Future Leadership Committee

Melisa Rodriguez is Sr. Manager, Industry Relations with Johnson Controls. She is a licensed Fire Protection Professional Engineer with 21 years of experience in the industry and has held various roles including Project Manager, Designer, Lead Fire Protection Engineer, and Senior Business Development Manager. She is NICET certified Level IV in Water Based Systems Layout. She earned her Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and MBA from the University of Minnesota located in Minneapolis, MN. Melisa serves on the MN board of licensure (AELSLAGID), is Vice-Chair of the MN Governor’s Council for Fire Prevention and Control, a principal member of NFPA 14, 13R/13D and 88A Technical Committees, alternate member of the NFPA 13 Discharge Committee, NFSA Future Leadership Committee Vice-Chair, SFPE Virtual Learning Subcommittee Chair, and Past President of the MN Chapter Society of Fire Protection Engineers.

Vickie Pritchett became involved in the fire service in 1997. Vickie served on the Board of Directors for the Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Department from 1998-2013, and was awarded lifetime membership into PVVFD in December of 2013. Vickie served as the Community Development Liaison for the Town of Pleasant View and Executive Director of the Joint Economic & Community Development Board of Cheatham County at the time she began her service to the local volunteer fire department. During this time she was instrumental in bringing fire service officials, builders and developers, and elected officials together. This coordination resulted in a zero square foot fire sprinkler ordinance for the town in 2001, and county-wide in 2006. Vickie’s dedication to the improvement of quality of life, passion for the community, and her ability to bring people together makes her the “spark plug” and advocate of fire sprinkler requirements at the local, state, and federal level. She has presented across the state of Tennessee and the nation. She has worked in Washington D.C. to promote fire protection issues and to highlight the differences that can be made by fire sprinklers and the legislation that requires them. Vickie is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and received her MBA from Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Management. She is a VCOS Symposium committee member, Board Member of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, Board member of the IAFC Fire & Life Safety Section, Board Member of Common Voices, and is a member of both NFPA and ICC. Vickie currently serves as Vice President of Advocacy & Outreach of the National Fire Sprinkler Association.