JEMS Advisory Board

Scotty Bolleter, BS, EMT-P

Centre for Emergency Health Sciences (TX)

Scotty Bolleter is recognized in EMS for his field care, research and development, as well as his inspiring lectures.

Karen J. Bowers, MD, MS, Med

Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Karen Bowers practices as an emergency medicine and EMS physician at Erlanger Health System, in Chattanooga. She serves as clinical faculty for the UT-Chattanooga emergency medicine residency. She attended medical school at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and trained at Emory University during residency. After completing an EMS fellowship and beginning her career as faculty at Indiana University, she returned to Atlanta, where she is the medical director for the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department. Karen serves on multiple local and national committees, including the research, education, and wilderness medicine committees for the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) and both Georgia and Tennessee’s state EMS chapters. She is currently spearheading efforts in harm mitigation and medication-assisted opioid therapy. She is interested in EMS, continuing education, quality improvement, and the medicine of endurance sports.

Criss Brainard, Fire Chief, Licensed Paramedic, Master Instructor, College Professor (Fire Science), Fire Investigator 3

San Miguel (CA) Fire & Rescue

Criss Brainard is a fire chief with 43 years in fire and EMS. He is a master instructor, conference presenter, and paramedic instructor. On the writing front, he is the author of fire, wildland, and EMS articles. He is also the president of the San Diego County Fire Chiefs and of San Diego Medical Services Enterprises. In addition, Criss is an EMS systems consultant, director of a large California fire district, director of the JEMS Clinical Challenge at FDIC International.

Bryan E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP, FAEMS

Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV and University Medical Center in Las Vegas, NV

Bryan Bledsoe is a clinical professor of emergency medicine at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV and an attending physician at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, NV. He received his bachelor’s degree at University of Texas at Arlington, and his DO at North Texas State University. Bryan, a former paramedic, is also board certified in emergency medicine and EMS.

Greg Chapman, BS, RRT, CCEMT-P

Center for Prehospital Medicine Carolinas Medical Center (Ret.)

Greg Chapman is a paramedic, respiratory therapist, and educator. He has been involved in EMS since 1975. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics and educational administration, from the State University of New York. He has worked in many aspects of public safety, including EMS, law enforcement, and fire service, and brings a multifaceted view to the table. He has developed multiple trauma and tactical care courses. Greg has 30 years as a professional ski patroller and has served on many search and rescue (SAR) teams. He has given presentations and seminars in more than 20 countries and is published in multiple journals and textbooks. Greg serves as a site visitor for the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CoAEMSP) and strongly believes that exceptional primary education is the cornerstone for the growth of EMS as a profession.

George W. Contreras, DrPH(c), MEP, MPH, MS, CEM, EMTP, FLSE

SUNY Westchester and New York City EMS

George W. Contreras currently serves as dean of the School of Health Careers, Technology and Applied Learning at SUNY Westchester in Valhalla, NY. He is a healthcare professional and educator with over 30 years of experience in the fields of EMS, public health, emergency management, disaster medicine, health services administration, simulation education, humanitarian response, and higher education. He is a strong advocate for improving mental health training, awareness, and education among emergency responders including EMS, fire, and law enforcement. George provides consulting services at the local, national, and international levels. He is also an active paramedic in the 911 system in New York City and a member of the Winona Lake Engine Company #2.

Carol A. Cunningham, MD, FAAEM, FAEMS

Doctor of Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Executive Certificate in Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education

National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education

Executive Leadership Program, Center for Homeland Defense and Security

Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of EMS

Carol Cunningham is the state medical director for the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of EMS, a professor of emergency medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University, and a board-certified emergency physician at Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center. She is the coprincipal investigator for the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines project and served as the EMS medical director representative on the National EMS Advisory Council for five years. Carol was selected as the 2021 National Preparedness Leadership Initiative Meta-Leader of the Year from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Center for Public Leadership, and she is also the recipient of the 2021 University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award, Crain’s Cleveland Business 2022 Women of Note Award, Lakeland Community College’s 2022 Woman of Achievement Award, and the 2012 American Academy of Emergency Medicine James Keaney Leadership Award. 

Robin Davis, NRP, FF

Sterling (VA) Rescue

Robin Davis is a nationally registered paramedic and firefighter. He has spent nearly 40 years in public safety, both in law enforcement and as an EMS officer.

Rommie L. Duckworth, MPA, LP, EFO, FO

Ridgefield (CT) Fire Department

Rommie L. Duckworth is a dedicated emergency responder, author, and educator with more than 30 years of experience working in career and volunteer fire departments, hospital healthcare systems, and private emergency medical services. Rom is a career fire captain and paramedic EMS Coordinator for Ridgefield (CT) Fire Department and director of the New England Center for Rescue and Emergency Medicine. He holds a master’s degree in public administration, is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program, and is the recipient of the NAEMT Presidential Award, American Red Cross Hero Award, Sepsis Alliance Sepsis Hero Award, and the EMS 10 Innovators Award.

Sarah E. Fabiano, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

JEMS Medical Director, Medical Control Physician for Clemson University Fire & EMS Department

Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Dr. Fabiano attended medical school in Syracuse, NY, and completed her Emergency Medicine Residency in Rochester, NY, at Strong Memorial Hospital. With 12 years of experience in Greenville, SC, she has been practicing in a combined Academic and Community Medicine practice.

As the Medical Director of JEMS, Dr. Fabiano plays a crucial role in shaping the content and media direction of the brand, ensuring accuracy and medical relevance to current practices in the prehospital environment. Her duties include participating in the JEMS Advisory Board, contributing to the JEMS podcast, webinars, and reviewing and contributing articles. Dr. Fabiano also represents JEMS at events such as JEMS@FDIC, participating in the JEMS Clinical Competition, and contributing to the JEMS Innovation Summit.

Maria Garcia

Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE)

Maria Garcia is a skilled accreditation manager with a dedication to enhancing continuing education standards. With six years of experience in continuing education accreditation, and over 20 years of diverse healthcare experience, she consistently delivers exceptional results. Maria is recognized for her committed customer service, superior organizing, and her creative analytical abilities to complete essential tasks.

Jeffrey M. Goodloe, MD, NRP, FACEP, FAEMS

EMS System for Metropolitan Oklahoma City & Tulsa

Jeffrey M. Goodloe, MD, serves as Chief Medical Officer for the EMS System for Metropolitan Oklahoma City and Tulsa. He is a professor and EMS section chief in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Douglas Isaacs, MD, DEMS

New York City Fire Department

Douglas A. Isaacs, MD, is the deputy medical director for the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). He is the medical director for Manhattan, Special Operations Command, Safety Command, Rescue Paramedic program, chair of the Medical Equipment Committee, medical team manager for NY-TF1, program director for the FDNY-Northwell Health EMS Fellowship, and director of the FDNY’s annual Medical Special Operations Conference (MSOC).

David Kelley, Battalion, Chief of EMS Operations

Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department

David Kelley is the battalion chief of EMS Operations for the Indianapolis Fire Department. He has over 30 years of experience in EMS, emergency management, mass casualty care and response, and special event organization. He continues to serve the citizens of Indianapolis today. 

Kraig Kinney, JD, Paramedic, Primary Instructor

Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS)

Kraig Kinney serves the State of Indiana Emergency Medical Services (EMS) director and has been in EMS since 1990 with credentials as an EMT, paramedic, and primary instructor. Kraig has been a licensed attorney in Indiana since 1998 and has prior experience in criminal law, city legal practice, and in-house as a deputy general counsel with IDHS. Kraig is active in national EMS as chairperson of the EMS Compact, a board member of the National Registry of EMTs and as the Great Lake chairperson and board member of the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO). 

Yonatan Klein, NYS Paramedic

New York City Fire Department

FDNY Deputy Chief Yonatan Klein was appointed to the rank of EMT in 2007, promoted to paramedic in 2009, and promoted to lieutenant in 2014. In October 2015, he was assigned to the Safety Command’s Research and Development Unit, where he was promoted to captain in 2020, and deputy chief in 2022. He serves as the field liaison to R & D, a trained fatal incident and collision investigator, and an NYS CIC.

David A. Miramontes, MD, FAEMS, FACEP, NRP

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio Fire Department

David Miramontes, MD, started as a volunteer firefighter-EMT while still in high school. He received training as an advanced EMT. He worked 10 years as a registered nurse and mobile intensive care nurse in the ER and ICU. He then received his bachelor’s degree in physiology at the University of California, Davis. He attended the Medical College of Ohio and completed an emergency medicine residency at the St. Vincent Medical Center, in Toledo, Ohio, where he was also a Life Flight physician. David was the EMS director for the City of Toledo Fire Department and for 18 rural and suburban EMS agencies. He assumed command as the assistant fire chief and medical director for the District of Columbia Fire Department (Washington, DC) from 2011 to 2014. He currently serves at EMS medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department. 

Jeremy Mothershed, NR EMT-P, Deputy Sheriff, EMT-T, NAEMT Instructor, CCBC College Adjunct Faculty

Havre de Grace (MD) Ambulance and Harford County Sheriff’s Office

NR EMT-P 20+ YEAR
Deputy Sheriff 25+ years
EMT- T
NAEMT Instructor
CCBC College Adjunct Faculty

Jeremy Mothershed has been in EMS for over 31 years. He has served as a paramedic for an all-volunteer organization for over 24 years, where he served on the board of the directors for five years, and assistant chief for two years. He also led the training division. He has developed curriculum for recent rescue task force integration with law enforcement, and EMS for the active assailant program. He currently serves as the medic coordinator for Harford County sheriff’s office, where he has been for over seven years. Jeremy has been an adjunct faculty member at the Community College of Baltimore County Maryland for over 21 years, where he is also a primary paramedic instructor. He has been involved with JEMS and EMS Today since 2007, including serving on the JEMS Games, and moderating and lecturing at several EMS Today conferences.

Paul E. Pepe, MD, MPH, FAEMS, MACP, MCCM, FACEP

Dallas County (TX) Fire Rescue

Paul E. Pepe served as an EMS/fire service responding physician for five decades. In 1982, he became the first full-time EMS medical director for Houston. In 1984, Paul was the principal cofounder of NAEMSP. He founded the metropolitan EMS medical directors (Eagles) alliance in 1998.

Paul produced the first prehospital clinical trials for trauma and the first EMS-based multicenter clinical trials for cardiac arrest while also publishing numerous landmark studies among 500 scientific investigations in medical literature, leading to dozens of national and international awards. He has also received many ongoing perennial best scientific abstract recognitions over the past five years.

For three decades, Paul has simultaneously served as a tenured medical school professor and as a high-ranking government official for major U.S. cities, counties, and state health departments. He has also served as a lead or supervising clinician at major U.S. trauma centers.

Neal J. Richmond, MD, MA, FACEP, FAEMS, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine

Medical Director of Fire Engineering Training and The JEMS Academy

Neal Richmond is the medical director for Fire Engineering Training and The JEMS Academy. He previously was an associate professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of EMS Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Richmond began his EMS career as the Deputy Medical Director for the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).

Jay M. Scott, MBA, NRP

Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE)

Jay M. Scott is the executive director of the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE). Jay has been serving his community as a paramedic for more than thirty-five years as a Nationally Registered Paramedic. He is the former chair of the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for EMS (CECBEMS) and the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Regional ECC Committee. He is adjunct faculty for Dallas College EMS Training Program in Dallas, Texas, and AHA Regional Faculty for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and CPR. 

Walt Alan Stoy, PhD, EMT-P, MBA-e

Walt Stoy and Associates, LLC

Walt Stoy is professor emeritus from the University of Pittsburgh, after 41 years of service. He also serves as director emeritus from the Center for Emergency Medicine. In the 1990s, he served as the principal investigator and project director over the First Responder, EMT-B, EMT-Intermediate, and Paramedic national standard curricula for U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He currently serves as an independent consultant to the EMS industry, both nationally and internationally.

Jonathan Washko, NRP, MBA, Fellow of the American College of Paramedics, Advanced Emergency Medical Dispatcher (IAED)

Nationally Registered Paramedic
BS Degree in EMS Administration
MBA in Global Healthcare Administration
Fellow of the American College of Paramedics
Advanced Emergency Medical Dispatcher – IAED

Northwell Health Center for EMS

Jonathan Washko is a 36-year executive focused in both the prehospital and healthcare operations improvement space. He is an industry expert on numerous matters, consulting and advising internationally with agencies, systems, facilities, and governments on prehospital, mobile healthcare, and systems design and improvement efforts. Jonathan sits on a variety of elected and appointed industry and government boards and councils. He is an author, researcher, educator, and speaker and is regarded as a balanced disruptive innovator, ideator, and strategic visionary leader with capabilities in business and cultural transformations. 

Katherine West, RN, BSN, MSEd, DICO-C

Infection Control Emerging Concepts, LLC

Katherine Westbrings expertise in the field of infection control and OSHA compliance. She published books and many articles on this topic. Katherine lectures both nationally and internationally, presenting information that is practical and evidence based.

Steve Wirth, Esq, EMT-P, Attorney, Paramedic

PWW Advisory Group and Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC

Steve Wirth a founding partner of Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC, The National EMS Law Firm, which represents EMS agencies throughout the United States. He is also a cofounder of the National Academy of Ambulance Compliance, and the PWW Advisory Group, a national EMS consulting firm. In a distinguished public safety career that spans over four decades, Steve has worked in virtually every facet of EMS and mobile healthcare. He is a popular and frequent speaker for EMS conferences and webinars nationwide and has authored numerous articles and book chapters on a wide range of EMS leadership and EMS law topics.

Matthew Zavadsky, MS-HSA, NREMT

Page, Wolfberg, and Wirth | Advisory Group

Matt Zavadsky, MS-HSA, NREMT, is vice president of Page, Wolfberg, and Wirth | Advisory Group (PWW|AG), assisting local communities, EMS agencies, fire departments, ambulance services, hospitals and other healthcare organizations in evaluating and improving their EMS and mobile healthcare delivery systems for success and sustainability. Prior to joining PWW|AG, Matt was the chief transformation officer for MedStar in Fort Worth, Texas. Matt helped guide the development and implementation of innovative programs with healthcare and community partners to transform the role of MedStar in the healthcare system and community. Most recently, he has led the negotiations with multiple third-party payers to change the basic economic model for EMS to better align patient, provider and payer focus on patient centered care as opposed to simply payment for ambulance transport and is working with Congress to pass legislation that reimburses EMS for the medical care provide, versus the transportation supplied.