The Chief Exchange

After 45 years in emergency services, Kansas City Fire Chief Craig Buckley still approaches the profession with the mindset that there is something new to learn every day. His career has taken him from becoming a volunteer firefighter at 16 and a career firefighter at 19 to 35 years with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, state and federal emergency management roles, airport fire rescue, executive leadership in Orlando, and ultimately becoming Kansas City's 29th Fire Chief in 2026. Through every stop, one theme has remained constant: the opportunity to serve. In this episode of The Chief Exchange Podcast, Chief Buckley shares why an interim leader should never become a placeholder, how missing out on an opportunity motivated him to return to school later in his career, why chiefs need skills in finance, HR, labor relations and public speaking in addition to operational credibility, and why succession planning should begin long before a leader leaves. We also discuss healthy disagreement, listening before responding, getting outside your comfort zone, and why, even after four-plus decades in the profession, Chief Buckley is always looking for the next opportunity to improve.

Fire Chief Trisha Wolford didn't enter the fire service with a master plan to become Chief. She studied graphic design and fine arts, played college volleyball, worked professionally outside public safety, and didn't become a firefighter until age 27. Years later, frustration with barriers inside the system led her to ask a different question: instead of complaining about the system, how could she put herself in a position to change it? That question eventually took her from Anne Arundel County to leadership positions in Montana and Washington before bringing her home as Fire Chief of the department where her career began. In this episode of The Chief Exchange Podcast, Chief Wolford shares why she intentionally sought coaches and mentors, how relationships created opportunities throughout her career, and why leaders need discipline around their most finite resource: time. We also explore what the American fire service can learn from international departments, why leaders shouldn't be afraid to try different roles, and how confidence eventually allowed her to stop worrying about fitting the traditional image of a fire service executive and become more comfortable being herself.

For former San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit, policing has always been a family business. His father spent 35 years with San Diego PD, Nisleit followed him into the department at 22 years old, and today his son and son-in-law are carrying that tradition forward. What began as a goal simply to become a captain eventually turned into 36 years in policing and more than six years leading one of the largest police departments in the country. In this episode of The Chief Exchange Podcast, Chief Nisleit reflects on the unexpected path to the chief's chair, leading through 2020, recruitment and the next generation of law enforcement, and one of the hardest challenges of his career: figuring out who he was once the uniform came off. We also discuss the importance of coaching, family, education, self-reflection, controlling your ego, and why younger officers shouldn't be in such a hurry to reach the next rank. After 36 years behind the badge and 18 marathons, his advice is fittingly simple: this career is a marathon, so slow down and enjoy it.

Santa Clara County Fire Chief Suwanna Kerdkaew didn't take the traditional path into the fire service. After earning a biology degree and beginning a career in biotech, an EMT class and one ride-along with the San Francisco Fire Department changed the trajectory of her life. She spent years preparing, testing, hearing “no,” and figuring out what she uniquely brought to the profession before finally being hired in her mid-30s. Twenty-four years later, she leads the organization she has spent her entire fire service career serving. In this episode of The Chief Exchange Podcast, Chief Kerdkaew shares how her upbringing, immigrant family, military influences, and experience entering a profession where few people looked like her shaped the leader she is today. We talk about creating belonging, staying true to yourself, balancing confidence with humility, learning from mistakes, adapting leadership to a changing generation of firefighters, and why some of the most influential leaders in an organization may never hold a Chief's title. Her story is a powerful reminder that your life experience matters, there is a place for you, and leadership begins with knowing who you are.

In 2019, Bob Day retired from the Portland Police Bureau after nearly three decades of service, put his gun in the locker, and thought that chapter of his life was over. Four years later, with Portland facing historic crime, unrest, staffing challenges, and a major transition in city government, he received a phone call asking him to come back, this time as Chief of Police. His wife's response ultimately helped make the decision: “You've never been more ready for this than you are right now.” In this episode of The Chief Exchange Podcast, Chief Day opens up about what it means to lead when “heavy is the crown,” why curiosity may be one of the most important tools a leader can develop, and why understanding matters more than always being right. We discuss owning bad news before someone else tells your story, leading through severe staffing and budget challenges, rebuilding community trust, and why leadership happens in the uncomfortable middle rather than safely on the edges. Chief Day also shares the deeply personal story of losing his son Sam to pediatric cancer and how his family turned unimaginable grief into action through the Sam Day Foundation. His message throughout the conversation is a powerful one: whether you're leading an organization or navigating tragedy, hope isn't passive. Hope requires action.