Diablo Firesafe Council Announces New Executive Director

Diablo Firesafe Council is proud to announce the hiring of Holly Million as our new executive director. Holly brings deep knowledge of nonprofit management, fundraising, communications, and partnership-building to this role, having worked as an executive director, director of development, fundraising consultant, and board member for scores of organizations throughout her career. In her first week, Holly toured the Park Ridge neighborhood in Alameda County with residents who had applied to participate in the DFSC Partners in Wildfire Prevention cost-sharing program. Local neighbors, the fire marshall, retiring Diablo Executive Director Cheryl Miller, and Holly toured the neighborhood to help residents form their plans to use the funds to reduce fuel loads and reduce fire risk. Holly is an an 18-year resident of the Wildlife-Urban Interface (WUI) and says "I know DFSC's work is critical for public safety, especially as climate change worsens dry conditions and creates increased fire risks. I'm thrilled to step into this leadership position to help more residents in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties take action for fire safety."

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Diablo Firesafe Council (DFSC) is proud to announce the hiring of Holly Million as our new Executive Director replacing outgoing, long-time E.D. Cheryl Miller as she moves into retirement following a very successful run building our organization. A passionate 32-year veteran of the nonprofit world, Holly brings deep knowledge of nonprofit management, fundraising, communications, and partnership-building to this role, having worked as an executive director, director of development, fundraising consultant, and board member for scores of organizations throughout her career.

Holly says, "As an 18-year resident of Oakland, living in the Wildland-Urban Interface, I understand the importance of DFSC. Several years ago, a large brush fire fanned by extremely high winds sent burning embers flying into the neighborhood where I live. Fortunately, years of dedicated public education and mandatory local requirements to create defensible space and harden properties against fire risk prevented the fire from spreading to my neighborhood. I know DFSC's work is critical for public safety, especially as climate change worsens dry conditions and creates increased fire risks. I'm thrilled to step into this leadership position to help more residents in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties take action for fire safety."

The DFSC search committee selected Holly as the new executive director because of her strong background in nonprofit leadership, including extensive experience developing both contributed and earned income streams for many organizations and causes. Holly brings the full package of nonprofit skills to her new role, including fundraising, board management, partnership building, program delivery, communications, financial management, and public speaking. She has worked with organizations working at the local, state, national, and international levels and shines in a leadership role. In addition, Holly was also a professional documentary filmmaker and producer who raised money for and produced films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and other premiere festivals or that aired on HBO and other major broadcast outlets. She brings her creative communications knowledge and resourcefulness to this new role as well.

In her first week on the job, Holly toured the Park Ridge neighborhood in Alameda County with local residents who had applied to participate in the DFSC Partners in Wildfire Prevention cost-sharing program. Local neighbors, the local fire marshall and staff, Cheryl Miller, and Holly toured the neighborhood to help residents form their plan for how to use cost-share funds to reduce fuel loads in their neighborhoods and reduce fire risk.

"All residents of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties living in high fire-risk areas need to take action against wildfire dangers," Holly says. "I'm ready to advance DFSC's mission by being active in the community, meeting with residents, forging new partnerships, and raising DFSC's visibility even more."

For more information, email [email protected].

Media Contact

Rob Millis, Diablo Firesafe Council, 1 510-400-6767, [email protected], https://www.diablofiresafe.org

SOURCE Diablo Firesafe Council