Meet our team

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Assistant Chief Keith Vaden began as a team member and worked his way to Team Leader and Team Captain.  He served as Vice President and on several committees. He began working with K9 Mali and Puck over the last year and a half.  He has completed the Landing zone course, Wilderness SAR, Basic and Advance Grid, Water Awareness course, Wilderness First Aid, NIMS courses 100-800, and ICS-29 Basic PIO course. He has also completed the CERT training.  

Charles “Chuck” Stevens currently serves as the President of the team. He began his service with Team as a Ground Searcher and now works as part of the Command Staff assisting with the search management process. He has completed and Search Wilderness, Basic and Advance Grid courses, Search Management Course, NIMS 100, 200, 700 and 800. 

He has also completed Safety officer training, Hazmat Tech, and CERT courses. 

John Cheeseman currently serves multiple roles for the team. He is Vice President, Team Captain & Training Officer. John works in IT for a global employer, managing a global backbone network & security functions. With over 23 years of experience as a First Responder, John is able to perform a wide array of functions for the team. His certifications span many roles from SAR, Water Rescue, Wilderness First Aid, Landing Zone, Hazardous Materials Operations, Terrorism, Visual Cylinder Inspector and many SCUBA certifications. John recently completed the NIMS ICS 300 & 400 classes. John is a licensed FAA sUAS (Part 107) Remote Pilot and is one of four pilots for the team, having flown many hours supporting team missions and trainings. John served as Safety Officer for the team for 1.5 years before mentoring a replacement. John also holds Instructor Ratings in multiple disciplines that include PA Water Rescue Program and SCUBA, including Public Safety Diver.

I'm a non-profit accountant with more than 10 years experience with Heritage Valley FCU.  I’m secretary of South Central PA Search and Rescue.  I only have a few certificates including stop the bleed, CERT, first aid/CPR, basic SARTOPO, intro to ICS. I assist with public relation events and public engagement  events and perform duties as a K-9 Flanker and team member. I have been around non-profits my entire life. I was treasurer for the Seven Valleys fire company relief association for about 3 years.  In my spare time I like to read, make homemade cards, and be with my family. 

 Jimi is retired from both the Pentagon Police Department and the United States Army Reserve.  She served on both Active Duty and in the Reserves.  She has graduated from both the U.S. Army Military Police School and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. She served as a Military Policeman at several levels.  Her assignments included patrol, radio operator, (Dispatcher), Traffic Section, Officer in Charge of Traffic Impound, Military Police Instructor, Platoon Sergeant/Detachment First Sergeant and Provost Sergeant at Theater Level Command.  She has been on assignments in Egypt, Philippines and Germany.  Her awards included the Army Achievement Medal, Army Accommodation Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal.  She retired from the Army Reserves as a Master Sergeant after 27 years.  Her Civilian job as a Police Officer included Postal Police as a Patrol Officer and in her last position at the Pentagon with the Pentagon Police, she served in the Traffic Section and as a Foot Patrol Officer.  She retired from civilian police work after a 35 years.  Shortly after retiring she joined the South Central PA Search and Rescue team in 2014.  Since joining our team, she has been selected to be our Security Officer, and recently elected to be the Finance Officer and Chair Person for the Fund Raising Committee.  She also serves as a member of our Training Committee.  She has completed several training courses including Pet First Aid, CPR and AED Certified, Water Awareness Course, Wilderness SAR Responder, Landing Zone Course and several NIMS Courses.  K9 Handler Timmer has been on nearly all team calls for assistance last year.  She is married to Kurtis Timmer and has three Adult Children and four Granddaughters.  

 William is an active member and one of the Original founders of the organization since 1998. He has an extensive and diverse background in emergency services, beginning as a junior firefighter at the age of fifteen in Baltimore County Maryland and remaining as an active firefighter Up until 2012 when he retired from the volunteer service. He has since gone on to achieve a multitude of experience and training in the fields of fire/rescue, search and rescue, emergency medicine, hazardous materials response, and technical rescue. He has received training and certifications at the local, state, and federal level, to include resident courses at such diverse locations as the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, National Fire Academy in Maryland. William has held multiple positions through-out his career in the volunteer emergency service Bill was one of the first volunteer paramedics in Baltimore County, Maryland as well as holding the title of Assistant Chief. Bill was York County, Pa. Chief 1-29, as well as The Safety Officer till 2013, he was also the first person to hold the position of Chief with South Central Pa. Search and Rescue.Since retiring in 2019 from UPMC Pinnacle Health as a Physical Security Specialist. In his rare spare time Bill is an avid reader, loving action and suspense novels. Bill also loves camping when he can find the time. Bill loves spending time with his wife of 23 yrs. As well as his children, grandchildren and his great granddaughter.A SMALL SELECTION OF CERTIFICATIONS IS AS FOLLOWS:PA state certified Interior Firefighter PA state certified EMT-B DCNR certified Wilderness Search Responder NIM/ICS 100-200Water Rescue Awareness Level  

 Laurie Vaden currently serves as the K9 Captain for Search 93.  She serves as a Ground Search Responder when not operating as a K9 Handler.  She has completed Landing Zone Course, Wilderness SAR Responder, Basic and Advanced Grid Search, Water Rescue Course, Basic Fire Police, NIMS 100,200,700, 800, USAR K9 Search Specialist and is an EMT.  She coordinates training with all the K9 handlers on the team.  

  Nathaniel Stoner is an active duty AEMT and an Eagle Scout. Nathaniel has years of experience in Wilderness First Aid, focusing on improvised treatment for long term patient care in secluded areas. He also possesses certifications such as: CERT, Advanced Grid, TCCC, LZ Officer, Skywarn, HAM radio, and numerous NIMS/ICS and continuing education courses. Nathaniel is Chief of the Franklin Township CERT Team of York County, and is part of the EMA for his township. Nathaniel additionally serves as the EMS Captain of the South Central PA Search & Rescue Team. Nathaniel also works as an EMS Preparedness Specialist for the Emergency Health Services Federation. Sharing his knowledge and experiences is important to him, utilizing multiple instructor certifications and passion to serve others. In December of 2021, Nathaniel graduated nursing school with his RN. He hopes to continue serving his community by working in the field as a paramedic and Rescue Medical Practitioner as his future goals. 

Raphaela currently serves as the Lieutenant for Search 93. Her certifications include Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) (including CPR, AED, and EpiPen administration), Search Management (formerly Wilderness Search Responder), and Water Rescue for First Response (Awareness) (WRFR). Her active passion is for ground search which has led to additional training in land navigation and wilderness survival. She will continue her training with ICS Courses and other Search and Rescue courses. 

 Chris Newton currently serves as the K9 Lieutenant for Search 93. He serves as a Ground Search Responder when not operating as a K9 Handler. He has completed courses and certification in EMT, Wilderness First Aid, AED, K9 First Aid, Wilderness SAR Responder, Basic and Advance Grid Search, Water Resue Course, USAR Search Specialist, USAR K9 Search Specialist, NIMS 100, 200, 700, and 800 Courses, Skywarn course and water awareness, and water rescue course.  

 Aaron Schaeffer has been elected the EMS Lieutenant for 2025 and has taken on the administrator of the QRS program for the team.   Aaron has 16 years in the EMS field and is currently a Medic.  He has completed NIMS 100, 200, 700 and 800.  He is Hazmat Awareness certified.  

Jennifer Fisher joined the team in August 2021.  In 2023 she began working as one of the assistant communications officers. She is OSHA Certified and has since completed Wilderness Search and  Rescue Responder Course, CPR and AED Certified and Basic Ropes and Rigging course completed.  In January 2024, She was elected to be on the Board of Directors and appointed as Safety Officer.  Jennifer continues her training and taking courses. 

 Alex Taylor is full time Neuro Critical Care Physician Assistant with prior experience in General and Trauma Surgery. Graduate of King's College's PA program in 2018. He started as an EMT in high school in 2012, now having advance to be certified as 1 of less than approximately 50 Prehospital Physician Extenders in the state of Pennsylvania. He has also been involved in search and rescue since 2011 through Civil Air Patrol and later South Central PA Search & Rescue, where he currently serves as EMS Captain. He holds certifications such as Search & Rescue technician I, Advanced Wilderness Life Support, Advanced trauma life support, in addition to other certifications. Having been to Haiti twice on medical mission trips and serving through COVID at the ICU level he hopes to provide insight to help you stay safe during your next adventure or Search. 

Team member Christopher Fetters is a Coast Guard veteran with over 30 years experience in prehospital, trauma, and critical care medicine.  He is the Product Owner at Vital Biosciences Inc., a Toronto-based medical device company and has decades of experience in developing and marketing clinical laboratory products for a global marketplace.  He is named on two medical device patents and sits on the editorial board of the Point of Care Journal.  Chris is an Advanced Life Support provider in PA and has reciprocity in Maryland with Abingdon Volunteer Fire and EMS.  He is a Hazardous Materials and Radiological Technician with the County of York Hazardous Materials Team and serves as a staff member with Newberry Regional EMA.  Chris is an instructor with the USAF 421st  Combat Training Squadron, his courses of instruction include Tactical Combat Casualty Care, (TCCC), High Threat Driving and Weapons. He has attended a wide variety of FEMA classes on incident management and all-hazard response.  Chris is a member of WellSpan Health's Disaster Response Team and possesses certifications in mass-casualty and Advanced Disaster Life Support (ADLS).  Chris' rescue disciplines span Ropes, HazMat, Vehicle, Ice, and Water Rescue.  Chris is HAM Radio Technician and is preparing for his Rescue and Public Safety Diver.

Team member   

Ashleigh Sites is a full-time EMT and part time Park Security Officer. She is an active member of Search 93 as well as Quartermaster for Franklin Township CERT. She takes time to teach sign languge to team members and enjoys watchng others learn. She is currently in the process of getting her Bachelor's in Criminal Justice and using that for Crime Scene Analysis. In her free time, Ashleigh likes dancing, acting, shooting at the range, hiking, participating in chess tournaments, and playing with all 5 of her cats.

  Annemarie joined the team in 2023. She graduated with a bachelors degree in Environmental Science from Juniata College in 2019. She started her ranger career with US Army Corps of Engineers at Raystown Lake and has worked as a wildlife technician for the Pennsylvania Game Commission. She is currently a Pennsylvania DCNR Law Enforcement Ranger. Annemarie has taken ICS 100, 200, 700, 800, along with wildland fire courses S130 and S190. She has taken classes for First Aid/CPR, Tactical Medicine, Crime Scene Investigation, Emergency Vehicle Operator Course (EVOC), Search Responder, HazMat awareness, Stop the Bleed, Water Awareness, Water Rescue for the First Response (WRFR), and Naloxone/Narcan administration. In her free time, Annemarie likes to hunt, fish, hike, kayak, camp, make maple syrup, thrift shop, and bird watch!

I’m a security officer. Currently a volunteer Firefighter in Maryland, ICS 100 through 800, Cert 315/317, EVOC, SARTECH III. I’m my free time I enjoy fishing, camping and hiking.

George Libera joined the team in December 2024. He is currently employed as a Quality Assurance Specialist for a global pharmaceutical testing laboratory, writing/reviewing laboratory investigations and monitoring the laboratory for any compliance/regulatory concerns.  George has been involved in search and rescue for five years, having worked independently and recently, as part of SCPASAR.  George is a former BSA volunteer, an avid outdoorsman that has acquired many outdoor skills over the past three+ decades while enjoying overlanding, bushcraft & survival, mountain biking, white water kayaking/rafting, camping, hiking, magnet fishing, and adventuring. Throughout his time in SAR, he’s participated in missing person searches and evidence recovery, all while applying practical field skills and a deep understanding of natural terrain. George’s passion lies in staying prepared, reading the land, and helping those in need. He is currently advancing his training with additional certifications to expand his capabilities and better serve in critical response efforts.

   Jennifer Lettich-Snyder has been in SAR for 5 1/2 years. She has been in the fire and EMS service 18 years. She has completed Advanced Compass and Grid course, Crime Scene Investigation Protocols, Stages of Decomposition course, Dementia and Lost Persons, Drone Awareness in SAR, Search Responder, MSO, Lost Person Behavior, Wilderness Crew leader, Canine Search Specialist and NASAR SARTECH II. K-9 Handler of Charlotte HRD/Trailing and Penelope in training.

  After finishing Hospitality education in London UK, Ayaz worked for 27 years all over the world in countries like UK, Middle East, India and the US. Following some life altering events Ayaz entered the world of EMS in 2020 as an EMT following it up by becoming an Advanced EMT. Ayaz is also trained in Wilderness Survival & First Aid. Ayaz works as an EMT in Pennsylvania and instructs people in CPR / AED and First Aid with Life Saving Certifiers. He volunteers with South Central Pennsylvania Search and Rescue (SCPSAR). Ayaz is married with his wife and two children with whom he shares the love of the wilderness.   

  Blake first joined the team as a Junior .  He was one of the first Junior members on the team.  He took a short break form the team and rejoined about a year later.  Since then, he completed NIMS 100 and 700, BLS CPR, AED, Wilderness First Aid and Stop the Bleed.  He is currently serving as the Assistant Safety Officer.    

 My names Ashley Sensenig, as a dedicated member of the search and rescue team, I bring a strong background in criminal justice, currently pursuing my bachelor’s degree after earning an associate degree in police science. My passion for helping others drives my commitment to this vital work. Outside of my academic pursuits, I share my home with two wonderful cats, Lilly and Mara, who bring joy to my life. I enjoy unwinding with my favorite TV shows and movies, and I have a deep love for singing and dancing, which adds a creative outlet to my life. Family time is important to me, and I cherish the moments spent with loved ones. Together, I strive to make a difference in the community through both my studies and my involvement in search and rescue efforts.  I am new to the team and certified in BLS CPR/ AED, and working on attending Stop the Bleed Class and several other classes.  

My name Charles Pitzinger. I am 37 years old and am originally from Baltimore, Maryland. I am an avid camper, hiker and climber. I have previous experience in law enforcement, in which I was a bail enforcement agent for 3 years. I am now employed with York county department of emergency services. I have college level experience in archaeology, gunsmithing, and I am almost finished with a Bachelors degree in homeland security. Aside from search and rescue, I am also a volunteer with the central PA Red Cross on the disaster care team. I am also a member of the York county child abduction response team. Some of my certifications include Wildland First Aid, First Aid CPR, S-110 basic wildland fire, S-190 intro to wildland firefighting, FEMA IS.100, IS.700, hazmat awareness, water rescue awareness, Opioid crisis training, operational leadership from mountain rescue, basic rescue boat operator, technical search specialist, active shooter response, and maritime search and rescue.