Staff
Nicole Gladstone is a high-energy, mission-driven leader who has spent more than 20 years championing public safety, building strong community partnerships, and pushing organizations to achieve big, bold goals. As President & CEO of the MAAC Foundation, Nicole brings passion, strategy, and plenty of heart as she guides the Foundation’s vision, operations, and community programs that support world-class training for first responders.
With a Master’s degree in Emergency Management and a specialty in crisis communication, Nicole has built a career blending innovation, collaboration, and the ability to turn big ideas into real, measurable impact. She’s known for her “let’s get it done” spirit, leading high-performing teams, managing multimillion-dollar initiatives, and strengthening community resilience through thoughtful planning and action.
Her leadership journey has taken her through government, public safety, tourism, healthcare, and the private sector. She has held major roles including Vice President and Chief Communication Officer for the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, Vice President of Operations and Strategy at Mixdesign, and Public Information Officer for Brevard County. Whether she’s navigating a crisis, building a new program, or coordinating large-scale events, Nicole is recognized for bringing clarity, creativity, and calm to complex challenges.
Nicole’s superpower is people. She excels in building strong partnerships, uniting diverse stakeholders, and creating community-driven initiatives that have earned national media attention and made a lasting regional impact. Her work spans nonprofit governance, emergency management, public relations, strategic communications, grant development, and organizational growth.
Beyond her professional work, Nicole is a dedicated community advocate (and multi-tasking extraordinaire). She proudly serves as National Chairman of Heroes Helping Heroes and President of the Hebron Elementary PTO, and she remains an active volunteer with organizations such as PRSA, Tri Kappa, Second Wind Dreams, Habitat for Humanity, and public safety efforts including the Hebron Fire Department Auxiliary and Operation Charlie Bravo.
Nicole’s love for public safety is also woven into her home life. She is married to her husband Peter, a Marine veteran, teacher, and volunteer firefighter. Together they’re raising three amazing kids: Oliver, Josie, and Piper, who keep life lively, loud, and full of meaning.
Driven, collaborative, and endlessly passionate about serving others, Nicole continues to lead the MAAC Foundation forward as a place where community, innovation, and first responder excellence come together.
Ward Barnett currently serves as Academy Director at the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative (MAAC) Foundation. Prior to joining the MAAC Foundation,
Ward served in the USCG after graduating high school and was based at Air Station New Orleans as a Flight Mechanic / EMT. Upon completing his enlistment in 1982 he work with both a private ambulance and hospital based ambulance service while joining the Terrytown Volunteer Fire Department. He became a career firefighter with the New Orleans Fire Department and upon obtaining his associates degree in Fire Science from Delgado Community College in 1988 moved to Stillwater Oklahoma to work on his Bachelor’s Degree. He has spent the majority of his career working in various fire protection roles in industry for a Department of Energy Contractor a Semiconductor Facility before moving to Denver. He spent 15 years at the Denver Refinery in safety and fire protection roles while serving as the Refinery Fire Chief. He was also able to return to the municipal fire service as a member of the South Adams County Volunteer Fire Department that also covered the Refinery and served for 14 years retiring as an Assistant Chief. He moved to Indiana to work at the Refinery in Whiting Indiana in an expanded role before joining the MAAC.
Every role Ward has held has had training as a major component of his responsibility and he has assisted or worked on building various training facilities during his career. He believes a training center is never complete and should always be in a state of construction or improvement to meet the ever changing demands of its mission.
“We are fortunate to have Ward leading the efforts on the MAAC campus. His knowledge and expertise will ensure that this project comes to full fruition,” Founder Stewart McMillan said.
Ward earned his B.S. in 1992 from Oklahoma State University in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology.
Ward currently lives in Portage with his wife, Janet and has two daughters Jennifer and Patrice.
Peter Krivas is the Director of Marketing and Communications at the MAAC Foundation, serving in this role since 2024. He is a passionate storyteller and believer in the mission of the MAAC; building community awareness and support for the work that is done there to support first responders. With one EMT and three fire academies, countless departments visiting, hundreds of thousands of training hours, community classes, and large events like FRADD, there are amazing stories being told at the MAAC everyday.
Peter has a Bachelor's Degree in History from Indiana University with a Political Science Minor. The work of gathering, analyzing, and relating a variety of source materials into interesting (hopefully) written works helped to prepare Peter for his career in marketing. Previously, Peter has worked at Porter-Starke Service, Purdue University Northwest, Discovery Charter School, and other local media companies, with writings published in the NWI Times, Chicago Tribune and others.
Peter is originally from New Jersey, but now lives in Valparaiso with his wife Natalie, their daughter Elianna, and their three dogs Perry, Sammy, and Duncan. He has volunteered for Opportunities Enterprises, served on the board of the Valpo Creative Council, and graduated from the 2025 Valpo Chamber Leadership Academy. Peter enjoys reading, writing, history, gardening, nature photography, and is obsesses with the books and movies/tv shows about the Dune series and the Expanse series.
Carl Kurek is a lifelong Northwest Indiana resident and a 2011 graduate from Purdue University Northwest where he studied Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and Journalism and a minor in Marketing. His career has taken him from the managing editor at a local newspaper, to part of the marketing team for Lamar Advertising of Chicago, to Vice President of Development for Lakeshore Public Media, and now to the MAAC Foundation.
Jim Jaeger serves as EMS Program Coordinator at the MAAC Foundation, where he oversees the Emergency Medical Services curriculum offered on campus along with the CPR/AED/First Aid taught using American Heart Association standards and guidelines.
Before joining the MAAC Foundation, Jim spent over 30 years working as a First Responder. He originally served as a medic in the United States Army. Upon returning home to the Chicagoland area, he began his career as a Firefighter/Paramedic. In 2001, he was hired full-time with the Oak Lawn Fire Department where he worked until his retirement in 2025. He served the department in various ranks/positions and finished his time there serving as the Bureau Chief of Emergency Medical Services.
Jim has a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire and Emergency Management from Purdue Global and received his Chief Fire Officer designation from the Illinois Fire Service Institute at the University of Illinois-Champaign.
Jim resides in Valparaiso with his wife Carly, their daughters Mikaela and Haley, and their dog Maggie. He volunteers with the Porter County Emergency Management Agency and serves as a mentor to the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at Valparaiso University. Jim is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys spending time with his family.
Candy Mues currently serves as the Community Engagement Coordinator at the MAAC Foundation, where she helps raise awareness about the Foundation’s mission to support and train first responders.
Honoring Legacy & Leadership
Celina Weatherwax
Former President and CEO
The MAAC Board of Directors meets monthly and consists of the following individuals:
Stewart McMillan
Founder, Multi Agency Academic Cooperative
Stewart McMillan has been in the fire industry since childhood. His earliest recollection is riding back to the fire station on the knee of a Chicago Lieutenant on Squad 2 when he was six years old. All through his childhood years, Stewart found hanging out at the fire station to be far more interesting than hanging out with other kids. As Chief Clyde McMillan, Stewart's father, grew the Gary Fire Task Force, Stewart was there weekend after weekend helping rebuild and maintain the menagerie of old fire apparatus that the Civil Defense Fire Department had managed to obtain. In 1968, at the age of 14, Stewart drove a 1947 International Pumper to a lumber yard fire, and connected it to the hydrant with a hard suction all by himself. From that point on, he was involved with the Gary Fire Task Force up through 1973.
Stewart attended Purdue University Calumet where he received the first interdisciplinary degree in engineering, while working full-time to help his father in the struggling family business. In the early years of the company, he was involved with the manufacturing of the company, while his father and brother, Doug, handled the sales aspects. Task Force Tips continued to grow rapidly, and in May of 1976, groundbreaking took place for their first facility in Valparaiso, Indiana.
In the fall of 1982, a great tragedy struck the McMillan family when Chief Clyde McMillan died suddenly. It was at this time that Stewart, age 28, became President of Task Force Tips, Inc.
Stewart takes an active role in all aspects of the company's operations. He is a visionary leader that continues to look for new technology and better ways of manufacturing equipment. Under his leadership the company continues to expand and meet market demands. As a result of the innovative computer systems he has employed and has highly committed employees. Task Force Tips sets the industry standards for on-time deliveries, product quality, and follow-up service.
Stewart is a member of the Valparaiso Rotary and The Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce. He is also active in the World Presidents Organization, active member of the Ivy Tech Board of Trustees, MAAC Foundation and National Association of Manufacturers. Stewart has also been a member of the Union Township Fire Department and Washington Township Fire Department, and has held officer positions on both departments at the same time.
An aviation enthusiast, he is also a certified instrument multi-engine pilot, a member of Experimental Aircraft Association, and the Airplane Owners & Pilots Association. In addition, on various occasions, Stewart has flown several "missions" for LifeLine pilots--a non-profit organization that flies patients with healthcare needs to the proper facilities, entirely through the donation of the pilot's time and aircraft.
Stewart and wife, Kathryn, have two children, Kelly and Ian. Most recently became grandparents to their grandson Mack.
Michael Baird
Former Banker and Community Leader
William P. Maar, CFP®
CEO, Maar Financial Group-Thrivent
Michael Parks
Training Coordinator, District 1 Firefighting Training Council
Gary Miller
Executive Director of the Indiana EMS Association
Gary T. Miller has over 40 years’ experience in the EMS Field. Gary and his family ran several successful Ambulance Services including Fagen-Miller, Prompt Medical Transportation, and Prompt Ambulance Central. In 2018, Gary retired and sold the business which at the time was the largest service in Indiana and had 650 employees.
After selling the business, Gary continued to be an advocate for EMS and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Indiana EMS Association. Prior to this he had supported the Association for many years and served in several positions including President. He also serves on the State of Indiana Medicaid Advisory Committee, as well as Indiana’s Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Commission.
He also currently serves on Northwest Indiana’s Workforce Development Board, as well as The Methodist Hospitals Foundation Board.
In the past he served as the Chairman of the EMS Commission for 10 years, and served as President of the Highland, Griffith as well as the Gary Chambers of Commerce, the Griffith Jaycees, the Griffith Rotary, and the Lake County American Heart Association.
Gary is a graduate of Indiana University Northwest and completed the Entrepreneurship Program at Purdue University Calumet.
Along with his wife Shar, he was inducted into the Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame, and the SBDC’s Small Businessperson of the Year, as well as the March of Dimes Supporter of the Year. In addition, Gary was name in the Inaugural Class of the Golden Siren Honorees which is the State’s EMS Hall of Fame and was an Outstanding Young Hoosier in 1988.
Stephen L Turner
Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Purdue University Northwest
The MAAC Firefighters Leadership Team
who meet on a regular basis to provide input and share their expertise to bring this project to fruition.
Bob Gliem
Chad Dutz
Celina Weatherwax
John Kroll
Dwayne Tate
Eric Kurtz
Fabian Martinez
Jamalyn Bogan
Joe Ferrantella
John Jarka
John Roberts
Jon Daly
Kelly Bogan
Kenny Haun
Kevin Deyoung
Kevin Nowaczyk
Kyle Kuebler
Matt Preuss
Michael Parks
Paul Neely
Ray Chambers
Rob Sabie
Stewart McMillan
Terry Larson
Tom Fieffer
Tom Somers
Dale Lanham
Michael Baird
Ward Barnett
