Executive Staff
IDHS Executive Team
- Executive Director - Joel Thacker
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb appointed Joel Thacker as executive director in June 2022. He served as Indiana State Fire Marshal from 2020 to 2022. Thacker began his career as a first responder in 1992 as an EMT and volunteer firefighter in central Indiana. Five years later, he became a career firefighter serving in Brownsburg and then Johnson County's White River Township. Thacker served in Brownsburg as assistant chief before moving to Plainfield in 2015 to become division chief of fire prevention and administration. He was sworn in as Plainfield fire chief in 2017.
Thacker earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University and a master's degree in criminal justice and public safety from IUPUI.
- Director for Administrative Services - Elliot Anderson
Elliot Anderson joined IDHS in 2020 as deputy general counsel and became deputy director for administrative services in 2021. Before IDHS, Anderson spent more than a decade as a practicing attorney representing public safety, building services, administration and finance departments.
Anderson is a native Iowan and graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor's degree in history. He earned his law degree from Indiana University. When not at work, Anderson is usually trying to wrangle his toddler and spending time outdoors. He also enjoys the occasional round of golf and frequent family trips to the zoo.
- State Fire Marshal, Director of Fire & Building Safety - Vacant
Vacant.
- State Building Commissioner - Craig Burgess
In 2017, Governor Eric J. Holcomb appointed Craig Burgess as the State Building Commissioner, part of IDHS. Before becoming the building commissioner, Burgess held positions as the Plan Review Section Chief, which helped him become familiar with Indiana building codes and how they are applied. He is a registered architect, holds certifications from the International Code Council and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and is a LEED-accredited design professional. With more than 30 years of architectural experience, he strives every day to help make sure Indiana's buildings, elevators, amusement rides, boilers and pressure vessels are safe for Hoosiers.
In his free time, Burgess can be found listening to and playing music. He can play around 30 songs on the banjo, guitar and piano. Outside of the rare and occasional jam sessions at Arthur's Music, playing instruments is reserved for only him. He can also be found cycling, reading and occasionally woodworking. Burgess has created a few wooden decorative and storage pieces for his relatives, friends and personal home.
- State Emergency Medical Services Director - Kraig Kinney
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 was designated as the section head for emergency medical services (EMS) in the Division of Fire and Building Safety. In that capacity, Kinney serves as the State EMS Director.
Kinney has 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 while attending college at DePauw University in 1991. 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.
- Director of Public Affairs - David Hosick
David Hosick serves as the Director of Public Affairs for IDHS. An Illinois native turned Indiana resident, he spent nearly a decade working for the Evansville Courier & Press and covered everything from crime to courts, to government and the many bizarre oddities across southern Indiana. Highlights during that time include media flights with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels as well as the Flying Fortress B-52. After moving to Indianapolis he worked at a local TV station before joining the public relations field. Since 2009, he has served in communication leadership roles for universities, financial corporations and now state government.
Hosick enjoys hiking and traveling with his wife Michelle and two kids, Rachel and Eli. Summers are often spent at the softball fields and sometimes the baseball fields, watching the St. Louis Cardinals. He also enjoys live music and learning of the history of musical genres, especially the blues.
- Chief Information Officer - Narendra (Dev) Nimmagadda
Narendra "Dev" Nimmagadda serves as the Chief Information Officer for IDHS and is responsible for the technology platforms and data sets used by the employees and the general public. His team guides the strategic development and enhancements of the customer-facing interfaces between IDHS and the public safety community, including the Indiana Public Safety Portal and the Acadis statewide training resource. With a history of application development and data architecture, Nimmagadda brings a wealth of experience to the agency. His work background includes extensive experience in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, retail, aviation, gaming, healthcare and now government. When not developing applications or fixing user issues, Nimmagadda enjoys traveling the world with his family.
- Chief Financial Officer - Adam Thiemann
Adam Thiemann serves as the chief financial officer for IDHS. He is responsible for all finance and administrative operations, which involves managing the agency's more than $37 million budget to ensure it is spent in accordance with state and federal regulations. He also guides solutions to helping IDHS reach its goals and the goals of the state. A graduate of Indiana State University, Thiemann has been a state government employee since 2011. He has held positions with the Indiana Department of Administration, Department of Corrections and the State Budget Agency. This experience helped him better understand the legislative process, budget development and day-to-day management of business office operations.
Thiemann and his wife, Lottie, have four sons, reside in Morgan County and are ministry partners at Grace Church in Camby, Ind. He enjoys playing golf, camping and hiking, especially at the Indiana state parks.
- 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.
- General Counsel - 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.
- Chief Fire Investigator - Clayton Kinder
Clayton Kinder joined IDHS in 2008 as a fire and explosion investigator and became the chief fire investigator in 2017. In 2020 the fire investigations and hazardous materials sections were merged, and Kinder now manages the fire investigations and hazardous materials and radiation programs. Before IDHS, Kinder served as a firefighter, a role he continues as a volunteer.
Kinder is a native Hoosier and graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor's degree in fire and safety engineering technology. His study concentration was fire, arson and explosion investigation. He is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, holds several fire and explosion investigation certifications and is a law enforcement instructor and firearms instructor. When not at work, Kinder enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters and boating on the Ohio River.
- State Medical Director of Emergency Medical Services - Dr. Eric Yazel
Dr. Eric Yazel was appointed as the state medical director of EMS in May 2022. Dr. Yazel has a rich history of public health experience, including leadership positions with health systems, hospitals, emergency medicine and more. Prior to joining IDHS, he was the Clark County health officer.
Dr. Yazel is a graduate of Ball State University, Indiana University and the University of Louisville School of Medicine.