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2025 American Ambulance Association Board of Directors Announced

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in AAA HQ, Elections.

The American Ambulance Association (AAA) is pleased to announce its 2025 Board of Directors. These experienced mobile healthcare leaders bring passionate commitment to shaping the future of EMS policy. 

2024 Election Results: Board

Newly elected and re-elected board members will begin their terms on January 1, 2025. 

Wayne Jurecki, President-Elect
Wayne Jurecki is the Vice President/COO at Bell Ambulance, Inc. He will serve a two-year term.

Tom Fennell, Treasurer
Tom Fennell is the Regulatory Officer at Mayo Clinic Ambulance. He will serve a two-year term.

Allyson Pharr, Secretary
Allyson Pharr is the Chief Legal Officer and EVP Governmental Affairs at Acadian Ambulance. She will serve a two-year term.

Richard Raymond, Region 1 Director
Richard Raymond is the President & CEO at Armstrong Ambulance Service. He will serve a three-year term.

Terence Ramotar, Region 2 Director
Terence Ramotar is Director of Government Affairs, Southeast Region at Global Medical Response. He will serve a three-year term.

Chris Anderson, Region 3 Director
Chris Anderson is the Director of Operations at Bell Ambulance, Inc. He will serve a three-year term.

Michelle Anderson, Region 4 Director
Michelle Anderson is the Director of Administration at Lakes Region EMS. She will serve a three-year term.

Angie McLain-Johnson, Region 4 Director
Angie. McLain-Johnson is the VP of Revenue Integrity at Pafford Medical Services. She will serve for two years to complete the remainder of a term vacated by the election of a regional director to the executive committee.

Ron Quaranto, Region 4 Director
Ron Quaranto is Regional Vice President at Acadian Ambulance overseeing its South-Central, Central, and North Texas operations. He will serve for one year to complete the remainder of a term vacated by the election of a regional director to the executive committee.

Brenda Staffan, Region 5 Director
Brenda Staffan is the Chief Government Affairs & Public Policy Officer at Priority OnDemand, LLC. She will serve a three-year term. 

2025 Full Board

Following the recent completion of the 2024 election, the full 2025 board will be composed of the following individuals.

  • President Jamie Pafford-Gresham of Pafford EMS
  • President-Elect Wayne Jurecki of Bell Ambulance, Inc.
  • Secretary Allyson Pharr of Acadian Ambulance
  • Immediate Past President Randy Strozyk of Global Medical Response
  • Treasurer Tom Fennell of Mayo Clinic Ambulance
  • Director, Region 1 Mike Addario of Global Medical Response
  • Director, Region 1 Dennis Cataldo of Cataldo Ambulance Service
  • Director, Region 1 Rich Raymond of Armstrong Ambulance
  • Director, Region 2 Chuck Kearns of Mercy Ambulance Service, Inc.
  • Director, Region 2 Terence Ramotar of Global Medical Response
  • Director, Region 2 Mike Thomas of Jan-Care Ambulance
  • Director, Region 3 Chris Anderson of Bell Ambulance, Inc.
  • Director, Region 3 Tom Tornstrom of Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance
  • Director, Region 3 Kyle Wolber of Superior Air Ground Ambulance Service, Inc.
  • Director, Region 4 Angie McLain-Johnson of Pafford EMS
  • Director, Region 4 Michelle Anderson of Lakes Region EMS
  • Director, Region 4 Ron Quaranto of Acadian Ambulance
  • Director, Region 5 JD Fuiten of Metro West Ambulance
  • Director, Region 5 Brenda Staffan of Priority
  • Director, Region 5 Jimmy Pierson of Medic Ambulance
  • Medical Director Gerad Troutman, MD, MBA, FACEP, FAEMS of Global Medical Response

2024 Election Results: Ethics Committee

Members elected to the Ethics Committee include 

  • Gibson McCullagh (Region 1), 
  • Christopher Dell (Region 2), 
  • Mike Pieroni (Region 3), 
  • Dennis Rowe (Region 3), 
  • Johna Easley (Region 4), 
  • Ailyn Risch (Region 5), and 
  • Krista Cuthbert (Region 5). 

AAA looks forward to continued service to our members and the EMS profession in the new year.

About the American Ambulance Association

The American Ambulance Association safeguards the future of mobile healthcare through advocacy, 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. 

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News Release | EMS Heroes Honored in Washington, DC as 2024 Stars of Life

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in AAA HQ, News, Press, Stars of Life.

November 14, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amanda Riordan
703-615-4492
ariordan@ambulance.org

EMS Heroes Honored in Washington, DC as 2024 Stars of Life

Washington, DC—This week, the American Ambulance Association (AAA) recognized extraordinary EMS professionals during the annual Stars of Life celebration. 143 individuals from across the United States were honored as the 2024 Stars at the November 11–13 event.

Stars of Life pays tribute to the dedication of these hometown heroes while shining light on the critical role EMS plays in our healthcare safety net. During their time in our nation’s capital, the Stars received medallions and awards in thanks for their lifesaving and life-sustaining service. The Stars, accompanied by their families and executive hosts, met with members of Congress and congressional aides to discuss policy issues critical to emergency medical services. In recognition of Veterans Day on November 11, special recognition was afforded to Stars with a military or reserves background.

In addition to the Stars, Representative Brad Finstad of Minnesota and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington were recognized as Legislators of the Year, and 9 United States Senators and 16 Representatives received Legislative Recognition Awards for their support of mobile healthcare. Retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan was honored with the inaugural EMS Legacy Award.

American Ambulance Association President Randy Strozyk noted that, “EMS professionals work around-the-clock to deliver out-of-hospital care when it is needed most.” He continued, “We honor this year’s Stars of Life and thank them for their tireless service to local communities across the nation.”

This year’s distinguished Stars of Life honorees are:

Frank Alba, Critical Care Paramedic, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (Kansas City, KS)
Johan Alvarado, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Laredo, TX)
Aubree Arneson, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Cal-Ore Life Flight (Brookings, OR)
Adam Aronberg, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Norwalk, NY)
Glenn Arremony, Operations Manager, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Lisbon, CT)
Robyn Asher, Training Administrator & Quality Assurance Manager, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
Krystal Barboza, Community Outreach Coordinator, Hall Ambulance Service  (Bakersfield, CA)
Keone Bareng, Paramedic Supervisor, Life EMS Ambulance (West Olive, MI)
Henry Barsh, Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Philadelphia, DC)
John Basile, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana (Highland, IN)
Jason Baum, Paramedic Supervisor, Falck – San Diego (Escondido, CA)
Alec Belau, Field Training Officer, Paramedic, Maricopa Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Scottsdale, TN)
Antoine Berenger, Firefighter / Emergency Medical Technician, Rural Metro Fire (Gilbert, AZ)
Samantha Blackwell, Paramedic, Acadian Ambulance (Converse, LA)
Cornelius Brady, Chief Strategy Officer, VMSC Emergency Medical Services (Lansdale, PA)
Spencer Brittain, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Life EMS  (Enid, OK)
Gregg Bulman, Paramedic , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Dorchester, WI)
Jade Calvin, Critical Care Paramedic, Bell Ambulance, Inc. (Waukesha, WI)
Jeremiah Capps, Operations Manager, Superior Mobile Health (Converse, TX)
Josh Cavaness, Flight Paramedic, EagleMed/Med-Trans Corp. (Chanute, KS)
Emily Chandler, EMS Programs Manager & Program Director, NCTI of Massachusetts, American Medical Response (Duxbury, MA)
Cassandra Clark, Paramedic Supervisor, Medix Ambulance Service Inc. (Vancouver , OR)
Eric Constantine, Operations Manager – Sonoma County, Medic Ambulance Service Inc. (Santa Rosa, CA)
Jason Cooke, Vice President of Operations, Medshore Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Darlington, SC)
Bernard Cote, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Rescue Inc. (Newfane, VT)
Janiece Cox, Critical Care Paramedic/911 Contract Manager, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana (Valparaiso, IN)
Brandi Crist, Paramedic, Metropolitan EMS (Bigelow, AR)
Andrew Davalos, Paramedic , American Medical Response (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Dwight Derby, Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced Life Systems, Inc. (Selah, WA)
Michael Dobrosky, Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Ohio (Genoa, OH)
Dianna Drake, Emergency Medical Technician & Field Training Officer, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Meriden, CT)
Nate Dutt, Paramedic, Sanford Ambulance (Fargo, ND)
Amie Ebarb, Emergency Medical Technician, Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service (Ardmore, OK)
Riggs Egolf, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Hampton, VA)
Yahya Elshawarbi, Emergency Medical Technician, Falck USA (Hayward, CA)
Steve Emery, Emergency Medical Technician, Seals Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Indianapolis, IN)
Aidan Enders, Paramedic Chief Supervisor, Mohawk Ambulance Service (Delanson, NY)
Juvencio Estrada, Flight Nurse, Air Evac Lifeteam (Laredo, TX)
William Fisher, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Walnut Ridge, MO)
Jason Florance, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Overbrook, KS)
Eric Foell, Training Officer, Regional Ambulance Service, Inc. (Tinmouth, VT)
Robert Ford, Emergency Medical Technician, LifeNet Inc. – Oklahoma (Stillwater, OK)
Josh Frierson, Operations Manager, Lifenet, Inc – Texas (Wake Village, TX)
Jorge Garcia, Emergency Medical Technician, Umpqua Valley Ambulance (Roseburg, OR)
Hope Garrison, Operations Manager, LifeNet, Inc. – Arkansas (Royal, AR)
Craig Gesterling, Shift Commander & Paramedic , Sunstar Paramedics (St Petersburg, SD)
Taylor Gibson, Assistant Supervisor – Emergency Communications, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Rochester , MN)
Jacob Gilmore, Emergency Medical Technician, Mohawk Ambulance Service (Burnt Hills, NY)
Wayne Gooding, Community Paramedic, Emergent Health Partners (Jackson, MI)
Jessup Grogan, Sergeant & Emergency Medical Technician, Metropolitan EMS (Little Rock, AR)
Kenneth Guzman, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Farmingville, NY)
Diamond Hall, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois (Oak Park, IL)
Morgan Halliburton, Emergency Medical Technician, ProMed Ambulance (Maynard, AR)
Scotland Hamlin, Field Training Officer, Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Orlando, FL)
Kayleen Harding, Emergency Medical Technician, Frontier Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Fort Washakie, WY)
Josh Harrington, Assistant Supervisor & Paramedic , Sunstar Paramedics (Tampa, FL)
John Hathaway, Emergency Medical Technician, Spirit Medical Transport, LLC (Greenville, OH)
Robert Hatzikonstantis, Paramedic & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service ( Arlington, MA)
William Hehn, Jr., Air Communications Specialist, REMSA Health (Reno, NV)
Jason Henry, Fire Captain Paramedic, Rural Metro Fire (Mesa, AZ)
Kylend Hetherington, Paramedic, Medstar Ambulance (Auburn, MI)
Jon Hibbard, Paramedic Supervisor, Action Ambulance Service, Inc. (Tuftonboro, MA)
Timothy Hinchcliff, Managing Director, Burholme Emergency Medical Services (Philadelphia, PA)
Jason Hodges, Operations Supervisor, Honor Guard Commander, American Medical Response (Wilsonville, OR)
Royce Hsiung, EMT-IV Tech, Lakes Region EMS (North Branch, MN)
Alan Hughry, Paramedic , Medic Ambulance Service Inc. (Vallejo, CA)
Kristen Hunter, Emergency Medical Technician Supervisor, Action Ambulance Service, Inc. (Southboro, MA)
Heather James, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician , American Medical Response (Lagrange, GA)
Lillie Jamison, Supervisor and Compliance Specialist, Baptist Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Nesbit, TN)
Steve Jaskot, Community Paramedic, Emergent Health Partners (Chelsea, MI)
Brian Keith, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Wisconsin (Oshkosh, WI)
David Kingdon, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Wailuku, HI)
Alissa Krisher, Critical Care Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Wisconsin (New London, WI)
Daniel Laguna, Area Float Pilot, REACH (North Salt Lake, UT)
Matthew Lambert, Paramedic, Lifeguard Ambulance Service (Florence, AL)
Carla Landrum, Field Training Officer, Puckett EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Buchanan, GA)
Miki Leslie, Emergency Medical Technician, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (White Swan, WA)
William Loftus-Rooney, Emergency Medical Technician, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.  (Holyoke , MA)
George Lombardo, EMS Training & Safety Manager, Superior Mobile Health (Kirby, TX)
Patti Ludvig McCartney, Integrated Care Paramedic, Life EMS Ambulance (Portage, MI)
Eric Lumpkin, Dispatch Supervisor – Quality Assurance & Training, Central EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Dacula, GA)
Don Marr, Paramedic, Bay Cities Ambulance (Coos Bay, OR)
James Martin, Critical Care Paramedic, Pafford EMS (Tulsa, OK)
Maurice Matthews, Critical Care Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Michigan (Berkley, MI)
Amanda McQuistian, Director Of Operations, LifeCare Medical Transports, Priority Ambulance (Fredericksburg, VA)
Alyssa Meier, Emergency Medical Technician, Life Line Ambulance (Prescott, AZ)
Eli Melamed, Paramedic, Life Line Ambulance (Prescott Valley, AZ)
Shelly Miller, Revenue Cycle Manager, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Concord, NC)
Loren Mitchell, Operations Supervisor , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Waterloo , WI)
Michael Mitchell, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois (Yorkville, IL)
Kevin Moore, Paramedic, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.  (Newburyport, MA)
Amber Munch, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (Baton Rouge, LA)
Scott Munoz, Critical Care Paramedic, Missoula Emergency Services (Frenchtown, MT)
Adam Mysona, Emergency Medical Technician, Falck – Colorado (Lakewood, CO)
Philip Neff, Field Training Officer, Falck – Southern California (La Palma, CA)
Shellaine Novak, Clinical Services Director, PatientCare EMS (Sioux Falls, SD)
Stacy Omdahl, Emergency Medical Technician, LifeCare EMS (Roseau, MN)
Megan Overbeck, Paramedic, Abbott EMS (Decatur, IL)
Michael Penna, Critical Care Transport Registered Nurse, American Medical Response (Grand Terrace, CA)
Jon Jakob Peterson, Paramedic, Sanford Ambulance (Fargo, ND) (POSTHUMOUS)
Lori Peterson, Paramedic & Field Training Officer, Medstar Ambulance (Shelby Twp, MI)
Emily Robillard, Emergency Communications Officer , East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (New Roads, LA)
Kevin Rochford, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Temple, TX)
Brian Rogers, Advanced Scope Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Ohio (Ontario, OH)
Daniel Schaefer, Chief of Operations, Metro-Area Ambulance Service (Mandan , ND)
Madison Schatzer, Paramedic, McClain-Grady County EMS (Moore, OK)
Mark Schiltz, Emergency Medical Technician, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Caledonia, WI)
Ryan Schott, Field Training Officer, Paramedic Crew Chief, & Tactical Paramedic, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Joe Scott, Paramedic Shift Leader, Medix Ambulance Service Inc. (Warrenton , OR)
Allison Sharp, Paramedic, East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (Baton Rouge, LA)
Faith Shuff, Paramedic Field Supervisor, National EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Oxford, TN)
Nicole Silver, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Staten Island, NY)
Dale Simmons, EMS Program Administrator, Mercy Ambulance Service, Inc. (Savannah, GA)
Lance Smeal, Field Training Officer, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Lockport, NY)
Chad Smith, Director of Operation Support, Kunkel Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Mohawk, TN)
Robin Smith, Training Administrator, First Call Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Nashville, TN)
Thomas Smith, Communications Manager, EMSA (Tulsa, OK)
Raquel Soto, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Newington, CT)
Jason Southard, Operations Supervisor, American Medical Response (Tucson, AZ)
Allen Steele, Emergency Medical Technician, Guardian Ambulance Service, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Darlington, SC)
Savannah Steele Welch, Field Supervisor, Paramedic, Acadian Ambulance (West Monroe, LA)
Ambrose Stevens, Operations Manager, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Redding, CA) (POSTHUMOUS)
Dalton Stewart, Paramedic, Pafford EMS (Boyle, MS)
Sam Swanson, Paramedic, Hall Ambulance Service  (Bakersfield, CA)
Jessicah Sweet, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Monticello Ambulance Service (Star City, AR)
Sam Sye, Fleet Service Manager , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Mindoro, WI)
Keri Taylor, Health Information Management Coordinator, EMSA (Oklahoma City, OK)
Nikki Taylor, Captain, Nationally Registered Paramedic, Metropolitan EMS (North Little Rock, AR)
Heather Teague, Paramedic Crew Chief, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Shane Terry, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Snyder, TX)
Chris Thomason, Paramedic, ProMed Ambulance (El Dorado, AR)
Cynthia Torkelson, Paramedic, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Monona, WI)
Richelle Treece, Paramedic, REACT EMS (Shawnee, OK)
David Trimberger, Paramedic Field Training Officer, Pafford EMS (Edmond, OK)
Cheryl VanSeters, Control Center Trainer, Life EMS Ambulance (Grand Rapids, MI)
Andrew Clei Varela, Paramedic, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (Keyes , CA)
Lucie Walters, Flight Respiratory Therapist, AirMed International (Foley, AL)
Nicole Warren, Flight Nurse, Air Evac Lifeteam (Osceola, MO)
Andrew Watson, Paramedic & Clinical Services Specialist, EMSA (Norman, OK)
Paul Winter, Paramedic – Field Training Officer, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Shelton, CT)
Amy Wollenburg, Paramedic, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Austin, MN)
Haywad Yusufzai, EMT & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service (Arlington, MA)
Ronnie Zermeno, Paramedic Supervisor, Pafford EMS (Sherwood, AR)

 

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About The American Ambulance Association

Caring for People—First.

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.

News Release | EMS Heroes To Be Honored in Washington, DC as 2024 Stars of Life

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in AAA HQ, News, Press, Stars of Life.

October 24, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amanda Riordan
703-615-4492
ariordan@ambulance.org

EMS Heroes To Be Honored in Washington, DC as 2024 Stars of Life

Washington, DC—This November, the American Ambulance Association (AAA) will recognize extraordinary EMS professionals during the annual Stars of Life celebration. 143 individuals from across the United States will be honored as the 2024 Stars at the November 11–13 event.

Stars of Life pays tribute to the dedication of these hometown heroes while shining light on the critical role EMS plays in our healthcare safety net. During their time in our nation’s capital, the Stars will receive medallions and awards in thanks for their lifesaving and life-sustaining service. The Stars, accompanied by their families and executive hosts, will also meet with members of Congress and congressional aides to discuss policy issues critical to emergency medical services. In recognition of Veterans Day on November 11, special recognition will be afforded to Stars with a military or reserves background.

In addition to the Stars, Representative Brad Finstad of Minnesota and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington will be recognized as Legislators of the Year, and 9 United States Senators and 16 US Representatives will receive Legislative Recognition Awards for their support of mobile healthcare. Retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan will also be honored with the inaugural EMS Legacy Award.

American Ambulance Association President Randy Strozyk noted that, “EMS professionals work around-the-clock to deliver out-of-hospital care when it is needed most.” He continued, “We honor this year’s Stars of Life and thank them for their tireless service to local communities across the nation.”

This year’s distinguished Stars of Life honorees are:

Frank Alba, Critical Care Paramedic, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (Kansas City, KS)
Johan Alvarado, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Laredo, TX)
Aubree Arneson, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Cal-Ore Life Flight (Brookings, OR)
Adam Aronberg, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Norwalk, NY)
Glenn Arremony, Operations Manager, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Lisbon, CT)
Robyn Asher, Training Administrator & Quality Assurance Manager, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
Krystal Barboza, Community Outreach Coordinator, Hall Ambulance Service  (Bakersfield, CA)
Keone Bareng, Paramedic Supervisor, Life EMS Ambulance (West Olive, MI)
Henry Barsh, Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Philadelphia, DC)
John Basile, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana (Highland, IN)
Jason Baum, Paramedic Supervisor, Falck – San Diego (Escondido, CA)
Alec Belau, Field Training Officer, Paramedic, Maricopa Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Scottsdale, TN)
Antoine Berenger, Firefighter / Emergency Medical Technician, Rural Metro Fire (Gilbert, AZ)
Samantha Blackwell, Paramedic, Acadian Ambulance (Converse, LA)
Cornelius Brady, Chief Strategy Officer, VMSC Emergency Medical Services (Lansdale, PA)
Spencer Brittain, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Life EMS  (Enid, OK)
Gregg Bulman, Paramedic , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Dorchester, WI)
Jade Calvin, Critical Care Paramedic, Bell Ambulance, Inc. (Waukesha, WI)
Jeremiah Capps, Operations Manager, Superior Mobile Health (Converse, TX)
Josh Cavaness, Flight Paramedic, EagleMed/Med-Trans Corp. (Chanute, KS)
Emily Chandler, EMS Programs Manager & Program Director, NCTI of Massachusetts, American Medical Response (Duxbury, MA)
Cassandra Clark, Paramedic Supervisor, Medix Ambulance Service Inc. (Vancouver , OR)
Eric Constantine, Operations Manager – Sonoma County, Medic Ambulance Service Inc. (Santa Rosa, CA)
Jason Cooke, Vice President of Operations, Medshore Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Darlington , SC)
Bernard Cote, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Rescue Inc. (Newfane, VT)
Janiece Cox, Critical Care Paramedic/911 Contract Manager, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana (Valparaiso, IN)
Brandi Crist, Paramedic, Metropolitan EMS (Bigelow, AR)
Andrew Davalos, Paramedic , American Medical Response (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Dwight Derby, Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced Life Systems, Inc. (Selah, WA)
Michael Dobrosky, Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Ohio (Genoa, OH)
Dianna Drake, Emergency Medical Technician & Field Training Officer, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Meriden, CT)
Nate Dutt, Paramedic, Sanford Ambulance (Fargo, ND)
Amie Ebarb, Emergency Medical Technician, Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service (Ardmore, OK)
Riggs Egolf, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Hampton, VA)
Yahya Elshawarbi, Emergency Medical Technician, Falck USA (Hayward, CA)
Steve Emery, Emergency Medical Technician, Seals Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Indianapolis, IN)
Aidan Enders, Paramedic Chief Supervisor, Mohawk Ambulance Service (Delanson, NY)
Juvencio Estrada, Flight Nurse, Air Evac Lifeteam (Laredo, TX)
William Fisher, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Walnut Ridge, MO)
Jason Florance, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Overbrook, KS)
Eric Foell, Training Officer, Regional Ambulance Service, Inc. (Tinmouth, VT)
Robert Ford, Emergency Medical Technician, LifeNet Inc. – Oklahoma (Stillwater, OK)
Josh Frierson, Operations Manager, Lifenet, Inc – Texas (Wake Village, TX)
Jorge Garcia, Emergency Medical Technician, Umpqua Valley Ambulance (Roseburg, OR)
Hope Garrison, Operations Manager, LifeNet, Inc. – Arkansas (Royal, AR)
Craig Gesterling, Shift Commander & Paramedic , Sunstar Paramedics (St Petersburg, SD)
Taylor Gibson, Assistant Supervisor – Emergency Communications, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Rochester , MN)
Jacob Gilmore, Emergency Medical Technician, Mohawk Ambulance Service (Burnt Hills, NY)
Wayne Gooding, Community Paramedic, Emergent Health Partners (Jackson, MI)
Jessup Grogan, Sergeant & Emergency Medical Technician, Metropolitan EMS (Little Rock, AR)
Kenneth Guzman, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Farmingville, NY)
Diamond Hall, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois (Oak Park, IL)
Morgan Halliburton, Emergency Medical Technician, ProMed Ambulance (Maynard, AR)
Scotland Hamlin, Field Training Officer, Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Orlando, FL)
Kayleen Harding, Emergency Medical Technician, Frontier Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Fort Washakie, WY)
Josh Harrington, Assistant Supervisor & Paramedic , Sunstar Paramedics (Tampa, FL)
John Hathaway, Emergency Medical Technician, Spirit Medical Transport, LLC (Greenville, OH)
Robert Hatzikonstantis, Paramedic & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service ( Arlington, MA)
William Hehn, Jr., Air Communications Specialist, REMSA Health (Reno, NV)
Jason Henry, Fire Captain Paramedic, Rural Metro Fire (Mesa, AZ)
Kylend Hetherington, Paramedic, Medstar Ambulance (Auburn, MI)
Jon Hibbard, Paramedic Supervisor, Action Ambulance Service, Inc. (Tuftonboro, MA)
Timothy Hinchcliff, Managing Director, Burholme Emergency Medical Services (Philadelphia, PA)
Jason Hodges, Operations Supervisor, Honor Guard Commander, American Medical Response (Wilsonville, OR)
Royce Hsiung, EMT-IV Tech, Lakes Region EMS (North Branch, MN)
Alan Hughry, Paramedic , Medic Ambulance Service Inc. (Vallejo, CA)
Kristen Hunter, Emergency Medical Technician Supervisor, Action Ambulance Service, Inc. (Southboro, MA)
Heather James, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician , American Medical Response (Lagrange, GA)
Lillie Jamison, Supervisor and Compliance Specialist, Baptist Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Nesbit, TN)
Steve Jaskot, Community Paramedic, Emergent Health Partners (Chelsea, MI)
Brian Keith, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Wisconsin (Oshkosh, WI)
David Kingdon, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Wailuku, HI)
Alissa Krisher, Critical Care Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Wisconsin (New London, WI)
Daniel Laguna, Area Float Pilot, REACH (North Salt Lake, UT)
Matthew Lambert, Paramedic, Lifeguard Ambulance Service (Florence, AL)
Carla Landrum, Field Training Officer, Puckett EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Buchanan, GA)
Miki Leslie, Emergency Medical Technician, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (White Swan, WA)
William Loftus-Rooney, Emergency Medical Technician, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.  (Holyoke , MA)
George Lombardo, EMS Training & Safety Manager, Superior Mobile Health (Kirby, TX)
Patti Ludvig McCartney, Integrated Care Paramedic, Life EMS Ambulance (Portage, MI)
Eric Lumpkin, Dispatch Supervisor – Quality Assurance & Training, Central EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Dacula, GA)
Don Marr, Paramedic, Bay Cities Ambulance (Coos Bay, OR)
James Martin, Critical Care Paramedic, Pafford EMS (Tulsa, OK)
Maurice Matthews, Critical Care Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Michigan (Berkley, MI)
Amanda McQuistian, Director Of Operations, LifeCare Medical Transports, Priority Ambulance (Fredericksburg, VA)
Alyssa Meier, Emergency Medical Technician, Life Line Ambulance (Prescott, AZ)
Eli Melamed, Paramedic, Life Line Ambulance (Prescott Valley, AZ)
Shelly Miller, Revenue Cycle Manager, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Concord, NC)
Loren Mitchell, Operations Supervisor , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Waterloo , WI)
Michael Mitchell, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois (Yorkville, IL)
Kevin Moore, Paramedic, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.  (Newburyport, MA)
Amber Munch, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (Baton Rouge, LA)
Scott Munoz, Critical Care Paramedic, Missoula Emergency Services (Frenchtown, MT)
Adam Mysona, Emergency Medical Technician, Falck – Colorado (Lakewood, CO)
Philip Neff, Field Training Officer, Falck – Southern California (La Palma, CA)
Shellaine Novak, Clinical Services Director, PatientCare EMS (Sioux Falls, SD)
Stacy Omdahl, Emergency Medical Technician, LifeCare EMS (Roseau, MN)
Megan Overbeck, Paramedic, Abbott EMS (Decatur, IL)
Michael Penna, Critical Care Transport Registered Nurse, American Medical Response (Grand Terrace, CA)
Jon Jakob Peterson, Paramedic, Sanford Ambulance (Fargo, ND) (POSTHUMOUS)
Lori Peterson, Paramedic & Field Training Officer, Medstar Ambulance (Shelby Twp, MI)
Emily Robillard, Emergency Communications Officer , East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (New Roads, LA)
Kevin Rochford, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Temple, TX)
Brian Rogers, Advanced Scope Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Ohio (Ontario, OH)
Daniel Schaefer, Chief of Operations, Metro-Area Ambulance Service (Mandan , ND)
Madison Schatzer, Paramedic, McClain-Grady County EMS (Moore, OK)
Mark Schiltz, Emergency Medical Technician, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Caledonia, WI)
Ryan Schott, Field Training Officer, Paramedic Crew Chief, & Tactical Paramedic, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Joe Scott, Paramedic Shift Leader, Medix Ambulance Service Inc. (Warrenton , OR)
Allison Sharp, Paramedic, East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (Baton Rouge, LA)
Faith Shuff, Paramedic Field Supervisor, National EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Oxford, TN)
Nicole Silver, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Staten Island, NY)
Dale Simmons, EMS Program Administrator, Mercy Ambulance Service, Inc. (Savannah, GA)
Lance Smeal, Field Training Officer, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Lockport, NY)
Chad Smith, Director of Operation Support, Kunkel Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Mohawk, TN)
Robin Smith, Training Administrator, First Call Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Nashville, TN)
Thomas Smith, Communications Manager, EMSA (Tulsa, OK)
Raquel Soto, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Newington, CT)
Jason Southard, Operations Supervisor, American Medical Response (Tucson, AZ)
Allen Steele, Emergency Medical Technician, Guardian Ambulance Service, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Darlington, SC)
Savannah Steele Welch, Field Supervisor, Paramedic, Acadian Ambulance (West Monroe, LA)
Ambrose Stevens, Operations Manager, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Redding, CA) (POSTHUMOUS)
Dalton Stewart, Paramedic, Pafford EMS (Boyle, MS)
Sam Swanson, Paramedic, Hall Ambulance Service  (Bakersfield, CA)
Jessicah Sweet, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Monticello Ambulance Service (Star City, AR)
Sam Sye, Fleet Service Manager , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Mindoro, WI)
Keri Taylor, Health Information Management Coordinator, EMSA (Oklahoma City, OK)
Nikki Taylor, Captain, Nationally Registered Paramedic, Metropolitan EMS (North Little Rock, AR)
Heather Teague, Paramedic Crew Chief, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Shane Terry, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Snyder, TX)
Chris Thomason, Paramedic, ProMed Ambulance (El Dorado, AR)
Cynthia Torkelson, Paramedic, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Monona, WI)
Richelle Treece, Paramedic, REACT EMS (Shawnee, OK)
David Trimberger, Paramedic Field Training Officer, Pafford EMS (Edmond, OK)
Cheryl VanSeters, Control Center Trainer, Life EMS Ambulance (Grand Rapids, MI)
Andrew Clei Varela, Paramedic, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (Keyes , CA)
Lucie Walters, Flight Respiratory Therapist, AirMed International (Foley, AL)
Nicole Warren, Flight Nurse, Air Evac Lifeteam (Osceola, MO)
Andrew Watson, Paramedic & Clinical Services Specialist, EMSA (Norman, OK)
Paul Winter, Paramedic – Field Training Officer, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Shelton, CT)
Amy Wollenburg, Paramedic, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Austin, MN)
Haywad Yusufzai, EMT & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service (Arlington, MA)
Ronnie Zermeno, Paramedic Supervisor, Pafford EMS (Sherwood, AR)

Please note that members of the media are welcome to attend the Stars of Life Banquet at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill hotel on November 12, 2024 from 6:30–8:30pm. Interviews with Stars of Life as well as national EMS leaders will be available.

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About The American Ambulance Association

Caring for People—First.

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.

2024 Ambulance Ride-Along Toolkit

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Advocacy Priorities, Government Affairs, Regulatory.

Government Affairs Update
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2024 Ambulance Ride-Along Toolkit
Educating your members of Congress about ambulance industry issues makes them much more likely to support your efforts. An easy and effective way to educate them is to invite them to participate in a local Ambulance Ride-Along!

The House and Senate will be adjourning for summer recess at the end of July and members of Congress will return home to their districts and states. This is the perfect opportunity for you to educate your members of Congress about issues facing our industry, in particular the extension of our Medicare add-on payments, the VA Final Rule,  and the EMS workforce shortage, which are important to your operation. For additional information on these issues, visit the AAA Advocacy Page, which includes one pagers about all of our initiatives.

The most effective way to deliver these key messages is to host your member of Congress or their staff on a tour of your operation and an ambulance ride-along. The AAA has made the process of arranging a ride-long or scheduling a meeting easy for you with our 2024 Congressional Ride-Along Toolkit. 

Are you willing to host a Member of Congress at your service but unsure of how to set it up? Email  Meghan Winesett at mwinesett@ambulance.org!

Everything you need to arrange the ride-along or schedule a meeting is included in the Toolkit.  Act now and invite your elected officials to join you on an Ambulance Ride-Along!

Questions?: Contact Us:

If you have questions about the legislation or regulatory initiatives being undertaken by the AAA, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the AAA Government Affairs Team.

Additionally, if you are interested in setting up a virtual meeting with your member of Congress please do not hesitate to reach out! We would be happy to schedule the meeting on your behalf and have a member of our advocacy team join the meeting with you.

Tristan North – Senior Vice President of Government Affairs
tnorth@ambulance.org

Meghan Winesett– AAA Senior Manager of Government Affairs
mwinesett@ambulance.org

Thank you for your continued membership and support.
The AAA has launched a new Call to Action page to enhance our grassroots efforts! Use the button below to contact your members of Congress requesting them to cosponsor the Protecting Access the Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act (H.R. 1666 / S. 1673) and the PARA-EMT Act (H.R. 6433).
Contact Your Representatives Today!

2024 Vanguard Nominations Open Through January 1

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in AAA HQ, Annual Conference & Tradeshow, News, Press.

Nominations Are Due January 1, 2024!

Recognize woman leaders with at least 35 years of service in EMS! Nominations are open for the second annual American Ambulance Association Vanguard Awards! The Vanguards honor those who blazed the trail for fellow women EMS professionals.

The Vanguards are presented in collaboration with our colleagues from Women in Emergency Services (WiES), a newly-founded organization dedicated to supporting and advancing women’s careers in the emergency services industry through empowerment, networking, mentorship, and education.

2023 American Ambulance Association Vanguard Awards

Selection Process & Criteria

To submit a 2024 Vanguard nomination, please complete the form below before January 1, 2024.

Honorees will be selected based ONLY on the information provided in their nomination form. Nominees should have contributed to their organization, state ambulance association, AAA, other professional associations, and/or the EMS profession in an extraordinary way beyond faithful completion of job duties. Please be sure to include detail about the nominee’s impact to date.

Please note that nominees must be women with 35+ years of service in the EMS industry. No specific job role or title is required for consideration.

Recognition

Honorees will be recognized at the American Ambulance Association President’s Reception award ceremony, and will be recognized on the AAA and WiEMS websites and social media platforms. Winners will also receive complimentary registration to the AAA Annual Conference & Trade Show.

2024 AAA Annual Conference & Trade Show
Gaylord Opryland
April 22–24, 2024
Nashville, TN

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