Behind The Shield

Dave Gallagher began his fire service career when he listened to his Dad’s fire stories and stories about his grandfather who served in the days of the horses. He joined his local volunteer fire department in 1976 as a FF/PM after spending two years as a founding member of a Fire/Rescue Explorer Post in Montgomery County Ohio. Soon after he was hired by the Fairborn, Ohio FD, where he spent a year, but then was hired by the Wayne Twp FD in 1979, which became the Huber Heights Fire Division. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1982, and during his time there served as a HazMat Technician and Training Officer. His journey also saw him brought on as an instructor and advisory board member to FDIC and instructor for Firehouse Magazine in the mid-nineties. He traveled the country with some of the biggest names of the Fire Service and learned tremendously in their presence and has done his best to pass the lessons along. In 2004 he was retired due to LODI, but continued to instruct with On Scene Training Associates and several other groups including working with Affordable Drill Towers. He moved to just outside of Worcester, Massachusetts, and began working at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in 2014. He also joined one of the elite firefighting training groups, the New England FOOLs chapter, where he is a Life Member, and had the honor to be an instructor for the Joey D Foundation conferences in NY and TX. In 2020 he and his wife Sue moved to St Lucie County in Florida where he also helped out at several of the Treasure Coast FOOLs trainings. He has been a featured speaker on podcasts and has written articles for Fire Service magazines.

Stefi has an extensive list of achievements in the athletic field but she is also very well accomplished in the academic field. Not only is Stefi a multiple world record holding powerlifter, she is also an exercise physiologist and doctor of physical therapy. In Olympic Weightlifting Stefi was the Florida senior state gold medalist (2015). Illinois senior state gold medalist and record holder (2015). In Powerlifting Stefi is the current all-time world record holder in squat, deadlift and total, she has 11 total all time world records so far in her career and is the #1 123lb Powerlifter in the world. Prior to strength sports Stefi was an accomplished NCAA (D1) Soccer Player for San Diego State 2009-10, she was also a member of the U17 Venezuelan National Soccer Team 2006-09.

Jason “Jay” Cheney, is a 18-year Air Force veteran and former police officer of 12 years who spent over two decades serving his community and his country — including seven years on a SWAT team. Jay’s been on both sides of the badge: the one that serves and the one that struggles. After hitting rock bottom and finding his way back through faith, fitness, and purpose, he’s here to share what he wishes every officer knew about mental health, resilience, and the power of asking for help. https://www.instagram.com/jason_gpnvgs/

Sean Evangelista is a former Tier One Navy SEAL and the founder of "30 Seconds Out". We discuss his traumatic childhood, going through the "Scared Straight" program, climbing, his journey into the Navy, his perspective on war, his transition story, mountaineering, Ski Patrol, entrepreneurship, post traumatic growth and so much more. After retiring from 20 years in the military, Sean (aka E-Van), left Virginia Beach and headed straight to the Rocky Mountains in Idaho to start a new life in 2013. He taught himself how to ski with the help of some friends then worked as a pro ski patroller for three years. He kicked off Thirty Seconds Out in 2014. When asked what he does for a living, he tells people that he sells t-shirts on the internet but it's so much more than that. He's kind of shy, oddly. These days, you can find our original designs on firefighters and first responders around the world, special ops teams from dozens of nations, Formula race car drivers, strength athletes, climbers, investment bankers in Manhattan, machines on GM factory floors, and even kids just out riding their bikes in the dirt.Sean learned a ton of lessons during his time in service. Specifically, working in small teams and doing dicey work with high consequences. He found these lessons to be universally beneficial and not confined to the world of the military and wanted to share them with whoever out there was interested, through the medium of art and design. Authenticity, fearlessness, critical thinking, integrity, bettering ourselves and the world around us are Evan’s essential values. He cares for his employees like family and values his customers like close friends. When not working on his business, Sean is constantly learning, consuming books and podcasts like mad. He is working his way up the overhanging ladder of becoming a certified mountain guide one day and is an avid rock and ice climber, loves skiing, trail running, traveling and spending time with his wife, Tamra. https://www.instagram.com/thirtysecondsout/?hl=en

Richard “DOC” Sprunger is a former U.S. Navy SEAL who served 14 years with five deployments and later spent 24 years as a Firefighter/Paramedic. Across nearly four decades of service, Richard experienced combat, traumatic emergency calls, significant injuries, loss, and the cumulative impact of a career spent running toward other people’s worst days. After losing nine friends and brothers to suicide over a four-year period, including six SEALs and two firefighters, he began confronting the cost that years of trauma, compartmentalization, and emotional armor had taken on his own life and relationships. That journey led Richard deep into his own healing and ultimately into the work he does today. His training includes Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Critical Incident Stress Management and Debriefing, trauma-informed somatic practices, and transgenerational trauma. He is an ICF Level 1 trained coach, Certified Master Life Coach, Certified John Maxwell Coach, Speaker, Trainer and Mentor, Insight Coaching Community Certified Coach, and a certified CISM/CISD practitioner and facilitator. Today, Richard is a men’s and relationship coach, life strategist, speaker, and corporate trainer who works primarily with men who look successful on paper but feel lost, disconnected, or stuck on the inside. He helps military members, veterans, first responders, leaders, husbands, fathers, and high-performing men gain clarity, understand the experiences and patterns shaping their lives, strengthen their relationships, and intentionally become the men they want to be. His mission is simple: to save lives and deepen relationships, one person, one conversation at a time. https://www.kaizenmasterygroup.com/