steve.dawald@lacnm.us
Kelly Sterna
Division Chief (Wildland)
Division Chief Kelly Sterna was born and raised in Deadwood, SD and graduated from Lead-Deadwood High School.
After High School, Kelly attended South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, SD, in addition to furthering his education through Central New Mexico college in Albuquerque and Northern New Mexico College in Espanola. Kelly began his fire service career as a volunteer with Red River Fire Department for 4 years prior to coming to LAFD primarily as a wildland firefighter. In March of 2005, Kelly was hired by the Los Alamos Fire Department. Kelly holds National Wildland Coordinating Group (NWCG) for Engine Boss, Helicopter Crew member and Wildland Communications Technician.
During his 16 years at Los Alamos Fire Department Kelly has held the ranks of Firefighter I and II, Driver Engineer, Fire Captain, and Division Chief. He was also part of the Technical Rescue Team, Shift Training Team, SCBA team, and Communication team. Kelly has a daughter, who is pursuing a law degree at UT-Austin.
kelly.sterna@lacnm.us
Wendy Servey
Division Chief (Fire and Life Safety/Fire Marshal)

Division Chief Wendy Servey started her fire service career in 1998 as a career firefighter/paramedic at Coventry Fire in Akron, Ohio. In 2004, she moved to New Mexico and started with the career department of Santa Fe County Fire, then in 2006, she transitioned to the Los Alamos Fire Department in 2006. Division Chief Servey has spent 23 years in the fire service, and presently serves as Fire Marshal. Other fire leadership roles in the County include her assignments as Battalion Chief in Safety and Fire Operations.
Chief Servey has an associate's degree in Applied Science in Fire Science, a Bachelor of Science degree in Technology, and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Officer Program.
Chief Servey finds time to volunteer as a firefighter-paramedic in the community where she lives near Santa Fe. She and her partner Liz, who also volunteers as a firefighter, are looking to discover more time for hiking, RV’ing, traveling and lounging with their two chocolate Labradors – Maisie and Bowen.
wendy.servey@lacnm.us
Joseph Baca
Division Chief (Safety)
Division Chief Joseph Baca
was born and raised in Northern New Mexico and graduated from Escalante High School. He attended Adams State University in Colorado where he received an Associate of Science Degree, before he moved to Albuquerque to continue his education. Chief Baca comes from a family of public servants, his Father retired as the Fire Management Officer for the Carson National Forest, a brother who served in the Army as a Chief Warrant Officer, he has another brother who is the assistant field director for the NM State Land Office, and his only sister is the Executive Assistant at the local health clinic. Chief Baca also has 2 brothers who are career firefighters, and a son who followed in his footsteps as a firefighter for the Los Alamos Fire Department.
Chief Baca joined the Los Alamos Fire Department in 1997. Throughout his career he has promoted through the ranks of Firefighter, Driver Engineer, Captain, Training Captain and now Division Chief of Safety. Chief Baca became a paramedic in 2003 and has been part of several LAFD’s specialty teams such as; Public Education and outreach, Technical Rescue, and Haz-Mat.
Chief Baca currently lives in Northern New Mexico, (Canjilon) with his wife Loretta and two daughters Marissa and Elyssa. Loretta is an employee of the Rio Arriba County Fire Marshal’s office,
Marissa is a graduate of the University of New Mexico with a degree in business marketing and Elyssa is attending CNM studying Radiologic Technology. His son Ryan, and his wife Sandra have blessed Chief Baca with three grandchildren; Isabella, Allie, and Ryder.
jm.baca@lacnm.us