2023 Texas EMS Conference Speakers

Tiny Humans Giant Challenges: Micro-Preemie Resuscitation

Co-Presenter: Using a Quality Management Program to Create a Culture of Excellence

Co-Presenter: Revenge of the Nerds: Science in a Non-Boring Fashion

Co-Presenter: Medical Director Cage Match: Let the Science Win the Day

Co-Presenter: ALS, BLS, or NoLS: Playing Plinko With Non-Transport and Patient Alternative Destination Decisions

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 and Blanco County EMS. 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 various EMS organizations. She was one of the founding board members for the Texas chapter of NAEMSP, and currently serves as the chair of the EMS Medical Director’s Committee for the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council. Dr Abraham is a regular speaker at state and national conferences, with special interests in pediatric EMS, tactical EMS, and alternate care/treatment in place.

Co-Presenter: Ooooh…That’s How We are Really Doing it – Body Cams and QA

Tony Abraham, DO, EMT-P, serves as the deputy medical director for Harris County ESD #6 – North Channel EMS, a progressive and busy suburban EMS system in the Greater Houston area. Dr. Abraham is also a board-certified emergency medicine physician. He has worked tirelessly over the past five years to help implement and support body cameras in the QA/QI program at North Channel EMS. Dr. Abraham has been a paramedic for over 15 years.

Co-Presenter: Clinical Acumen and Procedural Prowess – the Knowledge and Skill for Life Over 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 department’s 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.

Texas Motor Vehicle Collisions “On the Highway and Back Roads”

Understanding Firefighter Injuries

U.S. Border Crisis Impacting Heroin, Fentanyl and Tramadol Addicts

Ken Bouvier, NREMT, Paramedic, 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.

Co-Presenter: Using a Quality Management Program to Create a Culture of Excellence

Michael Broadwater, LP, is a division chief with Austin-Travis County EMS and currently serves as a shift chief overseeing operations for the system. He has been with the City of Austin for 23 years and has over 36 years of combined EMS experience. He has served in various roles over the years including field medic, EMS commander, clinical educator, and EMS faculty chair at South Texas Community College. He is currently working on providing training for commanders to work higher class as a division chief. He works to find a work – life balance and shares that mantra with his staff to help extend careers and reach retirement.

Prehospital Blood in a Mass Casualty – San Antonio Fire and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center

William Bullock, EMT-P, BA, is a 22-year veteran of the San Antonio Fire Department and presently works as the team lead of the SAFD prehospital blood program. Lt. Bullock has provided operational and logistical support through all aspects of program evolution. Having personally transfused prehospital LTWOB+ in over 70 cases, Lt. Bullock has used his experience, training, and research to assist dozens of other organizations in prehospital blood program design and implementation. He recently presented the SAFD blood program to the head of the US Fire Administration Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell and is a nationally recognized speaker and author of multiple peer reviewed articles.

Co-Presenter: Service Animals: First Responder Specialty Skills Workshop (Workshop; advance registration required)

Isabella Carruth, Professional Service Dog Trainer, Service Dog Handler, is a professional service dog trainer and service dog handler with experience working with disabled individuals to train their own service dogs. She has extensive experience in public education and advocacy work in supporting accessibility and resolutions for various public access challenges that may arise for service dog users.

Co-Presenter: Employee-Centered Documentation

Matt Clark, LP, is a designated medical officer at Austin-Travis County EMS with an employee-focused approach to increasing clinical quality. He has worked in out-of-hospital medicine for over 15 years with much of that time spent as the tactical team leader at ATCEMS. Matt works daily to ensure excellence in the department’s clinical operations and enjoys spending time running calls to treat patients and ensure that providers are prepared for all challenges that could come their way.

Mitigation of Social Determinants of Health and Patient Outcomes

Angela Cornelius, MD, MA, FACEP, FAEMS, is an associate medical director for the Office of the Medical Director with the Metropolitan Area EMS Authority in Fort Wort 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 Air Medical section as well as Chair of the NAEMSP Preparedness Committee. Current administrative projects include enhancing and creating more robust community paramedicine programs and EMS induction of buprenorphine for opiate use disorder.

Co-Presenter: Revenge of the Nerds: Science in a Non-Boring Fashion

Remle Crowe, PhD, EMT, is an expert in using data to power quality improvement and research initiatives in EMS. From truck clutches to clinical care, she has shown how improvement in science and sound research methodology work to solve problems across fields. As an EMT with a passion for advancing EMS, she earned her PhD in epidemiology and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications. Now, as director of research at ESO, Dr. Crowe routinely uses data to improve community health and safety.

The Battle Within: Autoimmune Diseases

When Puking has a Poor Prognosis

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 16 years.

Let’s TACO About Heat Stroke

Bryan Everitt, MD, NRP, FAAEM, is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Texas Health San Antonio (UTHSA). He serves as faculty of the EMS fellowship and is an assistant medical director for San Antonio Fire Department. He is also the medical director for Bexar County Emergency Service Districts 9, 10, 11, and 12, Converse Fire Department, Windcrest Fire Department, and TEXSAR. He hailed from Charleston, SC, and completed his undergraduate at The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina and later attended University of South Carolina School of Medicine. After graduating, he moved to San Antonio, Texas, to complete emergency medicine residency and EMS fellowship at the UTHSA. Dr. Everitt has spent over 15 years working with EMS serving as a firefighter/paramedic and continues to be a National Registry Paramedic. His interest surrounds promoting the EMS physician profession, advocating for out-of-hospital provider professional development, community health, trauma, and resuscitation science.

“Anti-Coagulants and Their Implications” To Bleed or Not to Bleed…

Ocular Emergencies “Just Eyeball It”

William Ferguson, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, started his career in the emergency department at Charity Hospital of New Orleans as a RN. He had previously obtained his basic EMT and fallen in love with emergency care. Then, after 14 years in emergency nursing including flight nursing, he transitioned into emergency medicine. He is board certified in emergency medicine and EMS and is director of the Office of EMS at UAB. Dr Ferguson is the founder of Alabama EMS Challenge, a free continuing education program for EMS providers, which provides bi-monthly education to paramedics and annual cadaver labs. He works clinically in the emergency department as well as a track physician for the Talladega Superspeedway. He is the medical director for Birmingham Fire and rescue and for the Alabama Air Methods bases. He also serves as regional medical director for the Greater Birmingham area, Birmingham Regional EMS System. (BREMSS)

Co-Presenter: Employee-Centered Documentation

Co-Presenter: Using a Quality Management Program to Create a Culture of Excellence

Bryan Fitzpatrick, LP, is a career public safety medical professional with in-depth background in special operations rescue training and healthcare data collection/organization. He is a dedicated leader and public servant skilled at blending patient-care-centered service model with employee-focused approach. Bryan is a compassionate provider of high-quality prehospital medical care and die-hard New Orleans Saints fan.

Co-Presenter: Prehospital Blood in a Mass Casualty – San Antonio Fire and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center

Belinda Flores, MA-Organizational Leadership, has over 21 years of experience with South Texas Blood & Tissue (STB&T) and is currently serving as senior director of product management and customer relations. In addition to her current position, Belinda has worked as director of donor recruitment, donor recruitment consultant, and client services consultant, managing hospital accounts and contracts. She holds a Master of Arts in organizational leadership from Wayland Baptist University.  STB&T has recognized Belinda three times as employee of the month. She has been an active member for 15 years with the South Central Association of Blood Banks and was President in 2018.

Co-Presenter: Emergency Response and Older Adult Considerations

Camden Frost, PM/HHS, MAHS, RMT, serves as project manager for the aging services coordination team at Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Prior to this role, she coordinated ASC’s Civil Monetary Penalty grant project funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve quality of life for long-term care residents and staff. Camden has served Texas Health and Human Services agencies since 2006 with the former Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS), Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Her background combines skills across multiple areas including program development, program evaluation, policy analysis, volunteerism, community engagement, curriculum development and training, and stakeholder relations. Camden has a BS in advertising design from the University of Maryland and an MA in human services from St. Edward’s University in Austin.

Ill and in Handcuffs

There’s No Party Like an EMS Party

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.

When Heart Failure Becomes Cardiogenic Shock: Transport of the Mechanical Circulatory Support Patient

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

Ooooh…That’s How We are Really Doing it – Body Cams and QA

Brandon Glenn, BA, BS, MPAS, PA-C, LP, serves as the clinical manager and paramedic practitioner for Harris County ESD #6 and is also a physician assistant for a Level II Trauma System in the Greater Houston Metro Region. Brandon has been a paramedic for over 15 years. He has worked with North Channel EMS to implement the body camera system into the QA/QI program over the last three years.

Hormones, Glands and Steroids: An Endocrine Review

When Critters Bite and Sting

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 1,600 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.

Plan C: Navigating the Difficult Airway

Remember Three Things: Ten Medical Triads in Sixty Minutes

Steven “Kelly” Grayson, AGS, NRP, CCP, is a critical care paramedic with Acadian Ambulance in Southwest Louisiana, and an EMS educator for thirty years. He is the owner and founder of MEDIC Training Solutions, an EMS training and consulting firm. He is a passionate EMS advocate and a frequent EMS conference speaker, contributing author to several EMS textbooks, award-winning columnist for EMS1.com and EMS World Magazine, podcaster, and author of several books.

Co-Presenter: EMS Hospice Response- How You can Make a Difference

Brian Guerrero, LP, is the team leader for the San Antonio Fire Department Mobile Integrated Healthcare Hospice service line.

Co-Presenter: Breaking the Language Barrier in EMS Healthcare: How Limited English Proficiency Impacts Care and the use of Prehospital Language Interpreters

Chivas Guillote, DNP, APRN, FNP, ENP, AGACNP, LP, is a nurse practitioner (NP) and paramedic from Spring, Texas. He completed his undergraduate and master’s at UTHealth Houston, and Doctor of nursing practice with an emphasis in executive leadership from Johns Hopkins University. He holds a casual faculty appointment at the UTHealth Houston in the emergency NP program. As VP of clinical services at Harris County Emergency Corps (HCEC), Chivas manages the practice of 150 clinicians. In addition to his executive role, Chivas works clinically at HCEC as an NP, and in the emergency department of a rural hospital in East Texas.

Co-Presenter: “I’m Not Okay, You’re Not Okay”

Jennifer Halley, BS, MS, MSP, is the owner and treatment coordinator at 3FTL a comprehensive mental health treatment team providing support, guidance, and accountability for first responders.

“I’m Not Okay, You’re Not Okay”

Resiliency Through Tragedy: The Uvalde Response

Michael Hayes, Captain/EMS Director, BS, LP, FP-C, CCP-C, TP-C, CEMSO, FSCEO, has been in the American Fire Service for over 24 years. He is the current EMS director for the city of New Braunfels and is rostered with the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF) as a task force leader, strike team leader and medical incident support team member. Captain Hayes holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Emergency Health Sciences from UT Health San Antonio and is nearing completion of a Master in public administration from UT Arlington. He is board certified in critical care, flight paramedicine and tactical paramedicine from the IBSC, and is also credentialed as a chief EMS officer (CEMSO) from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). Captain Hayes is a founding member of the New Braunfels Fire Department peer support team. He responded to the Uvalde incident and remained as part of the EMTF in Uvalde for nearly three weeks.

Gravity, Friend or Foe?  Trauma From Falls

Micromobility: Public Service or Public Nuisance

Gary Hecker, RN, CCRN, EMT-CC, CIC, NHDP-BC, brings over 37 years of EMS experience to the table. He has held paid and volunteer positions in the NYC 911 system. He is an ex-captain for EMS at the Baldwin Fire Department on Long Island and lieutenant for the Lindenwood Volunteer Ambulance in Queens, NY. An EMS Educator for over 30 years, Gary is a New York State certified senior EMS instructor. His career as a registered nurse includes clinical experience in emergency and critical care. After 20 years in hospital-based nursing education, Gary is now the injury prevention, education and outreach coordinator for a major Level 1 Trauma Center in NYC. In his not so spare time, He is also a member of a Federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT).

The Dallas Fire-Rescue Quality Management Program: A Pathway to Excellence

Saving Lives Without Equipment: The Case for Pressure Points, Hands-Only CPR, and Precordial Thump

David Jacobson, EMT-P, is a paramedic and third year medical student at the Tilman J Fertitta Family College of Medicine. David has worked in both rural and urban EMS settings along with working as a field training officer and EMS instructor.

Avoiding the Major Pitfalls of Physical and Chemical Restraint

Core Airway Skills: We’re Doing it All Wrong!

Implicit Bias in EMS

Eric Jaeger, JD, NRP, EMS IC, is the EMS educator and RSI paramedic at Exeter Hospital in Exeter, NH, where he serves on the hospital’s paramedic intercept team and in the emergency department. Eric lectures extensively on EMS topics, including at multiple national and state conferences. He holds a BS in computer science from MIT and a law degree from Boston College Law School.

Drugs in Cardiac Arrest: What Does the Literature Say?

Revenge of the Nerds: Science in a Non-Boring Fashion

Using Our Data to Reduce Red Lights and Sirens Safely

Co-Presenter: Medical Director Cage Match: Let the Science Win the Day

Jeff Jarvis, MD, MS, EMT-P, is the chief medical officer and system medical director for the Metropolitan Area EMS Authority, aka MedStar. He is the host of The EMS Lighthouse Project Podcast where he reviews the scientific evidence that guides our EMS practice. Dr. Jarvis began his career in EMS over 30 years ago and remains a licensed paramedic today. His research interests include airway management and clinical performance measures. He is a proud father to two wonderful kids, husband of 33 years and a loyal Aggie.

Emergency Treatment of the Patient With Autism Specturm Disorder (ASD)

Brandon Joines, MSN, RN, CFRN, CEN, TCRN, LP, is a flight nurse with CareFlite in the DFW. He started his career in EMS in 2005 and worked as a paramedic for over five years before obtaining his RN. He spent over five years at a level one emergency department before working in the HEMS industry.

Improving Employee Retention – A Success Story Through the Eyes of an Employee

Ryan Kelley, BSN, RN, CFRN, LP, FP-C, NR-P, is a flight nurse/paramedic and clinical educator for the non-profit air medical service HALO-Flight, located near Corpus Christi, Texas. Ryan has been with HALO-Flight for nearly 14 years and has previously served as a firefighter in the U.S. Marine Corps, Kingsville, Texas and Portland, Texas Fire Departments. During his tenure he obtained his EMT-B, EMT-I, and paramedic certifications while working in fire-based EMS systems and for private 911-EMS agencies within south Texas. Ryan graduated from Del Mar College in 2008 with an AAS paramedic degree and Texas A&M- Corpus Christi in 2020 with a BSN degree.

Utilizing Your KPIs to Drive Your CE Program

Terri King, AAS, BS, MA, NRP, is a 30-year veteran public educator and a practicing paramedic for over twenty-four years. She has retired from Austin Community College in Austin, Texas where she served as an adjunct instructor for twenty years. Ms. King currently serves as the division commander of clinical practices for the Williamson County EMS System. Her main responsibilities are training and continuing education for 140 paramedics, and the credentialing for providers in 16 fire department first response agencies. Terri is an active member in NAEMT as a coordinator for PHTLS, AMLS, and EPC. As a Nationally Certified EMS Educator and Texas EMS Advanced Coordinator, Terri strives to effect positive system changes to improve training and education for all levels of pre-hospital care.

Hands-on Pediatric Skills Stations (Workshop; advance registration required)

Co-Presenter: Is Your EMS Agency Ready to Take Care of Kids?

Kathryn Kothari, MD, is an EMS physician and pediatric emergency medicine physician. She is an assistant professor and director of EMS for the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Division at Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Kothari serves as the director and principal investigator of the EMS for Children State Partnership grant in Texas. She is the pediatrics committee chair for the National Association of EMS Physicians and a member of the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council Pediatrics Committee. Her research interests include EMS education and prehospital pediatric pain management. Dr. Kothari is triple board-certified in pediatrics, pediatric emergency medicine, and emergency medical services.

On the Stand: Navigating Courtroom Procedures for First Responders

Catherine Kuhlmann, Firefighter/Paramedic ICO, Former Judge, EMS Chief, is a seasoned first responder with 25 years experience and an eclectic background that has helped mold her desire to serve others. She is a firefighter/paramedic for both Fredericksburg and Harper Fire Departments and a former Justice of the Peace. Mrs. Kuhlmann serves her community as both a career and as a volunteer first responder and serves in multiple capacities including city and county infection control officer and as the EMS chief for Harper, Texas. She is a TEEX Instructor and an active fire/EMS and NIMs instructor. Catherine loves preparing the future generation of first responders and truly sees the value of giving back.

Co-Presenter: “I’m Not Okay, You’re Not Okay”

$10 Million Dollar Verdict Awarded Against EMS: Plaintiff’s Expert Point of View

CPAP and BiPAP Therapy for BLS and Rural EMS

Steven LeCroy, Paramedic, Respiratory Therapist, is currently the director of clinical support at Mercury Medical. He spent 30 years with St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue where he retired as a captain/paramedic, he was an assistant professor at St. Petersburg College and a 40-year respiratory therapist. Captain LeCroy has lectured at EMS World, EMS Today as well as Paramedics Australasia International Conference in Queensland Australia. He has published articles in both JEMS and EMS World magazine and wrote the chapter on prehospital non-invasive ventilation in the textbook “Mechanical Non-Invasive Ventilation”. He has also been retained as an EMS expert in over 120 different cases across the US.

Co-Presenter: Removal Techniques of Sports Equipment for Spinal Injured Populations (Workshop; advance registration required)

Dustin LeNorman, MS, LAT, ATC, AEMT, is currently the director of sports medicine at SHSU. He received his BS in health from Sam Houston in 2007, is a current adjunct faculty member with the department of kinesiology as well as staff athletic trainer for USA Gymnastics. There, he has embarked on a variety of international competition coverage including multiple World Championships and World Cups. LeNorman went on to receive his master’s in athletic training from Stephen F. Austin in 2009. Additional experience includes serving as the associate athletic trainer for Justin Sports Medicine since 2009, a member of the Walker County tactical medic team, and a Walker County emergency medical technician. The former Huntsville Fire Department volunteer firefighter holds a number of certifications including his emergency medical technician-advance and NASM-corrective exercise specialist.

Club Q Shooting: Lesson Learned

That Patient Looks Pissed: Handling the Aggressive Patient

Jason Martin, RN, CEN, TCRN, CPEN, NREMTP, is the trauma service manager for trauma outreach and education for UCHealth southern region. He supports multiple trauma centers in the Southern Colorado area. Jason has been a paramedic and registered nurse for over 30 years. Jason speaks locally and nationwide on a variety of topics with emphasis in care of the trauma patient.

Perfecting Palpation: Putting the Blinders on Trauma Assessment

Uncommon Names for Common Fractures

Bob Matoba, MEd, Paramedic, has made it his mission to educate clinicians, rather than technicians.  Bob’s career has spanned many aspects of the EMS profession, first as an EMT for a private ambulance company, all the way to the EMS chief for a fire department. He strives to provide education that has relevance while improving the clinical practice of his participants. Bob has been a monthly columnist for EMS1.com, as well as a featured and contributing author for EMS World Magazine and JEMS.

A Scream for Help: Understanding Self-Injury

“Hold Still, You’re Going to Feel a Little Poke!” Pediatric IV Access

Kevin McFarlane, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, FAEN, has over 15 years in emergency nursing, nursing education, and leadership. Kevin’s professional experience includes pediatric and adult emergency care, trauma care, and program management both in and out of the hospital. In his full-time role Kevin is an administrator on duty at a hospital in El Paso, Texas. In his free time, he is the host of a popular emergency nursing podcast that has been downloaded in over 40 countries around the world.

Management of the Acutely Behavioral Health Emergency: Avoiding Death in Custody and the National News

Co-Presenter: The Dallas Fire-Rescue Quality Management Program: A Pathway to Excellence

Faroukh Mehkri, DO, serves as a police officer and swat physician with the Dallas Police Department SWAT Team and as a faculty physician and attending supervising physician at Parkland Memorial Trauma Hospital and UT Southwestern Clements University Hospital. He is also the deputy medical director for Dallas Fire Rescue in the office of medical direction. His role involves EMS education, training, quality management, clinical practice, and process improvement. He is double board certified in emergency medicine and EMS and prehospital medicine.

Let’s Talk Dogs and Mental Health

Brandon Miller, Firefighter, Paramedic, is the third generation in the EMS and fire service with over 25 years of service. In that time, he has served in many roles from the front line, training officer, flight medic and EMS director. Brandon has a long background as an EMS educator/coordinator and has been an instructor with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) for the last 20 years. Helping his peers learn and better manage stress and build resilience is where his focus is. Currently Brandon works for Methodist Healthcare as an EMS relations manager. He and his counterparts work with EMS, first responders and their hospital staff to help manage stressful situations with the help of “man’s best friend”. “We know that our dogs don’t fix someone who is having difficulty dealing with a stressful situation, but the dog is the gateway to starting the conversation”.

Co-Presenter: Opening the Black Box: Why Your Agency Should Pursue Video Laryngoscopy With Recording ASAP!

Co-Presenter: The Dallas Fire-Rescue Quality Management Program: A Pathway to Excellence

Brian Miller, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in emergency medicine and emergency medical services (EMS). Dr. Miller earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and completed residency training in emergency medicine at Indiana University. He received training in EMS through a fellowship at UT Southwestern. Board certified in emergency medicine and EMS, Dr. Miller is also the associate medical director for the Metropolitan Area EMS Authority in Fort Worth.

EMS Hospice Response- How You can Make a Difference

Co-Presenter: What We Forgot to Mention – The Frank Reality of Providing Today’s Emergency Care

Co-Presenter: ALS, BLS, or NoLS: Playing Plinko With Non-Transport and Patient Alternative Destination Decisions

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.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Kayden Nichols, EMT-B, is a graduate of St. Mary’s University, where he majored in exercise and sport science while playing competitive college sports. Shortly after graduating St. Mary’s University Kayden joined the Texas Army National Guard and is continuing his service with over seven years of leadership experience as a commissioned officer. Kayden joined San Marcos Hays County EMS in early 2021 as an EMT-B after working in the hospital environment at Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle Texas. He currently has four years of experience as a patient care technician in a Level 2 Trauma Emergency Department and two years as an EMT-B with SMHCEMS.

Preparing for the Worst

Co-Presenter: Moral Injury- Peeling Back the Layers of PTSD

Wendy Norris, CEO, is the founder and CEO of the Texas LODD Task Force, which is part of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s LAST program. She is a master certified chaplain with the Federation of Fire Chaplains. Norris is the presiding officer on the Texas Governor’s Advisory Panel for the Star of Texas Awards for injured and fallen first responders, and the facilitator for the Texas HHS Disaster Behavioral Health’s First Responder Mental Health Working Group. She serves as a chaplain, PIO, and first responder for the Forest Bend Fire Department.

Co-Presenter: “I’m Not Okay, You’re Not Okay”

High Performance Ventilation: Putting the “P ” Back in CPR

Stethoscopy: The Next Generation

Can You Ventilate? A Hands-on HPV Workshop (Workshop; advance registration required)

Stethoscopy: Ears on Experience (Workshop; advance registration required)

Bob Page, MEd, NRP, CCP, NCEE, CHSE, CHSOS, Bob Page 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 four 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 in 2012.

Nebulized Ketamine for Analgesia: Why You Should Consider a New Delivery Option

Opening the Black Box: Why Your Agency Should Pursue Video Laryngoscopy With Recording ASAP!

Casey Patrick, MD, is the assistant medical director for MCHD EMS and the outgoing medical director for Harris County ESD11 Mobile Healthcare. He is a practicing community emergency physician with broad EMS research interests. His educational focus is on writing and producing the MCHD Paramedic Podcast.

Ocular Injuries (Workshop; advance registration required)

Les Powell, NRP, CSSS, HM-M, SAPA, RSO, FF-III, is a seasoned health safety, security and environmental manager/paramedic. He has risen to captain and training officer for several departments and industrial fire chief with an extensive EMS/fire educational background. Powell has been nationally certified, receiving his 40 years of service award from the Nationally Registry in 2021. Les is the recipient of the 2023 EMS Professionals of Louisiana, Presidential Leadership Award and 2008 winner of the Industrial Fire World Connie Gross Award for dedication to emergency response. Currently he is a complex environmental, health, safety and security manager for International Paper. Les has been a member of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians since 1993, and is serving his third appointment to the membership committee. He is a member of Sabine-Neches Chapter of the ASSE where he served as the 2007-2008 President.

Co-Presenter: Hands-on Pediatric Skills Stations (Workshop; advance registration required)

Howard Pryor, MD, is a pediatric surgeon, associate professor, and trauma medical director of Texas Children’s Hospital. He is board-certified in general surgery, pediatric surgery, and surgical critical care by the American Board of Surgery (ABS). His interests focus on pediatric endovascular hemorrhage control, trauma and critical care quality improvement, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and pediatric emergency air transport. He has been recognized for his work through several Teacher of the Year awards and a Department of Defense Master Clinician Award.

Do You Hear the Words That are Coming Out of My Mouth?

Jon Puryear, NRP, Asso Christian Studies, has been in EMS since 1983, is certified at every level in Texas, and is a nationally registered paramedic. He has worked in private EMS in the Dallas Fort Worth area and served as faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas. Jon was the Director of the Office of the Medical Director at MedStar in Fort Worth, and has operated his own Texas CE program.

Drowning on Dry Land: Congestive Heart Failure

What We Forgot 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.

Pregnancy Alert! Coming to an ER Near You…oh and SAMPLE is Out!

Medical Director Cage Match: Let the Science Win the Day

Taylor Ratcliff, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, EMT-LP, is an EMS and ER physician in the Central Texas area. He provides medical direction and field response to a variety of air and ground EMS agencies across Central Texas and has been doing so for more than a decade. Ratcliff is board certified in emergency and EMS medicine and is a Texas licensed paramedic and certified firefighter. He is one of nine medical directors Statewide for the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force and has a focus on disaster response.

Co-Presenter: End of Life – Embracing the End

Laci Roberts, RN, BSN, EMT-B, worked as an EMT basic six years before getting her RN six years ago. She is currently an emergency room nurse with a background in hospice nursing as a case and care manager. Laci has a passion for a dignified end of life and understanding for patients and families to achieve that.

Is There a Medical Provider On Board?: Responding to In-Flight Emergencies at 35,000 Feet

Tension Pneumothorax:  Needle Decompression, Finger Thoracostomy and Chest Tubes (Workshop; advance registration required)

Jared Ross, DO, NRP, TCCC, FACEP, FAAEM, is an emergency physician with over 22 years of experience as a first responder, EMT, paramedic, firefighter, SWAT team member, and EMS educator. Jared is clinically active as a physician and continues to work as a paramedic. Dr. Ross is the President of EMSEC, LLC which provides medical education and consulting. He has served as the assistant medical director for Detroit Fire Department EMS and as a tactical physician for St Ann Police department Special Response Team (SRT). Ross is known as the creator of the “Zero-th Responder” model to improve law enforcement-EMS integration and for his expertise in the use of Ketamine. He is currently the medical director for two EMS education programs and presents regularly at national and international conferences. His research interests include behavioral emergencies, critical care, and substance abuse management.

Anaphylaxis Review and EPI; A Match Made in Heaven

Pediatric Trauma

David Sanko, BA, NRP, has been active in EMS for over 40 years beginning in 1982 with a private ambulance service in Denver. He has a BA from Boston University and NREMTP from St. Anthony’s – Denver Health. Throughout his EMS career David has worked in the Denver region as a NREMT-Paramedic/instructor for private and public agencies, Flight for Life paramedic, and adjunct faculty for local community colleges. David is a co-founder/owner of Pridemark Paramedic Services. Days off include referring soccer games, scuba diving, golfing, skiing, and hunting.

Ask Joe: Q&A With the State EMS Director – Coffee, Donuts, and CE

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.

Bringing Priority Dispatching to the Rural Setting

Anthony Scopel, LP, CCP-C, NRP, EMS-I, has more than 20 years of experience as a paramedic with 911, transfer, rotor-wing, fixed-wing, and critical care EMS agencies. He is a graduate of West Texas A&M University and currently works for the City of El Campo EMS as the clinical manager.  Additionally, Anthony is an adjunct faculty at Wharton County Jr. College and has been instructing for more than 20 years in law enforcement, fire, and EMS.

Co-Presenter: Threat Level Midnight: Sport and Special Event Operations in the Rural Environment

Mark Scott, EMT-B, has 10 years of experience in emergency medical services with the last two years being in leadership as division chief – logistics with Walker County EMS, overseeing procurement of supplies and equipment, storage, proper and prompt maintenance/repairs, and adherence to stringent standards of operation as well as all aspects of the fleet. Mark also assists in planning and operating at large scale events and higher acuity calls for service and works with local, regional, and state entities for emergency and disaster preparedness and management.

Leadership Lessons as Learned From the Greatest Rock and Roll Band of all Time, Nickelback

Terence Sheehy, BS, NRP, has over 25 years in the fire service and EMS, and currently serves as the deputy chief of operations for Dare County EMS, NC. His responsibilities include day-to-day activities of the department, developing and implementing plans for special and weather-related operations such as festivals, and hurricanes. Dare County EMS provides all aspects of EMS delivery ranging from 911, aeromedical, inter-facility transports and scheduled transports to the citizens and visitors of the barrier island commonly known as the Outer Banks. Deputy Chief Sheehy began volunteering at his local fire department when he was just 17 years old and over the last 20+ years he has held various roles working in technical rescue, fire, and EMS. He has earned a BS in Emergency Medical Care from Western Carolina University and is studying for his MPA at UT Arlington.

End of Life – Embracing the End

Eric Steffel, BS, LP, NRP, has over 20 years of experience in EMS and currently serves Northwest Community Health as the clinical chief. Eric has extensive experience in EMS education throughout his career and is the TAEMSE vice president. In addition to public service, Steffel also served in the Texas National guard for 8 years with a deployment to Afghanistan.

National Registry Update and Examination Accommodations (ADA)

Joshua Tilton, BS, AAS, NRP, is an experienced EMS provider, firefighter and educator who currently serves as a senior stakeholder program manager with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. He joined the National Registry in 2019 as an examinations program manager. Additionally, Josh serves his community near Zanesville, Ohio as a part-time paramedic and firefighter. Prior to that, he served as an EMS instructor, fire instructor, flight paramedic and numerous other positions with local fire and EMS organizations over the past 20 years. He lives with wife, two children and two dogs in Central Ohio.

Threat Level Midnight: Sport and Special Event Operations in the Rural Environment

Chris Toman, FP-C, has over 16 years of experience in EMS, ranging from high volume inner-city systems in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, rural EMS, and five years in the air medical community as a flight paramedic. He is currently serving as assistant chief for Walker County EMS. Chris has been a key part of the collaborative effort to re-brand the organization and bring its clinical operations up to evidence-based standards of care.

ALS, BLS, or NoLS: Playing Plinko With Non-Transport and Patient Alternative Destination Decisions

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.

Sabotage!

Why do They STAY?

Macara Trusty, LP, MS, SHRM-SCP, is a licensed paramedic with over 29 years of EMS experience, including 16 years of leadership. She is a national conference speaker, author, and recipient of the 2021 NAEMT Presidential Leadership Award. Macara holds a BS in business management and an MS in management and leadership. She also holds several certifications such as Project+, SHRM-SCP, Just Culture Champion, and various EMS instructor certifications. Additionally, Macara chairs committees with NEMSMA and the Texas Governor’s EMS & Trauma Advisory Council EMS Education Committee and serves on the Lighthouse Leadership Committee with NAEMT. She has led collaborative and cross-functional teams toward innovative solutions that improve employee cultures, operational efficiencies, and the quality of leadership development and clinical education.

Electric Vehicle Considerations for EMS

Nicole Tyler, EMT-B, Traffic Safety Specialist, TIM Coordinator, serves as a TxDOT traffic safety specialist to promote traffic safety initiatives from the ‘not-here-yet’ baby to the distinguished mature driver. In 2019, she added TxDOT statewide EMS program area manager to her roles where she strives to improve EMS availability, response, care, and support provided to MVC trauma victims to increase survivability. Nicole became a Traffic Incident Management (TIM) instructor in 2021 and serves as the Childress District TIM coordinator. She has presented at several state and local conferences on TIM and the importance of post-crash care to prevent fatalities and serious injuries and has a deep passion for the safety of emergency responders and the traveling public. Nicole resides with her husband who serves as a fire chief, paramedic, and law enforcement officer.

Reading Chest X-rays: You Don’t Need to be a Radiologist

Scott van Poppel, MD, has served as PHI Air Medical’s medical director since 2016, and critical care medicine/neuro-critical care boarded in practice since 2010. He is the intensivist medical director chief of staff at Medical City Plano.

Is Your EMS Agency Ready to Take Care of Kids?

Sam Vance, MHA, LP, has over 36 years of experience in emergency medical and fire services, and is the manager of the EMS for Children State Partnership, Texas based at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He is a member of the Pediatric Committee of the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council, the National Association of State EMS Officials Pediatric Emergency Care Council, National EMS Information Systems Technical Expert Panel, Prehospital Pediatric Readiness Project Steering Committee, and the National Pediatric Readiness Quality Improvement and Analytics Advisory Board. Sam received a Bachelor of Arts in applied behavioral science from National Louis University and a Master of health administration from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences and was inducted as a member of the Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society. Sam is also a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

EMT and Paramedics Patrolling the Border

Robert Vega, EMT, Paramedic, Sector EMT Coordinator, is an EMT, paramedic, and EMT coordinator for the Rio Grande Valley. He has been a paramedic for 25 years.

Top 5 EMS Research and Quality Improvement Abstracts of 2023

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.

Prehospital Care for the VAD Patient

Stephen Wilcox, LP, FP-C, EMS-I, AAS, has worked in the EMS field for 15 years with most of his EMS career in the rural EMS setting. Stephen currently works as a flight medic for CareFlite, as a paramedic for the City of The Colony, and as the EMS operations captain for the City of Whitesboro. He has an associate degree in paramedicine and is currently finishing his Bachelors of Emergency Health Sciences. Stephen is extremely passionate about prehospital care and loves sharing knowledge with other EMS and healthcare professionals.

Co-Presenter: Mitigation of Social Determinants of Health and Patient Outcomes

Matt Willens, EMT-P, FP-C, CP-C, CHW, is the clinical coordinator in the Office of the Medical Director Metropolitan Area EMS Authority in Fort Worth, Texas. Matthew currently clinically oversees all aspects of the Mobile Integrated Health and Critical Care Team in the system. Last year 11,006 responses were handled by this team. Matthew has been in the EMS field for over 25 years and has worked in systems in New York, Ohio, and Texas. He is married and has one wonderful son.

Co-Presenter: Hands-on Pediatric Skills Stations (Workshop; advance registration required)

Sharon Won, MD, is a pediatric emergency physician. She is an assistant professor and co-director of Simulation for the pediatric Emergency Medicine Division at Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine. Sharon is passionate about simulation-based medical education. Her research interest is understanding and characterizing retention of learned skills in pediatric resuscitation. She is committed to advancing simulation-based research for the purpose of enhancing medical education and ultimately, improve patient outcomes.

Moral Injury- Peeling Back the Layers of PTSD

Karen Yates, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CEN, EMT-P, is a well-known speaker in the State of Texas. She teaches at a variety of EMS and nursing conferences. Much of her focus is collaboration between EMS and hospitals to improve patient care and outcomes. She is passionate about a variety of topics including emergency cardiac and trauma care, first responder mental health. Karen is the injury prevention coordinator and EMS liaison at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center. She holds a master’s degree in nursing education from the University of Texas at Arlington as well as several nursing and EMS certifications. Karen owns a company that specializes in EMS continuing education in the DFW metroplex and is active as a volunteer with the Dallas Area Crisis Response Team and instructor with the First Responder Resiliency Program. She chairs the North Central Texas Regional Advisory Council Cardiac Committee and a member of the Governor’s Emergency Trauma Advisory Cardiac Committee.

Breaking the Language Barrier in EMS Healthcare: How Limited English Proficiency Impacts Care and the use of Prehospital Language Interpreters

Hashim Zaidi, MD, is a Houston native who grew up in Katy and did undergraduate at Rice University and medical school at Baylor College of Medicine. He then continued his training and completed residency in emergency medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago followed by a combined EMS and Tactical Medicine Fellowship from the University of Chicago. He is board certified in emergency medicine and EMS. He is an advocate for improved prehospital education, research, and physician involvement.