The Founder

The Smokey Generation is a passion project founded by Bethany Hannah, former USFS and BLM Hotshot firefighter and EMT. Bethany has a strangely unique background that meanders between wildland firefighting, conservation, small business, consulting, directing training departments at a tech company, managing logistics for a music festival, teaching chainsaw workshops, and more.  The common thread: she loves helping people, thrives on finding solutions, and believes she can contribute to making this world a better place (even if it means going about it in unconventional ways).

Blending a BA in English with a background in firefighting and emergency management (including six years as a Hotshot), Bethany founded Wildland Fire Careers in 2007, a resume writing and career development company that serves individuals in high reliability organizations and land management agencies.  She recently completed her MA in Environmental Studies with a concentration in wildland fire management and communications at Prescott College.  This website was designed as part of her Master’s thesis project (use the contact form to request to read her thesis here).

On a personal note, she’s a sucker for chainsaws and high heels (though doesn’t promote their use together); she owns a VW Karmann Ghia that’s five years older then she is; she loves pasta and has been a vegetarian for twenty years; and, she resides in California with her husband (a USFS wildland firefighter), an adorable irish setter, and three house cats named Ash, Chauncey, and Moxxie (aka ‘the wicked P pissah’).

A fun note: Bethany was recently featured as part of STIHL’s ‘Real People, STIHL People’ campaign! Divider smokey horizontal - logo-01 (1)