MONUMENTAL TALKS 2026 – Speakers

Larry Collins

Larry Collins is currently assigned as Deputy Chief, Special Operations & Hazardous Materials Section, for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Fire and Rescue Division (since November 2016), which includes responsibility as the Cal OES Urban Search & Rescue (US&R), Swiftwater-Flood Rescue, and Haz Mat program manager, respectively, and support/coordination for development of the California Maritime Mutual Aid System.

In that capacity, he helps ensure appropriate coordination, communication, collaboration, planning, program development and budgeting, and operational support to the California Fire & Rescue Mutual Aid System for statewide major emergencies and disasters. That includes California’s support and coordination relative to 8 California/FEMA US&R Task Forces, 10 California Regional US&R Task Forces, 13 Cal OES Swiftwater-Flood S&R Teams,12 Type I Cal OES Haz Mat Response Teams, integration with the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) of training and mobilization support for the US&R, Swiftwater-Flood, and Maritime disciplines; representing Cal OES at FIRESCOPE subcommittees (Technical Search & Rescue, Maritime, Haz Mat) and multiple state work groups.

On-scene emergency deployments for Cal OES have included the 2017 Oroville Dam emergency, the 2018 Montecito mud & debris flow disaster, Camp Fire post-conflagration secondary for incinerated human remains (the largest search operation in California history and a new paradigm for US&R Task Forces), 2020 Puerto Rico earthquake; 2020 Porterville Library LODD fire and collapse; 2020 North Complex Fire (post-conflagration human remains search), Ridgecrest Earthquake disaster; 2023 Lahaina (Maui) post-conflagration human remains search, 2023 Ferndale Earthquake, 2023 massive flooding and the Snow Fall disaster in Mammoth Lakes during the unprecedented series of 30 atmospheric river storms; 2024 Borel Fire (post-conflagration human remains search), 2025 Eaton and Palisades fire disasters in Los Angeles County (post-conflagration secondary search), the deadly 2025 Esparto fireworks storage/factory explosions; 2026 Haz Mat near-catastrophe in Garden Grove; and others.

Prior to his Cal OES position, Collins served in all ranks to battalion chief in the Los Angeles County Fire Department from 1980 to 2016. As a fire captain Collins assigned first to a busy engine company, then to a specialized Rescue/US&R fire station for 19 years, in one of the most active fire department Rescue/USAR units in the nation, responding to daily technical rescues and multi-alarm fires across a response area that encompasses more than 2,000 square miles with a population of millions of people in some of the most diverse terrain and living, working, and recreation conditions in the United States.

He spent 16 years as in various positions up to operations chief on the federal USAR Incident Support Teams to help coordinate federal rescue operations, with deployments to the Oklahoma City bombing, the 9-11 Pentagon collapse, Hurricanes Sandy, Irene, Frances, Ivan, Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Gustav, Ike, Dolly, Earl, and others;and several National Security Events like the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the Democratic National Convention.

Collins helped establish the Los Angeles County Fire Department swiftwater rescue systems, water rescue teams, urban search and rescue systems and teams, specialized rescue programs including helo/high rise teams, helo/swiftwater rescue teams, rapid intervention protocols, earthquake preparedness programs, multi-agency water rescue plans, tsunami response plans, and years of next-generation research and development on science, technology, and their use in emergency planning and response.

He sits on the Southern California Shakeout advisory group, the Earthquake Country Alliance advisory group, the Los Angeles County Tsunami Committee, the Multi-Agency Earthquake Task Force for Los Angeles County, and other advisory positions. Over the past three decades, he has authored dozens of cutting edge articles and cases studies, as well as the textbook series Technical Rescue Operations, the Rescue chapter of The Fire Chiefs Handbook, and the Support of Rescue Operations chapter of Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II.

Collins is a believer in the power of all of us passing along the hard-fought lessons we learn every day. He now lives in Northern California, with his lovely wife Tracy and four children, now all in university or having graduated.

Josh Elliott

Josh Elliott was raised in Washington State on the east side of the cascade mountain range in the desert city of Yakima. He attended A.C. Davis High School and graduated in the year 2000. After graduation he attended Yakima Valley Community College where he took business classes at Perry Technical Institute where he studied telecommunications. In 2002, Josh left his home town to become a recruit in the United States Marine Corps. He spent 10 years as a Marine Combat Engineer (1371), and served all around the globe. His services included non-combat tours in Japan, Korea, Philippines, Egypt and Australia; as well as combat tours in Iraq with First Combat Engineer Battalion and Afghanistan with Second Combat Engineer Battalion. On April 18, 2011 Sgt. Elliott was wounded in action while conducting route clearing operations. An improvised explosive device (IED) had been hidden on the rooftop of a building by a foreign enemy. The device was intended to kill Sgt. Elliott that day, and had it not been for the incredible efforts, and skills, of highly trained Marines, and a Navy Corpsman, the enemy would have succeeded. Josh sustained injuries that included the bi-lateral above the knee amputation of both legs, three fingers amputated on his left hand, and multiple internal and external shrapnel wounds and scarring. Josh claims, “I’m only alive today by the grace of God, and the support of others.”

Sgt. Elliott retired from the Marine Corps, in November of 2012, to pursue a new life goal. He longed for a new, and still challenging, way to represent the country he so loves. Prior to his service in the Marines Josh began snowboarding in high school. A sport he continued recreationally during his time as a Marine. After his injury in Afghanistan, he learned he could no longer snowboard the way he had previously. This led him to Disabled Sports USA, who taught him a new way to enjoy the recreation he so loved using an adaptive piece of equipment called a sit ski (or mono-ski). Josh adapted to this new sport quickly, and was recognized by a Paralympic development program from Aspen, Colorado. He progressed from recreational skiing to a professional sport in adaptive alpine skiing. Sgt. Josh Elliott participated and medaled in events during the North Americas Cup, Europa Cup, and IPCAS Races. After seven years of training and racing Josh reached his goal and represented his country at the 2018 Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Josh met his amazingly supportive wife Samantha in high school, however, it was not until years later, while stationed together on separate duties in Iwakuni, Japan, that they began to have a more romantic relationship. Samantha served five years in the United States Navy with Naval Mobil Construction Battalion Five (NMCB-5). Josh and Sam were married on December 31, 2004. She has supported Josh as a Marine, given encouragement through a life changing injury, and cheered at his side through the many years of training for the Paralympic games. Recently, Samantha has graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with a double major in Christian Ministries and Biblical Studies. She is now the associate pastor of New Hope Community Church of the Nazarene.

Most recently, Josh has enlisted in a clinical trials program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for an elective surgery called Osseointegration. This FDA class III, highest risk category, study will spearhead the way for amputees across the country to find a better way to walk with prosthetics. Josh’s new goal, like his history, is to lead his peers by example, represent this nation with honor, and inspire others to persue an effective life.

Dan Matthews

Captain Dan Matthews is a former U.S. Air Force Command Pilot, and retired Senior Captain, Instructor and Examiner for Northwest Airlines, flying the Boeing 747-400 aircraft. He also served for nine years as a Consultant and Contract Pilot in Pilot Training and Development for Boeing.

CAPTAIN DAN has more than 24,000 flight hours and flew in two wars, both Viet Nam and Operation Desert Storm, while in the Air Force, retiring after 22 years, as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Jan and Dan have been married for 53 years and have four children and 13 grandchildren. They both were born and raised in Seattle, attending Shorecrest High School. Dan Graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 1972 and Golden Gate University in 1978 with a Masters in Public Administration.

Dan was actively flying and instructing at Northwest Airlines when 9/11 occurred and brings us a very up-close and personal, as well as professional, perspective of that fateful day.

Steve McLaughlin

Steve McLaughlin served 25 years in the United States Navy, including command-at-sea, and in a variety of training and foreign policy assignments. Steve was also a qualified Special Warfare Combat Crew, having served as Operations/Training Officer in two Special Boat Units. In the commercial sector, Steve serves as the Manager of Operations for Sound & Sea Systems LLC where he works in the design and deployment of both security and environmental monitoring systems. Many of the projects he successfully completed include, critical infrastructure protection of military and commercial ports, and designing security systems for commercial power facilities in the United States and globally. He assisted scientists from University of Washington in deploying a system in the Haro Strait to monitor Orca movement patterns. He is currently engaged in numerous projects in Alaska to enhance domain awareness in remote villages and facilities across the State. Steve is a qualified Incident Commander with substantial experience in emergency management, crisis response, and incident command. He taught the FEMA senior Incident Command Courses for 13 years, training over 3,000 first responders in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. He also commanded incidents and events of national significance, including wildfires and wildfire recovery, flood response, and major high profile military events.

Steve is the author of papers on port security assessment processes and on vessel protection in ports and harbors. Steve holds a B.S. in Biology from University of Oregon, a PSC in International Affairs from the Royal Naval College Greenwich UK, and he earned a Master of Arts (with distinction) in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College. He was born and he lives in Washington State.

Don Schwab – President Everett City Council / District 3

Don Schwab is a retired Division Chief with the Everett Fire Department, labor advocate, former Snohomish County Deputy Treasurer, Safety Specialist, and dedicated community leader who currently serves as President of the Everett City Council. Throughout his career in public service, he prioritized firefighters and public safety, responsible economic growth, affordable housing, sustainable infrastructure, and meaningful neighborhood engagement. Recognized for his commitment to listening, collaboration, and effective action, Don remains focused on advancing a safer, stronger, and more connected Everett.

Jeff Swan

Hello, my name is Jeff Swan. The founder of The ROCK 22. I joined the US Navy, Oct 1993 and was on active duty as a Boatswain Mate on the USS Scott (DDG 995). When my enlistment was up, I got out and came back to Washington State where I started with Washington State Dept. of Corrections- still there. In 2004 I went back into the US Navy as Master at Arms (Military Police)- Reservist. In 2008 I was deployed to Bagram Afghanistan, working in the Bagram Theater Interment Facility (BTIF). The BTIF was a prison for AL Qaeda and Taliban insurgents that were detained from the battlefield, often for interrogation or security reasons. We would have up to 600 detainees there at one time. I oversaw a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) of up to 15-17 service members that maintained the safety and security of the facility.

In 2012 one of my closest friends, from the deployment, said to that he was done with everything and was going to kill himself. After that, that is when I started to have a passion to help out other veterans dealing with this issue. A couple years ago, God brought it to me heart to start this group up. Along with Ray Lockman we started The ROCK 22 -Veterans Supporting Veterans. The ROCK 22 organization has recently had the opportunity of combining with Venture Vets. Now, in addition to helping those with PTSD and related problems, we can also assist veterans that have issues associated with coming back from deployment, reintegrating with loved ones and dealing with normal day-to-day activities. You can contact us at: venturevets.org.