William Ryan Anderson

Dr. William R. Anderson began his firefighting and EMS career in 1995 and retired in 2024 from an urban career department in northern Ohio, achieving the rank of Assistant Chief. He returned to the fire service in February 2026 as the first assistant chief of the new Millcreek Township (PA) Fire Department and recently returned to Ohio as fire chief for the City of Conneaut.

Chief Anderson earned his undergraduate degree in 2014 from Anna Maria College, his master’s in public administration in 2018 from Grand Canyon University, became a credentialed Chief Fire Officer (CFO) from the Center for Public Safety Excellence in 2021, and earned his Doctor of Strategic Leadership in 2024 from Liberty University. He remains a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association (OFCA).

Chief Anderson has devoted over a decade to better understanding behavioral health issues affecting first responders. This work produced qualitative research involving fire and EMS chiefs who lead organizations despite operational, financial, and societal limitations that can impede leadership and potentially contribute to harmful organizational consequences. In his attempt to pay it forward and continue serving the fire/EMS industry, Chief Anderson wants to raise awareness of how burnout among fire and EMS chiefs can be recognized, managed, and used to improve strategic leadership.

He is the owner of In Command Consulting, LLC, where he specializes in departmental studies, grant writing, strategic planning, and leadership research. His grant writing has garnered nearly $22M for personnel, vehicles, and equipment for clients across five states. He also serves as the lead instructor for the Fire Officer 4 course at Bowling Green State University and has joined forces with Resource Management Consultants, LLC to provide a leadership development series for fire and EMS chiefs focusing on strategic leader burnout.