Marquiesha Gillispie
Marquiesha Gillispie has been featured in Influential Women magazine for her expertise as a seasoned public servant and for her federal acquisition leadership. Her 26-year career includes 16 years of active duty in the U.S. Army and more than a decade of service as a civilian federal employee. She is a division director with the General Services Administration, where she oversees telecommunications operations supporting the federal government. Gillispie earned a Master of Public Administration degree from CSU.
Bryan Blair
Fayette County (Georgia) Fire and Emergency Services has promoted Battalion Chief Bryan Blair to assistant chief of fire and EMS operations. He was recently awarded the Fayette Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate courage, dedication and exceptional service to the Fayette County community. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from CSU.
Robert Drake
The Bedford County (Virginia) Department of Fire and Rescue has announced the promotion of Robert Drake to deputy chief of operations. He brings more than 25 years of experience to the role. “I am excited to help move our department forward in a way that honors those who came before us, builds on the foundation they worked hard to create and invests in the people who will shape our future,” Drake said. He holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from CSU.
Don Dowell
Don Dowell of Volcano, California, has been appointed to the 26th District Agricultural Association’s Amador County Fair Board. From 2006 to 2017, he held several positions at Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale facility, including metrology manager, staff metrologist, senior metrologist, metrologist and metrology standards technician. Dowell earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental management from CSU.
Dalton Williams
The Royal Independent School District (ISD) Police Department (Texas) has named Dalton Williams police chief. He brings nearly a decade of experience in law enforcement and corrections to the role, including more than five years of dedicated service to Royal ISD. Williams has served in several roles since joining the Royal ISD Police Department, including police officer, detective, sergeant and lieutenant. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration and a Master of Public Administration degree, both from CSU.
Brett Nash
Brett Nash has accepted the role of fire chief with the North Tooele (Utah) Fire District. He brings nearly 30 years of firefighting experience and leadership to the role. Nash previously served with the Henderson Fire Department in Nevada, spending five years as battalion chief and 11 years as fire captain. He has worked as a firefighter and paramedic since 1994. Nash received a bachelor’s degree in fire administration from CSU.
Marciano Terrell
Marciano Terrell has been promoted to deputy fire chief of administration with Coweta County (Georgia) Fire Rescue. In his new position, Terrell will oversee logistics, training, facilities, promotions and all personnel matters. He earned a bachelor’s degree in fire administration from CSU.
Brandon Baker
The Rock Island (Illinois) Fire Department has appointed Brandon Baker as interim fire chief. He has served the department since 2007 and was awarded Firefighter of the Year by the Knights of Columbus. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2019, captain in 2024, battalion chief in July 2026 and deputy fire chief in September 2026. He received an associate degree in fire science from CSU.
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
