S. J. Hall Lecture in Industrial Forestry

Join state and federal leaders for a moderated discussion about the progress California has made towards treating our forested ecosystems to create healthier, more fire resilient forests. Panelists will share their thoughts on successes, challenges, and opportunities each of their agencies have seen in recent years, particularly as they relate to meeting goals set by the state. The group will discuss future visions and adaptations for each agency, exploring how they can work together to restore healthy forests throughout California.

Panelists:
Jennifer Eberlien, Region 5 Forester, USDA Forest Service
Joe Tyler, Chief, CALFIRE
Patrick Wright, Director, Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force

Moderator:
Chris Anthony, Strategic Wildfire Advisor

 

Speaker Bios:

Chris Anthony, Strategic Wildfire Advisor
Chris Anthony seeks to connect innovative technologies to the wildfire community to protect lives, communities, ensure resilient landscapes, and end the disastrous impacts of destructive wildfires. He served California as a Governor Appointee overseeing nearly all aspects of CAL FIRE’s Fire Protection, Resource Management, Support, and Administrative functions as the Chief Deputy Director. He was responsible for implementation of strategic initiatives and policies critical to ensuring operational readiness, wildfire resiliency, community preparedness, and deployment of innovative technological advancements into day-to-day operations. During his appointment he worked across numerous internal program areas and with tribal, local, state, federal, non-profit and private entities to ensure efficient implementation of investments made by the Administration and Legislature; investments which led CAL FIRE to exceed 12,000 employees with a budget of over $4B to address the increasing size, severity and scope of wildfire impacts in California. He had the unique opportunity to serve in resource management, fire protection, fire prevention, law enforcement, administration and executive level positions during his 27 years with CAL FIRE. He was the Deputy Task Force Leader for the Governor’s Tree Mortality Task Force, a member of the State Board of Fire Services, coordinated with numerous state agencies and the Administration during emergencies of statewide significance, served on local, state and federal Incident Management Teams in Command and General Staff positions, and responded to major incidents throughout California during his career. He currently consults and advises for firetech companies, academia, philanthropic and non-profit organizations; and sits on the Boards of the Earth Fire Alliance and California Fire Safe Council.

He is a Registered Professional Forester, honorably retired California Peace Officer, and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry from the University of California Berkeley. He also studied Resource Management at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He currently resides in South Lake Tahoe.

Jennifer Eberlien, Region 5 Forester, USDA Forest Service
Jennifer Eberlien became Pacific Southwest Regional Forester in July 2021, giving her overall responsibility for 18 National Forests in California, covering one-fifth of the state or 20 million acres of land, as well as responsibility for State & Private Forestry programs in Hawaii and the affiliated Pacific Islands.

Jennifer started her career with the Forest Service in 1992 on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Park Falls, Wisconsin. She has since served as Deputy Forest Supervisor for the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in southwest Oregon, Forest Supervisor of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Everett, Washington, Deputy Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region in Vallejo, California, acting Regional Forester for the Rocky Mountain Region headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and as the Associate Deputy Chief for National Forest Systems in Washington, D.C. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in anthropology. She also holds a master's degree in anthropology from Northern Arizona University.

Joe Tyler, Chief, CALFIRE
Chief Tyler began his career with CAL FIRE in 1990 as a Fire Fighter in the Shasta Trinity Unit. Since then, he has worked in the Riverside Unit, Amador El Dorado Unit, and Statewide Training Program in various operational classifications in Schedule A and Schedule B, including fire stations, training bureaus and programs, camps, safety programs, and as an Administrative Officer and Staff Chief. Prior to his appointment to Deputy Director, Chief Tyler served as the Assistant Deputy Director of Fire Protection with oversight of Law Enforcement/Civil Cost Recovery, Fire Protection Operations, Aviation Management, Tactical Air Operations, and Mobile Equipment. In addition to those programs referenced just prior, he now also oversees Training, Safety, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Local/State/Federal Programs, and Hand Crew Programs.

Chief Tyler serves as the Department representative on the California Wildland Coordinating Group, National Association of State Forester’s Wildland Fire Committee, Western States Fire Managers and has served on several Statewide committees and cadres, most recently leading a work group in the acquisition of a new fleet of helicopters and C-130 air tankers. He is qualified as an Agency Administrator, Incident Commander – Type 1, Safety Officer, and an Operations Section Chief. He was a member of CAL FIRE Incident Management Teams from 2005 through 2014, last holding the position of Deputy Incident Commander on CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 3 until his promotion to Staff Chief.

Patrick Wright, Director, Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force
Patrick Wright has been Acting Director of the Forest Management Task Force at California Natural Resources Agency since 2020 and Executive Director at the Tahoe Conservancy since 2006. He was Executive Director at the California Bay-Delta Authority from 2003 to 2006, Deputy Secretary for Policy Development at the California Natural Resources Agency from 2000 to 2003 and Senior Policy Advisor to the Regional Administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1995 to 2000. Wright earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California, Berkeley.