Anne Arundel Gets Female Fire Chief; Trumbauer Returns in Key Policy Role
New Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman (D) is appointing Trisha Wolford to be the county’s next fire chief, effective Jan. 28. Wolford would become the first female fire chief in the county’s history.
Pittman announced Wolford’s appointment, and others, on Friday.
Wolford is currently the assistant fire chief in Spokane, Wash., and was previously deputy fire chief in Bozeman, Mont. But she began her fire service career in Anne Arundel County in 2006, serving for 10 years in the county fire department as a firefighter, paramedic, company officer, arson and explosives investigator, internal investigator and tactical swat medic.
She currently serves as the chair of the Professional Development Committee of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
“Trisha Wolford served our county with distinction for ten years, and then made a name for herself at the National Fire Academy, first in the Executive Fire Officer Program and then as a consultant to the Academy,” Pittman said in a statement. “We needed a leader for this department with both institutional knowledge and a vision based on best practices across the country. Chief Wolford has all of that combined with a strong passion to serve the communities of Anne Arundel County.”
The current fire chief, Allan Graves, who was appointed by Pittman’s predecessor, Republican Steve Schuh, is resigning on Dec. 31.
In recent days, Howard and Baltimore counties have gotten women fire chiefs as well, the latter on an interim basis.
Pittman also announced that Chris Trumbauer, who just completed eight years on the Anne Arundel County Council, will join his administration as senior adviser for policy and communications, starting on Jan. 14. In addition to his Council work, Trumbauer is currently a vice president at The Hatcher Group, a communications firm that works for nonprofit organizations. He is also a co-chairman of Pittman’s transition team.
Pittman said that Jessica Leys will be acting budget officer, beginning on New Year’s Day. Leys has worked in the county budget office for 19 years and is currently the assistant budget officer. She has served as acting budget officer several times during her career. John Hammond, the county’s longtime budget officer is retiring on Dec. 31. During his 25-year career with Anne Arundel County, he has served as budget director, chief administrative officer, and acting county executive over the tenure of seven different county executives.
William Martin will serve as acting superintendent of detention facilities, beginning on Jan. 1. Martin is currently an administrator for the Ordnance Road Correctional Center. He has been with the county for 23 years and has served in corrections for 45 years. Current Superintendent Terry Kokolis is retiring from county service on Dec. 31.
Josh Kurtz
Founding editor
Founding Editor Josh Kurtz is a veteran chronicler of Maryland politics and government. He began covering the State House in 1995 for The Gazette newspapers, and has been writing about state and local politics ever since. He was an editor at Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, for eight years, and for eight years was the editor of E&E Daily, which covers energy and environmental policy on Capitol Hill. For 6 1/2 years Kurtz wrote a weekly column on state politics for Center Maryland and has written for several other Maryland publications as well. Kurtz regularly gives speeches and appears on TV and radio shows to discuss Maryland politics.
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