MRFD Staff

Executive Director

Phil Turnbull

With a career spanning five decades, Turnbull brings deep experience from fire and rescue agencies across the spectrum from volunteer service to a full-time role with one of the state’s largest departments, and later as Fire Chief with Rural Metro Fire. Along the way, he earned numerous awards and credentials, including lifetime memberships in the Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Association and the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, which recognized him with a Meritorious Award of Excellence in 2023. Throughout his career, Turnbull has been instrumental in promoting interagency and interdisciplinary cooperation, playing a key role in the development of regional response plans for large-scale, multi-agency emergencies. As a mentor, he has guided dozens of fire service leaders throughout Southern Oregon and served as Incident Commander with the Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Incident Management Team.

Administrative Assistant

Kassie Austin

Kassie works full time for Josephine County as Secretary to the Board of County Commissioners. There she played an important role in coordinating and assisting with the formation documents for the district itself. Prior to her work with the BCC, she also served in the county’s legal department, gaining valuable experience in public administration, organization, and interdepartmental coordination.

In her role with Mid Rogue Fire District, she enjoys supporting leadership operations through communication, coordination, and problem-solving. She values tackling challenges and finding the right solutions to help the organization succeed. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, caring for her animals, learning new things, and enjoying the outdoors.