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The Chief Exchange

Ready Rebound
Leadership
Public Safety Leadership
Public Safety
Fire Service Leadership
Mental Health
Fire Service
Community Engagement
Mentorship
Policing
FDNY
Policing Culture
San Mateo County Sheriff's Office
Police Leadership
California Highway Patrol
Social Media
Officer Wellness
Miami Police Department
Kansas City Police Department
Organizational Culture
Portland Police Bureau

The Chief Exchange Podcast brings together fire chiefs, police chiefs, sheriffs, and other public safety leaders for authentic conversations about leadership, life, and the lessons learned along the way. Each episode goes beyond the title and uniform to explore the experiences, challenges, successes, and failures that shaped the person behind the badge. The goal is simple: exchange ideas, share st... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes145Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessGovernment

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Artwork for The Chief Exchange

Latest Episodes

After 45 years in emergency services, Kansas City Fire Chief Craig Buckley still approaches the profession with the mindset that there is something new to learn every day. His career has taken him from becoming a volunteer firefighter at 16 and a car... more

Fire Chief Trisha Wolford didn't enter the fire service with a master plan to become Chief. She studied graphic design and fine arts, played college volleyball, worked professionally outside public safety, and didn't become a firefighter until age 27... more

For former San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit, policing has always been a family business. His father spent 35 years with San Diego PD, Nisleit followed him into the department at 22 years old, and today his son and son-in-law are carrying that tra... more

Santa Clara County Fire Chief Suwanna Kerdkaew didn't take the traditional path into the fire service. After earning a biology degree and beginning a career in biotech, an EMT class and one ride-along with the San Francisco Fire Department changed th... more

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Recent Guests

Trisha Wolford
Fire chief of Anne Arundel County Fire, past IAFC president and Metro Fire Chiefs president
Anne Arundel County Fire
Episode: Borrow International Ideas, Practice Calendar Discipline & Get Yourself a Coach (with Trisha Wolford) Ep|142
David Nisleit
Former San Diego police chief and professor of criminal justice at the University of San Diego
San Diego Police Department
Episode: 36 Years of Lessons Learned from former San Diego Police Chief, David Nisleit (with David Nisleit) Ep|141
Suwanna Kerdkaew
Santa Clara County Fire Chief with 24 years of fire service experience
Santa Clara County Fire Department
Episode: Stop Leading Today’s Firefighters by Yesterday’s Rules (with Suwanna Kerdkaew) Ep|140
Bob Day
Portland Police chief with more than three decades of service in the bureau
Portland Police Bureau
Episode: Coming Out of Retirement to Rebuild Portland PD (with Bob Day) Ep|139
Bob Norton
CEO and founder of Norton Develop Group; leadership consultant
Norton Develop Group
Episode: Leadership & Culture Lessons from American Airlines, CBS, and Ritz-Carlton for Public Safety (with Bob Norton) Ep|138
Billy Alcorn
Fire Chief, Fresno Fire Department
Fresno Fire Department
Episode: Relationships Run The World and Train Until You Can’t Get It Wrong (with Billy Alcorn) Ep|137
Ken Binder
San Mateo County Sheriff; former Gilroy Police Chief; former undersheriff, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office
San Mateo County Sheriff's Office
Episode: Why Healthy Cops Treat The Public in Healthy Ways (with Ken Binder) Ep|136
Rayne Gray
Assistant Chief Buckeye Fire & Medical Rescue
Buckeye Fire & Medical Rescue
Episode: When It’s Time To Make The Jump To A New Department (with Rayne Gray) Ep|135
Ken Cost
Assistant City Manager, former Mesa Police Chief
City of Mesa
Episode: How Mesa PD Built a Culture of Excellence (with Ken Cost and Dan Butler) Ep|134

Host

Alec Wons
Host of The Chief Exchange

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 22 ratings
  • Filling a Leadership Podcast Gap

    This show definitely fills a gap: police and fire leaders, as well as others in the first response arena, offer the kinds of insights, guidance and discussion of leadership principles applicable to anyone. The talks reside outside of the confines of an academic approach to leadership and yet are more than just another podcast of “kitchen talk” conversations. Host Alec Wons gives his guests a wide berth and a “no agenda” style of podcast which makes for pure conversations. As a student of leaders... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chief Dave R
    Canada2 years ago
  • Leadership in our Communities

    Alec….. The Chiefs are helping us understand the challenges and the positive impact they are making in our communities. I appreciate you bringing to life the impact of their Leadership.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DRJ1964
    United States3 years ago
  • Great Podcast

    The casual conversation and the great information that is learn from these podcasts is amazing. Great job to Alec and all the Chief’s who took the time to meet.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Marcus Images
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show provides leadership insights from police and fire leaders beyond academia.
The host maintains a candid, no-agenda style that makes conversations feel authentic.
Listeners appreciate practical guidance on resilience and community engagement from public-safety leadership.

Top Business Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Borrow International Ideas, Practice Calendar Discipline & Get Yourself a Coach (with Trisha Wolford) Ep|142
Q: When you went international and came back, was there any perspective that you changed or implemented at your department?
Wolford says American fire services should be more open to learning from international partners. She highlights Abu Dhabi's officer succession planning and leadership academy, including family support during the six-month program.
Borrow International Ideas, Practice Calendar Discipline & Get Yourself a Coach (with Trisha Wolford) Ep|142
Q: What did the process of finding a coach look like, and how might people benefit from having one?
Wolford sought an experienced adviser who understood fire and police executive hiring, organizational culture, and interview processes. She says a coach can provide targeted guidance without making family and friends absorb the complexities of the job.
36 Years of Lessons Learned from former San Diego Police Chief, David Nisleit (with David Nisleit) Ep|141
Q: What was that transition period like for you going from kind of exiting the chief's chair, if you will, to then finding purposeful work after that?
Nisleit initially felt depressed and unsure of his identity after retirement. Consulting work and coaching helped him stay connected to law enforcement and refocus on family, values and a new chapter.
36 Years of Lessons Learned from former San Diego Police Chief, David Nisleit (with David Nisleit) Ep|141
Q: Do you feel your father was part of the inspiration for you embarking on a career back in 88 when you started?
Yes. Seeing his father in uniform, spending time around officers and going on a ride-along convinced him policing was interesting work where he could make a difference.
Stop Leading Today’s Firefighters by Yesterday’s Rules (with Suwanna Kerdkaew) Ep|140
Q: What do you have to say to those people who are kind of trailblazing their own path like you did?
Kerdkaew advises people entering or advancing in public safety to stay true to themselves, remember their purpose in serving the community, seek mentors and identify a department or specialty that fits their strengths.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Chief Exchange

What is The Chief Exchange about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show spotlights high-ranking public safety leaders—chiefs, sheriffs, and senior officers—sharing firsthand leadership lessons, crisis management tactics, wellness strategies, and the human side of public service. Across episodes, listeners hear practical guidance on team culture, succession planning, ethics, mental health resilience, and community engagement, with a strong emphasis on mentorship, cross-agency collaboration, and notable incident learnings. A recurring strength is translating complex public-safety challenges into actionable takeaways, often framed through personal stories of perseverance, service lineage, and the balance between duty and well-being. The format tends to blend candid storytelling with applicable leadership... more

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How many listeners does The Chief Exchange get?

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Which podcasts are similar to The Chief Exchange?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Chief Exchange:

1. Gettin' Salty Experience Firefighter Podcast
2. The Weekly Scrap, Firefighter Podcast
3. Jocko Podcast
4. Fire Engineering Podcast
5. The Shawn Ryan Show

How many episodes of The Chief Exchange are there?

The Chief Exchange launched 3 years ago and published 145 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Chief Exchange?

Recent guests on The Chief Exchange include:

1. Trisha Wolford
2. David Nisleit
3. Suwanna Kerdkaew
4. Bob Day
5. Bob Norton
6. Billy Alcorn
7. Ken Binder
8. Rayne Gray

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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