NextGen Recruiting wasn't created in a conference room.
For over 30 years, Mark Simon Burk has worked as a writer and strategist in advertising — building brands and developing advertising campaigns for national and international companies.
During that time, he led recruitment and brand advertising for the United States Navy. Working with the Navy he learned a great deal about the strategy and discipline of recruiting.
Over the past four years, Mark has also trained and served as a volunteer firefighter in the Hudson Valley, NY. While he is still a newbie and still working to earn his place, he's served long enough to have a love-hate relationship with his pager, and to know the pride of service.
NextGen was created to help volunteer fire organizations modernize the way they think about and execute their recruitment efforts.
Katie Toepp is a brand designer and art director with more than 10 years of experience building visual identities for national and international companies, including work developed in Washington, DC.
After moving back to her hometown, Katie was reminded firsthand how much small communities depend on volunteers — and answered Mark's call to help. She brings a design and systems-thinking approach to NextGen's recruitment tools, translating campaign strategy into clear, effective visuals and web experiences. Katie is driven by a broader passion for civic engagement and strengthening community through hands-on, local involvement.
A business focus on developing smart tools and systems to empower local communities.