IPA Leadership
JoeJoe
My first burn was Transformus 2005. I went in as a newish fire spinner / sparkle pony and by 2008 was writing my first "JoeJoe's burning tips" and began my leadership journey as Tfus conclave lead. I joined the Tfus BoD in 2012, and still got to work with the burn field teams for years organizing the fiery chaos. I've also worked with web team, manage tickets, redesigned our entry and exodus procedures, and sorted out our technical and physical infrastructure. In 2013 I helped found Ignite as one of the Town Hall Committee (pre IPA), and brought forward the ideas for Playforms which are now a staple of Ignite. I was part of designing and founding the separate BoD and TLC and participated in both while also acting as advisor to the new Ignite Planning Association. Until 2017 when I stepped back from Tfus BoD and TLC to join the IPA. I've attended other burns including Burning Man but for me nothing beats the burn that brought me in and the burn I helped give birth to. This community has changed me for the better and I've been lucky to work with some amazing people to create these events year over year. In my non burn organizing time I hang out with my partner, try to still be a gamer, enjoy making art with new tech, continue to update my burning tips, even have a daytime job doing nerd / manager / fraud prevention things for a bank, and when possible hosting board game days or food related parties at our house for burners and friends.
Lisa
I started burning in 2012 when I helped form a theme camp with a bunch of other virgins (mostly). Starting in 2015 I lead City Planning for Ignite until joining the IPA in 2018. I’ve also dabbled in leading or co-leading Art Team for Transformus. I enjoy the dichotomy between cacophony/structure, landscapes/wastelands, and strong coffee/water. Creative INTJ into cooking, art, music, podcasts, dancing poorly, and travel. I value open-mindedness and experience over possessions.
Regina aka DangerLeg
Alchemy 2015, the infamous Alcamud, was my first burn. Everything went wrong and I should not have come back but on the final day, I realized the magic of just jumping in with two feet, so here I am. I’ve led City Planning for Ignite for 2018, 2019, and 2020. I’ve been a Brigadier General (coLead) for the Transformus Brigadier team for 2018 and 2019. I’m an outgoing ESFJ into music, seeing concerts, flirting, being in charge of things, and being curious. Smiling is my favorite and I hope to continue to bring smiles to the members of the community.
Radar
My first burn was in Missouri in 2014, where my friend accidentally set our tent up in the middle of a sound camp dance floor and I was a total sparklepony. I decided to try Transformus in 2015, got a concussion on the slip-n-slide, and was somehow magically hooked. I was Volunteer Coordinator Lead and Art Team Co-Lead at Transformus 2018, and joined the IPA in September of that same year. I had a few years of running a theme camp (Red White & Brew!) but now I currently specialize in continued IPA-ness, Ranger leadership at Transformus, collecting dogs, and surviving being a new-grad nurse.
Mufasa
My burn career began with designing a logo for and helping to build/bring a first time theme camp to Transformus in 2012. The Fire Triangle theme camp was awesome, and I saw a crazy conglomeration of people in the woods, coming together and creating, just for the sake of creating. I knew I was home. The next year, I was co-lead for a new team called Inventory. After a few years of helping with that for Transformus and Ignite, I moved to the Signage team for both burns. After taking a step back from burn leadership for a year to create fire art, the Ignite Planning Association called and invited me to join the planning committee. I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend my Tuesday nights for the next three years than continuing to help create a platform for so much magic to happen. Since 2012, I've attended Transformus, Ignite, Alchemy, Frost Burn, Love Burn, and Burningman. I love creating, especially when it involves fire, and I love helping other people realize their creations.
Tornado Kelley
I started attending burns in 2012 at Alchemy. I fell in love with the community and instantly felt at home. I left that burn with a desire to see all the burn world had to offer and get more involved in helping make things go. I helped run a theme camp at Alchemy and Euphoria for several years. When I moved to North Carolina in 2016, I joined Fire Triangle and soon after stepped up into the role of TCO for the camp. I love running a camp and working out all the logistic puzzles it takes to make the camp happen. I got involved in leadership and have been the team lead for Greeters and Signage at Transformus. 2024 will be my first year on the IPA and I am excited to step into the role, learn from my team members, and work hard to make Ignite awesome! Over my years of burning I have attended Alchemy, Euphoria, Transformus, Ignite, Love Burn, Lakes of Fire, To The Moon, and Burning Man. Going to Burning Man showed me that I love the more intimate feel of a regional and I hope to travel to more in the future.
Princess Leia
The burn world found me in 2010. I happened to be visiting with some friends on ticket sales day for Transformus 2010 and with very little convincing, I ended up purchasing a ticket and I guess you can say that the rest is history! I stepped into Team Leadership in 2012, taking over the Moonshiners team and I ran that team until 2016, when I was asked to join the TLC (Transformus Leadership Caucus). I helped run 1 Transformus before deciding to switch from the TLC to the IPA in 2018. Since 2010, I have attended Transformus, Ignite!, Scorched Nuts, Alchemy, and Reclamation.
As an outgoing ESTP, I thrive on making connections and jumping in to help out where I can. As a Mama, I love volunteering for Ignite!, as we build a place that burners of all ages can come to create, build community, and explore!
Shank
I started burning in 2015 at Transformus after scoring a ticket a month or so prior to the event, joining a theme camp with several veterans who took me under their wing. While I wasn’t a complete sparkle pony, I did shank myself on day 2 bad enough to warrant a visit to the local hospital for stitches resulting in one-handed participation for the rest of the burn with the help of my campmates. By the end of the weekend I was hooked and have attended ever since and found myself at Ignite in 2017. I ventured into leadership as a co-lead for Illuminaughty and as team lead for Moonshiners in 2018 and served as team lead for both teams in 2019 during precedented times. I value and treasure the sense of community our burns foster as we come together to build a bustling city for a few days. It’s truly magical and provides me with a sense of calm that I don’t always have in default world. I’m an art, reading, and laughter enthusiast and have a driving desire to help others if and when I can. I’m looking forward to serving you all on the IPA and helping facilitate bringing our community together!
Josip "Oh No!"
Transformus 2016 did it for me. After seeing what a community of talented, determined people can do when they come together and create an alternate reality based on some really constructive principles… there's no going back to "normal." Experiencing burn culture is a dream come true, and I want to facilitate that for others.
I've had the opportunity to attend a few Transformii, several Ignite!s, an Alchemy, a Love Burn, a Frostburn, and a Burning Man… but Ignite! and Transformus are still my faves. I see Ignite! as a great first event for people who are burn-curious… it's on gorgeous land, close to many cities, on a long weekend, not too big and not too little.
At burns, I'm either dancing, DJing, spinning my rope dart, or running around with my FOMO on full blast. I'm looking to step up my individual contributions, and I'm excited to collaborate with others on larger-scale projects.
Want to help lead?
Did you know: Our organization is entirely volunteer-run, from the Board of Directors, planning committees, right down to our Traffic and Parking Volunteers.
Be the weird you want to see in the world. Volunteer.