Wildfire veterans join TRU to teach next generation of crisis communicators
Three of British Columbia’s (B.C.) most experienced wildfire communications professionals are bringing their expertise to Thompson Rivers University (TRU) this fall.
Mike McCulley, Kevin Skrepnek and Kayla Pepper — each with years of service at the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) — will lead TRU’s Wildfire Communications and Media Certificate. The teaching appointments were announced last week.
Between them, the three have managed public messaging during some of the province’s most challenging wildfire seasons, guiding communities and the media through fast-changing events where clear information can often mean the difference between safety and danger for residents.
McCulley has spent nearly three decades in wildfire operations and program development and recently started a new role with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
“In my 25 years working for the BC Wildfire Service, I have been deployed to many communities and nations across B.C. and beyond that have been impacted by wildfires,” said McCulley.
“It is a great honour to be able to support the people of B.C. by providing timely engagement and communications, and I am very excited to share my learnings and experiences with existing and future wildfire professionals.”
Skrepnek served as BCWS’s Chief Fire Information Officer from 2014 to 2020, acting as the public spokesperson during wildfire emergencies. In 2017, he guided communications through one of B.C.’s most extreme wildfire seasons, which resulted in the evacuation of more than 65,000 people and necessitated a province-wide state of emergency lasting 10 weeks — the longest in B.C. history at the time. Since leaving BCWS in early 2020, Skrepnek has led the emergency management program for the Thompon-Nicola Regional District, one of the BC’s most active wildfires areas.
“We are at a critical point in this province, and across the country, in terms of how we communicate during wildfire emergencies,” said Skrepnek.
“The expectations of the public have never been higher, our emergencies have never been so complex, and our climate – both environmental and social – has never been so challenging. TRU’s efforts in bringing this certificate together will be instrumental in preparing us for what is ahead.”
Pepper served as a Fire Information Officer for the BC Wildfire Service’s Kamloops Fire Centre and brings over 15 years of both executive and operational-level experience in emergency management. As a former BC Wildfire Communications Specialist and Type 1 Information Officer, she acted as the face of the organization during crisis events, leading field-level communications and providing timely, trusted information to community leaders, the public and media. Pepper is passionate about advancing culturally safe communication strategies and creating space for meaningful engagement across all phases of emergency management.
“In my class, students will learn to lead themselves first, so they can communicate with clarity, build trust and guide others through their most challenging moments,” she said. “Ultimately, it’s about shaping leaders who can respond with compassion, strengthen relationships and do so without burning themselves out in the process.”
The Wildfire Communication and Media Certificate was announced earlier this year. TRU’s efforts to bring in instructors with deep frontline experience mark a significant next step. These instructors will do more than teach theory; they will bring real-world lessons from the field, sharing practical tools, real-world strategies and stories that come from years of experience.
Registration is now open. More information is available on the TRU Wildfire website.