Governor Mike Braun appointed Jonathan Whitham to serve as Executive Director of IDHS in September 2025. Whitham joined IDHS in 2014 as the general counsel and legislative director after practicing law in the private sector for five years.

An Indiana native and Hoosier for life, Whitham began his public safety career in Bloomington, Ind., while attending Indiana University, where he received a degree in telecommunications, business and political science. He was a volunteer firefighter and EMT for the Bloomington Township Fire Department before moving to Indianapolis. There he joined the White River Township Fire Department while attending law school, and earned his juris doctor degree from the Indiana University School of Law in 2009.

Email the Public Affairs Section

Justin Guedel has served as chief of staff of IDHS since 2025.

A lifelong Hoosier, Guedel graduated from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2015 and began his career with IDHS shortly after as a staff attorney. After serving as a staff attorney and later deputy general counsel with IDHS, Guedel joined the Office of Administrative Law Proceedings as deputy director and general counsel in 2022. He returned to IDHS as general counsel in 2023 to pursue his passion for public safety. Guedel is a proud husband and father of a three boys.

Email the Public Affairs Section

Mary Moran has extensive experience in disaster response and recovery, earned from more than 20 years with the agency. She joined the state as a program coordinator in mitigation for what was then the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) before IDHS was formed in 2005. She has served as the state hazard mitigation officer, mitigation branch chief and most recently as the state recovery officer. Moran has a master’s degree in emergency management from Indiana University.

Email Mary Moran

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb appointed Steve Jones as the Indiana State Fire Marshal in August 2022. He served previously as Brownsburg Fire Territory fire marshal.

Jones began his career as a firefighter and EMT in 1984 in central Indiana. He became a career firefighter in Pike Township (Marion County) in 1989 and served as deputy fire marshal, safety and training officer, hazmat training coordinator, fire inspector, deputy chief of administration and division chief of prevention services. In 2013, he became fire marshal in Brownsburg, where he oversaw building code enforcement, fire investigation and public education and community risk reduction.

Email the State Fire Marshal

Kraig Kinney has been with IDHS since 2017, having joined as a deputy general counsel for the Office of General Counsel. In March 2020, Kinney became the State EMS Director. He earned a bachelor's degree from DePauw University in 1992 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Indiana University McKinney School of Law Indianapolis in 1998. He was admitted to practice with the Indiana Supreme Court in 1999 and maintains active status to practice.

Kinney began his EMS career as an EMT in 1991 while attending DePauw. He became a paramedic in 1994 and EMS primary instructor in 1996. He also served as executive director for Putnam County Operation Life from 2004 to 2014.

Email the Office of Emergency Medical Services

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb appointed Alan Blunk as Indiana State Building Commissioner in November 2023. He served as the IDHS Building Plan Review section chief for the previous six years.

Blunk is certified with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). He is also a certified fire inspector, commercial building inspector and plans examiner by the International Code Council. He earned bachelor’s degrees in architecture and science in environmental design from Ball State University and since has served as an architect or project manager on 150 projects across 34 years in the industry.

Email the Plan Review Section

Julie Q. Smith serves as the director of the Office of School Safety, a new office established under IDHS in July 2025.

After graduating with honors with a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Indiana State University, Smith dedicated over 20 years to law enforcement with the Columbus Police Department. In the 11 years leading up to her time as director of the Office of School Safety, she served as both a school resource officer and division supervisor. Smith also served as president of the Indiana School Resource Officers Association. She has provided specialized training in behavioral threat assessment, school law, adolescent mental health, emergency operations, special education, de-escalation techniques, armed assailant response, and more.

Email the Office of School Safety

Bio coming soon.

Email the Public Affairs Section

Joel Thacker serves as the Director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Cybersecurity.

Thacker brings decades of public service experience that make him well positioned for this role. His background includes serving as Executive Director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), Indiana State Fire Marshal and most recently, Fire Chief for the City of Carmel. Throughout his career, Thacker has worked closely with state and local partners to address emerging risks, strengthen preparedness and protect Hoosiers.

His leadership has helped advance statewide initiatives, strengthening emergency response capabilities and secure critical investments in preparedness, training and public safety resources.

Thacker holds a bachelor's degree in business from Indiana Wesleyan and a master's degree in Criminal Justice/Public Safety from Indiana University.

Email the Public Affairs Section