About Us
Leadership
Tara currently serves as the Director of Salt Lake County Emergency Management.
She graduated from Utah State in 2007 with a bachelor’s of science degree. While pursuing her degree, she interned with the Utah Division of Emergency Management, assisting in the Hurricane Katrina evacuee temporary housing project. After that, emergency management remained on Tara’s radar. Tara spent 18 years working for the Utah Division of Emergency Management, holding positions in grant management, liaison work, and leadership. She worked on local incidents such as the Dollar Ridge Fire, the COVID-19 response, and the Magna earthquake.
As SLCo EM Director, she now works to support local, regional, and state public and private partners through all-hazards prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.
Tara enjoys time with friends and family, listening to various music, and spending time outdoors.
Chet Ellis has been a Firefighter/Paramedic with the Unified Fire Authority for more than 15 years, having served the last 6 years at the rank of Captain. He is currently assigned to the Salt Lake County Emergency Management Division as the Emergency Management Deputy Director.
He spent most of his career serving the citizens of Millcreek and Olympus Cove as a Firefighter/Paramedic. He has also been a member of Unified Fire Authority’s Wildland Single Resource program and has deployed on many fires around the Western United States as a Wildfire Line Paramedic. He is a bagpiper for Unified Fire Authority’s Pipes and Drums and the Utah Firefighters Emerald Society. He has performed at many funerals and memorials around the country to honor our fallen public safety brothers and sisters.
He currently resides in Kamas, Utah with his wife, two daughters, and Great Dane.
Tina Brown is the PIO/JIC Manager for Salt Lake County Emergency Management since July 2018. She is responsible for the operation of the Salt Lake County’s Joint Information Center (JIC). Before working for SLCo EM, Tina was the Communications Specialist/Public Information Officer for the City of South Jordan. Previously, she worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Washington, DC. She has worked with many local and national news stations and worked for KUTV Channel 2, where she helped write and produce stories for “Get Gephardt.” Tina has her Master’s Degree in Public Information and Technology from Colorado State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Utah. She is also a certified Type III Wildland Firefighter.
Scott McNeil started in the Operations Section of SLCo Emergency Management Division in September of 2018. His Fire Service Career began with Salt Lake County Fire on their Wildland crew for the summers of 1997-1998. He was hired as a full-time firefighter with Salt Lake County Fire (Which later became Unified Fire Authority) in September of 1999. He has been fortunate in his career to work in some of the busiest stations with the best crews in the department. He was one of the first 3 firefighters to promote the then newly formed Heavy Rescue Specialist position in 2004. He became an Engineer several years later and holds that rank today. He has been involved in the Heavy Rescue companies development and design, and has taught many classes in Technical Rescue. Scott holds an Associates Degree in Fire Science, and is currently pursuing his Bachelors Degree in Emergency Management.
Scott enjoys hunting, fishing, riding his horses and watching his kids’ athletic events.
Barrett LaJeunesse has been a Firefighter with the Unified Fire Authority for more than 15 years, having served as an Engineer, HazMat Technician, and Captain. He is currently assigned to the Salt Lake County Emergency Management Division as the Operations Section Chief.
Barrett spent the majority of his career where he first started, in the city of Midvale, where he worked as a Firefighter, Engineer, and HazMat Tech. He is also a member of FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue team and deployed to incidents ranging from floods to wildfires.
Barrett holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Services Administration with an emphasis in Emergency Management and two associate degrees, all from Utah Valley University. He is the proud father of three daughters and a son. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his kids, getting outside, and working out.
Erik Van Duren began his career with Salt County Fire Department in 1996 as a Wildland Firefighter. Since then, he has broadened his experience as a Firefighter/Paramedic and Rescue Technician with the Unified Fire Authority and obtained his associate’s degree in Emergency Services. He has received multiple Merit Awards for his service, and as an active member of FEMA Utah Task Force-1, he has responded to Hurricanes and floods nationwide. Erik has a background in community service as a board member of a local charitable organization and labor union.
When not working, he enjoys spending time with family, mountain biking, snowboarding, camping, and restoring his vintage Toyota Land Cruiser.
Savannah’s passion for GIS started at The University of Utah where she received her honors degree in geography. Before starting with Salt Lake County EM in 2023, Savannah was a Data Processing Technician at Bridger Photonics and a GIS Specialist at the office of the Salt Lake County Surveyor. She’s worked with various clients to assist in their GIS needs, whether a web application, a paper map, boundary adjustments, generating aerial imagery, or writing technical documentation.
Savannah is originally from Connecticut, where they have the best pizza. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog Thor.
Becca Weiss joined the Salt Lake County Emergency Management team as the Planning Specialist in December of 2021. She is responsible for reviewing, maintaining, and developing emergency management plans/annexes/checklists for organizations within Salt Lake County. Before joining as a full-time employee, Rebecca worked as an intern with SLCo EM. She also has 4 years of experience as a Patient Care Tech where she worked at a level-1 trauma center in Omaha, Nebraska. Rebecca is obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management and Disaster Science with concentrations in Intelligence & Security and Criminal Justice through the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding in the winter and hiking in the summer with her German Shephard, Kaimen.
Brad Jewett started in the Planning Section of the Salt Lake County Emergency Management Division during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. His Fire Service Career began with Salt Lake County Fire on their part-time crews in Draper and Riverton from 2003-2006. He was hired as a full-time firefighter with Salt Lake County Fire (later became Unified Fire Authority) in February of 2007. He spent much of his time as a Hazardous Materials Paramedic on the Hazardous Materials team. He holds certifications as a Critical Care Paramedic (CCEMT-P), Flight Paramedic (F-PC), National Registry Paramedic, and a licensed Paramedic in six states. He is a member of the Unified Fire Authorities Honor Guard, where he has conducted funeral honors and promotional ceremonies to honor his fellow brothers and sisters.
He has a master’s degree from Arizona State University in Emergency Management and two bachelor’s degrees from Utah Valley University. He is also an active Navy reserve member, where he is the regional Command Master Chief for Navy Medical Forces Pacific and Medical Forces Support Command. He has been deployed five times in his 20-year career.
Brad enjoys camping, traveling, and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Val began her career with Unified Fire Authority in June of 2007 in the Logistics Bureau before moving to Emergency Management in November 2014. Since starting Emergency Management, she has attended numerous courses and trainings, some of her favorite certifications include: All Hazards PIO, Situation Unit Leader, and Finance Section Chief. Val’s responsibilities include: logistics, finance, and coordinating projects with in the ECC.
She is the proud Mom of 3 children. Val and her husband spend countless hours attending football and soccer activities. As a family they enjoy camping, 4-wheeling, hiking, and spending time in Southern Utah.
Rhonda started working for Unified Fire Authority in September of 2016 as a part-time Receptionist. After a year, she moved to UFA’s Fire Prevention Division and became the Haz-Mat Administrative Assistant. Rhonda remained in that role for 2 ½ years before moving to the Emergency Command Center as the Administrative Coordinator.
Rhonda is a mom of 3 son’s and a grandmother of 6 amazing grandkids. In her free time, she love’s watching her grandkids play soccer, basketball, softball and gymnastics and she loves riding Roller Coasters with them at the amusement parks. Her favorite vacations are wherever you find Sun, Sand and Surf.
Brian Buckhout joined the United Fire Authority in September of 2024. His career started in 2005 when he responded to Hurricane Katrina as an EMT and logistic specialist on a Disaster Medical Assistance Team, assisting with medical evacuations in downtown New Orleans. He joined the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services in 2019, where he would spend six years deploying to coastal counties to assist and advise in response and recovery operations. Brian has worked on incidences such as the Haiti earthquake, COVID-19 response, the 2023 coastal floods, and over a dozen wildland fires across California while holding positions as mission coordinator, incident command liaison, deputy planning chief, and logistics coordinator. Brian has a master’s degree in public health and a master’s degree in healthcare management, as well as a bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety.
Brian enjoys podcasts, documentaries, and outdoor activities with his wife and daughter.
Madison Warner is the municipal emergency planner for several cities in the MSD. Her career has included working as a part-time firefighter/EMT for Unified Fire Authority and K9 Handler for Utah Task Force 1 Search & Rescue team, among other public safety jobs. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management from Utah Valley University and spent time doing emergency planning in the private sector.
She has a deep love for animals. She volunteers with the Salt Lake County Community Animal Response and teaches pet first aid courses. She also enjoys Team (CART), sewing, baking, and spending time outdoors.