Martha Ellis has been in the fire service for 23 years. She has worked as a hot shot wildland firefighter and has served as a structural firefighter for nearly 22 years in the Salt Lake Valley. She holds a master’s degree in homeland security from the Naval Postgraduate School, a graduate certificate in conflict resolution and mediation from the University of Utah, and is a certified facilitator with the Arbinger Institute. She was also one of four recipients of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government fire service fellowship awards in 2012.