Governance & Administration

Board of Governance

The VRFA’s Board of Governance consists of the Mayor and two council members from each participating City. This nine-member board serves as the legislative body, guiding and overseeing the VRFA, an independent municipal corporation.

Algona

A man with short gray hair, glasses, and a goatee is smiling at the camera, wearing a gray polo shirt and standing in front of a white textured wall.

Vice Chair Troy Linnell

Mayor of the City of Algona

A man with long gray hair, glasses, and a white beard wears a black shirt and a tie with an American flag pattern, standing against a plain light background.

Tim Fairley

City of Algona Councilmember

A middle-aged man with short gray hair wearing a light blue dress shirt and a patterned tie, posing against a neutral studio background.

Bill Thomas

City of Algona Councilmember

Auburn

A woman with curly brown hair, wearing a green top and a jeweled necklace, smiles while standing indoors in a well-lit hallway.

Chair Nancy Backus

Mayor of the City of Auburn

A woman wearing a white hijab with green and black dots and a black top smiles at the camera in an indoor setting at the Valley Regional Fire Authority.

Hanan Amer

City of Auburn Councilmember

Woman with blonde hair wearing a blue blazer and orange top stands outdoors, smiling. Blurred trees and colorful lights are in the background.

Tracy Taylor

City of Auburn Councilmember

Pacific

A man in a suit and tie smiles for a professional studio portrait against a dark blue background.

James "Vic" Kave

Mayor of the City of Pacific

Man with short brown hair and goatee wearing a black polo shirt, standing outdoors with a blurred background.

Eric Petersen

City of Pacific Councilmember

An older man with gray hair, glasses, and a beard is wearing a gray sweater and posing against a solid blue background.

Kerry Garberding

City of Pacific Councilmember

Administration

Fire Chief in Class A unifrom smiling in front of an american flag.

Tim Day

Fire Chief / Administrator

Tim Day serves as the Fire Chief and Administrator for the Valley Regional Fire Authority (VRFA), a role he assumed on July 1, 2026, following his appointment by the VRFA Board of Governance. As Fire Chief, Day is responsible for the daily operations and strategic direction of the organization. He ensures the agency remains aligned with its mission, vision, and values while guiding staff toward the successful execution of the VRFA’s strategic goals.

Tim began his fire service career with the City of Auburn in 1996. During his initial 20 years at the City of Auburn and VRFA, Tim worked in multiple operational and administrative roles as a firefighter, Captain, and Battalion Chief, and served as Deputy Chief of Technical Services from 2015 to 2017. Tim then left the VRFA in 2017 for the City of Kirkland where he served as Deputy Chief of Operations for five years before rejoining the VRFA in April 2022. Throughout his career at VRFA and Kirkland, Tim has worked on multiple local and regional committees. Tim has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, a Masters of Public Administration from Seattle University, and completed the Executive Fire Officer Program from the National Fire Academy. Outside of work, Tim enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters.

A man in a formal firefighter uniform stands before an American flag, representing Governance Administration as he poses for a professional portrait against a dark background.

Steve Zehnder

Deputy Chief of Operations

Steve Zehnder serves as the Deputy Chief of Operations. In this role, he collaborates with the shift Battalion Chiefs to oversee daily emergency response, preparation activities, and training for the Fire Authority. Zehnder began his career as a firefighter in 1999 with the Auburn Fire Department, now known as VRFA (Valley Regional Fire Authority). He worked as a firefighter for 11 years, serving 8 years as a Medical Program Specialist. He became a shift Captain for 11 years and a shift Battalion Chief for 3.5 years. Most recently, Steve served as the Battalion Chief in Support Services for approximately one year.

His committee involvement includes VRFA Safety, the Joint Apprentice Training Committee (JATC), Uniform Committee, Zone Three Wildland, Auto Extrication, and the Incident Support Team. Zehnder spent five years on VRFA’s Wildland Team and managed the Wildland program as a shift Battalion Chief. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, an Associate of Arts in Fire Science, and an Associate of Arts in Fire Officer degrees.

A man in a formal fire department dress uniform stands in front of an American flag, facing the camera with a neutral expression, exemplifying the professionalism and dedication essential to effective Governance Administration.

Jason Herman

Deputy Chief of Community Risk Reduction

Jason Herman is the Deputy Chief of Community Risk Reduction. Jason oversees Support Services, the Fire Marshal’s Office, Emergency Management, and Public Education and Information. Herman began his career as a firefighter in 1996 before joining the Auburn Fire Department in 1998. Over 16 years, he advanced from firefighter to shift Captain in 2014 and then to shift Battalion Chief in 2022. Most recently, he served as Battalion Chief of Training for more than two years.

DC Herman has also contributed as a Training Division Captain, Recruit Academy Lead Instructor, and Recruit Academy Coordinator. Outside of his professional life, Herman enjoys building and wheeling Jeeps. In 2025, he co-founded Veterans Campfire and Off-Road Therapy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting military veterans, first responders, and nurses through outdoor recreation and peer connection.

A person in a maroon sweater and white collared shirt smiles in front of a U.S. flag and a dark background.

Mark Horaski

Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer Mark Horaski oversees the finance, human resources, information technology, risk management and administrative functions. Mr. Horaski began employment with the VRFA in 2007. He has over twenty five years of professional experience including several years of public accounting with a regional CPA firm, and public safety budget and finance oversight at the county level. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in business and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Washington. Mr. Horaski is an active member and past President of the Auburn Rotary.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a turquoise top and dangling earrings, smiles in front of a wooden door.

Sarah Borden

Human Resource Director

Human Resource Director Sarah Borden began working for the VRFA in 2014. She brings years of professional experience in both healthcare and government, having worked in a variety of specialty areas in the human resources field since 2003. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management.