x400m relay) where he got a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science/Kinesiology.  

Marcos has been a career fireman for 17 years and has been training and working out in gear for about 15 + of those years.  

His passion for fitness as it relates to performance on the fire ground is what he is passionate about and what he is best known for.  He has spent the past decade plus training “tactical athletes” and helping them become the best version of themselves, making them an asset rather than a liability.  

Marcos is the owner of Hardknox Sunday where he has programs designed to help firefighters improve their fitness as it relates to performance on the fire ground.  He is a big believer in “you are either an asset or a liability, there is no in between.”

Marcos is co-founder of The Crucible with John Spera and Logan Broberg.  The Crucible is a 24hr class where the participants will do 12 in full-gear workouts over that 24hr period where a standard must be met under the required time frame.  This class is meant to help build that mental fortitude and resiliency, and to share with the participants what has worked for us, the cadre.  We will be focusing on building the participants up and helping them work through those dark moments.  In addition, The cadre will be doing the workouts with the participants, and embracing the shared suffering.

 

Marcos is also co-owner of True Grit Training, where they provide realistic “live fire” trainings as well as RIT and Search and Rescue classes in the Denver metropolitan area.  

 

Marcos has been an instructor for over 11 years and travels all over the country teaching HOT classes and giving his lecture “Improving fire ground performance through fitness and mental fortitude” as well as being on several podcasts in the last couple of years.

@hardknoxsunday

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileygreenfitness

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

Mid-roll Sponsor - @firehumorcompany

Some of his fire conferences include:  

 

Ft Lauderdale Fire Expo (Ft Lauderdale, FL)

Fire Shows West (Reno, NV)

FDIC (Indianapolis, IN)

The Castillo Way, (Houston, TX)

Mile High Fire Conference (Denver, CO)

Mid America Fools OKC Conference (OKC, OK).

 

Some of his podcasts include:

 

Behind The Shield Podcast

Tailboard Misfits Podcast

Fit to Fight Fire Podcast

Student of the Game Podcast

Undisclosed Agents Podcast

The Sheepdog Society Podcast

 

Some of his “HARD” accomplishes include completing the Dunes 100-mile Ultra Race (2019-FL), completing the Georgia Smoke Diver Program at age 45 (2022-GA), running Pikes Peak Ascent (13.3 miles up to 14,115ft of elevation) in bunker coat/pants (2023-CO), and completing OBT 6 (2024-FL).

Challenging himself and others is what Marcos is passionate about, and he enjoys showing others what is possible.

Marcos moved from South Florida to Colorado in January of 2023 and has been working for Brighton Fire District where he was in the Training Division for all of 2024 teaching at The North Area Fire Academy (NAFA 14 & 15), sharing his knowledge and passion.

Marcos believes you must do HARD things you do not want to do daily; you are only as good as what you are currently doing, and what are you currently doing to make people around you better.

 

“It is our responsibility to show them what is possible.”

Andrew Pristach is a 14 year firefighter, currently a Sergeant on a heavy rescue with the City of Spartanburg Fire Department in Upstate South Carolina. He is an instructor with the Mississippi State Fire Academy, a founding member of Dixie Firemanship, the owner of Tradesman Fire & Fabrication, and the co-designer of the Council Tool TD30 halligan bar and FE6 and FE8 axes.

@andrew.tff

@tradesman_fire

@dixiefiremanship

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileygreenfitness

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

Nick Ledin is a Captain with Eau Claire (WI) Fire Department, currently assigned to Truck 8. Ledin has been a student of the job for 18 years and is a contributor to ‘Firefighter Rescue Survey’, was the former president of the Northland FOOLS, and is a board member of FireNuggets. He’s a technical committee member for NFPA 1700, was a former technical panel member for UL FSRI’s PPA/PPV Study, and is a co-host of the FireNuggets Podcast and GRABS Podcast. Nick is also lucky enough to be a small part of UL FSRI’s Public Education Advisory Committee. He can also grow a pretty legit ‘stache.

@nick.ledin

@ulfsri

@firenuggets

@firefighterrescuesurvey

@northlandfools

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileygreenfitness

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

Darren was born and raised in a small town in Saskatchewan. With 25 years of experience in the fire service, he has taught and mentored at various level, always striving to pass on his knowledge and passion for the job. For the Past 16 years, Darren has been a proud member of Oakville Fire. He began as a training Officer, where he helped shape the next generation of firefighters through recruit training, firefighter survival programs, and the development and delivery of technical rescue disciplines. Now serving in Operations, Darren continues to protect the community of Oakville with the same drive and heart that brought him to the service all those years ago.

Darrens love for teaching and mentoring lives on beyond his department. He is an instructor at the South West Fire Academy, where he works hands-on with firefighter boot camps and technical rescue training, and he also teaches technical rescue for the Ontario Fire Marshel’s Office. His mission is simple to give back to the job he loves by preparing others to thrive in it.

Before joining Oakville Fire, Darren spent 18 years in the Canadian Armed Forces first 9 years with the Princess Patrica Canadian Light Infantry (P.P.C.L.I.) and 9 years as a military Firefighter. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for the fire service.

Fitness and performance have always been central to Darren’s dedication. He has proudly represented both the military and Oakville Fire in the Firefighter Combat Challenge, becoming a Muti-time national and world champion. For Darren, its not just about competition, its about pushing limits, leading by example, and showing what’s possible when passion meets purpose.

Outside of work, Darren enjoys spending time with his wife and two beautiful daughters. He is an avid outdoorsman who loves hunting, fishing, and camping, and he keeps active playing hockey in his spare time.

Whether he’s on a call, in the classroom, or out in the woods, Darren lives everyday with heart, grit, and gratitude for the career that has given him so much, and for the opportunity to keep paying it forward.

@dvanzandbergen

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileygreenfitness

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

Born and raised in El Paso Texas, Bobby Reichardt began his fire service journey at West Valley Volunteer Fire Department at the age of 17 and left 14 years later at the rank of Captain. He currently serves as a Logistics Lieutenant with the El Paso Fire Department and is a licensed Paramedic. He holds a Masters degree in Public Safety Administration and Leadership from ASU, a Bachelors of Emergency Management from West Texas A&M University, and is pursuing his Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Bobby is married and the father of two daughters. Being the best husband and father are at the top of his to-do list, followed closely by leaving the fire department better than he found it. He’s the founding President of ChucoTown FOOLS.

@chuco_town_f.o.o.l.s.

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileyfirefit

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

Josh Graham is a second-generation career firefighter with over a decade of experience in a large, fast-growing urban fire department in the Greater Toronto Area. In addition to his firefighting career, he has more than ten years of paramedic experience, having worked in both urban and rural settings.

Josh spent two years in the Training Division as the Technical Rescue lead, where he developed programs across multiple disciplines to support his department’s transition toward mandated certification. His programs focus on NFPA standards while ensuring crews are equipped with the necessary skills, training, and experience to operate effectively. He has also played a key role as a Lead Instructor in several Recruit Academies.

In late 2023, Josh returned to the Operations Division and is currently assigned to a station housing both an Engine and a Technical Rescue apparatus. He continues to contribute to the Training Division as an Acting Training Officer and serves as a Lead Instructor for Rope and Water Rescue, Engine Operations, Search and Rescue, and Firefighter Survival.

A firm believer in the historic culture of the fire service, Josh values camaraderie, craftsmanship, and the traditions that define the profession. While modern shifts emphasize safety culture and individualism, he believes that the strength of the fire service lies in its shared commitment to training, continual skill development, and the mentorship of future generations. His passion for the job is fueled by the enthusiastic passing of knowledge, experience, and tradition.

Outside of work, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, as well as hunting, fishing, camping, mountain biking, and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Josh curates a firefighting-focused Instagram page dedicated to sharing relevant training content and fire service culture. His goal is to showcase the confidence and effectiveness of aggressive firefighting, often misunderstood as reckless or dangerous—while highlighting its critical value in saving lives and property.

@dumpdawg_jr

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileyfirefit

Partnership: @firefighternationhq

Rob Thibert is an 18-year member of the Fire Service. Rob is the Deputy Fire Chief with the Minden Hills Fire Department in Ontario, Canada. Rob's leadership style is to lead from the front, aggressively progressing the department's tactics and succession all while keeping the safety of his crew in mind and always striving to leave the job better than he found it. Rob is a legacy firefighter following in his Father’s footsteps. During his down time, he loves spending time with my three sons and two dogs, being outdoors. He has instructed at Lambton College Fire School in the Pre-Service and Fire Science programs. He is the Treasurer and one of the co-founders of True North FOOLS. Rob is a student of the Fire Service and is passionate about sharing his love for the trade by passing on what has worked and what has been passed on to him. Rob founded the Smoke is Showing Conference, which builds a strong Fire Department culture through training, brotherhood, and traditions.

@mfd_deputychief

@truenorthfools

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy

Editing: @bradshea

Marketing: @m.pletz

Administration: @haileyfirefit

Partnership: @firefighternationhq