Presenters
STEVE AVATO
Steve is an IAAI-CFI. He retired as an ATF Supervisory Special Agent CFI in 2016 after 27 years with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At ATF, he held numerous fire and explosion-related specialty positions, including operational, training, and supervisory roles in arson and explosive investigative groups as the ATF National Response Team Supervisor and in the ATF Certified Fire Investigator Program. He then served as a Fire Marshal Captain with the Loudoun County Virginia Fire Marshal's Office, retiring in 2022. He was selected as the IAAI Fire Investigator of the Year in 2000 for his investigation of a double fatal fire in Southeastern Pennsylvania. He now dedicates his time to mentoring and educating fire investigators.
ADAM ST. JOHN
Adam St. John has been employed by ATF for over 14 years, working as both an ATF Fire Protection Engineer and Special Agent. Adam is currently assigned as an ATF Special Agent in Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to becoming a Special Agent, Adam spent nine years at the ATF Fire Research Laboratory and on the ATF National Response team, where he conducted full-scale fire testing, testified as an expert witness in criminal court, and authored several peer-reviewed fire research papers. Adam has responded to hundreds of large-scale fire investigation scenes across the country, including multiple firefighter Line of Duty Death Investigations and ATF National Response Team Callouts. Adam has instructed on behalf of ATF both nationally and internationally and currently holds certification as an IAAI-CFI and licensed Professional Engineer in Fire Protection Engineering.
CRAIG MATTHEWS
Craig Matthews has been employed with the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services for 23 years. Craig had been assigned to fire suppression for approximately 10 years before being assigned to the Office of the Fire Marshal in 2011. Craig has received numerous awards, including the Bronze Medal of Valor and Firefighter of the Year. Craig currently holds the rank of Fire Captain where he supervises the Fire Investigations Division. Craig has also been an Accelerant Detection Canine handler since 2019. Craig has investigated several hundred fires during his assignment to the Fire Investigations Division. Craig has testified as an expert witness in multiple criminal cases. Craig has assisted in several firefighter Line of Duty Death Investigations in Maryland. Craig co-led the investigation into the Line of Duty Death of Lieutenant Nathan Flynn- 7005 Woodscape Drive. Craig is certified as an IAAI-CFI (V), IAAI-FIT, and IAAI-ECT.
JEREMY NEAGLE
Jeremy Neagle, P.E., CFPS, CT is an Electrical Engineer and Chief of the Engineering Section at the ATF Fire Research Laboratory located in Beltsville, MD. Previously he served as a Chief Engineer for Intertek, a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) engaged in product evaluation and certification.
He is a licensed Professional Engineer and a member of a various professional organizations. He has been a member of several national and international codes and standards development committees, including the NFPA National Electrical Code (NEC) Panel on Hazardous Locations (CMP-14).
CELESTE FLYNN
Ms. Flynn is the wife of fallen Howard County (MD) firefighter, Lieutenant Nathan Flynn.
SARA LAIRD
Ms. Laird is the wife of fallen Frederick County (MD) firefighter, Captain Joshua Laird.
DAN GIBLIN
Since 2014, Daniel has worked as a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) assigned to the Baltimore Field Division’s Arson and Explosives group. In 2019, he completed the two year ATF Certified Fire Investigator Candidate training program. Prior to his employment with ATF, Daniel served as a Deputy State Fire Marshal with the Maryland State Police, Office of the State Fire Marshal for approximately five years.
Daniel graduated from the University of New Haven with dual Bachelor of Science Degrees in Fire/Arson Investigation and Fire Administration as well as a minor in Criminal Justice. In 2022, he graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Master of Science Degree in Forensic Science.
ALEX CARDELLA
Alex Cardella is the Branch Chief of the Emergency Services, Health, and Weapons of Mass Destruction Branch, Anti-Terrorism Division - Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center
JOSH SODERBERG
Josh Soderberg currently works for the largest Biomedical facility in the Department of Defense (DOD), where he is the Joint Safety and Environmental Office Director. In his prior positions, he has worked in the worldwide DoD Commands to perform surveillance, confirmatory analytical laboratory testing, and health hazard assessments of environmental, occupational, endemic, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) threats in support of force protection and counter-weapons of mass destruction missions. His experience spans across, clinical research, as well as biomedical and large animal research. He has managed fire/rescue, Arson investigation, explosive safety, radiation, occupational health, industrial hygiene, environmental/chemical hygiene, select agents, and biosafety.