Executive Staff
IDHS Executive Team
- Executive Director - Joel Thacker
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb appointed Joel Thacker as executive director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security in June 2022. He served as Indiana State Fire Marshal from 2020 to 2022. He has completed 30 years in public service and served as fire chief with the Plainfield Fire Territory before his appointment to State Fire Marshal.
A Center Grove graduate, born and raised in White River Township, Thacker started his path in public service as an explorer with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. He became a volunteer with the White River Township Fire Department and spent 20 years with the organization.
Thacker is a licensed paramedic and holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University and a master's degree in criminal justice and public safety from Indiana University. He is married to Julie, an elementary school principal, and they have two children, Elaina and Aidan.
- State Fire Marshal - Steve Jones
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.
- Director of Emergency Management - Mary Moran
Mary Moran has extensive experience in disaster response and recovery, earned from 21 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.
- State Building Commissioner - Vacant
The Indiana State Building Commissioner is appointed by the governor and oversees the Building Plan Review Section and Code Services Section. The position is currently vacant.
- Chief of Staff - Jonathan Whitham
An Indiana native and Hoosier for life, Jonathan 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.
Whitham joined IDHS in 2014 as the general counsel and legislative director after practicing law in the private sector for five years. He enjoys running, spending time with family and thinking of ways to make Indiana a better place to live, work and play. Oh, and deep dish pizza.