In this episode of The Education Road, we sit down with Naomi Thibault! She set out to be a teacher and waited for postings that never came. But one unexpected opportunity changed everything. She stepped into a city service role, discovered a calling, and never looked back.

Inside the fire department, Naomi moved through roles that now inform her leadership: emergency management, public education, fire prevention, inspection, and investigation. She chased every course she could and learned as much as she could from every available resource.

Today, she serves as Deputy Chief, Fire Prevention, Education & Emergency Management, a role that marries public safety, policy, and people skills.

Naomi is candid about her role and believes the culture can change. After decades without hiring a single woman, her department has begun to add more women and she’s determined to make the entire service better reflect the community it serves.