2022 Texas EMS Conference Speakers
If you are interested in submitting a lecture for Texas EMS Conference 2023, see our Call For Presentations page for more detail.

Keynote Presentation:
Asbel Montes
Managing Partner
Solutions Group
Read Bio
Asbel Montes, Managing Partner Solutions Group, Asbel began his career in the ambulance industry in 1999. His EMS career includes directing and leading teams that provided revenue cycle consultation to air and ground ambulance agencies, culminating into the position of Managing Partner of Solutions Group Consulting. Over the past 20 years, Asbel has been a member of numerous organizations, including the Healthcare Financial Managers Association (HFMA), the American Ambulance Association (AAA), National EMS Managers Association (NEMSMA), and the National Association of EMTs (NAEMT). Asbel currently serves on the board of directors for the American Ambulance Association (AAA) and numerous committees and board positions. More notably, he chairs the AAA payment reform committee as the industry navigates the current healthcare changes and the correlation to the air and ground ambulance industry. He has also testified as an expert witness before federal and state health committees regarding ambulance reimbursement and veteran health initiatives related to emergency medicine. In 2016, Asbel was appointed to the ambulance transport alternatives task force for the State of Louisiana by Governor John Bel Edwards. In 2020, Asbel was named to the air ambulance and patient billing advisory committee by the Secretary for the United States Department of Transportation. Asbel is a respected thought leader on reimbursement initiatives within the industry and is a requested speaker at many healthcare conferences. Asbel is a contributing author in several EMS magazines and co-authoring the book, Management of Ambulance Services, as published by Prentice Hall in 2014.
Also Presenting: The Intersection of Politics and Healthcare Policy: The impact on EMS

Heidi Abraham, MD, FAEMS
Lions and Tigers and Sick Kids – Oh My!
Co-Presenter: EMS Innovation in Texas: A Look to the Future and Across the State
Co-Presenter: Revenge of the Nerds, 2022 Edition
Co-Presenter: EMS and Opioid Harm Reduction
Heidi Abraham, MD, FAEMS, is the deputy medical director for Austin/Travis County EMS and for the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the EMS medical director for New Braunfels Fire Department. She continues to work clinically in the ER in addition to EMS field response. Dr. Abraham is double board certified in emergency Medicine and emergency medical services, and has been active at the state and national level with EMS, currently serving as the chair of the EMS medical director’s committee for the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council.

Jennifer Achay, BS, NRP, FcEHS
Co-Presenter: All the Small Things – Tiny Movements Between Life and Death
Jennifer Achay, BS, NRP, FcEHS, is a recognized anatomist and lecturer. She is currently the laboratory director at the Centre for Emergency Health Sciences. Additionally, Mrs. Achay coordinates, and directly contributes, to her departments robust research wing, and multidisciplinary procedural courses. Jennifer further has patient care responsibilities within the Office of Clinical Direction (pre-hospital emergency medical services) and the Acacia Medical Mission (a low income, gap clinical service) which are both within the Healthcare, Innovations and Sciences Centre. Mrs. Achay is completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Incarnate Word with her sights on medical school. Lastly, she remains passionate about her work in research and medicine and additionally maintains her paramedic and firefighting certifications.

Maggie Adams, BBA
Three Common Mistakes EMS Makes Trying to Get Quality Crew Documentation
Maggie Adams, BBA, is the president of EMS Financial Services, with over 25 years of experience as a business owner and reimbursement and compliance consultant. Known for a practical approach and winning presentation style, Maggie has worked with medical transportation providers and billing companies of all kinds to provide auditing services, assess their billing for best practices and support their billing and documentation training efforts. Maggie is a Cum Laude graduate of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Cheryl Bakhtiari, EMT-P
Functional Fitness – Matching Function to Routine EMS Scenarios
Cheryl Bakhtiari, EMT-P, retired after working 40 years in the EMS industry. She has 20+ years of experience in fitness coaching and assessment.


Scotty Bolleter, BS, EMT-P, FcEHS
All the Small Things – Tiny Movements Between Life and Death
What “We” Forget to Mention – The Frank Reality of Providing Today’s Emergency Care
Scotty Bolleter, BS, EMT-P, FcEHS, is a respected paramedic, well-known lecturer, published researcher and inventor. He is responsible for the Office of Clinical Direction and chairs the Centre for Emergency Health Sciences in Spring Branch, Texas. Bolleter currently manages the clinical aspects of BSBEMS operations and the Centre’s multidisciplinary education and research facility. He has been involved in emergency medicine for over 30 years and has numerous patents in emergent, oncologic and orthopedic medicine. He has directed global education, coordinated research and worked on regulatory clearances for numerous medical devices and procedures. Bolleter’s resume includes ground, flight, faculty, supervisory and developmental rolls across Texas and around the world. His presentations, publications and accomplishments can be found in magazines, journals, textbooks and videos. Awards include the Texas EMS Person and Educator of the Year; the Utah EMS Associates Humanitarian Award, and recognition from the Texas Commissioner of Health for his work in pediatrics.


Ken Bouvier, NREMT-P
Bicycles, Bats, Balls and Trauma Calls
Diabetes, “No Sweet Tea for Me!”
Managing Extreme Gun Shot Wounds
Ken Bouvier, NREMT-Paramedic, Professional Speaker,is known nationally and internationally as a professional EMS speaker. He began his fire and EMS career in 1975 and served as fire chief for Monsanto from 1975-2012. Bouvier started at New Orleans EMS in 1989, as an EMT-paramedic and in 2012 became deputy chief of operations until retirement in March 2019. He served as EMS Commander of New Orleans major events including Mardi Gras and two Super Bowls. Bouvier is the recipient of the 1989 National EMT of the Year award, 2008 Rocco V. Morando Lifetime Achievement award, and 2019-Louisiana EMS Lifetime Achievement award. He served as the NAEMT president from 2004-2006. Bouvier has an extensive fire and EMS educational background and has made written contributions in 14 EMS textbooks. He presently serves on the EMS World Editorial Advisory Board. Since retirement, he continues to educate fire and EMS and actively volunteers at the Westwego Fire Department.












Bill Bullock, EMT-P
Co-Presenter: Prehospital Whole Blood – The San Antonio Experience
Bill Bullock, EMT-P, is an EMS field supervisor and the lead architect of the regional whole blood program for the San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD). He is an expert in blood cold-chain management and was primarily responsible for vetting all equipment used by SAFD.


James Campbell, Chief of EMS
Stop Gambling with Recruitment: Ten “All in” Strategies to Step-Up your Recruitment Game
James Campbell, Chief of EMS, joined MCHD in June of 2018 and began his role as the chief of EMS in March of 2019. Collectively, Chief Campbell has 18 years of experience in EMS. He has bachelor’s degree in emergency health sciences from The University of Texas Health Science Center and is a certified member of the American College of Paramedic Executives (FACPE). Currently he serves as a member on the Governor’s EMS & Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) EMS Committee and is a board of director for the South East Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC). His focus continues to be a people centered approach, working to ensure that MCHD’s employees and patients are at the center of their decision-making processes. Chief Campbell is proud to help lead MCHD, an organization committed to its’ mission, vision, and core values.


Dana Clarke, RN, BSN, LP
When It’s Time to Leave the Party
Why Does it Hurt so Bad (Why is This Still a “Thing?”)
Dana Clarke, RN, BSN, LP, is an RN and paramedic, currently residing in Georgia, where she moved in 2020 to be closer to her parents. Dana has served as a flight nurse, paramedic and clinical educator, as well as full time and adjunct EMS faculty. Dana Lives by the mantra “practice what you preach.” Although her expectations are high, she believes that an educator should ALWAYS give what he/she expects.


Clayton Collins, BSN, RN, CPN
Big Burn, Small Town: Managing Patients with Significant Burns in Rural America
Clayton Collins, BSN, RN, CPN, is the clinical education coordinator at Shriners Children’s Texas. He started his nursing career as a PICU nurse before becoming the hospital educator at Shriners. Clayton shares his knowledge of managing patients with burn injuries with providers locally and around the world.


Angela Cornelius, MD, FACEP, FAEMS
Co-Presenter: EMS Innovation in Texas: A Look to the Future and Across the State
Angela Cornelius, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, is an associate medical director for the Office of the Medical Director with the Metropolitan Area EMS Authority in Fort Worth where her primary responsibilities are the Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH), Hospital at Home, and Medications for Opiate Use Disorder (MOUD) programs. She is an associate professor of emergency medicine (EM) with TCU/UNTHSC and LSU Shreveport who practices at John Peter Smith Hospital as core faculty for the Fort Worth EM Residency. She is boarded in EM, family medicine, and EMS. She has been active in disaster medicine and EMS for over 10 years and currently serves as Chair of the American College of Emergency Physicians Disaster Preparedness and Response committee and Chair-elect of the Air Medical section.


Remle Crowe, PhD, NREMT
An Organizational Approach to Preventing Burnout in the EMS Workforce
Co-Presenter: Revenge of the Nerds, 2022 Edition
Remle Crowe, PhD, NREMT, is an expert in quality improvement and research. Her EMS career began as a volunteer EMT and instructor in Mexico City, where she also worked a weekday job at Ford Motor Company as a powertrain quality engineer certified in six sigma. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and serves as faculty for the NAEMSP Quality and Safety course. As director of research at ESO, Dr. Crowe routinely uses data to improve community health and safety.


Sarah Cuccia, Captain Professional Development
Sarah Cuccia, Captain Professional Development, is a licensed paramedic with Montgomery County Hospital District in Conroe, Texas. She has been in prehospital emergency medicine for 12 years, 10 of those years with MCHD. Sarah’s role in the organization is recruiting, onboarding new employees, and providing internal employees with a pathway for promotion. Over the last decade, Sarah has continuously volunteered her time and experience in many different roles within the organization. Her willingness to openly communicate makes her an asset to her peers, the organization, and the residents of Montgomery County.












Xavier De La Rosa, Chief Clinical Officer
Co-Presenter: The Right Place at the Right Time – Transporting Directly to Inpatient Mental Health
Xavier De La Rosa, HCESD11 MHC Chief Clinical Officer, provided direction to the clinical team at ESD11 Mobile Healthcare as they prioritized, constructed, and initiated the “911 direct to inpatient psychiatric hospital” protocol upon service inception in September 2021.


Robert Dickson, MD, FACEP, FAEMS
Managing Undifferentiated Agitation: A Case for Implementing Droperidol in Your EMS System
Robert Dickson, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, is an emergency and EMS physician practicing in the Houston area. He is active in research and lecturing on EM and EMS topics including management of the agitated patient. Dickson has a background in both law enforcement and EMS and is currently the medical director for a large EMS agency in Southeast Texas.


Sharla Dillman, RN, MBA/MSN
Co-Presenter: Building Resiliency with Facility Dogs
Sharla Dillman, RN, MBA/MSN, is the director of EMS relations for the South Texas Area in the Gulf Coast Division for HCA. She has been with HCA for 10 years and in her current role for 4 years. Dillman has been a nurse for 15 years with previous experience as a paramedic and 911 Rotor operations. Her job consists of developing growth within the EMS community and problem resolution within the hospital that involve EMS providers. She provides education for local EMS companies with the involvement of the simulation ambulance to develop additional skills for the frontline medics in high acuity scenarios. With Goji (service dog), I also help with critical debriefings for the staff/physicians of the hospital, as well as, the fire/EMS providers to discuss recent incidents or just give “puppy love” for those that may need the mental break from the day to day routine in their work environment.


Chris Ebright, B.Ed., NRP
Thwacks, Whacks, Cracks and Smacks
When the Baba Yaga Comes a Calling: Traumatic Penetration Injuries
Chris Ebright, BEd, NRP, is the lead instructor for The University of Toledo EMS program in Toledo, Ohio, where he provides all aspects of primary EMS education in-house, as well as continuing education for numerous EMS services in Northwest Ohio. Chris has been a nationally registered paramedic for 27 years, providing primary EMS response and critical care transportation. He has educated hundreds of first responders, EMT’s, paramedics, and nurses with his trademark whiteboard sessions, including students from the Cayman Islands, India, and Australia. Chris is also a recurring article contributor to the Limmer Education website, and has been a featured presenter at numerous local, state, and national EMS conferences over the past 15 years. Chris holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toledo and can be contacted at c.ebrightnremtp@gmail.com or www.christopherebright.com.


Amy Eisenhauer, EMT
In the Drink: Understanding Alcoholism for EMS Providers
Navigating the Labyrinth: EMS Response to Hoarding Situations
Amy Eisenhauer, EMT, is a presenter at EMS conferences nationwide, raising awareness on topics such as provider wellness, response to hoarding events, and career development for EMS professionals. She has served as a volunteer and career provider since 1995. Amy has taken on challenging roles as an EMS educator, course content developer, and currently manages state EMS programs in New York. Eisenhauer is a contributing author for several publications such as In Public Safety, JEMS, EMS1, and EMS World Magazine and hosts an interactive blog on EMS at TheEMSsiren.com, committed to improving the EMS community as a whole.


Reuben Farnsworth, BS, CCP-C, CP-C, LP, NRP
Cowboy Up and Die: Rodeo Trauma
Mile-Hi Moments: They are Why We Play the Game
PTSD: A Case Study of the Silent Journey
Reuben Farnsworth, BS, CCP-C, CP-C, LP, NRP, has spent the last 20 years in EMS, holding positions from EMT-Basic on a rig, to executive project manager for an international expeditionary medicine company. Reuben is currently the clinical/operational coordinator for Delta County Ambulance, where he oversees all aspects of community paramedicine and ET3 implementation. Reuben is a frequent speaker at conferences all over the US and is known for his ability to make learning fun, while breaking down complex topics into understandable portions. Reuben can be reached at rockstareducation@gmail.com. You can also follow him on Facebook for updates from the RockStar Medic.









Peggy Fonseca, EMT-P, MCP, CFPM
Co-Presenter: Escape Room: Hospital Emergency Response Team
Peggy Fonseca, EMT-P, MCP, CFPM, is the owner of Trinity Consulting, a consultant company specializing is public safety grants and consulting services. Her company has acquired more than 1 million dollars in funding for local jurisdictions across the nation. Prior to starting her own business, she retired as an EMS chief with over 30 years of experience in emergency medical services and emergency management, over 15 years in law enforcement, and 10 years in teaching on the federal level. She has also been contracted by the U.S. State Department to provide services both nationally and internationally regarding medicine, emergency management, and anti-terrorism education.


Tamsin Fuller, BSc, MInstP, MWES
Suck on This: Inhaled Analgesia
Tamsin Fuller, BSc, MInstP, MWES, is currently working for the emergency services in London. She also volunteers as an emergency responder for the London Ambulance Service and has served as an EMT for St John Ambulance for 11 years. Fuller has a degree in physics and is currently working on her master’s in computing.


Tony Garcia, APRN, ACNP, FNP, CFRN, LP
Tony Garcia, APRN, ACNP, FNP, CFRN, LP, brings almost 40 years of experience in emergency services and healthcare. He is currently an ACNP intensivist for the UTSW department of anesthesiology, division of critical care and a flight nurse with CareFlite. He operates by two simple rules for life: Embrace the suck and don’t let the swiss cheese holes align.












Kevin Gehrig, Assistant Chief, EMT-I, EMT Instructor
Co-Presneter:Escape Room: Hospital Emergency Response Team
Kevin Gehrig, Assistant Chief, EMT-I, EMT Instructor, has 43 years as an EMT-I, EMS instructor, and firefighter. He has been a U.S. Coast Guard EMT, Pennsylvania EMT, and currently drives a school bus for Georgetown ISD. Gehrig has served with the Red Cross in shelters and in other capacities, including Disaster Services Truck Driver. Kevin is currently an assistant chief and EMT-I for the Weir Volunteer Fire Department.









Laura Gehrig, MA EM, TEM©, HMT/HMS
Escape Room: Hospital Emergency Response Team
Laura Gehrig, MA EM, TEM©, HMT/HMS, serves as an affiliate faculty member with Austin Community College emergency management program. She is a 21-year veteran of the United States Air Force. Since retirement from the USAF, she served in a variety of positions at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Department of State Health Services, and Texas Division of Emergency Management. Laura is a credentialed instructor in mental health first aid, psychological first aid, multiple hazardous materials and radiation-related courses, the Center for Domestic Preparedness hospital emergency response team course, Basic Emergency Management Academy, and NIMS ICS all-hazards position-specific courses through Incident Commander. Laura is a certified IFSAC hazardous materials technician and is a hazardous materials specialist and a certified Texas Emergency Manager (TEM©). Laura has earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in emergency and disaster management from American Military University and is a PhD candidate in public service leadership at Capella University.


Douglas George, MD
Co-Presenter: Heart of Stone: A Tale of Hyperkalemia, Digoxin Toxicity, and Calcium Administration
Douglas George, MD, is currently an assistant professor at The University of Vermont Lanier College of Medicine and a prehospital and emergency attending physician at The University of Vermont Health Network. Dr. George serves as a flight physician and an associate medical director for The University of Vermont Healthnet critical care transport team. Additionally, he is the associated district medical advisor for Vermont EMS District 3 and is an operational physician/medical director for Vermont’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force-1. Dr. George is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, and he completed his residency training in emergency medicine at Boston Medical Center. After residency, Dr. George trained as an EMS and flight fellow physician at The University of New Mexico.









Jessica Gilmour, EMT, FF


Michael Gooch, DNP, APRN, CCP
When the Heat is on: Hyperthermic Emergencies
Michael Gooch, DNP, APRN, CCP, is board certified as an acute care, family, and emergency nurse practitioner. He is also board certified as an emergency, flight, transport, and trauma nurse. He has over 25 years of emergency and transport medicine experience. He is an assistant professor of nursing with Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, as well as faculty with the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia. At Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, he practices as an emergency and flight nurse practitioner. He has completed over 1,500 patient transports during his tenure with Vanderbilt LifeFlight. Michael is a nationally recognized speaker and published author regarding varied emergency and transport medicine topics. He serves as an APRN liaison to the board of directors for ASTNA and is a member of ENA’s advanced practice advisory council. He also serves as a column editor for the Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal.


Danielle Goodrich, BA, FP-C, CCP-C
Heart of Stone: A Tale of Hyperkalemia, Digoxin Toxicity, and Calcium Administration
Danielle Goodrich, BA, FP-C, CCP-C, is a bachelors prepared flight and critical care certified paramedic with experience in specialty care ground transport, rotor-wing transport, national disaster deployments, and 911 field operations. She currently works for The University of Vermont Health Network as a flight paramedic, is the chair of the clinical guideline committee, and was the previous supervisor of the UVM HealthNet critical care transport team and emergency communications center. One of her biggest professional achievements was being part of the leadership team that established the first aeromedical base in Vermont. She has 21 years of EMS experience with over half of those years working in various training and educational positions. Previously, she served as the training coordinator for a combination 911 department and has taught both nationally and internationally. She also works with the IBSC as an item writer for the FP-C and CCP-C exams and assisted with their job analysis task force.


Kelly Grayson, AGS, NRP, CCP
Critical Care 101: How Not to Kill Your Patient with Your Ventilator Settings
The Wrong Way to Accessorize: Ventricular Pre-Excitation Pathways
Steven “Kelly” Grayson, AGS, NRP, CCP, is a critical care paramedic with Acadian Ambulance in southwest Louisiana and has been an EMS educator for twenty-five years. He is the owner and founder of MEDIC Training Solutions, an EMS training and consulting firm. He is an award-winning columnist for EMS1.com and EMS World Magazine, and an author of several books.


Garland Gross, MPA, EMT-B
The Shooting has Stopped. Now What?
Garland Gross, MPA, EMT-B, is a district coordinator for the Texas Division of Emergency Management stationed in San Antonio. He has responded to three mass casualty incidents while in that position. Tony has been a member of the Alamo Area Incident Management team, the Alamo Regional Command Center and is a 30-year Air Force veteran.


Greg Henington, BBA, MBA, LP
Five Musts for Rural/Frontier EMS
Greg Henington, BBA, MBA, LP, has been in the Big Bend area over 30 years and is currently the EMS chief for Terlingua Fire and EMS. Henington has taught numerous classes and been very successful in maintaining a productive EMS service.


Stephen Hines, Paramedic, Dip IMC RCS Ed
Stephen Hines, Paramedic, Dip IMC RCS Ed, is the lead tutor for integrated patient services for the London Ambulance Service, one of the largest ambulance services in the world which handles over 5000 calls per day. He is responsible for ongoing education of paramedics learning remote triage and has attended several major incidents in his career spanning over 20 years. Hines is a keen international speaker and has presented on a range of topics around the world.


Suh Hughart, EMT-P, EMS Instructor
What Do You See? – Human Trafficking in America
Suh Hughart, EMT-P, EMS Instructor, has worked in different sectors of EMS including private, hospital-based, and 911. She is currently a full-time field paramedic and EMS educator for San Marcos Hays County EMS. Additionally, Suh is a member of the Central Texas Coalition Against Human Trafficking and works as a faculty member at the Centre for Emergency Health Sciences. Hughart has presented at both state and national EMS conferences and her articles on human trafficking have been published in JEMS.


Eric Jaeger, RSI Paramedic, EMS Educator, Attorney
Death in Custody and the Safe Use of Ketamine for Chemical Sedation
Lazarus Phenomenon: When the Dead Awaken
Syncope vs. Sudden Death: Distinguishing Benign from Deadly Causes of Syncope
Eric Jaeger, RSI Paramedic, EMS Educator, Attorney, works at Exeter Hospital in Exeter, NH on the hospital’s ALS paramedic intercept team and in the emergency department. Eric lectures extensively on EMS topics and has served on the State of NH EMS protocol committee for over 15 years. He holds a BS in computer science from MIT and a law degree from Boston College Law School.


Amy Jarosek, LP, CHW
The ABCs of a Community Paramedicine Program
Amy Jarosek, LP, CHW, is a native Texan and has been a paramedic for 24 years. She has been with Williamson County EMS for 20 years and has been part of the CHP team since 2014. In 2019 she became the program lead. Her passion is in providing care to underserved communities and helping other providers and programs develop to do the same.


Jeff Jarvis, MD, MS, EMT-P
Refining Our Approach To The Assessment and Management of Shortness of Breath
Revenge of the Nerds, 2022 Edition
Jeff Jarvis, MD, MS, EMT-P, is the EMS medical director for Williamson County EMS and Marble Falls Area EMS. He maintains a clinical practice in the ED at Baylor Scott & White in Round Rock, Texas. He is board certified in emergency medicine and EMS. He began his career in EMS over 30 years ago and remains a licensed paramedic today. Dr. Jarvis has research interests in airway management and clinical performance measures. He is a proud father to two wonderful kids, husband of 26 years, and a loyal Aggie.


Brandon Joines, MSN, RN, CFRN, CEN,TCRN, LP
Emergency Assessment and Treatment of Patients with Autism Specturm Disorder (ASD)
Brandon Joines, MSN, RN, CFRN, CEN,TCRN, LP, has been in emergency care for over 17 years. He worked as a fire fighter and paramedic until obtaining his RN in 2012. Joines worked in a level one trauma center for 5 years before accepting a position to be a flight nurse. During his first year of nursing school his son was diagnosed with ASD. While furthering his education he noted a lack of training for patients with ASD, and this inspired him to develop a baseline for EMS and emergency clinicians to better serve this particular population.


Emily Kidd, MD, FAEMS
Co-Presenter: EMS Innovation in Texas: A Look to the Future and Across the State
Emily Kidd, MD, FAEMS, is board certified in emergency medicine and EMS, and has been practicing emergency medicine for over 21 years and pre-hospital (EMS) medicine for over 17 years. She served as an assistant medical director for the Houston Fire Department and as an assistant medical director and interim medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department. Since 2016, she has served as the Texas medical director for Acadian Ambulance Service. Dr. Kidd is also very actively involved in disaster and emergency management at the local, regional, state, and national levels. She was involved in field response and medical direction during hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike, and Harvey as well as the H1N1 pandemic, Ebola crisis, West, Texas explosion, and of course the COVID pandemic and recent ice storms. Dr. Kidd held a position on FEMA’s National Advisory Council for 6 years, has sat on the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council Disaster Committee for over 14 years, and serves as the state medical director for the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force. She currently serves as the President for the Texas Chapter of the National Association of EMS Physicians and was recently appointed by Governor Abbott to a position on the state’s Private Sector Advisory Council.


Doug Kupas, MD, EMT-P, FAEMS
Skillful Communication During Field Termination of Resuscitation
Who Needs a Trauma Center?: The Science Behind the New Field Trauma Triage Guidelines
Doug Kupas, MD, EMT-P, FAEMS,is an EMS physician and emergency physician with Geisinger Health System in Central Pennsylvania, where he serves at the EMS medical director for Geisinger EMS, the system director of the resuscitation program, and the co-director of mobile integrated healthcare. He has also served as the Commonwealth EMS medical director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health since 2000. He has been a paramedic for decades and continues to do field response. His interests include EMS patient and clinician safety, resuscitation, field termination of resuscitation, and compassionate care at the end of life.


Steven LeCroy, Paramedic, Respiratory Therapist
Back to Basics with a BVM: How is it Possible We Are Not Doing it Right?
Taking the Mystery out of Mechanical Ventilation for Medics and EMTs
Steven LeCroy, Paramedic, Respiratory Therapist, spent more than 30 years with St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue and retired as a captain paramedic. In addition, he was an adjunct instructor at St. Petersburg College for 35 years and has been certified as a respiratory therapist since 1978. He has been retained as an EMS expert in over 120 cases. Steven has been a national speaker and has published articles in both EMS World and JEMS magazines. He is also the author of the Equipment Technology for Noninvasive Ventilation in the Pre-hospital Setting chapter in the text Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation: Theory, Equipment, and Clinical Applications published by Springer International Publishing Switzerland.


William Leggio, EdD, NRP
Mentoring in EMS – More Than a Professional Role
William Leggio, EdD, NRP, is staff and a paramedic with the office of the chief medical officer for the city of Austin. He is a recognized EMS leader and scholar. This includes peer-reviewed publications and serving EMS learners as an educator focused on developing clinicians and future leaders. He currently serves as vice president of the National Association of EMS Educators and is involved in multiple national committees whose work relates to education and the workforce.


Erin Lincoln, MD, MS, EMT-P
Don’t Eat That! Button Batteries and Magnets are NOT Food!
Erin Lincoln, MD, MS, EMT-P, has been in EMS since 2003, when she took an EMT-B class in college. She has been involved in many aspects of EMS, including 5 years in a busy 911 EMS system as a paramedic, several years part time and 3 years full time teaching paramedicine in a community college setting. Erin then decided to attend medical school, completing her residency in emergency medicine in 2022 and is currently an EMS fellow with UT Southwestern in Dallas.


Jamianne Lopez (Jami), BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM
Co-Presenter: High Risk Delivery in the Field
Jamianne Lopez (Jami), BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, grew up in Hilo, Hawaii and moved to Oklahoma for college tennis, and to pursue her nursing degree. After graduation, she moved to Texas where she began her career in high risk OB/labor and delivery with HCA/ Medical City Dallas hospital. She has spent 24 years specializing in high risk obstetrics, with the last 10 being in maternal transport. Jami likes to think of her job as a “mobile Labor and Delivery”. Her passion in life is appreciating every day, and every person and experience she has. She loves to spend time with friends, family, and her dog Carter and she is completely obsessed with golf and plays as often as she is able.









Katie Lorenz, ATCEMS Clinical Specialist, President Austin FEMS
Co-Presenter: Functional Fitness – Matching Function to Routine EMS Scenarios
Katie Lorenz, ATCEMS Clinical Specialist, President Austin FEMS, is a current clinical specialist for ATCEMS. She is president of Austin FEMS and lead the Austin team in the 2021 Hold the Line competition – the only EMS team competing against Fire and Police teams.


Carrie Manke, DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CEN
Beyond SPICES & Beers: Geriatrics in the Field
Not for Sale! The Healthcare Workers’ Role in Preventing Human Trafficking
Carrie Manke, DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CEN, is an advanced practice nurse with over 10 years of experience in the nursing field. She has spent most of her career in the emergency department and functioned as a sexual assault nurse examiner. She obtained her Doctor of Nursing practice degree in 2017 and worked as an ED clinical nurse specialist (CNS). As a CNS, Dr. Manke focused on process and quality improvement to positively impact patient outcomes through evidence-based practice. Dr. Manke is an author, motivational speaker, and coach, specializing in helping individuals find freedom from their pain and experience life to the fullest. She is a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence and speaks openly about her experiences to help others break through their past, overcome obstacles, and find empowerment in healing. Special interests include change management, compounding trauma, suicide prevention, healing PTSD, and reaching under-served populations through medical mission work.


Rick Maricle, BAAS, NRP, FP-C
Ojos Locos – Evaluating the Impaired Patient
Rick Maricle, BAAS, NRP, FP-C, is the EMS Chair of the Texas Operational Canine Care Committee and captain of EMS training and education at Bexar County ESD#2 in San Antonio, TX. Rick has been in EMS since 2005 and has specialized experience in law enforcement, K9 medicine, critical care transport, and initial EMS education. He has been recently appointed to the National Association of Veterinary EMS – curriculum task force focused on national standardization of operational K9 medicine for EMS. Maricle holds a bachelor’s degree in fire emergency services administration from Texas A&M – San Antonio and maintains certification as a flight paramedic and instructor in multiple NAEMT and AHA disciplines.












Eddie Martin, EMT-P
Co-Presenter: 5 Musts for Rural/Frontier EMS
Eddie Martin, EMT-P, is the director for Crockett County EMS and has severed in that role for 15 years. He is very familiar with rules and regulations of EMS and is the current chair of the GETAC EMS committee.












Joseph Martin, MD, FASAM
Joseph Martin, MD, FASAM, is a specialist in family medicine, emergency medicine, addiction medicine, and EMS and is interested in using his unique training and experience background to strongly advocate for the research of and improvement of first responders’ health and wellbeing. He continues to actively practice within the emergency department, EMS medical direction, as well as addiction medicine, and is a focused expert in first responder substance abuse and mental health treatment.


David McDonald, Traffic Incident Management Coordinator
National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training Program
David McDonald, Traffic Management Incident Coordinator, retired from the Austin Police Department where he served for 25 years. During his career he worked in many different units: patrol, gang unit, motorcycle unit, community outreach, and spent his last 7.5 years working in the traffic unit. Prior to joining the Austin Police Department, David served in the Marine Corps. David now serves the citizens of Texas and is the Statewide Traffic Incident Management Coordinator for the Texas Department of Transportation. He leads the statewide TIM efforts working closely with regional TIM coordinators and facilitates multiple training classes. David enjoys being around those responders who keep us safe day and night.


Gene McGowen, BS, RN
Co-Presenter: Big Burn, Small Town: Managing Patients with Significant Burns in Rural America
Gene McGowen, BS, RN, is a registered nurse with 40 years of experience in the management of patients with burn injuries. Gene has multiple roles at Shriners Children’s Texas, including flight nurse and ICU charge nurse. He has a storied history in caring for patients with burn injuries, first as a medic serving in the United States Army and later through his work as a nurse in the civilian world. McGowen teaches providers globally in the management of patients with burn injury and safe medical transport.


Brandon Miller, EMS Relations Manager
Co-Presenter: Building Resiliency with Facility Dogs
Brandon Miller, EMS Relations Manager, has been actively involved in EMS for 20 years and the fire service for over 15. He has a passion for emergency services and disaster response and has had the privilege of serving as the first Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Coordinator in Region 8.


Ronna Miller, MD
Gone in Sixty Seconds – Six Conditions to Identify & Treat in the Critical 1st Minute
The Eyes Have It: EMS Evaluation of and Attention to Eyeball Injuries
This Might be Your Grandma’s Brain: Important TBI Updates for EMS
Ronna Miller, MD, with a background in adult/pediatric general surgery and trauma surgery, Dr. Miller is an associate professor in the EMS division of the UT Southwestern department of emergency medicine. She has been an EMS physician and a state- and nationally recognized EMS educator for more than 20 years. In addition to serving as associate medical director in the UT Southwestern/Parkland BioTel EMS system and editor for NDLSF Core Disaster Life Support course, she has been involved in evidence-based EMS research and protocol development for many years, with a special passion for pediatric EMS. Other interests include disaster medicine, HazMat/weapons of mass effect, trauma, resuscitation, evidence-based EMS practice & community outreach.












David Miramontes, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, LP
David Miramontes, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, LP, started as a volunteer firefighter-EMT while still in high school and went on to the level of EMT-II, registered nurse (he worked a total of ten years as a registered nurse in ER and ICU), Mobile Intensive Care nurse, and then received his BS in physiology at UC Davis. He attended the Medical College of Ohio and emergency medicine residency at the St Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo Ohio, where he also was a Lifeflight physician. He served as the Pre-hospital EMS director at St Vincent Mercy Medical Center and provided medical direction for the City of Toledo Fire Department and 18 rural and suburban EMS agencies. He was the assistant fire chief and medical director for District of Columbia Fire Department (Wash. DC) from 2011-14 and currently serves at EMS medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department.


Kenneth Navarro, PhD(C)
Brief Resolved Unexplained Event (BRUE)
Epiglottitis or Croup? A Case-based Approach in a Young Child
Kenneth Navarro, PhD(C), serves as chief of EMS education development in the department of emergency medicine at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He also serves as a content consultant for various project teams at the American Heart Association and as a chapter coauthor for the AHA Guidelines 2020. Navarro is a medical and education volunteer who specializes in teaching basic and advanced resuscitation courses in developing countries around the world.


Wes Ogilvie, MPA, JD, LP, NRP, CP-C
Solving the Volunteer Crisis – Or at Least Addressing It
The Basics of Negligence for EMS
Wes Ogilvie, MPA, JD, LP, NRP, CP-C, is an attorney licensed to practice in Texas and is also a Texas licensed and nationally registered paramedic. Wes maintains a full-time practice as an attorney in state government and is active in EMS as a field provider, educator, and advocate for volunteer EMS. His EMS experience has extended from Central Texas to the Gulf Coast in a variety of settings from rural to urban, both transporting and in a first response capacity.


Samuel Ortiz Severiano, BS
Samuel Ortiz Severiano, BS, is a program specialist V currently working at the Department of State Health Services in the immunization section. Samuel received his Bachelor of Science in public health from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently studying to receive his master’s in public health from the University of Nebraska Medical College. He has experience in community outreach, first responders’ health, infection prevention, and system programs. Samuel is particularly passionate about reducing the burden of disease in communities that are high-risk for preventable diseases.


Bob Page, MEd, NRP, CCP, NCEE, CHSE, CHSOS
How COVID 19 has Changed EMS 22
Medical Interactive! All New Game Show Review
Stethoscopy Lab: An Ears on Experience
Can You Ventilate? Hands-On Ventilation Workshop
Bob Page, MEd, NRP, CCP, NCEE, CHSE, CHSOS, is an internationally known speaker, instructor, author and paramedic. He is recognized for his energetic, humorous and motivational style. Bob takes ordinarily dry and hard to teach topics and transforms them into a fun, learning experience. Bob Is the State CEU Educator for the Virginia Office of EMS, bringing high fidelity simulation throughout the commonwealth. He holds a master’s degree in adult education. Bob has been an instructor for almost 4 decades teaching a variety of adult education courses from customer service to advanced medical care. He is a certified healthcare simulation educator and operations specialist. He has presented over 3000 seminars worldwide. He was recognized by his peers in Missouri as Missouri’s “Most Creative Educator” in 2009 and was awarded the Legends That Walk Among us Award from NAEMSE is 2012.


Casey Patrick, MD, FAEMS
Recognizing the Serial Killers – How to Think Worst First
The Right Place at the Right Time – Transporting Directly to Inpatient Mental Health
Casey Patrick, MD, FAEMS, grew up in Williamsburg, KY and following his undergraduate studies, Patrick received his MD from The University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 2004. In 2007, he completed residency training in emergency medicine at Indiana University. Currently, Dr. Patrick is the medical director for Harris County ESD11 Mobile Healthcare and assistant medical director for the Montgomery County Hospital District EMS service. His EMS educational focus is on innovative paramedic teaching via the MCHD Paramedic Podcast. Dr. Patrick’s clinical EMS research involves using bolus intravenous nitroglycerin for acute pulmonary edema and the prehospital utility of esmolol in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.


Jason Pickett, MD, FACEP, FAEMS
Crisis Situational Leadership for When Failure is Not an Option
Jason Pickett, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, is chief deputy medical director for Austin and is an affiliate faculty member in the department of surgery and perioperative care at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin and is the assistant program director for the EMS fellowship. He provides clinical oversight for Austin/Travis County EMS, Austin Fire Department, and Texas DPS. Dr. Pickett is a member of the Guidelines and Practice Committee for the National Association of EMS Physicians and is also a member of the Guidelines Committee for the Committee on Tactical Emergency Casualty Care. He is the tactical EMS chair for the National Tactical Officer’s Association. Dr. Pickett is Board Certified in emergency medicine and emergency medical services. Prior to his position in Austin, Dr. Pickett was the director of the Center for Prehospital and Operational Medicine at Wright State University. He is currently a battalion surgeon in the Army National Guard.


Stephen Rahm, NRP, FcEHS
Heads Up! Traumatic Brain Injury
Co-Presenter: What “We” Forget to Mention – The Frank Reality of Providing Today’s Emergency Care
Stephen Rahm, NRP, FcEHS, is a paramedic, educator, and author whose career in EMS spans more than 35 years. Chief Rahm currently oversees the Office of Clinical Direction at the Centre for Emergency Health Sciences and manages all clinical efforts within Bulverde Spring Branch Emergency Services. Stephen is a prolific author, with numerous textbooks, videos, and articles published to his credit. Additionally, he is named on multiple journal articles and scientific posters. He is the Centre’s Co-Chair and is a respected faculty member in procedural and anatomical programs, trauma education, multi-lead ECG interpretation, and more. Chief Rahm is a frequent speaker at local, regional, state, and national conferences, where he presents on a wide variety of emergency medicine related topics.


Taylor Ratcliff, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, EMT-LP
Tactical Car Casualty Care: Medicine Across the Barrier…or, From the Back Seat
EMS Medical Director Cage Match
Taylor Ratcliff, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, EMT-LP, is the division director of prehospital medicine for the Baylor Scott & White Central Texas division and is the Baylor Scott & White emergency management system medical director. He is the EMS medical director for the cities of Belton, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove and Waco, in addition to first responders in Bell and McLennan counties. Taylor is also an assistant medical director for PHI Texas and STAR Flight. In addition, he provides medical direction for the Temple College Health Professions EMS program and Bell and McLennan County emergency medical dispatch programs. Ratcliff serves as the physician medical director for the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force, region 7 team that encompasses the Central Texas area. Dr. Ratcliff serves on the Texas Governor’s Emergency and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) as the EMS education member.


David Robison, B.Sci., EMT-P
What a Rural EMS Provider SHOULD be
David Robison, B.Sci., EMT-P, has been involved in Texas EMS since 1982, as a paramedic since 1992 and also as an EMS instructor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in human anatomy and physiology from Saba University School of Medicine and has studied at Texas Christian University, University of Texas – Arlington and various junior colleges. Robison currently owns and operates Groveton EMS – a frontier, rural, economically disadvantaged county community ambulance service.


Gary Saffer, MPA, NRP
From The Journal of Iatrogenic Medicine
Gary Saffer, MPA, NRP, retired after working for Boston EMS for almost 35 years. During that time he served in a wide variety of field, communications, supervisory, and administrative positions. He has a bachelor’s degree in sociology, a Master of Public Administration, and has been a Nationally Registered Paramedic since 1990. Since retiring, he has used his experience and education in both the EMS education and quality improvement fields.


David Sanko, BA, NRP
Squeezing the Life Out of Me – “Crush Injuries”
The Shocking Truth behind Lightning Injuries
David Sanko, BA, NRP, started in EMS in 1982 as an EMT and has held NR-paramedic certification since 1987 along with a BA from Boston University. He has extensive experience in the Denver Metro region as a nationally registered paramedic and instructor for multiple private/ public agencies. This includes Flight for Life, volunteer fire fighter /paramedic, co-founder/ owner of Pridemark Paramedic Services, adjunct faculty for local community colleges, instructor for Denver Health EMT-Basic and Paramedic School, and currently with Centura Health – prehospital services department as the EMS coordinator. David has been a regular speaker both locally and nationally for over 35 years.












Sharief Savahl, TCOLE Police Officer, EMT-B
Are We Safer? A One Year Review of EMS Safety Policy
Sharief Savahl, TCOLE Police Officer, EMT-B, is a 25-year career police officer, EMT and instructor in many disciplines. His experience in EMS and law enforcement offers a unique perspective of the safety concerns of both agencies. He has served as training coordinator, TCOLE instructor, FTO, ER tech, SWAT commander, Healthcare Academy instructor, husband and father to three amazing adults.


Shirlinda Savahl, LP, BS, NREMTP
Are We Safer? A One Year Review of EMS Safety Policy
Shirlinda Savahl, LP, BS, NREMTP, 2022 marks 27 years of continuous EMS employment for Shirlinda Savahl. Her degree in higher education is used daily in her position as a training captain and Healthcare Academy executive director. Shirlinda has served as a SWAT medic, FTO, ER tech, educator, NREMT examiner and DSHS program director. Although her proudest achievement is her husband and three adult children, all fellow public servants.


Julie Scadden, Paramedic, Director of EMS
“The Weight and Age of Life” What it Means to be a Bariatric and Geriatric Patient
Jules Scadden, Paramedic, Director of EMS, has been involved in EMS for over 29 years and currently serves as the director of EMS for Dysart Ambulance Service, a blended volunteer/paid ambulance service in central Iowa. Jules also serves as co-chair on the Iowa EMS-C Advisory Council, the service director representative on the Iowa Quality Assurance, president of the Tama County EMS Association and is vice-chair of the National Volunteer Fire Council-EMS/Rescue Section. She is an EMS educator and presenter at regional, state, and national EMS conferences and a reviewer and writer of EMS educational materials.


Joseph W. Schmider, Texas State EMS Director
Ask Joe: Q&A With the State EMS Director- Coffee, Cookies and CE!
Six “Rs” to a Brighter EMS Future- Closing Session
Joseph W. Schmider, Texas State EMS Director, is the State EMS director for the Texas Department of State Health Services. Prior to his time in Texas, he was the EMS director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Schmider has served as a firefighter/EMT since 1974. He served as squad chief for Dublin EMS for 10 years and was the regional EMS director for Bucks County for 10 years. He is trained as a firefighter, EMT, EMT-instructor, a HazMat technician, rescue technician, certified Texas contract manager, and formerly emergency management coordinator for Bedminster Township. Schmider currently serves on the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (FICEMS) and chairs the Health and Medical Preparedness Councils for the National Association of State EMS Officials.


Mark Smith, JD, MBA
EMS Employment Issues: Quirky Labor Laws Related to EMS
When Patients Say No: EMS Liability for Refusals
Mark Smith, JD, MBA, has been a practicing attorney in Texas since 1999. He first became involved in representing ESDs when he became outside general counsel in 2003 for Harris County ESD No. 1 – large EMS-only district in northern Harris County. In 2007, Harris County ESD1 hired Mark as full-time in-house counsel where he served as vice president of Administration and General Counsel. In 2013, Mark moved back to private practice, where his practice primarily focuses on representing Harris County Emergency Corps and many other EMS and fire providers. Mark is a native Texan and attended Texas A&M University for his undergraduate and MBA degrees. He received his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center.












Clayton Smith, LP
Co-Presenter: Recognizing the Serial Killers – How to Think Worst First
Clayton Smith, LP, graduated from Texas A&M University in 2014 with a BS in allied health. He then obtained paramedic certification and began his career at Fayette County EMS. Clayton worked as a flight paramedic for a brief time before joining MCHD where he has spent the past 3 years, rising to the level of EMS Captain.


Sally Snow, BSN, RN, CPEN, FAEN
Is Your Trauma Center ED in compliance with Pediatric Readiness? There’s Still Time!
Sally Snow, BSN, RN, CPEN, FAEN, has 40+ years of emergency and trauma nursing experience and has been an active participant in the EMS for Children program at the state and national level for decades. She is a member of the National Pediatric Readiness Project Steering Committee and a co-author of the AAP/ACEP/ENA “Pediatric Readiness in the Emergency Department” joint policy statement. She is a lead facilitator for the Texas EMSC Voluntary Pediatric Readiness Program. She spent over 25 years building a level II ACS verified pediatric trauma program at Cook Children’s Medical Center. She served many years as a member and chair of the GETAC Pediatric Committee.


Sheri Soltes, JD, Founder/CEO Service Dogs, Inc.
Building Resiliency with Facility Dogs
Sheri Soltes, JD, Founder/CEO Service Dogs, Inc., founded Service Dogs, Inc. in 1988. As chair of the Assistance Dogs International North America Legislative and Advocacy Committee, Sheri worked with the Department of Transportation to revise the Air Carrier Access Act. The new rules, effective this year, make air travel safer for disabled passengers with legitimate service dogs. Sheri is now working with the airline industry to increase accessibility of flight registration for disabled passengers. She also is working with various Texas airports on their accommodations for service dogs.


Denise Starkey, MPH, MA
Denise Starkey, MPH, MA, is the DSHS Adult and Influenza Immunization Program manager. Here she leads a team on improving adult immunization rates in Texas as well as the Adult Safety Net (ASN) Program partnering with the DSHS PHR Adult Immunization coordinators, Local Health Departments, and stakeholders. She also led the Hurricane Recovery Crisis Cooperative Agreement (Crisis CoAg) First Responder and Cold Chain projects, Adult Influenza Vaccine Initiative (AIVI), and the COVID-19 Vaccine Program provider enrollment team. Her academic career includes a master’s in public health (MPH), concentrating on health promotion and disease prevention, and a Master of Arts (MA), concentrating on biocultural and medical anthropology from California State University, Fullerton.


Timothy Stevenson, DVM, PhD, DACVM, DACVPM-Epidemiology
Timothy Stevenson, DVM, PhD, DACVM, DACVPM-Epidemiology, has served as the assistant director of Meat Safety Assurance at DSHS since 2018. Prior to joining DSHS, Dr. Stevenson served in the Army Veterinary Corps for 29 years, retiring at the rank of Colonel. He has a broad range of experience in health and public health programs in the Army. He developed and implemented programs, inspection systems and laboratory support to ensure a safe food supply for the Department of Defense worldwide. He also served as the commander of a military public health region from Texas to Florida, responsible for the health of military working dogs and other animals, industrial and environmental hygiene, entomology and public health.









Jennifer Stout, NRP, LP
Adult Abuse: What Does it Look Like & What Is Our Responsibility
Jennifer Stout, NRP, LP, has been a paramedic for 10 years at both super rural and urban EMS services, and has taught both initial and continuing education for 7 years. She promotes continuous learning and advancing emergency medicine by serving as affiliate faculty for NAEMT. Stout has also served on the Education Committee for the Texas Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council.


Christopher Suprun, NRP, FP-C
Glowing, Sniffles, and Ouchies: Nuclear/Radiologic Emergency Response
Christopher Suprun, NRP, FP-C, has spent nearly three decades committed to responding to his neighbors in need. He has spent more than two decades teaching for universities, governments, and you, his student.


Alan Taylor, MD, FACC, FACP
Co-Presenter: Zebras of teh Heart: Case Studies on Cardiology
Alan Taylor, MD, FACC, FACP, has been a board-certified cardiologist for many years specializing in the emergent treatment of acutely ill cardiac patients. He is often asked to speak at medical schools, nursing programs, and to many local EMS providers. Taylor is a well-respected member of the medical community and often recognized for his volunteer efforts. Dr. Taylor is the medical director for the NCTTRAC cardiac committee and co-chair of AHA Mission Lifeline.


Janet Taylor, CFRN, CEN, CCEMT-P
The Right Stuff: Critical Thinking Application
U Can’t Touch This: How NOT to Screw up a Crime Scene
Janet Taylor, CFRN, CEN, CCEMT-P, after graduating from nursing school in 1998, Janet worked in various departments through the hospital gaining knowledge and experience in ICU, obstetrics and ER. Janet has been a flight nurse since 2004 and now works full time for Golden Valley EMS as a nurse in a paramedic role. She enjoys teaching part time for EMS conferences across the country and for local paramedic programs. She also writes modules for various online forums. You can see where she will be heading next at www.emsteacher.com. You can also reach her at janettaylor6@icloud.com.


Fiona Thomas, MBA, LP
Care And Keeping Of Your EMS Escapee
Fiona Thomas, MBA, LP, a recipient of the 2016 Nicholas Rosecrans Award and the 2017 Central Texas EMT of the Year for her work in first responder suicide prevention, Fiona Thomas has over 20 years’ experience as a paramedic and first responder in Central Texas. She is a founder and president of The Code Green Campaign, a nonprofit providing education and resources for suicide prevention, substance misuse, and mental wellness for public safety personnel. She has a master’s in business administration and a BSc. in emergency and disaster management.












Temple Thomas, LP
Co-Presenter: Care And Keeping Of Your EMS Escapee
Temple Thomas, LP, has over 35 years in emergency services as a paramedic. He served the citizens of Austin as both a commander and division chief for Austin-Travis County EMS during his tenure there and received civic awards for his dedication to his craft. He is never one to shy away from a conversation about mental wellness and has been an active spokesperson for the improvement of first responder’s mental wellbeing. He has an AAS in code welding technology, a skill he has found to be a true love because of its endless possibilities.


Frankie Trifilio, EMS Relations Manager Methodist Healthcare System
Co-Presenter: Building Resiliency with Facility Dogs
Frankie Trifilio, EMS Relations Manager Methodist Healthcare System, is a seasoned public safety professional with roots in emergency management. A critical thinker and captivating instructor capturing audiences through collaborative and interactive techniques since 2006. Frankie is an EMS professional and by nature a contingency planner who brings creativity and originality to the team. With a natural ability to transform concepts and ideas into real-world applications, Trifilio is dedicated to enhancing the way we improve patient care, use technology to plan, expand response capabilities, and recover from man-made and natural disasters.


Gerad Troutman, MD, MBA, FACEP, FAEMS
EMS Innovation in Texas: A Look to the Future and Across the State
Gerad Troutman, MD, MBA, FACEP, FAEMS, is the national medical director of Innovative Practices for Global Medical Response. He is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, TX and serves as a mentor to the Texas Tech Innovations Hub. He is a past president of the Texas College of Emergency Physicians and currently serves on the Governor’s EMS & Trauma Advisory Council of Texas.


Macara Trusty, MS, LP, SHRM-SCP
EMS Safety: Past, Present & Future
Five Ways to Ruin Your Frontline Leaders
Macara Trusty, MS, LP, SHRM-SCP, has over 27 years of EMS experience, including many years of teaching and leadership. She currently serves as a project manager for the South Region with Global Medical Response. Macara holds a master’s degree in management and leadership, and maintains other certifications in EMS, Project+, and Society of Human Resource Management -Senior Certified Professional. Macara also serves as the chair of the EMS Education Committee for the Texas Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC). She has led collaborative and cross-functional teams toward innovative solutions that improve the quality of emergency medical service delivery, clinical education/training, and employee culture across the country. Macara also serves NAEMT as a director for Region IV on the NAEMT Board of Directors, education coordinator for Texas, chair of the Lighthouse Leadership Committee, and as a member of the education committee.


Paul Trusty, LP, MS, CISSP, CEH, CHFI, GIAC-GSTRT
Cyber Threats That Adversely Impact Patient Outcomes
Paul Trusty, LP, MS, CISSP, CEH, CHFI, GIAC-GSTRT, has over 30 years of experience in and around EMS. Starting as an EMT in 1991, he has held a variety of positions in the field and in EMS leadership, with his most recent EMS experience serving with MedStar in Fort Worth. In 2002, he transitioned from being a field provider/clinical director, to an information technology role for the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority (now referred to as the Metropolitan Area EMS Authority). Paul has over 18 years of information security and technology experience, along with 30 years of healthcare experience. Currently serving as the chief information security officer for Solis Mammography, Trusty views information security as an enabler to organizational success by aligning information security with organizational strategy. Paul holds a master’s degree in information security and assurance and several industry certifications such as GIAC Strategic Planning, Policy and Leadership (GSTRT), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker.


Nicole Tyler, CPST-P, EMT-B, ICP-I
Co-Presenter: National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training Program
Nicole Tyler, CPST-P, EMT-B, ICP-I, started her TxDOT career in 2014 as a maintenance support technician serving four maintenance sections in the Childress District. In November 2015, she took the position as office manager for Childress’ Fleet Operations Division (FOD), where she served as the safety point of contact and on the State’s FOD Safety Committee. In December 2018, she moved to her current role as a traffic safety specialist in TRF’s Behavioral Traffic Safety Section (BTS). As the Childress District traffic safety specialist, she promotes traffic safety initiatives to all ages, from the ‘not-here-yet’ baby to the distinguished mature driver and manages several federally funded traffic safety grants from across the state. In 2019, Nicole added TxDOT Statewide EMS program area manager to her roles where she is striving to improve EMS availability, response, care, and support provided to motor vehicle trauma victims to increase survivability. In 2021, Nicole became a Traffic Incident Management instructor to train first responders of all disciplines. Nicole lives in Childress, Texas where she resides with her husband and four children.


Becky Valentine, BS, Paramedic, NCEE, MA I/C
At Risk Patients: Looking into the World of Autoimmune Conditions
Breathing Life into Our Primary Assessments
Rebecca Valentine, BS, Paramedic, NCEE, MA I/C, drawing from 30 years of EMS service and education, Becky presents EMS best practices locally, nationally, and internationally. She strives to strengthen the skills and knowledge of other EMS professionals within each community by the continuing pursuit of EMS excellence for students, providers, and educators.


Sam Vance, MHA, LP
Introduction to the Texas Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program
Sam Vance, MHA, LP, as a resourceful and team-oriented manager, Sam has over 13 years of experience in strategic planning, project management, and quality improvement, as well as 35 years of experience in emergency medical and fire services. He has been recognized for exceptional ability to develop and manage synergistic healthcare alliances through sound financial analyses, strategy development, and cooperative relationship building between executive management and staff from different cultures, functions, and organizations. Sam has a master’s degree in healthcare administration with a public health focus and is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.


Hemant Vankawala, MD, FACEP, FAEMS
Co-Presenter: Five Musts for Rural/Frontier EMS
Hemant Vankawala, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, grew up in Dallas and earned a BA from Trinity University, an MS from the University of North Texas and his MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Hemant is an ABEM board-certified emergency medicine and EMS physician who trained at Thomason Hospital in El Paso with Texas Tech Health Science Center. He has been a volunteer co-EMS medical director of Big Bend National Park and Terlingua Fire & EMS since 2004. Dr. Vankawala served as the 2019-2020 president of the Texas College of Emergency Physicians. He is a founding co-director of the Healthcare Innovators Professional Society. Hemant also serves as a board member for his local NPR station in Dallas, KERA. He was a member of the team that built the Emerus Hospital System.









Ashley Voss-Liebig, RN, BSN, CCRN
Ashley Voss-Liebig, RN, BSN, CCRN, is well known for her many contributions to local and national EMS practice and delivery. She is currently the division chief of clinical performance and education for Travis County Emergency Services.












Bryan Walker, EMT-P, EMS Instructor
What You Didn’t Learn About the ABC’s
Bryan Walker, EMT-P, EMS Instructor, is a firefighter/paramedic and EMS instructor for the City of Helotes. Bryan has been a nationally registered paramedic since 2013 and has a one-of-a-kind passion for off the wall EMS and fire instruction. His high energy and rapid-fire approach to teaching keeps students engaged and fosters a deeper understanding of learning objectives. He has worked in both urban and rural fire and EMS systems during his career and is an adjunct instructor for EMS University.


David Wampler, PhD, LP, FAEMS
Prehospital Whole Blood – The San Antonio Experience
Top Five EMS Research and Quality Improvement Abstracts of 2022
Co-Presenter: EMS and Opioid Harm Reduction
David Wampler, PhD, LP, FAEMS, has been in EMS for more than 30 years and is currently a professor of emergency health sciences at UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. His primary role is director of clinical research for the Office of the Medical Director and is a clinical training officer for the San Antonio Fire Department.












Daniel White, BS, NRP, GSP, SSH









Misti Willingham, Public Information Officer
Misti Willingham, Public Information Officer, is a communications and social media manager, award-winning journalist, broadcast news producer and video production editor with more than a decade of experience working in the media. She has expertise in internal and external communications strategies, press releases, video production and creative writing. Willingham also provides insight into the inner workings of a newsroom and provides guidance on how to gain and maintain a positive working relationship with the media. Highlights of Misti’s media career include 24-hour coverage of Hurricane Ike, a one-hour special commemorating the opening of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston, and continuous coverage of various flooding events in Houston. Misti was awarded the Texas Associated Press Award for Best Daytime Newscast in 2013. Misti has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Texas State University’s School of Journalism.


CJ Winckler, MD, LP
Don’t Get Caught With Your MAST Pants Down and Other Novel Trauma Treatment Tactics in San Antonio
CJ Winckler, MD, LP, serves as the deputy medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department and is an associate clinical professor at the University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center in both the Department of Emergency Health Sciences and the Department of Emergency Medicine. He provides daily clinical supervision, via on-scene medical direction, online medical direction, and performance improvement processes to over 1700 SAFD providers. Dr. Winckler provides medical direction for the novel prehospital trauma programs at SAFD. He is currently working to prove, or disprove: MAST pants in trauma patients, whole blood, thoracostomies, thoracotomies, amputations performed by paramedics, and many other advanced techniques that his paramedic colleagues deploy prehospital.


Stephen Wirth, EMS Attorney, Paramedic
Do You Like Lawsuits? The Top Six Things to Do If You Want to Get Sued – And How to Avoid Them!
Making Lemonade Out of Lemons: How COVID-19 Developed Our EMS Leadership Potential
“Unimpeded By Progress” – 7 Traditions That are Holding us Back
Stephen Wirth, EMS Attorney, Paramedic, is a founding partner of Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC, which represents EMS agencies throughout the United States, and a co-founder of NAAC, the National Academy of Ambulance Compliance. In a distinguished public safety career that spans over four decades, Steve has worked in virtually every facet of EMS and was one of central Pennsylvania’s first paramedics. Steve is a dynamic and sought-after speaker at EMS conferences nationwide and has authored numerous articles and book chapters on a wide range of EMS leadership and EMS law topics.


Carol Wolf, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, NREMTP
High Risk Delivery in the Field
Carol Wolf, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, NREMTP, was born and raised in Dallas, TX and attended Texas Woman’s University, graduating with her BSN. She began her career in high risk OB/labor and delivery with HCA/ Medical City Dallas hospital. She has spent 32 years specializing in high risk obstetrics, with the last 10 being in maternal transport for HCA’s Specialty OB Transport Team. Her passion for education led her to a RN to paramedic bridge program where she obtained her dual certification and NREMT-P. Carol was honored to be selected as one of the Dallas-Fort Worth Great One Hundred Nurses for 2018. She is married to a retired firefighter-paramedic and is a mother of three adult children. She holds a black belt in taekwondo and is an avid fly-fisher.


Karen Yates, MSN, RN, RN-BC, CEN, EMT-P
Zebras of the Heart: Case Studies in Cardiology
Karen Yates, MSN, RN, RN-BC, CEN, EMT-P, is a nursing clinical coordinator at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center. She is the chest pain coordinator and EMS liaison. Karen serves on the GETAC cardiac committee, is chair-elect of the NCTTRAC cardiac committee, and participates on AHA Mission LifeLine. Karen has over thirty-eight years of experience in pre-hospital and hospital management of the acutely ill and injured patient. She has worked as a ground and fixed wing paramedic and RN. Karen has worked for Methodist Health System for thirty-four years, working in a variety of positions. Yates speaks at a variety of nursing and EMS conferences. She also owns and operates a continuing education company and is active as a volunteer with the Dallas Area Crisis Response Team and Mental Health for Heroes.


Matt Zavadsky, MS-HSA, NREMT
Best Practices for Mitigating Ambulance Off-Load Delays
EMS Transformation Update – What’s Promising? What’s Threatening?
Matt Zavadsky, MS-HSA, NREMT, is the chief transformation officer for MedStar Mobile Healthcare in Fort Worth, TX. He has helped guide the implementation and financial sustainability of numerous innovative programs with healthcare partners that have transformed MedStar fully as a Mobile Integrated Healthcare provider. Most recently, he has led the negotiations with multiple third-party payers to change the basic economic model for EMS to better align patient, provider and payer focus on patient centered care as opposed to simply payment for ambulance transport. Matt is also the immediate past president of the National Association of EMTs and chairs their EMS economics committee. He has recently worked with CMS/CMMI to help facilitate recent new payment models such as Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport (ET3) model and Medicare waivers for Treatment in Place during the pandemic. He has a master’s degree in healthcare administration, with a Graduate Certificate in healthcare data management.