Biography
Don graduated from Flathead Valley Community College in 1993 with an Associate of Science degree in Forestry and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resource Management from the University of Montana in 1995. He began his career in wildland fire management in 1991 as a firefighter with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) west of Kalispell, Montana.
Throughout his career, Don developed advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) skills through self-directed learning using ArcGIS software. He became proficient in mapping and spatial analysis for forest and fire management applications. Over the years, he has managed and utilized large GIS datasets while supporting the Montana DNRC Fire Bureau’s Planning and Intelligence Program. Today, he continues to apply GIS technology daily in support of fire management operations.