 Arizona Chapter of the IAAI |
| President - Marcela Hammond Marcela has been in the fire service since 2000. She spent 17 years in suppression before moving and promoting to a position to prevention. Marcela served as the Fire Marshal for the City of Nogales and currently works for the Northwest Fire District, where she serves as a Fire Investigator. Marcela has been an investigator since 2010 and has had the honor to have been elected to the board of the AZIAAI for three terms, most recently serving as First Vice resident. |
| 1st VP / Finance Chair - Jeff Whitbeck Special Agent Jeff was an arson detective for 20 years with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. As a SA with the Arizona Attorney General's Office, and continues to serve by providing fire investigation assistance and support when requested. Jeff holds a Master of Science Forensic Science degree from Oklahoma State University, with a concentration on fire and explosion investigations as well as a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona. |
| 2nd VP - Casey Wood Term: 2024-2025 Officer for Flagstaff PD starting in 1996. Worked as Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer and Swat Officer for 4.5 years. Hired by Flagstaff Fire Department and worked as Fire Fighter, Arson Investigator, TLO, and remained on the SWAT team for 15 years. Attended 1st Arson Class in 2002. Completed Arson 4 in 2004. Worked as arson investigator for 20 years. Retired from Flagstaff Fire in 2020 Hired by Queen Creek Fire in 2020 as Inspector/Investigator Promoted to Deputy Fire Marshal in 2023. Board Member for AZIAAI for 2 years. Elected to 2nd VP 2024. |
| Secretary - Barbie BarrettCommittee Chair: Training and Education Fire Marshal for Bullhead City Fire District Barbie has been in the fire service for 22 years with 17 years as a fire investigator. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Arizona State University in Fire Service Administration and a Master’s Degree From Grand Canyon University in Leadership: Emphasis in Disaster Preparedness & Executive Fire Leadership. |
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| Treasurer - Dector Celaya SACFIATF Special Agent Certified Fire Investigator (SACFI) Dector Celaya joined ATF in 2001 and is currently assigned to the Arson and Explosives Group (Phoenix V) in the Phoenix Field Division. As a Certified Fire Investigator, SACFI Celaya’s duties include conducting origin and cause investigations of fire and explosion incidents, investigating violations of arson and explosives laws, testifying as an expert witness in court regarding fire related matters and providing training or assistance to other law enforcement agencies and fire departments in the United States related to fire investigation matters. SACFI Celaya holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice from Arizona State University and Graduate Certificate from Oklahoma State University in Forensic Sciences - Arson, Explosives, Firearms and Toolmarks Investigation. Special Agent Certified Fire Investigator Celaya has been an active member of the Arizona Chapter of IAAI for over ten years. |
| Board Member: Rusty Dunmire IAAI-FITTerm: 2022-2025 Committee Chair: Membership Fire Captain/ Fire Investigator Queen Valley Fire District AZIAAI Board Member since 2020 7 years as Fire Investigator 21 years in the Fire Service IAAI-FIT 2018 Pinal County Arson Task Force since 2019 |
| Board Member: Bret Lucas IAAI-CFITerm: 2023-2026 Committee Chair: CFI Fire Inspector/Investigator, Prescott Fire Department, Prescott, AZ Retired From: Arson Detective, Chandler Police Department, Chandler AZ Total years in fire investigation: 23 years Graduate of National Fire Academy: Fire Investigation Graduate of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms National Academy: Advanced Origin and Cause International Association of Arson Investigators-Certified Fire Investigator since 2005 |
| Board Member: Wes Helvig Term: 2024-2025 Committee Chair: Awards 2022 to current - Golder Ranch Fire District Fire Inspector and Fire Investigator (IAAI-FIT) Retired Oro Valley Police Department (1996-2022) Oro Valley PD Detective and Fire Investigator (2006-2022) Married 20 years to Becca Helvig, three children – Ryan, Johnny and Sophie. |
| Board Member: Darrell Tirpak Term: 2024-2026 With 24 years of dedicated service in the Fire Service, Darrell Tirpak has built a distinguished career marked by leadership and expertise. Beginning his journey as a U.S. Air Force Firefighter, he served active duty for 10 years, undertaking multiple deployments that honed his skills and resilience. Following his military service, Darrell joined El Mirage Fire where he ascended through the ranks. Today, he serves as a Division Chief/Fire Marshal for the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority, leveraging his extensive experience to ensure the safety and preparedness of his community.
Darrell holds several key certifications, including Fire Inspector II, Fire Instructor II, Fire Officer II, Fire Investigation I-IV, Wildland Investigator, IAAI FIT, and CPSE FM. His academic credentials include a Bachelor's degree in Fire Administration, and he is currently pursuing a Master's in Emergency Management. Outside of his professional achievements, Darrell is a devoted family man, celebrating 20 years of marriage with his wife, Connie, and cherishing their two children, Joey and Nicolette. |
| Board Member: Nick Spezzacatena Term: 2024-2026 |
| Board Member: Shaun Hull IAAI-CFITerm: 2023-2025 Committee Chair: Communications Fire Cause Investigator for Tucson Fire Department since 2019. Joined Tucson Fire Department in 2015. |
| Committee Chair / Past President: Ruben Briones - Sergeant At Arms & Nominations Fire inspector/Fire Investigator for Chandler Fire and Medical Department 15 Years as a Fire Investigator. 25 years total in the fire service. 10 years in the United States Army 25 Years National registered / Arizona State Paramedic 2019-2021 Board member AZIAAI 2021-2022 2nd vice president AZIAAI 2022-2023 1st vice president AZIAAI 2023-2024 President AZIAAI |
| Committee Chair: Brad Gribble - Director of Merchandise
Engineer/ Fire Investigator 20 years with Florence Fire Department 8 years with the Department of Corrections as Fire crew boss. 8 years with the U.S. Army. |
| Finance at Large: Dr. Kelly Perkins Dr. Kelly Perkins is a Special Agent and Certified Fire Investigator with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). She is an active member of the AZIAAI Education Committee and serves as the Finance Officer at Large for the AZIAAI chapter. Dr. Perkins earned her doctorate in Forensic Science from Oklahoma State University and specializes in fire dynamics. She has conducted investigations and provided instruction throughout Arizona and nationally including the National Fire Academy (NFA), and National Center for Explosives Training and Research (NCETR). |
| Committee Chair: Luke Coyne - Bylaws A Chicago, Illinois native, Luke Coyne served as a firefighter for several years before moving to Arizona. In 2013, he was chosen by the International Conference of Law and Mental Health in Amsterdam to present his published paper, “Can Shame Be Therapeutic?”. Luke has been a Deputy County Attorney with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office since 2015 and is currently partnered with Jonathan Hutcheson as the two assigned prosecutors for all arson and explosives cases in Maricopa County. Luke was honored with the 2022 International Association of Arson Investigators’ Sandy Burnett Outstanding Accomplishment Award and the 2022 Frank J. Molina Distinguished Service Award for the Arson and Murder prosecution of serial arsonist Justin Caruso. In 2023, the Arizona Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators named Luke the Attorney of the Year for his prosecution efforts and service to the Chapter. In addition to his duties as a Deputy County Prosecutor, Luke is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators and its Arizona chapter where he teaches new and current arson investigators and serves as advisor to the executive board. Luke also serves as Co-Chairman of the Maricopa County Arson Task Force consisting of over forty law enforcement agencies and fire departments. |
| Amy Diederich - Historical Committee
Amy Diederich is a career prosecutor who is passionate about training. Amy serves as a consultant and faculty member at Vera Causa Group.
Amy routinely conducts training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors across the state of Arizona. Amy is an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law teaching trial advocacy.
Amy serves as an Assistant Attorney General for the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
Amy began her career as a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona. While at Maricopa County, Amy prosecuted a variety of crimes including violent crimes, sexual assaults, and crimes against children. She also worked as a mentor for new prosecutors. In 2015 Amy moved to the Pinal County Attorney’s Office where she prosecuted mostly gang crimes, homicides, and arsons. Amy has received awards from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) for her work as a prosecutor. She was awarded the 2019 Attorney of the Year by the International Association of Arson Investigators Arizona Chapter (IAAI). She is an AZ POST Certified Instructor, Legal Advisor to the Pinal County Arson Task Force, and serves as an Executive Board Member for the Arizona Gang Investigator’s Association
Originally from Kansas, Amy received a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration from the University of Kansas and graduated from Creighton University School of Law. |
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