About this episode

Fire Chief Trisha L. Wolford shares her untraditional journey to leadership in the fire service, emphasizing perspective and gratitude.

Fire Chief Trisha L. Wolford of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department in Maryland leads one of the largest combination fire departments in the country, serving more than 600,000 residents—but her path to Fire Chief is anything but traditional. She began as a firefighter/paramedic and built a diverse career through the Fire Marshal’s Office, sworn law enforcement, fire and explosives investigations, and service as a Tactical Medic on a SWAT team. She is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy and the IAFC’s Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI), and currently serves as President and Board Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Vice President of the IAFC’s Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association Executive Board, and an Executive Board member for the FirstNet Authority. Grounded in perspective and gratitude, her story is a reminder that leadership has no rank—and that an untraditional path, driven by grit and purpose, can take you wherever you’re willing to go.

People in this episode

Host: Berlin Maza

Guest: Trisha L. Wolford

Topics covered

• leadership
• fire service
• career development
• gratitude
• public safety

Keywords

• fire chief
• leadership
• career path
• public safety
• fire department

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Anne Arundel County Fire Department, International Association of Fire Chiefs, IAFC’s Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association Executive Board, FirstNet Authority, National Fire Academy

More episodes of Leadership Conversations @ The Kitchen Table

• Ep. 95: Mike Dugan, Captain (ret.) - It's Your Turn · March 24, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Ep. 94: Chuck DeSmith, Deputy Fire Chief (ret.) - Resiliency & Peer Support · March 17, 2026 · 1h 29m
• Ep. 93: Paul Conway, Assistant Chief (ret.) - A Life Full of Mistakes · February 22, 2026 · 1h 21m
• Ep. 92: Mike Gagliano, Captain (ret.) - Remember Your Mission · February 13, 2026 · 1h 19m
• Ep. 91: Tyrral Quinn, Captain - Vulnerability & Failures · January 30, 2026 · 1h 6m
• Ep. 90: Randy Chevalier, Fire Chief - Leading thru Crisis · January 22, 2026 · 1h 13m

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