Leadership

Prior to founding Ladris, Leo worked as a software & data engineer. He won the Berkeley Lipson Prize and was an Ibrahim Fellow. He received his BA from UC Berkeley.

Bowen leads product strategy and AI development at Ladris as Chief Technology Officer. He brings extensive experience in systems integration and deep expertise in applied mathematics and machine learning. His focus is on delivering solutions that bridge cutting-edge technology and real-world applications. He received his BA from UC Berkeley.

Igor's expertise centers on the design, development, and implementation of database software systems. Notable contributions include EM&V tracking databases for public and investor-owned utilities, a speech-enabled Mobile Security Guard application, and a Loan Tracking Database for Broadway Federal Bank.

BS in physics from the University of Zagreb (1984); PhD in nuclear physics from the Ruđer Bošković Institute (1991).

Shane has served in executive roles including Fire Chief and Deputy Chief, guiding communities through emergency response, planning, code adoption, and wildfire mitigation. He led large-scale disaster responses across California as Operations Section Chief on a Type 1 IMT, Thomas, Camp, Kincade, Butte Complex, and the Oroville spillway failure.

BS in Fire Prevention Technology, AS in Fire Technology. NFPA-certified Fire Protection Specialist, IAAI-certified Fire Investigator. Serves on the Advanced All-Hazard Incident Management cadre, providing national training and evaluation for disaster response teams.

Eric previously worked for the SEC and on Wall Street, founded his own legal software firm, managing operations and raising capital, and spent a decade at Wilson Sonsini. He has served as General Counsel and managed Strategic Alliances for various privately held companies.

Bernie served as a General Partner at Kleiner Perkins from 1990–2000; prior to that he was EVP & Board Member at Sun Microsystems from 1983 to 1989. He was instrumental in developing the VAX/VMS program and Ethernet (with Xerox and Intel) while at Digital Equipment Corporation from 1969–1983. Currently Chief Wine Drinker at Willakenzie Estate Winery.

As CAL FIRE's former Assistant Region Chief, John provided strategic oversight of the Department's Northern Region, fire protection operations, resource management, and leadership across six operational units. Previously, he served as Unit Chief and Fire Chief for Butte County, the Town of Paradise, and the Cities of Oroville, Gridley, and Biggs.

As a Type 1 Incident Commander he led some of California's most high-profile responses, including the Camp Fire, the Oroville spillway failure, and the statewide COVID-19 response. BA from CSU Chico.

As Region Chief, Mike held the highest-ranking civil service position within CAL FIRE, regularly providing technical guidance and executive expertise to department heads across state agencies and senior officials within the Governor's Office. He oversaw some of the largest firefighting resource deployments in California history.

Since retiring from state service in 2021, Mike has served internationally as an Emergency Management Specialist with the U.S. Forest Service International Programs, Albania, Armenia, Timor-Leste, and Moldova. BS in Forestry, Humboldt State.

After many years in law enforcement and hazardous materials, Bob transitioned to a full-time emergency management role and built a new EM program from scratch for a community in California. He has been involved in numerous large-scale events in EOC and field leadership roles, wildfire, winter weather, and other disasters, plus extensive experience in special-event planning (multi-community bike/run events, triathlons, World Cup events).

Certified EOC Manager/Coordinator, Liaison Officer, and Safety Officer in California. Master's in Emergency Management from CSU Long Beach. FEMA and CSTI certified instructor in ICS and EOC platforms.

Ron began his fire service career in 1985 as a firefighter with CDF in Butte County. Over his CAL FIRE career he held positions of Firefighter, Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, Division Chief, and interim Unit Chief. Twenty+ years of IMT experience, qualified Type I IC with quals in Operations, Plans, Liaison, Logistics, Information Officer, and Agency Representative. After CAL FIRE, served as Deputy Chief with North County Fire Authority in San Mateo County before retiring in 2020. BA from CSU Chico.

Don began as a CDF firefighter in Santa Clara County in 1986 before joining the Woodside Fire Protection District where he held positions of firefighter, engineer, fire inspector, fire investigator, deputy fire marshal, and battalion chief. As Fire Marshal he supervised, planned, and directed all activities within the fire prevention division. Specialist in defensible space and fuel mitigation, land-use planning, and CEQA process for wildland fire risk reduction. AA in Fire Protection Technology, College of San Mateo.

Bill began his firefighting career with CALFIRE/Butte County Fire in 1994. In 1995, the City of Chico Fire Department hired him as a firefighter; he was the first firefighter to promote through the ranks to Fire Chief in over fifty years. In August 2017 he became Fire Chief of Rocklin and Lincoln Fire Departments under a Cooperative Service Agreement.

Certified Chief Officer, Executive Chief Officer, Incident Commander, Liaison Officer, and Hazardous Materials Specialist. After retiring he served as COO of Rescue 42 (FirstNet deployable cell-tower platform). BS from UC Davis in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning.

Dennis began his career in 1977 with the California Division of Forestry and Fire Protection. He served at Stanislaus County Fire, then Pleasanton (which merged with Livermore in 1987), retiring from Livermore/Pleasanton Fire Department in 2018.

He chairs the S-590 (Advanced Fire Behavior Interpretation) Steering Committee and is a member of the NWCG Fire Weather Sub Committee and the NWCG Fire Behavior Curriculum Unit. AS in Fire Science, Modesto Junior College; BS in Fire Management, CSU Sacramento.

Eric became a volunteer firefighter at the Lakeshore Fire Department in Lake County in 1983 and a full-time fire engineer with the Marin County Fire Department in 1994. His interest in GIS began when he was selected to serve on a CAL FIRE incident management team in 2007; he served until retiring in 2019. GIS certificate, Chico State University, 2018.

Tom serves as a professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Utah, with expertise in Environmental Hazards, Emergency Management, GIScience, Transportation, and Warning & Evacuation. Honors include the Excellence in Mentoring Award from the College of Social & Behavioral Science (CSBS) and the John I. Davidson Award for Practical Papers. His decades-long body of work spans wildfire evacuation modeling, lane-based routing, and post-event analysis of wildfire protective-action recommendations.

Janice is a leading atmospheric scientist specializing in wildland fire behavior and its interaction with weather systems. She serves as Project Scientist III at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and as Visiting Scholar at the University of San Francisco. Her CAWFE model integrates weather prediction with fire behavior to simulate and forecast wildfire dynamics, and her work has significantly advanced understanding of extreme fire events, fire-generated winds and pyrocumulus clouds.

Jo Ann is a trailblazer in innovative fire-behavior research on wildland fires. Bridging the gap between research and management, she has paved the way in forest ecology, wildlife conservation, and fire science. Author and co-author of 30+ technical publications and a captivating speaker with over 50 presentations to diverse audiences.

Chris currently serves as Director of Emergency Management at Stanford University, where he also collaborates with the Stanford Existential Risks Initiative. Previously, he led Sonoma County's emergency management department through major disasters, wildfires, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing significant improvements in public alert systems and community evacuation planning. Held leadership roles in San José, Marin County, and with Tetra Tech. 20-year U.S. Army Reserve and California National Guard veteran.

Vidhu works at the intersection of governance, operations, and technology, guiding organizations in the responsible adoption of emerging technologies to improve safety, efficiency, and long-term system resilience. Previously Microsoft's Americas Lead for Global Partnerships and Government Strategy Lead for U.S. State & Local Government. Career spans Workday, KPMG, and consulting. Active advisor to USC, UW, and the National Academy of Sciences.

Before co-founding OpenGov, Zac advised U.S. Army General H.R. McMaster on the Anti-Corruption Task Force at ISAF headquarters in Kabul, was a partner at Formation 8, and practiced trial litigation at Keker, Van Nest & Peters. He clerked for the Hon. Sandra S. Ikuta, Ninth Circuit. Fulbright Fellow studying transparency and corruption in Mexico. JD, Yale Law; MPA, Harvard Kennedy School; BA, University of Maryland. Boards: Hoover Institution, Mt. Tamalpais College.

Tom co-founded and served as CEO of Granicus, used by more than 6,000 government agencies and 300 million citizens. He later led Rock Solid Technologies as CEO, expanding to 800+ municipalities across the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean before its acquisition by Granicus in 2022. Boards: CivStart, Automotus, SOVRA. Past board roles: Propylon, PrimeGov, Ascendify, Granicus.

Rachel brings together a background in venture investing, lobbying, operations, fundraising, and strategy. She has worked with companies of every size (Fortune 500 to pre-seed startups), helping them navigate and partner with state and local governments to drive innovation.

Harold has devoted his life to public service, traveled to New York to assist in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, deployed after Hurricane Katrina, and assisted in the recovery efforts of the Oklahoma City bombings. With a four-decade tenure at the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, he possesses unique insights into the perils of wildfires and their potential devastation to a community.