Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation

Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation is a non-profit, tax exempt organization. The Foundation operates under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) and 509(a) of the Code. In compliance with Federal requirements, YLD prepares annual financial reports and submits them to the IRS. All financial reports are submitted to a certified public accountant for third party review and are a matter of public record.

The Foundation's Board of Directors is primarily responsible for the administration and management of the organization. All members of the Board of Directors and the Scholarship and Awards Committee serve without compensation or remuneration.

The Scholarship and Awards Committee is established under the Board as a free-standing and impartial group for the sole purpose of evaluating applications and selecting suitable candidates. No member of the Board serves on the Awards Committee; however, the Committee Chairperson serves as a non-voting member of the Board.

The Scholarship and Awards Committee reviews qualified applicants in September of each year and selects award recipients by letter ballot. Applicants are selected based on five broad criteria. These include:

• Potential to have a positive impact upon the future of his or her organization and the emergency response community
• Formal education and previous training, particularly in the areas of management and administration
• Commitment to professionalism in the emergency response community
• Documented personal and financial support of the applicants organization
• Analysis of three favorable written recommendations submitted with the application

Board of Directors

• Rose M. Cogan, Ed.D. Training Consultant, Elkridge, MD
• George D. Dodson President, Lightworks Photography and Design, Chester, MD
• Raymond Hawkins, Training Officer, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program, Citizen Corps (DHS), Polk County, FL
• John Hess Transportation Security Administration, Washington, D.C.
• Michael S. Hildebrand, CSP Senior Partner, Hildebrand and Noll Associates, Inc., Port Republic, MD
• JoAnne F. Hildebrand Academic Director and Associate Professor (retired), Fire Science, University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, MD
• Gregory G. Noll, CSP Senior Partner, Hildebrand and Noll Associates, Inc., Lancaster, PA
• James P. Zeigler, Ph.D. Research Associate, DuPont Nonwovens, Spruance Plant, Richmond, VA

Scholarship and Awards Committee

• G. Crawford Wiestling (Committee Chairman), President, Investigative Loss Control, Inc., Minneapolis, MN
• Dr. Bryan E. Bledsoe, D.O., EMS Author-Physician, Arlington, TX
• Alan V. Brunacini, Chief (retired), Phoenix Fire Department, Phoenix, AZ
• Charles J. Burkell Program Chair, Executive Development, National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, MD
• Gregory A. Rhoads Director of Chemical Safety, CSX Railroad, Jacksonville, FL
• Jeff Washinger, Senior Investigator, Investigative Loss Control, Inc., Minneapolis, MN
• Douglas R. Williams Training Specialist, National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, MD
• Donald E. Sellers, AMI (in memoriam), Medical Illustrator - Publisher