Home
Site Search

Committee On Accreditation

The Committee on Accreditation (COA) is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the National Professional Qualifications System.

The COA reviews applications for accreditation, re-Accreditation, and extension requests; conducts initial accreditation and re-accreditation site visit evaluations; collectively approves or denies requests for accreditation or changes to accredited processes; renders opinions to ensure that there is consistency across the Pro Board system; and, ensures compliance with the operating procedures of the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications.

The Advisory Committee elects seven members and one alternate to the COA and the Board of Directors appoints the remaining members. Members representing the Advisory Committee are elected in alternating years for three-year terms and they may be elected to successive terms. Members serving at the pleasure of the Board of Directors are appointed annually. The Chair of the Advisory Committee, a member of the Board of Directors, shall also serve on the COA in an ex-officio advisory capacity. The newly elected Chair could also stand for election as a full member of the COA.

The COA meets in-person at least every four months and meets via teleconference phone as needed but no less than once in between the in-person meetings.

Committee on Accreditation Members


Brian R. Brauer
COA Chair
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL 61802
BBrauer@proboard.org

Robert W. Rand
COA Vice Chair & Accreditation Manager
Westborough, MA 01581
RRand@proboard.org

John Culbertson
Advisory Committee Chair & COA Member
Montana State University Fire Service Training
Great Falls, MT 59404
JCulbertson@proboard.org

Jane Duncan
COA Member
STARS Air Ambulance (retired)
JDuncan@proboard.org

Steve Gervais
COA Member
Lafayette, LA 70506
SGervais@proboard.org

Martinez Jacobs
COA Member
HIDOT Airports
Honolulu, HI 96819-1800
MJacobs@proboard.org

Tracey L. Johnson
COA Member
University of Illinois Fire Service Institute
Champaign, IL
TJohnson@proboard.org

Alan E. Joos, EFO, CFO, MS, FIFireE
COA Member
Nebraska State Fire Marshal Agency
Grand Island, NE 68803
AJoos@proboard.org

Michael Lee
COA Member
New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control
Albany, NY 12226
MLee@proboard.org

Kevin J. O’Connell
COA Member
Louisville Fire Department (retired)
Louisville, KY 40203
KOConnell@proboard.org

Mark Pare
COA Member
Rhode Island Fire Academy
Exeter, RI 02822
MPare@proboard.org

Vilma Perez-Atwood
COA Member
International Association of Fire Fighters
Washington, DC 20006
VPerez-Atwood@proboard.org

Lisa Pine
COA Member
Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control
Lakewood, CO 80215
LPine@proboard.org

Andrela Riley
COA Member
South Carolina Fire Academy
Columbia, SC 29203
ARiley@proboard.org

Alton Robinson
COA Member
U.S. Department of Defense Firefighter Certification System
Tyndall AFB, FL 32403-5319
ARobinson@proboard.org

Chris Senaratne
COA Member
Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA T6W 1H8
CSenaratne@proboard.org

Matt Sherwood
COA Member
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
College Station, TX 77845-3424
MSherwood@proboard.org

Daniel Smith
COA Member
The Villages, FL 32163
DSmith@proboard.org

Emma Thomas
COA Member
Colorado Metropolitan Certification Board
Lakewood, CO 80235
EThomas@proboard.org

Tara Youngblood
COA Alternate-1
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078-8041
TYoungblood@proboard.org

Open
COA Alternate-2

Craig Richardson
Technical Analyst
Nanaimo Fire Rescue (retired)
Nanaimo, BC V9R3B5
CRichardson@proboard.org

Ryan Snow
Technical Analyst
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL 61802
RSnow@proboard.org

Document Review Teams


Team ATeam BTeam C
O’ConnellSenaratnePerez-Atwood
GervaisLeeJacobs
DuncanSmithJohnson
PineCulbertsonThomas
RileyPareJoos
YoungbloodSherwoodRobinson