Who We Are
While the federal Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission completed its congressionally-mandated period of service in March 2024, the opportunity to advance Commission recommendations continues. Using the Commission report as a common playbook to achieve meaningful and lasting change in wildfire policy, the Alliance for Wildfire Resilience (AWR) brings deep institutional knowledge of the Commission process and deliberations to operationalize recommendations. Our mission is to foster partnerships to pursue policy changes to reduce the long-term consequences of wildfires in the United States. We work with partners, policymakers, and thought leaders from across multiple sectors to advance holistic solutions and comprehensive legislation to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfires.
Tyson Bertone-Riggs
Tyson Bertone-Riggs has a diverse background in forest policy and conservation work with both field experience and policy expertise. Along with Annie Schmidt, he served as the staff co-lead for the congressionally chartered Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. Tyson’s past experience includes five years with the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition as Executive Director and Policy Manager where he was responsible for coalition development, management, and political strategy. Tyson also brings experience working for state and federal forestry agencies, as well as having worked on state and local elections and in the U.S. Senate.
Annie Schmidt
Annie Schmidt has worked with wildfire response, resilient landscapes, and fire adapted communities for over 20 years. Along with Tyson Bertone-Riggs, she served as the staff co-lead for the congressionally chartered Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. Her past experience includes management of a community-based wildfire resilience organization as well as development of the wildland fire strategic plan and a legislatively-mandated report on wildfire for Washington State. Annie previously served as the Director of Policy and Partnership for the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network where she supported communities working toward wildfire resilience across the nation.
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AWR is a collaboration of AWR Research and AWR Action. AWR Research, a fiscally sponsored project of the 501c3 Resources Legacy Fund, provides public education regarding the mission and recommendations of the Commission, as well as nonpartisan research, analysis, and public education on additional policy solutions to America’s worsening wildland fire crisis. AWR Action, a fiscally sponsored project of the 501c4 Fund for a Better Future, advocates for wildfire policy reforms through coalition building, strategic communications, and engagement with decisionmakers.