2025 Homeland Security Conference Speaker Bios

Tom De Bondt, Captain, Sioux City Fire Rescue

Tom G. De Bondt joined Sioux City Fire Rescue in 1998, and currently serves as a Captain on the downtown rescue engine. He is a charter member of IATF-1 Urban Search and Rescue Sioux City Division, having joined in 2004. He began his training in USAR with a 10 day course in basic structural collapse assessment, stabilization, and breaching techniques. Throughout his time with IATF-1 he has expanded his training and skills with various search classes, and achieved the International Urban Search and Rescue Structural Collapse Rescue Specialist accreditation from Texas A&M extension TEEX. He currently serves the Sioux City Division of IATF-1 as the Task Force Leader.

Jesse Duplechin, Manager 1 of Hazardous Materials

In 2015, I moved to Omaha, NE from my small hometown in East Texas. I bring a decade of experience in hazardous materials response and environmental management, previously working as a project manager for an environmental response contractor. Since 2023, I currently serve as the Hazardous Materials Manager for Union Pacific Railroad based in Council Bluffs, IA covering Nebraska and Iowa. Over the years, I have led teams through complex environmental incidents-ranging from train derailments and chemical spills to large-scale remediation and restoration projects. While being considered a professional in the industry, I currently am working to finish a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Management and Leadership as well as still being a student in Hazardous Materials Emergency Management.

Tim Eggebraaten, Off Duty Chief

Tim served as a police officer with the Detroit Lakes, MN Police Department from 1992 to 2016, holding roles including DARE Instructor, Patrol Sergeant, K-9 Handler, and Chief of Police. Before that, he worked as a correctional officer for three years. Since retiring, Tim has shared his leadership journey, focusing on balancing career and family while maintaining physical, mental, and spiritual health. His talks address personal and emotional challenges, fostering connection and healing. Tim inspires others to embrace resilience and positivity, showing that no one is alone in their journey toward growth and well-being.

Timothy R Gablehouse, Attorney Gablehouse Granberg, LLC

Mr. Gablehouse is an attorney with Gablehouse Granberg LLC. His practice focuses on management of environmental compliance, emergency planning, and corrective action projects. This includes management and litigation of compliance and liability issues surrounding hazardous materials accident prevention programs, emergency planning, emergency response, community right-to-know programs, and continuity of operations. He is a frequent national and international speaker on these topics, including Congressional testimony. He also participates in numerous advisory committees, councils, and policy forums including those evaluating and setting policy guidance for the protection of environmental justice and rights under the ADA in these arenas. Internationally, he has been active in these fields with frequent participation in workshops and meetings sponsored by OECD and UNEP. He was the primary author of the UNEP handbook “Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level” which outlines programs for active community preparedness for all-hazards.

Heather Gibb, State Historic Preservation Officer

Heather Gibb is the State Historic Preservation Officer with the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). Heather manages various SHPO programs from Section 106 to State and Federal Historic Tax Credit projects and is the development lead of the State Historic Preservation Plan and the E-SHPO system for digital project submissions. She also serves on the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers Board of Directors, Office of the State Archaeologist Advisory Committee and is a member of the Association of Iowa Archaeologists.

Heather completed her dissertation at the University of Missouri, Department of Anthropology with a focus on conservation biology, GIS, and archaeological databases. Previously, Heather worked at the Missouri SHPO and managed their Records, Compliance, & Review Unit.

Andy Godzicki, Boone County Sheriff

Sheriff Andy Godzicki has served Boone County for over two decades in law enforcement. Since taking office, he has prioritized public safety partnerships, rural law enforcement modernization, and community engagement. Under his leadership, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office formally integrated Search & Rescue under its operational command, expanding local response capabilities while supporting volunteer-driven public safety.

Chad Hahn, Warning Coordination Meteorologist/NWS Des Moines

Chad has worked for the National Weather Service (NWS) for the past 22 years serving in a variety of meteorologist capacities at weather forecast offices in Wyoming & Iowa. Since 2018, he has been in the role of Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the office in Johnston. In this position, he serves as the principal interface between the Weather Forecast Office and users including emergency management, media, and state agencies along with many others. He leads the outreach, preparedness, and impact-based decision support service programs at NWS Des Moines.

Rick Halleran, Training Chief, Cedar Rapids Fire Dept

Originally from Riverside, Iowa, Rick started with the Cedar Rapids Fire Department in 1997. While growing up in Riverside, before moving to Cedar Rapids, Rick served with the Riverside Volunteer Fire Department for six years. During his time with Cedar Rapids Fire, he has been involved with mask repair, the fitness committee, the safety committee, the fitness committee, and the honor guard; he is currently in the training division as the Training Chief. Rick is a fourth-generation firefighter.

As the Training Chief, Rick oversees the day-to-day emergency training needs, yearly programmatic requirements, the hiring of new employees, and the training academy operations for shift personnel across the city, managing a staff of 149 at nine fire stations. Over the course of his career, he has also managed Special Operations, including training, program development, budget oversight, curriculum development, gear acquisition, and discipline-specific positions such as confined space, rope rescue, water rescue, and trench rescue.

Rick began in 2003 with the initial inception of Iowa Task Force 1 (USAR). Throughout his involvement, he has served at all levels of the Task Force: as a Rescue Squad member, Squad Leader, and Rescue Manager. Currently, he is the Task Force Leader (TFL) for the Cedar Rapids Division. The TFL is responsible for managing all aspects of a mission, including operational and administrative issues from the time of activation through the return to the home jurisdiction. This involves overseeing all personnel and equipment resources, budget, and staffing that directly supervise the task force management team.

As the TFL, he also oversees the development and completion of all task force tactical objectives, as well as ensuring proper reporting, record-keeping, and after-action requirements. The Task Force Leader reports to the Sponsoring Agency, Incident Command, or Unified Search and Rescue Command. In addition, Rick has taught at Kirkwood Community College in the Fire Science Associate program for 22 years.

Chris Hayes, Boone County Emergency Management

Chris Hayes serves as the Emergency Management Coordinator for Boone County, Iowa, where he oversees disaster planning, emergency operations, and interagency coordination. A former firefighter and EMS provider, Chris brings over 15 years of public safety experience to his role. He was instrumental in the formation of Boone County Search & Rescue, and continues to lead efforts to develop NFPA-compliant training, secure grant funding, and build a sustainable volunteer base to meet the region’s rescue needs.

David Hicks, Senior Director of Community Engagement, YSS of Marshall County

David Hicks is the Senior Director of Community Engagement for YSS of Marshall County where he has been employed for 28 years. He received his BA degree in Sociology from William Penn. David supports a staff of 14 and continues to write and administer several unique grants relating to child and family services throughout Central Iowa. He is the co-creator of MPACT – the Marshalltown Police and Community Team, one of the first co-responder programs in Iowa to embed social workers within their local police department. David has presented at several national trainings and conferences across the country, most recently at the National Co-Responder Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. David has also Chaired the Marshall County Local Homeless Coordinating Board since 2005 and continues to serve on several committees.

Seth McCrea, Detective, Boone County Search and Rescue

Detective Seth McCrea is the Operations Commander for Boone County Search & Rescue and a veteran law enforcement officer. He brings a tactical perspective to SAR coordination and has led several high-profile search and recovery operations across the county. Seth plays a key role in team readiness, operational safety, and coordinating joint responses with local and regional partners.

He was also instrumental in forming the SAR team. With limited funding, Seth used his mechanical expertise to convert surplus and donated equipment into fully operational SAR vehicles and tools. His ability to design, adapt, and build what the team needed—often from scratch—was critical in getting the unit mission-ready. Seth’s blend of technical skill, field experience, and dedication to service continues to drive the success of Boone County SAR.

Brian Mulcahy, CEO, Des Moines Airport Authority

Brian Mulcahy leads the Des Moines Airport Authority as Chief Executive Officer, bringing over a decade of experience with the organization and a deep understanding of airport operations and administration. Since joining the Authority in 2011, he has served in key leadership roles, including Assistant Executive Director and Director of Finance and Administration.

Brian’s past experience includes roles in auditing, financial accounting, and operations in the insurance industry. He retired as a Colonel after 34 years in the Army National Guard and Army Reserves, serving as a helicopter pilot and in emergency management. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Iowa State University, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Mathew Noble, Mitigation Bureau Chief

Mathew Noble began with the Department in 2010, working in Mitigation on infrastructure grants. In 2011, he moved into the Preparedness Bureau to become the State Mitigation Planner. He helped develop the initial version of the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), coordinated the update of the Iowa Enhanced State Mitigation Plan, and began the transition of Recovery Planning to Recovery Support Functions.

In 2014, Mr. Noble transferred into the Response Division to work as the Critical Infrastructure Sector Planner, spending part of his time embedded in the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center. In 2017, he moved back to Recovery and Mitigation to work on mitigation planning, tornado safe rooms, and other mitigation projects. In 2022, he was promoted to the Deputy Hazard Mitigation Officer role to manage Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs.

Mr. Noble was named the Mitigation Bureau Chief and State Hazard Mitigation Officer in 2024. He manages the mitigation bureau and oversees mitigation grants and activities for the Department. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Northern Iowa in 2009.

Ed Oslica, Domestic Security Strategist

Ed Oslica currently serves as a Domestic Security Strategist (DSS) with the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) where he interfaces with community safety partners to facilitate access to NTAC resources and the development of targeted violence prevention programs. His area of responsibility includes seven Midwestern states; he is regionally stationed at the Secret Service Kansas City Field Office. In addition to developing relationships and responding to the needs of community partners, Mr. Oslica provides briefings on NTAC research findings and assists with consultations on threat assessment policy development and on individual complex threat cases.

Prior to joining the Secret Service Mr. Oslica served as the Intelligence Specialist for the US Attorney, in the District of Nebraska. Assigned to the Criminal Division, he functioned as a liaison to the Joint Terrorism Task Force with the FBI Omaha Field Office. He conducted complex investigative analysis on a wide array of federal, state, local, and tribal criminal investigations.

Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office Mr. Oslica served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force, Security Forces and retired as a Master Sergeant. He earned a B.A. in Homeland Security from American Military University.

Sarah Shearman, Chief of Iowa Underwater Search and Rescue

Sarah has been the chief of IUSR since 2022 and has been active in emergency services for nearly 20 years across dispatch, fire, ems, nursing and specialty teams in both Iowa and Minnesota.

Jim Sholly, Assistant Chief of Iowa Underwater Search and Rescue

Jim has been with IUSR since 2023 and active in emergency services for nearly a decade. Jim’s background brings a wealth of knowledge with the use of sonar technology to identify what lies beneath the waves. This has allowed his team to be leaders in the State of Iowa for sonar search and recovery as well as providing training opportunities to numerous state and regional teams.

Jeremy Sprague, Lieutenant, Des Moines Police Dept

Lieutenant Jeremy Sprague is a Des Moines, Iowa Police Lieutenant with over 25 years in law enforcement, holding diverse roles including patrol officer, detective, hostage negotiator, supervisor, and commander. He has managed numerous critical incidents and also retired as a part-time fire lieutenant after 18 years.

A pioneer in officer wellness, Lt. Sprague launched the Des Moines PD's first peer support team in 2008, a model adopted throughout the Midwest. In 2016, following tragic line-of-duty deaths, he coordinated the peer support response, supported families, and led crisis teams.

In 2017, Lt Sprague founded the Peer Support Foundation, training first responders nationwide on wellness and peer support, serving as its Executive Director. He frequently presents nationally on topics like peer support, PTSD, and suicide awareness.

Lt. Sprague holds a Master's of Public Administration and a BS in Emergency Management. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command, a certified FBI Law Enforcement Instructor, an adjunct college instructor, and holds an ICISF instructor certification and a CISM certificate from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

Eric Thompson, Executive Director ASAR Training and Response/AIM

Eric Thompson is a graduate of Kansas University with a B.G.S. in Environmental Science and graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center with his Police commission. Currently Eric is working as the Executive Director for Animal Incident Management (AIM) with Bissell Pet Foundation. Eric also serves as Senior Director for the ASAR Training and Response platform which provides animal rescue technicians and specialist training along with subject-matter-expert workshops and response. Eric serves as Past-President of the National Alliance for Animal and Agriculture Emergency Programs (NASAAEP – www.thenasaaep.com); and Eric participated on the National Advisory Council subcommittee for the Planning for Animal Wellness (PAW) Act to review and update national guidelines for animals in disasters. Eric is working with several agencies and States as a consultant to incorporate animal related operations into existing Emergency Support Functions. For more information on the Animal Incident Management (AIM) group and ASAR please see https://www.animalincidentmanagement.com and www.asartraining.com.

Jeff Vandewater, Adair County Sheriff

Jeff Vandewater was raised in and around Orient, Adair County, Iowa before attending High School in Webster City. He played small college football while attending Westmar University in Le Mars, Iowa, ultimately receiving a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology and Human Services in 1995. Vandewater was hired by the Nebraska State Patrol and graduated from the NSP Training Academy in 1996. Later in 1997, Vandewater accepted a deputy sheriff position in his home county of Adair.

Vandewater has long been active in IDPA and USPSA “action” pistol shooting competitions and firearms training; is a State and FBI Certified Firearms Instructor for all weapon systems; has attended multiple additional trainings in the area of the Designated Marksman role and is a graduate of the Ridgeline LE Designated Marksman Program Development Course. He was appointed by the Adair County Board Supervisors to fill the vacancy of Sheriff in 2014, before being elected to the Office later that same year. Vandewater was re-elected to Office in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

Jolie Wills, M.Sc. Cognitive Psyc, CEO of Hummingly

Jolie is a cognitive scientist with expertise in psychosocial recovery in the wake of disaster. Jolie is a survivor of the Christchurch earthquakes and has lived disaster recovery with her family first-hand. She led the psychosocial recovery program for New Zealand Red Cross in response to the earthquakes and has supported those working in disasters around the world.

Jolie packages the learning from disasters to make disaster recovery a little easier for impacted communities and for those working to support them. She has studied the missing pieces that are needed to effectively sustain the supporters in the wake of disaster and has been involved in helping to build recovery capacity and in supporting the supporters in disasters here in the US, in Australasia and the Pacific.

Jolie is a Winston Churchill fellowship recipient, a Leadership New Zealand alumna, an Edmund Hillary Fellow, a co-author of Leading in Disaster Recovery: A Companion through the Chaos and is an advising member to the global Counter Terrorism Prevention Network.

Dan Wood, State Fire Marshal

Dan Wood has a BA Degree from Hastings College in Hastings Nebraska. In 1997 Dan attend the Iowa DPS 24th Basic Academy. After the academy Dan was assigned to Capitol Police as an officer. In 1998 Dan was promoted to Sargent. In 1999 he assigned to the Iowa State Patrol in District 1, Des Moines. In 2005 Dan transferred to the State Fire Marshal’s Office Fire Prevention Bureau.
In 2008 Dan was put in charge of the CMS program for the Fire Marshal’s Office. Also during that time Dan was Acting Fire Prevention Supervisor, Acting Building Code Commissioner, Acting Bureau Chief in the Professional Development Bureau, and Acting Bureau Chief at the Fire Service Training Bureau. In 2017 Dan was named Iowa State Fire Marshal. Also Dan has 24 years fire and EMS experience with the Waukee Fire Department and Clive Fire Department.

Jeff Zogg, Senior Service Hydrologist/NWS Des Moines

Jeff Zogg has been the Senior Service Hydrologist and a Meteorologist at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Des Moines, Iowa since 2008. Jeff collaborates with his local office staff, as well as with external partners such as emergency management, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State of Iowa and the Iowa Flood Center at the University of Iowa to ensure that the NWS meets the hydrologic service needs of its partners and users. His efforts include internal and external training, as well as outreach and information technology initiatives. Jeff is also the primary NWS liaison to the State of Iowa for NWS hydrologic services.