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Debora Gault & Tom Tornstrom Receive AAA President’s Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: October 29, 2020
Contact: Maria Bianchi, AAA CEO
Arlington, VA—Aarron Reinert, President of the American Ambulance Association (AAA), is proud to award Debora Gault and Tom Tornstrom with the 2020 President’s Award.
Deb Gault, Global Medical Response (GMR) is receiving the award for leading the efforts with the AAA, to address the outstanding billing issues for ground ambulance services with the Veterans Affairs Administration. Deb has worked tirelessly over the last several years to get ambulance service claims paid promptly, a prudent layperson standard adopted, and for the VA to be considered the primary payor unless another payor is identified.
Tom Tornstrom, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance, Inc. is receiving the award for leading the efforts of the AAA, to address issues critical to ground ambulance services in their response to the current Public Health Emergency. Tom has led a group of industry leaders in addressing PPE shortages, access applying for PPP and CARES Act Funding, and many operational and clinical issues.
The President’s Awards will be given at the AAA Virtual Annual Membership Meeting on November 4, 2020 at 11:15 am eastern time.
About the American Ambulance Association
The American Ambulance Association safeguards the future of mobile healthcare through advocacy, thought leadership, and education. AAA advances sustainable EMS policy, empowering our members to serve their communities with high-quality on-demand healthcare. For more than 40 years, we have proudly represented those who care for people first. www.ambulance.org
AMBY Award Nominations Open!
Nominations for the 2020 AMBY Awards close May 15! The AMBYs recognize excellence in the ambulance profession and the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit that epitomize AAA members. Winners will are awarded during the AAA Awards Reception at our Annual Conference & Tradeshow, In addition, all entries will be shared with the AAA membership on the website, in the association’s mobile event app and as an online publication.
40 Under 40: Celia Cuevas (Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service Inc. – Merrillville, IN)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Celia Cuevas
Station Manager
Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service Inc.
Merrillville, IN
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Nominated by: Jeff Collins
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Biography:
Celia “Cece” Cuevas was born and raised in East Chicago, Indiana. Cece got into EMS for many reasons but the number one reason has to do with an old co-worker Andre. When Cece was 10 years old, she was shot three times in a drive by shooting as an innocent by stander. Cece was in and out of consciousness before a medic picked her up and carried her to an ambulance. This medic’s name was Andre. Andre took care of Cece on the ambulance and at the hospital, making sure that she was well taken care of. Andre saved Cece’s life and she grew up wanting to be just like him. When Cece was old enough, she went to EMT school and was even able to work side by side Andre. Cece is the skilled medic she is today thanks to Andre’s help and inspiration.
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Reason for Nomination:
Cece is an amazing person and a major asset to the management team at Superior Air-Ground Ambulance. Cece is very warm and out going. Cece completes each task that is given to her and is constantly striving to be the best health care provider possible. Cece has over come many challenges in her life and is well deserving to be recognized as one of the American Ambulance Association’s 40 Under 40 Honorees.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Amanda Jimeson (EMSA – Oklahoma City, OK)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Amanda Jimeson
Deputy Chief of Patient Billing Services
EMSA
Oklahoma, OK
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LinkedIn
Nominated by: Angela McLain
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Biography:
Amanda Jimeson currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Patient Billing Services and has been a part of the EMSA team for the past seven years. Amanda has more than 15 years of experience in management of patient billing, coding, physician training, compliance, education, and documentation. In addition, Amanda is credentialed as a Certified Professional Coder, Certified Ambulance Coder, Certified Ambulance Documentation Specialist, and has received her Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma.
Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, OK. Amanda is a member of AAPC, NAAC, and serves on the Medicare Regulatory Committee for the American Ambulance Association.
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Reason for Nomination:
Known to the EMSA team as Mandi, she was asked two years ago to step out of her comfort zone and take on Patient Billing Services for EMSA. Mandi had a proven career in coding, documentation and provider training, but not necessarily on the day to day functions of a billing office. Mandi has gone above and beyond what was expected and has help to shape the current EMSA Patient Billing Services office into a more functional hands on department. Mandi does not only manage but takes on the workload to help to keep staff ahead of production as much as possible, often leaving the office and working long nights at home just to help lessen the stress for her team. Mandi has helped to sustain a manageable retention rate for the department and has been instrumental in providing performance improvement processes throughout the department, and recently earned her green belt in Lean Six Sigma, by evaluating and improving the EMSA Patient Billing Services refund processes. It’s exciting to watch Mandi to develop each day as new issues arise. Mandi is a true mentor to her managers, staff, and leadership team.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Alicia Ney-Ludescher (Paramount Ambulance – Peosta, IA)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Alicia Ney 
Business Development & Training Coordinator
Paramount Ambulance
Peosta, Iowa
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LinkedIn
Nominated by: Kathy Griffin
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Biography:
Alicia Ney-Ludescher, along with her twin brother Andy Ney, was recognized at last year’s American Ambulance Association (AAA) Conference as one of the youngest leaders in EMS. At the age of 28, Alicia has already been working as an EMS provider for ten years. Of those ten years, Alicia has worked as a member of the management team at Paramount Ambulance for nearly six years. Over that time, Alicia obtained her Paramedic certification, so as to better provide EMS care, bring knowledge to her position, and to better understand the providers she was managing and training. In 2010, when Alicia became an EMT in high school, it was not about the excitement of working in EMS, but rather satisfying her dad by working for his newly established private ambulance service. Alongside her twin brother, Alicia became one of the youngest EMTs in the state of Iowa at the time. Throughout college, Alicia worked part-time for the family business but had no intention of working full-time as an EMT. At the time, Alicia was considering careers in insurance or health and wellness. In a turn of events, three months after graduating from Loras College, Alicia joined the family business full-time in management wearing many hats within the organization. In the course of a day, Alicia can go from posting payments to patient accounts, to coordinating new hire orientation, to jumping in an ambulance to provide EMS care on a busy day. Alicia has never been given a formal position or title at Paramount, but that is most likely because there isn’t one that would encompass all that she does for the employees and the organization. Every day that Alicia comes to work, she has a smile on her face with a natural positivity that affects everyone around her. Alicia has a drive and passion for training, organizing, and providing patient care. In her six years with the management team at Paramount, Alicia has streamlined many processes, organized the management team, developed a training calendar for the year for employees, and developed a formal Field Training program for new employees. Alicia’s contributions to the organization have been profound. As a young member of EMS, Alicia represents the new age of technology and information at state association conferences and AAA conferences. It is the young minds that will push EMS into the future and with her organization, structure, and passion for patient care, Alicia will be one of the individuals to aid in that process. Alicia’s twin brother Andy provides her with inspiration every day. The passion they share together for paving the future of EMS within their organization, their county, and their state will make profound strides in the future and quite likely the industry as a whole.
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Reason for Nomination:
Alicia Ney-Ludescher wears many hats within her organization, Paramount Ambulance. From field Paramedic to Accounts Receivable to Business Development, training, and education; Alicia does it all. Most who venture into a career in EMS focus their time and energy on specific functions, but Alicia is focused on the overall growth of her agency and the education of her employees.
Dedicating much of her time to the clinical education and field training, Alicia has a true passion for ensuring clinical excellence based on national best practice standards and has made it her mission to bring this passion for personal and professional educational growth to her field crews on a daily basis.
For the majority of people, handling the number of roles that Alicia does would be a burden. However, her family, friends, and colleagues would all agree, for Alicia, her eclectic involvement within Paramount Ambulance energizes her to pursue excellence around every turn and energizes those around her to do the same.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Amanda Shell Jennings (Priority Ambulance – Knoxville, TN)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Amanda Shell Jennings
Director of Marketing and Communications
Priority Ambulance
Knoxville, Tennessee
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LinkedIn
Nominated by: Dennis Rowe
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Biography:
As Director of Marketing and Communications, Amanda Shell Jennings manages internal and external communications throughout the Priority Ambulance family of companies.
Jennings provided marketing and public relations support for the company since its founding in 2014 in her previous role as Senior Account Executive with public relations firm Moxley Carmichael. Prior to joining Priority Ambulance, Jennings was a top performing account executive at premier East Tennessee public relations firm Moxley Carmichael for five years, where she created and executed strategic communications plans for Priority Ambulance, Tennessee Theatre, Knoxville Convention Center, Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum, US Nitrogen, and Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation, among other clients. Jennings specializes in media relations, event planning, marketing, crisis communications, internal communications, and social media strategy.
Jennings is involved in local professional organizations. Jennings currently serves on the Communications Committee for the American Ambulance Association and as Treasurer of the Volunteer Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Jennings served as Vice President of collegiate relations for the Knoxville American Marketing Association from 2012 to 2015. Jennings holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism with a minor in Spanish from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
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Reason for Nomination:
As the Director of Marketing and Communications, Amanda Shell Jennings brings members of the Priority Ambulance family of companies in states across the country closer together through communication strategies and tells the story of Priority Ambulance and its personnel to the industry and the public.
As part of an outside consultant group, Amanda developed and guided the initial brand strategy for the company’s founding in 2013. Joining the company’s marketing and growth department full-time in 2017, Jennings has managed the announcements and brand integrations of eight acquisitions and three cold startups.
Beginning with 150 employees in two locations to a current total of nearly 3,000 employees in 10 states, Amanda has developed communications programs, tools, and strategies to bring the family of companies closer together. In 2018, the company launched a company wide Priority News Network with mounted screens at each Priority location that share company news, employee profiles, clinical updates and alerts, and more in a cloud-based network. Jennings and the corporate marketing team work with subject matter experts throughout the company to develop news items, updates, and recognitions.
Jennings also supports the external marketing and new business development efforts at each Priority company, including leading the proposal development process for hospital and 9-1-1 contracts. Jennings has been sharing the stories of EMS in the media for eight years and finds the most enjoyment from telling the human stories of EMS and sharing the positive impact that the Priority team has on patients and communities.
In addition to her work at Priority Ambulance, Jennings volunteers for the Priority Ambulance Leadership Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit envisioned and founded by former owners of Priority Ambulance’s companies to develop the next generation of EMS industry leaders. The foundation organizes a year-long, accelerated EMS executive course with four week-long in-person class sessions. Jennings assisted in launching the leadership course in 2019 and serves as the chair of the fundraising committee and manages the annual capstone project. The foundation graduated its first class of six in 2019 and has expanded to a class of 12 for 2020.
Jennings also currently serves on the Communications Committee for the American Ambulance Association.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Luke Culleny (Chatham EMS – Savannah, GA)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Luke Culleny
Paramedic / IT Coordinator
Chatham EMS
Savannah, GA
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LinkedIn
Nominated by: Phil Koster
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Biography:
Luke Culleny holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Television as well as many other technology based certifications. Luke was first exposed to EMS during his time as a Associate Producer in film and fell in love with public safety. Luke returned to school and is a four-year veteran of Chatham EMS as an EMT, then Paramedic. Luke frequently works ambulance shifts as his IT schedule allows. Luke’s hobbies include woodworking and filming (including drone use).
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Reason for Nomination:
Luke Culleny maintains a passion for EMS which combines with his love, experience, and knowledge of IT systems and multi media. This combination has resulted in multiple significant advancements at Chatham EMS. Luke has successfully overseen dispatch CAD and ePCR software launches along with projects to assure ECG transmissions to receiving ERs. Whereas this may be standard for some, Luke pushes IT abilities by developing better interfaces to report frequency of ECG transmissions to help drive improved clinical performance and education. Luke also works to develop CAD to CAD to ePCR interfaces to move information to crews faster and easier by eliminating steps and links. Much of Luke’s work is not seen by field crews, but has had a tremendous impact on service delivery.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Adam Stockton (Maricopa Ambulance – Phoenix, AZ)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Adam Stockton
Director of EMS Operations, West Valley
Maricopa Ambulance (Member of the Priority Ambulance family of companies)
Phoenix, Arizona
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Nominated by: Amanda Jennings (Priority Ambulance – Knoxville, TN)
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Biography:
Adam joined the Maricopa Ambulance team in 2016 when the company started up in Maricopa County, Arizona. As the company grew, Adam quickly advanced from Paramedic Supervisor to EMS Director in less than two years due to his talent and commitment to serving his communities. Adam Stockton currently serves as EMS Director for the 9-1-1 service areas of Glendale and Goodyear where he was instrumental in the implementation and optimization of those systems in 2019.
Adam served as the lead supervisor for the City of Scottsdale during the startup of the city’s 9-1-1 EMS system and was instrumental in the startup of the City of Surprise backup 9-1-1 service.
Adam’s interest and dedication to EMS stems from his father who has been a Paramedic in the Avondale/Goodyear areas in Central Arizona for 25 years.
Adam is an Arizona native who resides in Litchfield Park with his wife and two children.
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Reason for Nomination:
Adam Stockton’s accelerated growth trajectory within Maricopa Ambulance is evidence of his career potential to be a leader in the EMS industry. From day one, Adam’s dedication and talent was recognized by top leadership and promoted at the organization. Advancing from field employee to senior management in less than two years, Adam has risen to and exceed every challenge presented to him.
Adam Stockton was a member of the original team of employees that started up Maricopa Ambulance, an ambulance service created in 2016 to provide choice to medical facilities in Arizona’s most populous county. Starting as a Paramedic, Adam was promoted to Field Supervisor and them to Director of EMS for the West Valley 9-1-1 operations.
Adam was involved during the implementation and operation of three separate municipal contracts in the West Valley. Adam now oversees a 9-1-1 service area with 15 ambulances and more than 105 employees. Through these West Valley 9-1-1 operations, Maricopa Ambulance now provides 9-1-1 service to more than 460,000 residents.
Priority Ambulance West Regional President says of Adam:
“Adam exemplifies accountable leadership. He is not afraid of making decisions and has grown tremendously across multiple functional areas in the last year.”
Maricopa Ambulance Director of New Business Development says of Adam:
“When a new Director of EMS, West Valley position needed to be filled, it was clear it required an individual who would be diligent, accountable, and demand excellence from the workforce, while representing Maricopa Ambulance in a professional manner. It did not take long to realize Adam was the person best-suited to fill this position. The respect, trust and confidence these fire departments have in Adam speak volumes and are a direct result of his hard work and commitment to delivering the highest level of patient care and customer service.”
Adam was selected for the 2020 class of the Priority Ambulance Leadership Foundation’s EMS Leadership of Tomorrow program, a year-long accelerated EMS executive course.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Rebecca Szeles (Richmond Ambulance Authority – Richmond, VA)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Rebecca Szeles
Communications Supervisor
Richmond Ambulance Authority
Richmond, Virginia
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Nominated by: Mark Tenia
Biography
Rebecca Szeles is a Nationally Registered Paramedic and Communications Supervisor at the Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA). She is a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She is also a member of RAA’s Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM) and Peer Support Program (PSP).
Reason for Nomination
Supervisor Szeles has not only dedicated herself to her position, but has also committed herself to supporting the mental health and well-being of her co-workers. In 2017 Supervisor Szeles invited Jim Marshall from the 911-Training Institute to speak to staff about resiliency. In 2018, she went through training to become a member of our Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team. CISM helps providers deal with traumatic events such as line of duty or pediatric deaths, and Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI). Supervisor Szeles realized more could be and needed to be done to help RAA’s providers on a day to day basis.
After becoming a member of CISM, Supervisor Szeles spearheaded efforts to create a Peer Support Program at RAA. The program was created as another tool to help paramedics and EMTs deal with the day to day stresses that come with the job. In 2018, Supervisor Szeles invited a leading expert in Peer Support to help train staff members who would become the first members of RAA’s Peer Support Team. She assisted in the creation of an awareness campaign promoting the importance of mental health and using resources like CISM, Peer Support, and external support services. She also assisted the Virginia Office of EMS by appearing in a Public Service Announcement titled “Make the Call.” The video was viewed more than 34,000 times on social media.
Supervisor Szeles has also overseen RAA’s resiliency training aimed at helping our providers bounce back from difficult events and cope with stresses from those events in a healthy way. The program helps Communication Officers, (or System Status Controllers) Paramedics and EMTs effectively manage stress and fosters professional development. Since our Peer Support Team launched in December 2018 the organization has had 122 recorded interactions with staff members. Our number of contacts has steadily risen as awareness of the program has increased. 83.6% of our contacts have been work related and 20.5% have been related to CISM. 16.4% of our contacts have involved non-work related issues. Of the employees that have taken advantage of the programs, we have seen positive outcomes and successful performances in their respective positions. Supervisor Szeles has played a key role in those successes.
RAA is now getting requests from other agencies from within and outside the state to help set up programs of their own. The work Supervisor Szeles has done is helping a wider range of EMS providers outside of RAA.
Last year Supervisor Szeles also took on major responsibilities in addition to her regular duties when our Director of Communications went on leave for surgery. For three months she stepped into the role to fill in gaps, producing daily and monthly performance reports, managing the interview and hiring process for new employees, as well as answering any calls or responding to any issues that needed to be addressed by the Communications Center. Supervisor Szeles has proven to be flexible, hardworking and an invaluable asset that has made her co-workers and our agency stronger.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Nick Romenesko (Gold Cross Ambulance Service, Inc. – Menasha, WI)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Nick Romenesko
Systems Director
Gold Cross Ambulance Service, Inc.
Menasha, WI
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LinkedIn
Nominated by: Samantha Hilker
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Biography:
Nick is currently the Systems Director for Gold Cross Ambulance Service, Inc. Nick has 10 years of EMS experience and has proven to be a solutions-oriented systems thinker. Nick is genuine, thoughtful and puts employees at the top of his priority list. Nick is a young, promising leader in EMS.
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Reason for Nomination:
Nick has worked his way up from Paramedic to Systems Director in just six years. Even as a new Paramedic in the Gold Cross system, Nick was eager to get involved, create efficiencies, and solve problems. Nick was quick to volunteer for projects, build community partner relationships, and navigate a path for progress. Nick has been recognized as a Wisconsin Star of Life nominee and was recently awarded a Future 15 award. Nick currently serves on the PAAW Board and was recently elected Vice President of that association.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Corey Chapman (Acadian Ambulance Service – Lafayette, LA)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Corey Chapman
Director of Revenue Cycle
Acadian Ambulance Service
Lafayette, LA
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Nominated by: Rachel Harracksingh
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Biography:
Corey Chapman has worked at Acadian Ambulance Service since 2013. Corey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioral Science and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana Lafayette. In addition to his work at Acadian, Corey is also a Board Member for the American Cancer Society of Louisiana and the Junior Achievement of Louisiana. Coey is passionate about patient care and moving the EMS industry forward.
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Reason for Nomination:
Corey Chapman is passionate about process re-engineering and improvements. During his tenure at Acadian Ambulance Service over the past six years, Corey has provided project management leadership around contracts, membership and corporate compliance initiatives. Corey was promoted in January to Director of Revenue Cycle where he leads a team of approximately 200 employees.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Ethan Taylor (Baptist Ambulance Service – Booneville, MS)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Ethan Taylor
Paramedic
Baptist Ambulance Service (Member of the Priority Ambulance family of companies)
Booneville, MS
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Nominated by: Tracey Moreland (Priority Ambulance – Knoxville, TN)
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Biography:
Ethan Taylor is a currently employed as a Paramedic with Baptist Ambulance Service in Booneville, MS. Ethan is a 2010 high school graduate from New Site High School, and completed Paramedic school at Northwest Shoals Community College in 2013. Ethan began his career in EMS in 2011 as an EMT. While Ethan strives to be a better Paramedic each day his ultimate goal is to pursue a career in EMS management. Ethan’s greatest accomplishment that he speaks of often is balancing the crazy EMS life and raising his eight year old son.
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Reason for Nomination:
Ethan has exhibited much admiration and dedication while working as a Paramedic. Ethan’s passion for caring for patients is obvious. Ethan is willing to take on any task that he is assigned and enjoys educating and precepting for students and upcoming EMS professionals.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: William Pitt (Puckett EMS – Chattanooga, TN)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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William Pitt
Vice President of O
perations, Southeast Tennessee/Northwest Georgia
Puckett EMS (Member of the Priority Ambulance family of companies)
Chattanooga, TN
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LinkedIn
Nominated by: Amanda Jennings (Priority Ambulance – Knoxville, TN)
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Biography:
Will Pitt has more than 15 years of experience in the emergency medical service field. As Vice President of Operations, Pitt oversees a 250-person team serving 10 hospitals and five counties with 9-1-1 service in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia for Puckett EMS.
During Pitt’s time at Puckett EMS, the service has seen a 40 percent increase in service volume in his region. Pitt has also been instrumental in the design and launch of the Puckett EMS Training Academy, the largest initial education program in the region. The academy provides annual opportunities for EMT, EMT-Advanced, and Paramedic certification training to the region.
Prior to his work at Puckett, Pitt spent seven years at Walker County Fire and Emergency Services where he advanced from the field to senior management ultimately serving as the Chief of EMS. During his tenure, Pitt created a quality improvement and education division that included initial education programs from EMTs and paramedics.
Pitt has also been involved in local professional organizations. Pitt has served as the Chairman for the Georgia Region I EMS Council and Treasurer for the Southeast EMS Director’s Association. Additionally, Pitt has been a board member of the Northwest Georgia EMS Systems and the Southeast Tennessee Regional MedComm Committee.
Pitt has received numerous awards, including being named the Georgia Association of EMS Statewide Educator of the Year in 2015.
Pitt holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Columbia Southern University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy from Duke University.
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Reason for Nomination:
Throughout every step of his career, Will Pitt has advanced the EMS industry in the region by developing and structuring educational opportunities and recruiting new individuals to EMS.
Recognizing a need for EMS education and training in the region, Will launched a partnership between Puckett EMS and Faithful Guardian Training Center to create the Puckett EMS Training Academy. The Academy provides annual EMT and paramedic level certification courses multiple times a year and is the largest provider of initial certification training in the region.
In the Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee, like many locations in the United States, the pipeline of new professionals entering the EMS industry has been trending downward. In response to this, Pitt launched an accelerated 8-week EMT-Basic class that is completely free to the students and provides a training wage so that students can be in training full-time. By removing some of the financial barriers to beginning a career in EMS, the response to the course has been overwhelming. The academy has already graduated its first class and is currently training its second class. Additionally, Pitt is in the process of developing a program in conjunction with local high schools to provide EMT training to seniors as part of a work-based learning program.
Pitt volunteers his time in regional industry leadership having served as Chairman for the Georgia Region I EMS Council and Treasurer for the Southeast EMS Director’s Association. Pitt is actively involved in fostering collaboration across EMS agencies to improve public health and service in the region.
In 2014, Pitt was part of the group of state officials and leaders that developed the state’s first Disaster Assistance Response Task Force, which provides an organized framework and standardized education for disaster response in North Georgia. This project provides a mechanism by which the EMS leadership in a county experiencing a disaster situation can immediately mobilize dozens of ambulances and hundreds of personnel to address large-scale emergencies.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: James Campbell (Montgomery County Hospital District EMS – Conroe, TX)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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James Campbell
Chief of EMS
Montgomery County Hospital District EMS
Conroe, TX
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LinkedIn | Twitter
Nominated by: Misti Willingham (Montgomery County Hospital District EMS – Conroe, TX)
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Biography:
Chief Campbell joined Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD) in June of 2018 and began his role as the Chief of EMS in March of 2019. Chief Campbell began his EMS and Fire career in 2002 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Upon returning to Texas in 2008, Chief Campbell joined the City of Celina Fire Department, where he served as the EMS Captain for four years. Chief Campbell is currently pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Emergency Health Sciences from The University of Texas Health Science Center. Chief Campbell is committed to working closely with the MCHD Board of Directors, other first responder agencies, and hospital partners to continue a successful and collaborative healthcare model in Montgomery County. Chief Campbell is a certified member of the American College of Paramedic Executives (FACPE), serves as a member on the Governor’s EMS & Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) EMS Committee, and is a Board Member for the South East Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC). Chief Campbell’s focus continues to be a people-centered approach, working to ensure that MCHD’s employees and patients are at the center of the decision-making process. Chief Campbell is proud to help lead MCHD, an organization committed to its’ mission, vision, and core values.
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Reason for Nomination:
MCHD is honored to nominate Chief of EMS James Campbell as one of the American Ambulance Association’s Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40. Since being named EMS Chief nearly a year ago, Chief Campbell has exemplified what it means to be a true leader. Chief Campbell came from humble beginnings, starting his career as a firefighter in Fayetteville, North Carolina, then moving on to Celina Fire Department in North Texas. The City of Celina had one ambulance when Chief Campbell took on the role as EMS Captain, but just four short years later, he is now successfully running a large, county-wide agency with a fleet of 50 ambulances and 250 EMS personnel. Montgomery County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. In 2019, MCHD had more than 70,000 responses – the most in the history of our county. Thanks to Chief Campbell and the team who has come to trust and value his leadership, MCHD was able to maintain the same high level of care that our patients have come to expect.
In late 2019, MCHD received its re-accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), and reviewers noted zero deficiencies during the on-site inspection. MCHD is one of only three agencies in the Houston area to receive CAAS accreditation, and Chief Campbell’s guidance has been instrumental in maintaining these high standards. Fortunately, we are not the only ones benefiting from his leadership. Chief Campbell sits on the board of the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC), and the Texas Governor’s EMS & Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) helping to advise the governor on policies affecting EMS personnel on a statewide level. While attending the Ambulance Service Manager (ASM) certification course, Chief Campbell’s team won for its project on Fatigue Risk Management in EMS, and he went on to ensure that not only our employees benefited from the program but other EMS agencies as well. Chief Campbell presented the study’s findings on the importance of rest in EMS at the 2019 Texas EMS Alliance Conference and the 2019 Pinnacle EMS Conference.
Chief Campbell’s management style is people-centered; he works to ensure his employees and our patients are at the center of his decision-making process. Chief Campbell genuinely cares about how his decisions affect the team’s members, individually and as a whole. A good illustration of this is in our turnover rate as an organization. MCHD is at 8% for 2019, which is far below the 25-30% national average for an EMS agency.
Chief Campbell keeps a journal which he uses it to remember times of success (big and small), times of failure, and other times when he’s learned valuable lessons about leadership. Chief Campbell has all the makings of a true rising leader, someone who can take a step back and be his own worst critic while also being humble enough to learn from the team around him. With everything he has already accomplished at the young age of 35, there is no doubt that Chief Campbell will continue to be a great asset, not only for MCHD, but for the future of EMS.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Alan Brook (New Hanover Regional Medical Center – Wilmington, NC)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Alan Brook
Lieutenant / Field Training Officer
New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Wilmington, NC
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LinkedIn | Twitter
Nominated by: Benjamin Calhoun (New Hanover Regional Medical Center – Wilmington, NC)
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Biography:
Alan Brook has been a Paramedic in the Southeastern North Carolina region for 13 years. Alan currently serves as a Field Training Officer for New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s EMS division, which has recently ranked as the best EMS services in the nation by EMS World. When Alan isn’t providing patient care, he can frequently be found at the local community college, where he serves as a part time instructor for the paramedic program. In his free time, Alan enjoys an active lifestyle and often competes in half marathons, scuba diving, and Olympic weight lifting.
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Reason for Nomination:
Alan developed a passion for “taking care of his own” after a coworker committed suicide. In 2014, Alan focused on the well-being of his peers, and went to training for Critical Incident Stress Management. Alan has since taken part in (and coordinated) numerous multi-agency debriefings. Alan is one of only a few “go to” staff members who are specially trained for this situation. In 2016, Alan trained his dog as a therapy dog, and is in the process of training a second dog this year. Alan is developing a program that will utilize these dogs in the near future as another tool to help improve first responder mental health.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Jenn Ford (Mid-Valley Ambulance – Springfield, OR)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Jenn Ford
Manager
Mid-Valley Ambulance
Springfield, OR
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Nominated by: Shawn Baird (Metro West Ambulance – Hillsboro, OR)
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Biography:
Jenn started her career in EMS with Charleston Fire department as a volunteer. Soon afterward, Jenn decided to attend an in-house EMR class and received her First Responder certification. Jenn became interested in dispatching and was able to take a dispatching course in Coos Bay, OR. After becoming a Emergency Medical Dispatch certified dispatcher, Jenn began working with Bay Cities Ambulance.
In 2006 when the organization was acquired and there was a lot of transition with our leadership team, Jenn just naturally stepped up to fill the void. Jenn accepted the roll of Dispatch Manager but also accepted other duties to include managing the wheelchair department and becoming an essential part of senior leadership. Jenn also went on to receive her EMT certification.
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Reason for Nomination:
Jenn’s has a strong work ethic and unwavering commitment to her community. When the opportunity for growth presented itself, Jenn accepted the position of Operations Manager for our Eugene/Springfield operation and has led the organization during the process of becoming their own company. Jenn is a vital part of the Metro West family and well deserving of this honor.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Andy Ney (Paramount Ambulance – Dubuque, IA)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Andy Ney
Director of Operations
Paramount Ambulance
Dubuque, IA
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LinkedIn
Nominated by: Andrew Amante (Pafford Medical Services – Hope, AR)
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Biography:
Andy was 10 years old when his mom and dad started a family-owned and operated ambulance company, Paramount Ambulance in 2003. Andy would go to the station with his dad, Marvin where the crews and ambulances were housed when he wasn’t in school. Andy was always an observant kid and could see the unity and team mentality that the EMS providers had with each other when working on tasks around the station. When 17-year-old Andy was in high school, he was with his dad driving around town running errands on July 4th, 2010. At around 11:30 am a call came in from Jackson County Dispatch to send all the ambulances that Paramount could to Bellevue for a mass casualty incident involving a horse and buggy running over spectators at the town’s Independence Day parade. Andy responded to this call with his dad in his command vehicle and when they arrived, he observed organized chaos in action. Andy saw the coordination of EMS First Responders using all of the tools and resources available to treat and move injured patients to the ambulances waiting to transport them to multiple hospitals within the region. It was that day when Andy found his life’s purpose, a career in EMS.
Since that day, Andy has accomplished more than most will in a lifetime. Andy completed his EMT course and obtained liscensure while he was still in high school. Andy then strategically went to Loras College in Dubuque, IA to study business management and finance as this would later help him excel in EMS administration. Andy graduated early in 2014, from Loras College receiving his Bachelor Degree in less than four years. Andy then studied Paramedicine at Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) starting in 2015. Andy displayed exceptional leadership skills and was voted by the class to be the Class President of the Paramedic Class of 2016.
It wasn’t long after obtaining his Paramedic certification and licensure when Andy started getting involved in local EMS associations and volunteer work. After graduation, Andy was asked to return to the Paramedic Class at NICC to fill a role as an Adjunct Instructor. Andy regularly attended Dubuque County EMS Meetings and began seeking out mentors to help him become more versatile as an EMS Leader. It only took about one year before Andy was promoted to the Director of Operations position at Paramount Ambulance now leading EMT’s and Paramedics he used to look up to as a kid.
In 2017, Andy was asked to be part of the Pafford Medical Service’s Special Response Team for a mission to assist U.S. Virgin Island EMS on the island of St. Croix after two category five hurricanes devastated the island. This was one of the most humbling experiences Andy has had early in his career.
It wasn’t long after his return from this experience when Andy started getting nominated and voted into leadership roles with local and state associations and organizations. In short, Andy is a volunteer Paramedic for his local Fire/EMS agency Centralia-Peosta Volunteer Fire Department, an organization leader, and Critical Care Paramedic at his family’s Paramount Ambulance, the Treasurer and Executive Board Member of The Iowa EMS Association, the Vice President of the Dubuque County EMS Association, a Paramedic for the traveling Alpinestars Mobile Medical Unit to professional sports events, and a Regional Board Member for the local American Red Cross. Andy has also been a vital component of Loras College’s new Master of Athletic Training program and volunteers his off time teaching pre-hospital care to these students. Not a bad resume for an individual who has three years before he turns 30. There is no limit to what Andy can accomplish in the future.
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Reason for Nomination:
Driven in equal measure by service efficiency and quality, Andy Ney has made it his mission to lead his agency, Paramount Ambulance, into a new frontier of mobile healthcare services. For Andy, EMS is not simply a job but a career. Andy has been proactive in identifying and executing best-practice standards throughout his organization while at the same time offering a family-oriented environment for his team; which has made him beloved by all who know and work with him.
Andy is currently studying flight medicine while at the same time managing and directing all aspects of Paramount’s day-to-day operations. After dedicating his time to post-disaster medical work in the United States Virgin Islands, Andy organized Paramount’s first dedicated Disaster Operations Team which deploys to man-made and natural disasters throughout the country.
Andy is continuously engaged in local, regional, and national programs with the goal of advancing the EMS profession into the future.
The drive, ambition, and all-around professionalism demonstrated by Andy has no comparison. However, these are not the reasons we nominate Andy today; he’s nominated for his passion, enthusiasm, his love for the job, and his tireless efforts to instill these traits in those around him.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Sabrina E. Riggs (Oregon State Ambulance Association – Lake Oswego, OR)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Sabrina E. Riggs
Lobbyist
Oregon State Ambulance Association
Lake Oswego, OR
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Nominated by: Shawn Baird
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Reason for Nomination
Sabrina is a lobbyist for the Oregon State Ambulance Association (OSAA). Sabrina has helped defeat a bill that would have disturbed the unbiased way that ambulance contracts are assigned. Sabarina successfully lobbied all sponsors to pull their name from the bill. After having GEMT denied for private providers, Sabrina worked with agency staff, stakeholders, and OSAA to find a viable alternative for private ambulance service providers. This Included conducting an in-depth survey of OSAA members, complicated formulas, and then drafting language, working with legislators, agency staff, and building coalitions. Sabrina also worked to kill and/or amend legislation that would create unnecessary cost burden on EMS providers.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
40 Under 40: Remle P. Crowe, PhD (ESO – Austin, TX)
40 Under 40 nominees were selected based on their contributions to the American Ambulance Association, their employer, state ambulance association, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession.
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Remle P. Crowe, PhD
Research Scientist & Performance Improvement Manager
ESO
Austin, TX
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LinkedIn | Twitter
Nominated by: Amanda Riordan
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Biography:
Dr. Remle Crowe is an expert in using data to power quality improvement and research initiatives in EMS. Remle’s career in EMS began as a volunteer EMT and instructor in Mexico City with the Red Cross. During that time, Remle also worked as a Power-train Quality Engineer at Ford Motor Company, where she received black belt training in Six Sigma quality improvement methodology. From truck clutches to clinical care, Dr. Crowe has shown how improvement science and sound research methodology work to solve problems across any field. As an EMT with a passion for advancing EMS, Remle earned her PhD in Epidemiology and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications. Now, as a research scientist and performance improvement manager at ESO, Dr. Crowe routinely uses data to improve community health and safety.
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Reason for Nomination:
As an EMS researcher, Remle is dedicated to improving the health and safety of communities (and those who serve them) using data. Remle has authored many peer-reviewed studies on topics related to clinical care and safety, such as ketamine in the prehospital environment and pediatric medication dosing errors. Remle’s work on prehospital stroke assessment for large vessel occlusion received the award for Best Scientific Presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association of EMS Physicians in January 2020. Remle has also worked on many research studies related to the health and safety of the EMS workforce. Topics that Remle has studied include violence towards EMS professionals, clinical performance feedback, and diversity in the EMS workforce. Remle’s dissertation work related to factors associated with burnout in EMS was awarded Best Research at the 2018 International EMS Scientific Symposium.
Remle is also dedicated to supporting and mentoring new researchers. Remle is an active participant in the Prehospital Care Research Forum (PCRF) and routinely serves as faculty for the bi-annual PCRF-ESO research workshops. Remle also facilitates the monthly PCRF journal club podcast that helps promote and disseminate the latest prehospital research, while helping EMS professionals learn to read and critique scientific manuscripts.
In addition to helping advance EMS research, Remle has been an important contributor to quality improvement efforts in EMS. EMS is at a pivot point, moving from using data for compliance to leveraging data for improvement. Remle has joined those leading the charge, now in her third year as faculty on the National Association of EMS Physicians’ Quality and Safety Course. In this course, participants embark on a year-long journey to make real, measurable improvement at their EMS organizations following the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Model for Improvement framework. As a self-proclaimed data nerd, Remle is committed to breaking things into their simplest parts and removing the intimidation factor from research and improvement science to help members of the EMS community define and focus on measures that matter.
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View all of the 2020 Mobile Healthcare 40 Under 40 Honorees
