Bob Horton

Senior Director of Research & Policy

Deputy Director, WFCA

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Chief Bob Horton has worked in public safety for over 22 years with a third of that time in an executive leadership role. Most recently, he was the CEO/Fire Chief for a special district in Southern Oregon, serving a population of 54,000 residents dispersed over 167 square miles the beautiful Rogue Valley. Chief Horton was appointed Fire Chief in 2017 and had previously

served as the Assistant Fire Chief for Las Vegas Fire & Rescue where he started as a Firefighter in October of 2000. His leadership and direction have led to advancements in community risk reduction, EMS service delivery, technology integration in field operations, as well as numerous employee health and wellness programs.

In addition to his role as Fire Chief, Bob served as a Board Director for the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association where he served as Chair of the OFCA’s Legislative Committee. Bob was elected as the Oregon Representative and later as Vice-President of the Western Fire Chiefs Association, serving on the Finance, Public Safety Technology, Wildfire Policy (past Co-Chair) and Legislative Committees. Chief Horton was appointed by Governor Kate Brown to serve on the Oregon Governor’s Fire Service Policy Council where he currently serves as Council Chair.

Bob is a scholar-practitioner conducting applied research at the intersection of behavioral economics, public policy, and community risk management. His focus is on the use of evidence to evaluate program impact/effectiveness and to examine policy-relevant questions. Bob is a doctoral researcher-in-training in public policy at Old Dominion University and is a research affiliate with Oregon State University’s Policy Analysis Laboratory. He has an MPA from the University of Oklahoma, an MPP from Oregon State University, and an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a Certified Public Manager and has the Chief Fire Officer designation. Bob is a conference speaker on topics related to impact evaluation, executive decision-making, and negotiations and is the host of the popular podcast Assuming Command, where he interviews thought leaders, innovators, and influencers in public service.

In his spare time, Bob and his wife Jennie like to travel, hike, obstacle race, golf, and relax by taking in the local wineries and music scene. They live in Eagle Point, Oregon with their two dogs Stanley and Bruce.

Chief Robert Horton on LinkedIn

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