National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC)

Dr. Kathleen Adelgais is a professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a practicing pediatric emergency physician at Children’s Hospital in Aurora, Colorado. She serves as the principal investigator and project director for the Colorado EMS for Children State Partnership Program and she is the physician lead for the Prehospital Domain for the EMSC Innovation and Improvement Center and the newly established Regional Pediatric Pandemic Network. Dr. Adelgais also serves as the scientific advisor for the Aurora Fire Rescue and Colorado Springs Fire Department EMS affiliate role within the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) and is the pediatric EMS medical director for two fire-based EMS agencies in Colorado. She is the past-chair of the Pediatrics Committee for National Association of EMS Physicians, and previously represented the American Academy of Pediatrics on the Board of Directors of the Committee on the Accreditation of EMS Programs.

Mary Ahlers, MEd, BSN, ACP, NRP, EMSI, serves as clinical coordinator for the University of Cincinnati Medical Center Air Care & Mobile Care in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is also president of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, professor and advisory board member at Hennepin Technical College, a member of The Paramedic Foundation Advisory Board, and has served as Communications Committee chair, secretary and vice-chair for the Association for Critical Care Transport.

She is also founder of Paramedic Health Solutions and the Paramedic Network,; authored the National Curriculum and Career Pathway for Community Paramedicine©; launched the Global Paramedic Higher Education Council, which offers curriculum standards and accreditation for both community paramedicine and critical care transport; and started the Global Paramedic Academia Consortium for Higher Education for international curriculum development and peer review, leading the advancement of the paramedic profession globally.

Tom Arkins is currently a paramedic with Indianapolis EMS, the State of Indiana’s largest EMS provider agency. He has been engaged in local and State EMS initiatives and his expertise includes data management and analytics, public safety telecommunications, patient care reporting systems and clinical support tools for paramedics. Mr. Arkins was an integral part of Indianapolis’s COVID-19 response and generated visualization tools that helped top-level planners throughout the jurisdiction understand the impact of COVID-19 on EMS transports and call volume. Mr. Arkins holds a Bachelor of Science degree in EMS Management, a Master of Science in Health Informatics and a Certificate in Clinical Informatics.

As a 911 professional with more than three decades of public service experience, Cherie Bartram is currently serving as a PSAP subject matter expert for Equatur after retiring as a PSAP center director after 24 years in that role. Starting as an EMT in 1981, she transitioned to 911 in 1983. Throughout her career she worked at advancement and became the director of multiple 911 call centers, managing them for over two decades. In her present role she reviews current and upcoming technology and interfaces with PSAPs throughout the country for education, outreach, and research roles. She is a member of the Michigan SaveMIHeart Executive Board. Bartram remains active in the community, educating 911 dispatchers on new methods to reduce response times and improve outcomes. She served for eight years on the National Emergency Number Association Institute Board and on the Executive Board of the Michigan Communications Directors Association, ending both positions as past president. Cherie has a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Master of Management.

Lisa Basgall is the director of Rice University EMS in Houston, Texas. She is a paramedic and an EMS educator with more than 20 years of professional experience in EMS. She first became involved in EMS as a volunteer in the greater Philadelphia area and then worked full-time as a paramedic and an EMS educator. She is a licensed paramedic and an advanced course coordinator in Texas. She holds a paramedic certification with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians and has earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies.

Lillian Bonsignore is chief of EMS Operations for the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). She is responsible for the operational oversight and leadership of more than 4,500 EMS clinicians in New York City who respond to 1.5 million EMS calls per year and is responsible for overseeing EMS operations, planning, strategic initiatives and logistics. Prior to being appointed to this position, Chief Bonsignore oversaw continuing education and EMS recertification of nearly 13,000 members of the FDNY, all FDNY EMS Officer training, and the FDNY EMS Probationary School. She holds a variety of firefighting and EMS certifications, including certified instructor coordinator through the New York State Department of Health.

Dr. Richard Bradley spent seven years serving as the medical director and chief of service for two major emergency centers in Houston before entering his current role as chief of emergency medical services and disaster medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center. During his three decade-long career in public safety and emergency care, he served for 10 years as a firefighter, paramedic and 911 dispatcher before graduating from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1994. Dr. Bradley completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Stanford/Kaiser Combined Emergency Medicine Program and an EMS Fellowship with the Houston Fire Department.

Paul Brennan is the director of Pre-hospital Emergency Medical Services at Lawrence General Hospital in Lawrence, Massachusetts, serving for over 25 years and is involved in EMS on the local, regional, State, and national level. He has participated in important international initiatives and is on the board of two EMS committees that report directly to the Massachusetts Office of EMS. Past president of the International Associations of EMS Chiefs, Mr. Brennan currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Regional Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition and the Board of Trustees of the National EMS Quality Alliance and represents EMS on the Health Resources and Services Administration Pediatric Preparedness Readiness project. Mr. Brennan holds a Bachelor of Science in EMS.

David Fifer is an assistant professor of emergency medical care and director of the Paramedic Degree Program at Eastern Kentucky University. Since 2011, Mr. Fifer has been consistently engaged in the practice of patient care as a volunteer EMT, emergency department technician, career firefighter/paramedic, and single-role paramedic. He has also served as an emergency management specialist with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Office of Emergency Management & Medical Operations. Currently, he serves on the Education Committee and Wilderness EMS Task Force of the Kentucky Board of EMS. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine and is the founding coordinator of the RedSTAR wilderness EMS unit serving Kentucky's Red River Gorge. Mr. Fifer holds a Master of Science in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management; a Graduate Certificate in Emergency Management; and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is also a fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine.

Dr. Mark Gestring is the medical director of the Kessler Trauma Center and chief of acute care surgery at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. He is Professor of Surgery, Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. Dr. Gestring is a member of the American College of Surgeons-Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) where he is the immediate past chair of the EMS Committee. In that capacity, he worked closely with representatives from the prehospital community to identify and address issues of common interest to those caring for the injured patient. Dr. Gestring currently chairs both the ACS-COT Stop the Bleed Steering Committee and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Disaster Committee. He also served as the ACS-COT representative to the National Fire Protection Association and as a member of the expert panel for the National EMS Scope of Practice Model. At the state level, Dr Gestring is an elected representative to the New York State Trauma Advisory Committee, associate chief medical director for Mercy Flight Central and a chief surgeon for the New York State Troopers Surgeon Group.

Brenden Hayden is system vice president of EMS for Dallas, Texas-based Steward Health Care System, which operates 39 community hospitals across nine states. He has worked in EMS and healthcare for over 32 years, serving as a field provider, educator, training officer, director and health system leader. He has also studied and advocated for non-opioid alternatives to help manage pain in the prehospital setting and has promoted emotional and behavioral health access programs for first responders to address the tragic increase in the rate of EMS clinician suicides. Mr. Hayden is a paramedic with a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management and a master’s certificate in Human Resource and Organizational Planning.

Carol Jorgensen is the EMS program manager for the Nebraska Department of Public Health’s Office of Emergency Health Systems where she is responsible for assuring the improvement of patient outcomes and the administration of public health services and oversees overall programmatic functionality including planning, implementation and day-to-day operation. She also collaborates with the Nebraska Statewide Trauma System, Stroke/ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction System, Critical Incident Stress Management, and Emergency Medical Services for Children programs. Ms. Jorgensen holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a second Bachelor of Science in Office Administration.

Lori Knight is currently the medical risk manager for a risk management company that specializes in providing planning, support and advice on health, safety and security for conferences and other large events. In 2021, Lori retired after 22 years working for the Disneyland Resort in its emergency medical services program as the registered nurse manager. She received her associate degree in Science Nursing from Excelsior College and her Bachelor of Science in business management from the University of Phoenix. In 2012, she earned her Master of Arts in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Military University. She has spoken at regional and international professional conferences on automated external defibrillator program development and special event planning.

Dr. Danita Koehler is a member of the Alaska EMS for Children committee and Maternal-Child Mortality Review Committee and is also a former chair of both the Alaska EMS Council and National Association of EMS Physicians Rural Committee. She has worked as an EMT or EMS physician to better the EMS systems both in the State of Alaska and nationally for the past 30-plus years. With her knowledge of Tribal governance and EMS systems operating in austere conditions, she volunteered as an EMS consultant for the creation of the 2013 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Toolkit on Crisis Standards of Care, which has been used extensively as a resource during the current pandemic, and has persistently been an advocate for just culture within the EMS volunteer workforce. Dr. Koehler is board certified in EMS and in Family Medicine. She holds a Doctor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and Biology.

William “Mike” McMichael represents the Delaware Volunteer Firefighters’ Association on the Delaware EMS Oversight Council. He serves on the board of the Delaware State EMS Association, where he previously held the positions of president and secretary and is the Delaware state advocacy coordinator for the National Association of EMTs. In addition to his national and statewide efforts, Mike had 30-plus years of EMS experience serving in various leadership positions, as well as in private sector EMS.

Dr. Jason McMullan is associate professor and director of EMS at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine. He has led many EMS research projects related to stroke and other acute neurologic emergencies and was part of a team that developed the Cincinnati Stroke Triage Assessment Tool (C-STAT) to help emergency medical technicians and paramedics rapidly detect severe stroke. Dr. McMullan served as the Hub EMS lead during the Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial (which demonstrated superiority of intramuscular midazolam for status seizures), and he leveraged this research network to lead an ancillary trial that demonstrated the pharmacologic stability of midazolam (and instability of lorazepam) when stored in the prehospital environment. Dr. McMullan holds a Doctorate in Medicine and completed a fellowship in EMS Medicine; he also holds a Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Research and a Bachelor of Arts in English.

David Mendonsa serves as the operations supervisor for American Medical Response in Kahului, Hawaii, managing over 80 personnel and overseeing operations for 12 EMS units and one MEDEVAC unit. He has also served as an EMS educator in addition to many other roles in the industry. Mr. Mendonsa holds an Associate of Arts in Mobile Intensive Care and Emergency Medical Services, a Bachelor of Health Science, and a Master of Public Administration.

Charles R. “Chuck” O’Neal currently serves as the deputy executive director for the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services. Chuck has served in multiple roles in his career including field provider, flight paramedic, firefighter/paramedic, manager, consultant, and administrator. O’Neal holds an MS in safety, security, and emergency management with a graduate certificate in emergency management, and a BS in emergency medical care administration; both from Eastern Kentucky University. He also earned an AAS in paramedicine from West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah, Kentucky. O’Neal focuses many of his professional efforts in research and development of EMS leaders, strategic planning, EMS operations accountability, and fiscal management of EMS system.

Ayobami Ogunsola is a program manager at the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, and earlier worked with New Jersey Department of Transportation. He has over two decades of combined experience in transportation funding, emergency management agency assistance, emergency management performance grants administration, and implementation of evidence-based guidelines. Dr. Ogunsola holds a doctorate in Administration and Leadership Studies from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Science in Finance and Banking, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

Matthew F. Powers has more than three decades of experience as a nurse, paramedic and state level EMS leader. Before serving as president of the Emergency Nurses Association in 2015, Powers represented the emergency nursing seat on the California State Emergency Medical Services Commission from 2007 to 2013, serving as chair for his last two years. Powers completed his master’s in emergency services administration at California State University, Long Beach, in 2007. He currently serves as an emergency department assistant manager for Kaiser Permanente and as an EMS battalion chief for the North County Fire Authority. Powers holds a current California State Paramedic license, California State Registered Nurse license, Emergency Nurse Board certification, and a fellow in the Academy of Emergency Nursing.

Suzanne Prentiss is the executive director of the American Trauma Society. She has also been elected to several offices, including city councilor and mayor of Lebanon, New Hampshire, and currently serves in the State Senate. Senator Prentiss served New Hampshire as the chief of EMS for the Department of Safety and as the state's Trauma System Coordinator. Senator Prentiss holds a Master of Public Administration, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, and a certificate in Paramedicine as well as certificate in Executive Education from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Officials in State and Local and Government.

Alicia Sledge currently serves as the program management section manager in the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. She has more than 22 years of professional experience in Federal traffic safety grant oversight, highway safety strategic planning, and project coordination. Ms. Sledge has worked on several projects related to the Michigan EMS Information System (MI-EMSIS): the development of the MI-EMSIS, an analysis of the MI-EMSIS traffic crash data to the direct future traffic safety-related initiatives, and a partnership between the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning and the Michigan EMS Office to improve the quality of the MI-EMSIS traffic crash data. Ms. Sledge holds a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Dr. Peter Taillac is a clinical professor of emergency medicine and a past-chair of the Medical Directors Council of the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO). He brings over 30 years of experience in emergency medicine and EMS as an emergency physician, educator, EMS medical director and retired military physician with combat medical experience. As the Utah State EMS medical director, he brings experience in development of EMS systems and protocol implementation for the state. His experience as a medical director for a fire-based EMS agency provides him with ground-level insight of the day-to-day challenges of prehospital care.

Ryan Walter is an area manager for the Air Methods Corporation. He has served a term as vice president and a 2-year term as president on the International Association of Flight & Critical Care Paramedics’ Board of Directors. Mr. Walter is a paramedic who holds a Bachelor of Science in Professional Development and Advanced Patient Care as well as a master’s degree in Business and Administration. He is in pursuit of a doctorate in organizational leadership with an emphasis in healthcare administration.

Jonathan Washko has been involved in the EMS profession for over 30 years and has held progressive leadership positions with small, medium and large EMS systems in government, private, for-profit and not-for-profit entities. He is currently the assistant vice president of operations for the Northwell Health Center for EMS and SkyHealth. Washko frequently speaks at national conferences and consults on an international basis. He is also active with many industry groups and organizations and serves on the board of directors for the National Association of EMTs.