Chief Sullivan started his career in the fire service in 2007 as a volunteer firefighter in Oregon. He worked as the Fire Inspector/Fire Investigator for the Sedona Fire District in Arizona which served 4-6 million tourist annually, and as a Deputy State Fire Marshal with the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal with a jurisdiction of five counties. Prior to his time in the fire service, he worked in the architecture profession for ten years. Chief Sullivan has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon, and a Master of Fire Science from the University of New Haven in Connecticut, with concentrations in both public safety management and fire/arson investigation. Chief Sullivan has been a certified fire marshal and fire investigator in both Oregon and Connecticut, and is a graduate of the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute (IPSLEI).
 
Chief Sullivan joined Estes Valley in April 2020.  He lives outside the District with his wife, Nikai, and three children.