Christensen and Waldrop Elected to Sedona Fire District Board

During the Sedona Fire District (SFD) Governing Board Meeting on December 17, Diana Christensen and Lance Waldrop were officially sworn in as new members, taking over from Janet Jablow and former Chairman Dave Soto.

This governing board plays a crucial role in the management of SFD, overseeing budgeting, tax levies, policy establishment, and the hiring of the fire chief. Currently, Ed Mezulis holds the position of fire chief, managing daily operations and staff.

Christensen brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles, including three years as deputy director of San Francisco Animal Care and Control and a 15-year tenure as director of investigations for the Human Services Agency. “I’ve been interested for decades in fire and fire that’s related to climate change,” she stated. Her experience includes working at the Emergency Operations Center during California’s devastating 2018 wildfire.

She emphasized the importance of animal safety during emergencies, noting, “Animals are critical in these situations, because people won’t leave the fire at the danger of a fire if they can’t get to their animals.” Christensen relocated to Sedona in 2020 with her wife, Liz Harris, who is a sociology professor at Arizona State University. She plans to focus on getting oriented with the board and supporting the fire chief in planning for a new fire station.

Waldrop brings a different perspective to the board, shaped by his experiences in the Navy and as a civil servant. After entering the Navy in 1998, he trained to be a cryptanalyst instead of pursuing his initial aim of becoming an auto mechanic. “It led me down a very fascinating career path. It opened up so many doors,” he remarked about his extensive training and experiences around the country.

Following his military service, Waldrop became an auto mechanic for the Department of Defense until his retirement in 2011. He met his wife, Diane Kase, in 2009 while on deployment, and their relationship has flourished ever since. Relocating to Sedona in 2017, he expressed a sense of duty to contribute to the community that welcomed him. “I had a moral obligation to not just sit at home,” Waldrop said. His engagement with the community has included participating in ride-alongs with the Sedona Police Department and the Citizens Police Academy.

Waldrop frequently enjoys the scenic trails and visits to Sedona City Hall, appreciating the community’s close-knit nature. He mentioned how the rising property values in the area have made his commitment to community involvement even more significant, stating, “If I did not do what I needed to do to be a part of my community, then that was morally unacceptable for me.”