Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation, Inc.

Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation, Inc. YLD is a non-profit private foundation designed to promote leadership development among the emergency response community. Sellers.

Yvorra Leadership Development (YLD) is a non-profit private foundation designed to promote leadership development among members of the fire, hazardous materials, and emergency medical services communities. The Foundation was created to continue the efforts of James G. Yvorra who dedicated his life's work to the betterment of fire and emergency medical services. Jim Yvorra was a Deputy Chief with t

he Berwyn Heights (Maryland) Volunteer Fire Department and a nationally recognized author and editor in the fields of fire, hazardous materials, and emergency medical services. He died in the line of duty when he was accidentally struck by a car while investigating an accident scene on Interstate 95 near Washington, D.C., in January 1988. Prior to his untimely death, he laid the groundwork for several long term projects designed to promote a greater emphasis on leadership development. His articles, personal notes, observations about people, and discussions with colleagues have established the principles upon which YLD has evolved. Since 1995, YLD has been honored to provide special scholarship assistance for leadership development in the emergency services field. This award is made possible by a generous endowment from the estate of the late Donald E. In 2007, YLD created the John M. Eversole endowment with the generous support of family, friends, hazardous materials professional associations, and corporations from across the United States. The Eversole Endowment supports awards and scholarships specifically for members of the hazardous materials response community.

08/25/2026

Point. Press. Know.

NIRLab brings fast drug screening directly into the field—helping officers identify common narcotics while also providing purity and concentration data in under five seconds.

With no sample preparation or reagents required, NIRLab gives law enforcement a simple way to turn everyday drug encounters into actionable intelligence—right at the point of need.

Learn how NIRLab goes beyond identification: https://bit.ly/4xNnpIq

YLD BOOK REVIEW – Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen R. Covey (1992) - Reviewed by CDR Joseph J. Leonard, Jr., CDR...
08/17/2026

YLD BOOK REVIEW – Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen R. Covey (1992) - Reviewed by CDR Joseph J. Leonard, Jr., CDR, USCG (ret.), CEM, CGEMC, NEMEA

William H. McRaven is a retired four-star U.S. Navy admiral who served as the U.S. Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command. After his Navy retirement he was the chancellor of the University of Texas System.

08/09/2026

HONORING A LEGACY — INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP

The story of the Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation began in 1988 following the line-of-duty death of Deputy Fire Chief James G. Yvorra. Jim believed strongly that developing effective leaders could make a lasting difference in the fire and emergency services.

More than three decades later, that mission continues — including through a program honoring another legendary fire service leader and longtime friend of YLD: Chief Alan “Bruno” Brunacini.

Chief Brunacini served on YLD’s Scholarship and Awards Committee for 28 years, from 1988 through 2017, helping the Foundation identify and support emerging leaders. His extraordinary career was defined by leadership, mentorship, innovation and his remarkable ability to make complicated problems understandable.

In 2023, YLD created the Chief Alan Brunacini Special Projects Program, with the first awards presented in 2024.

Unlike a traditional scholarship focused primarily on an individual’s education, the Brunacini Special Projects Program is designed to help turn ideas into projects that can benefit the broader fire and emergency services community.

The program can provide up to $10,000 for qualifying projects that advance leadership development, education and training. Successful projects are expected to produce results or resources that can be shared with the public safety community on a not-for-profit basis.

Already, Brunacini Special Projects awards have supported leadership training, officer development, conflict-resolution initiatives, research and programs addressing communication and behavioral health among emergency responders.

It is a fitting continuation of two remarkable legacies:

Jim Yvorra believed in developing future leaders.
Alan Brunacini showed generations of firefighters what great leadership could look like.

Today, YLD is bringing those two legacies together to help develop the ideas, programs and leaders that will shape the future of the fire and emergency services.

Applications for the Chief Alan Brunacini Special Projects Program are accepted through October 30.

Learn more about the program, its history and how to apply:

https://yld.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Brunacini-SP.pdf

08/09/2026

HONORING A LEGACY — INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP

The story of the Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation began in 1988 following the line-of-duty death of Deputy Fire Chief James G. Yvorra. Jim believed strongly that developing effective leaders could make a lasting difference in the fire and emergency services.

More than three decades later, that mission continues — including through a program honoring another legendary fire service leader and longtime friend of YLD: Chief Alan “Bruno” Brunacini.

Chief Brunacini served on YLD’s Scholarship and Awards Committee for 28 years, from 1988 through 2017, helping the Foundation identify and support emerging leaders. His extraordinary career was defined by leadership, mentorship, innovation and his remarkable ability to make complicated problems understandable.

In 2023, YLD created the Chief Alan Brunacini Special Projects Program, with the first awards presented in 2024.

Unlike a traditional scholarship focused primarily on an individual’s education, the Brunacini Special Projects Program is designed to help turn ideas into projects that can benefit the broader fire and emergency services community.

The program can provide up to $10,000 for qualifying projects that advance leadership development, education and training. Successful projects are expected to produce results or resources that can be shared with the public safety community on a not-for-profit basis.

Already, Brunacini Special Projects awards have supported leadership training, officer development, conflict-resolution initiatives, research and programs addressing communication and behavioral health among emergency responders.

It is a fitting continuation of two remarkable legacies:

Jim Yvorra believed in developing future leaders.
Alan Brunacini showed generations of firefighters what great leadership could look like.

Today, YLD is bringing those two legacies together to help develop the ideas, programs and leaders that will shape the future of the fire and emergency services.

Applications for the Chief Alan Brunacini Special Projects Program are accepted through October 30.

Learn more about the program, its history and how to apply.

Begin your application today at YLD.org.
08/01/2026

Begin your application today at YLD.org.

The application period is now open—don’t wait!The Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation, is now accepting application...
07/17/2026

The application period is now open—don’t wait!

The Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation, is now accepting applications for its 2026 Scholarship and Awards Program—but time is limited.

More than $50,000 in scholarships and awards is available to support aspiring and emerging leaders in the fire service, EMS, hazardous materials, emergency management, homeland security, and military personnel serving in similar roles.

The deadline is October 30—and applications require three letters of recommendation, so start now to ensure you don’t miss out.

If you’re serious about advancing your leadership journey—or know someone who is—this is your moment. Opportunities like this don’t come often.

Apply now at YLD.org before time runs out.

Welcome to the YLD Foundation. The organization was founded in 1988 in memory of Deputy Fire Chief James G. Yvorra, who was killed in the line of duty.

Address

2446 Azalea Road
Port Republic, MD
20676

Telephone

443-968-0862

Website

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