A new program will put boots on the ground – and in the hands of fire fighters – to support the IAFF’s partnership with the MDA.
General President Edward Kelly appointed 12 members to serve as MDA District Coordinators, tasked with revitalizing the Fill the Boot program, strengthening the IAFF-MDA partnership, and championing MDA’s mission at conventions and events across the country.
Each coordinator will serve as a vital link between Locals, MDA staff, and IAFF leadership. They are:
District 1: Timothy Carroll – Hackensack, NJ Local 2081
District 2: Rob Andersen – Omaha, NE Local 385
District 3: Jared Bowden – Bangor, ME Local 772
District 4: Thomas Kane – Philadelphia, PA Local 22
District 5: Cody Thornberg – Roseville, MN Local 5051
District 7: Katelyn Sanders – Anchorage, AK Local 1264
District 8: Tyler Scott – Galesburg, IL Local 555
District 9: Chandler Martinez – Frederick-Firestone, CO Local 4123
District 10: Angel Mota – Roseville, CA Local 1592
District 11: Thomas Cruz – Corpus Christi, TX Local 936
District 12: Jennifer Kleier – Palm Beach County, FL Local 2928
District 14: Joshua Lackey – Nashville, TN Local 140
The launch of the District Coordinator program comes at a pivotal time, as MDA celebrates its 75th anniversary and Fill the Boot campaigns ramp up across the United States. Since fire fighters first took to the streets in 1952 to raise money for children in need of wheelchairs, the IAFF has raised more than $700 million for MDA.
Thanks to the support from the IAFF, the MDA has funded research that has led to FDA approval for 25 new treatments for a variety of neuromuscular conditions. This funding also bolsters the MDA Care Center network alongside other educational, recreational, and community programs across the U.S. In 2023, it helped send 815 campers to MDA summer camp, sponsor four MDA Engage Symposiums, and support 29 new research grants.
Now, with this new initiative in place, efforts are focused on rebuilding momentum and restoring the strong fundraising levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When fire fighters work together to fight neuromuscular disease, we can make a difference and provide hope for countless families,” Kelly said. “I am confident our District Coordinators will help the IAFF make a meaningful difference and ensure every one of our efforts brings us closer to the goal of finding a cure.”
When fire fighters work together to fight neuromuscular disease, we can make a difference and provide hope for countless families. I am confident our District Coordinators will help the IAFF make a meaningful difference and ensure every one of our efforts brings us closer to the goal of finding a cure.
IAFF General President Edward Kelly
More than 1,500 Fill the Boot campaigns have been planned nationwide in 2025, all focused on accelerating research and care for people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other neuromuscular diseases.
Over time, this work has taken on even greater significance as fire fighters are now diagnosed with ALS at twice the rate of the general population, an urgent reminder of why this partnership matters.
IAFF members are at the heart of this mission and are encouraged to participate, whether by organizing a Fill the Boot campaign or by supporting your newly appointed District Coordinator.
“I am thrilled to welcome this incredible team of IAFF firefighters as MDA District Coordinators. I look forward to the dedication and passion they are going to bring to strengthen our partnership, revitalize our Fill the Boot program, and continue to make a tangible difference in the lives of those we have been serving for over 70 years: MDA families,” IAFF- MDA Coordinator Roger Lopez said.
To learn more about the relationship between the IAFF and the MDA, check out this short video from our 57th Convention in Boston.
You can donate to the 2025 IAFF Fill the Boot Campaign here.
