Big Sky Fire District Board of Trustees 
The Board of Trustees is the elected or appointed body that governs the District.
Mission of the Board: Represent, Provide, Preserve, Protect
Represent our constituents
Provide the resources needed by the Big Sky Fire Department
Preserve the trust and property of our constituents
Protect the lives, health, and safety of our residents and visitors
Mission Statement of the Big Sky Fire District Board of Trustees
The Big Sky Fire District Board of Trustees seeks to:
Represent our constituents and respond to their needs and concerns; serve with integrity and transparency; treat everyone with respect; and deserve the trust of the community and emergency responders.
Provide the resources needed for fire and life safety services to residents and visitors in a fiscally prudent manner, balancing the benefits of these services against their costs. The Board will achieve these objectives by listening to the community and emergency response professionals, cooperating with other organizations and neighboring jurisdictions, and seeking the most efficient and best use of funds through effective budgeting and long-range planning. The Board shall provide leadership to the Department and the community at large and serve as stewards of the Fire Department’s and the community’s resources.
Preserve the trust and property of our constituents by ensuring the availability of appropriate emergency response services, disaster and fire prevention services, and public education. Providing these services requires planning, reliable equipment, extensive training, adequate staffing, and the adoption and compliance with appropriate standards based on state and national codes and best practices. In a geographically isolated urban-wildland interface that requires a high degree of self-sufficiency, educating the community on how to address fire and life-safety challenges is essential.
Protect the lives, health, and safety of residents and visitors in medical emergencies and natural or human-caused disasters by ensuring that the Big Sky Fire Department operates at the highest level of safety, efficiency, professionalism, preparation, collaboration, and training. Further, the Board will protect the community’s investment in the Big Sky Fire Department by providing fiscal and management oversight to ensure adequate resources, leadership, readiness, and performance.
Carol Collins
Board Chair, Current Term: 2025-2028, and has served on the board since 2000
Carol Collins has served as a member of the Big Sky Fire Department Board of Trustees since 2001. Carol is originally from Philadelphia, PA and moved to Big Sky from Alaska in 1989. Carol chose Big Sky for the beauty and small town flavor after living in a small town in Alaska. Carol volunteers her time for a number of organizations. In addition to the Big Sky Fire Department she currently serves on the Gallatin County Board of Park Commissioners and also volunteers with various events throughout Big Sky and Bozeman, Montana. Carol also was on the Big Sky Resort Tax Board for 15 years, served on the Big Sky/Gallatin Canyon Zoning Advisory Board for 10 years, was involved with the Crail Ranch in Big Sky, and worked on trails and parks in Big Sky. Carol worked for First Security Bank until 2018, prior to that she worked for the Big Sky Owners Association for 15 years as well as experience in the restaurant and accounting industries. Carol is married with two grown children and is a grandparent to a beautiful granddaughter. She also has a dog. Carol states that “Serving on the Board of Trustees for the Big Sky Fire Department is amazing – being part of such a dedicated, hardworking and enthusiastic group makes my position on the Board very rewarding.”
Deb Lewis
Board Vice Chair, Current Term: 2024-2027, and has served on the board since 2018
Deb joined the board in 2018. She is originally from Southern California but had always wanted to live in a rural mountainous area. When it came time for college she considered heading to Colorado but her family, who were originally from Livingston, convinced her to take a look at Bozeman. She fell in love with the area and attended MSU for undergrad. After that she moved to St. Louis for medical school and ended up staying for residency and beyond. She always wanted to come back to Montana and in 2001 finally made that happen. She already had part ownership in a Big Sky condo and eventually was able to make it her home. She took a position at St. James Healthcare in Butte and has remained on staff with them. Deb has a deep love for the Big Sky community and feels lucky to be part of it. She looks forward to contributing to the ongoing health and wellbeing of our town.
Matt Dodd
Board Secretary/Treasurer, Current Term: 2024-2027, and has served on the board since 2018
Matt Dodd came to Big Sky from Georgia as a twenty-one-year old ski instructor in 2000. He continued working for Big Sky Ski School through 2009, marrying his wife Ashley on Mr. K in 2007. The two left in 2009 so Matt could attend law school but returned as full-time residents in 2013 to raise their two children, Piper and Jasper. Since their return, Matt served four years (2014 –2018) on the Board for Morningstar Learning Center and joined the Big Sky Fire Board in 2018. Matt is “excited to give back to the community which has given him so much and wants to ensure the men and women of the BSFD have the tools and support they need to protect our growing community.”
Rob Callan
Board Member, Current Term: 2026 – 2029, first term
Rob Callan joined the Big Sky Fire District Board of Trustees in 2026, bringing decades of leadership experience and a deep commitment to community safety. He and his wife Cindy Pickens moved to Big Sky in 2021 as full-time residents, along with their dog and cats. Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Rob pursued his veterinary education at Oregon State University where he earned his DVM degree, followed by a Master of Science at Utah State. He then completed a residency and PhD at the University of Wisconsin, focusing on livestock medicine and surgery.
From 1996 to 2021, Rob served as a faculty member at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he taught veterinary students, provided clinical services at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and maintained an active research program in livestock diseases. Throughout his career, he held numerous administrative roles including Head of the Livestock Medicine and Surgery Service, Large Animal Hospital Chief of Staff, VTH Board Member, Medical Record Committee Chair, and participation on multiple faculty search committees. He now holds the title of Professor Emeritus at CSU following his retirement.
Rob’s passion for outdoor recreation—including hiking, fishing, skiing, backpacking, and trail running—has made Big Sky an ideal home. In 2023, he became a Firewise Neighborhood Ambassador for the Antler Ridge community, drawing on his experiences with evolving wildfire conditions during his years in Colorado. This involvement, combined with growing concerns about wildfire risks in Big Sky, inspired his decision to join the BSFD Board and contribute to the safety and well-being of the community he loves.
Paul Farrell
Board Member, Current Term: 2026 – 2029, first term
With a distinguished 40-year career investing in public and private companies and managing investment teams and funds, Paul brings deep financial expertise and leadership experience to the Board of Trustees. As an analyst, portfolio manager, and fund founder, he has developed extensive experience analyzing income statements, cash flows, and balance sheets across organizations of all sizes—from startups to multi-billion dollar enterprises, including both for-profit and non-profit entities.
Currently, Paul operates a family investment office based in Big Sky, Montana. He also serves as a consultant and senior adviser for New Mountain Capital, a top-performing middle-market private equity firm, and sits on the Limited Partners Advisory Committee for Next Frontier Capital, a Bozeman-based venture capital firm. His corporate governance background includes board memberships at both public and private companies, where he has served on audit committees.
A property owner in Montana for over 30 years and a full-time Big Sky resident since 2021, Paul is deeply engaged in the local community. He played an active role in the successful multi-year effort to recapture healthcare taxes from Madison County and volunteers at the Big Sky Food Bank. He also serves on the Moonlight Basin Community Association Financial Advisory Committee and currently holds the position of President for Silvertip HOA.