Dr. Anne Adema is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado and attending physician in the Children's Hospital Colorado emergency department. She is a Pediatric Pandemic Network Career Development Awardee for Disaster Research, and an award-winning innovator. Dr. Adema's research and device development focuses on leveraging technology to enhance everyday pediatric emergency care to better care for children in disasters and pandemics.

At a mere 46, I’m a happily married firefighter/paramedic with 26 years on the job, two lovely daughters who keep me humble, and a not-so-secret mission to take over the rope rescue world—one training course at a time. I’ve spent the last 16 years as a tactical SWAT medic, and for the past 4 years I’ve been the owner/operator of Prevail Rescue Solutions, bringing lightweight, rapid vertical mobility and practical casualty management to teams that want real-world performance, not just check-the-box certifications. Along the way, I’ve contributed to FIRESCOPE and NWCG REMS working groups, served on State Fire Training rewrite committees, spoken at educational conferences across the nation, and helped drive program development at the state level—because if we’re going to do this job, we might as well do it smarter, safer, and with a little grit baked in.

With more than 29 years of experience in the fire service, Chris Greene retired in June 2023 as a Captain and Energy Response Team Supervising Officer for the Seattle Fire Department. He played a pivotal role in establishing the joint energy hazard response specialty team for Seattle Fire and Seattle City Light, taking responsibility for developing protocols and best practices for responding to incidents involving energy hazards. The Energy Response Team, the first of its kind, is tasked with handling emergencies related to substations, switchgear, manholes/vaults, transformers, batteries, photovoltaic systems, both overhead and underground electrical hazards, and DC traction mass transportation infrastructure. Additionally, he oversaw all energy-related training and standard operating procedures for the department. Captain Greene’s exceptional contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the “Seattle Fire Officer of the Year” in 2017 for his work with Seattle City Light in creating the Energy Hazard program, and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Energy Work in 2024. He is a nationally respected speaker on energy emergencies as they pertain to the National Fire Service and serves as creator and author of the Fire Engineering Magazine’s “Energy Hazards Column.” Through Energy Hazard Training, Greene provides specialized instruction to Fire Service professionals and Energy workers nationwide.

David became an EMT in 1987 and a paramedic in 1989. By Y2K, having run thousands of 911 calls, he moved on as a national EMS consultant and Director of Operations for Maryland’s largest ambulance provider. In 2008, having earned his California Law License, David opened his own EMS Defense Law practice, where he defends EMTs, paramedics, and nurses when their licenses are facing discipline. He is a nationally known speaker on the topic of EMS Law & Defense and the author of the Amazon Best Seller: “Sirens, Lights, and Lawyers: The law and other really important stuff EMS providers never learned in school."

David Picone is President of the Health & Safety Leadership Alliance and a retired Battalion Chief who formalized one of the most comprehensive Health & Safety Office models in public safety. He authored 34 integrated policies aligning prevention, behavioral health, cancer mitigation, and coordinated recovery. Over a decade of workforce growth, injury rate per FTE declined from 32 to 24 percent while annual claim counts remained stable. He now advances this integrated framework nationally across public safety disciplines.

Kevin Paschall, PA-C, is the Program Manager for the Resource Access Program with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. His work focuses on integrating advanced practice providers into EMS and developing community-based care models for patients with complex medical, mental health, and substance use needs. He has worked across mobile medicine, EMS, and community health to improve care coordination and reduce unnecessary emergency department utilization.

Kwesi Millington is a University Graduate (BComm) and former police officer for Canada’s National Police Force, the RCMP. His story, known nationally and covered in a documentary movie by the Canadian Broadcast Company (CBC), included years of public scrutiny and struggle. Having overcome adversity, anxiety and depression, Kwesi uses that ability as a platform to become a voice for resilience and positive mental health. He speaks to schools and high-stress organizations about the power of resilience, self-esteem, and building confidence to overcome anxiety, challenges, and change.

Lonny Olson began his fire service career in 1995 as a Volunteer Firefighter in Riverside County, assigned to Menifee Fire Station. In 1996, Lonny was employed by the USFS as a Seasonal Firefighter. In June 1998, he was hired as a firefighter for CAL FIRE Riverside Unit. In 2004, he was promoted to Fire Apparatus Engineer Paramedic. In September 2009, Lonny advanced to Fire Captain, working in the Perris Emergency Command Center and later transferring to the Elsinore Station. In September 2018, he was promoted to Battalion Chief of the Lake Elsinore Battalion. By December 2019, he transitioned to the Battalion Chief position at the Perris Emergency Command Center. In October 2021, Lonny became the Southwest Division Chief, overseeing the Los Piños Fire Center and the cities of Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, and Menifee. Most recently, in August 2024, he was promoted to Deputy Chief, responsible for Western Operations and the Prevention Bureau. Throughout his career, Lonny has contributed to numerous programs, including the implementation of the fire paramedic program for the City of Lake Elsinore. He has served as a paramedic preceptor and instructor and was the program coordinator during the rollout of the Emergency Medical Dispatch program for the Riverside Unit. Lonny is currently a member of the C-400 extended to major incident training cadre and serves as an Incident Commander Trainee on CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 2.

Lourdes Betancourt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 15 years of experience in trauma-informed care. She specializes in treating individuals affected by trauma, including those who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, physical assault, and workplace-related injuries. Lourdes is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Flash techniques, and various other trauma modalities. Currently, she serves as a key provider at Boomerang Healthcare, where she contributes to the Trauma Rehabilitation Program and the Traumatic Brain Injury Program. Lourdes is dedicated to delivering high-quality mental health services within rehabilitation programs tailored for individuals recovering from work-related injuries. Her commitment to a multidisciplinary approach ensures that patients receive comprehensive support aimed at restoring hope and enhancing their overall health and quality of life.

Michael Kaduce, MPS, NRP is the Director of the Falck Health Institute, where he leads national and international initiatives focused on EMS initial education, continuing education, and research. In this role, he oversees the development of innovative education programs designed to strengthen workforce readiness, clinical excellence, and evidence-based practice across prehospital systems. Michael previously served as the EMT Program Director at the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care within the David Geffen School of Medicine, where he led the largest EMT education program in the United States for six years. His work spans peer-reviewed publications, national research presentations, and authorship of the most widely used EMT and paramedic textbooks in the field. He serves as the West Coast Representative on the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians Board of Directors and teaches NAEMT courses globally. Michael is also a Research Associate with the UCLA Prehospital Care Research Forum. Before transitioning into education and research leadership, Michael worked as a firefighter paramedic, grounding his career in frontline EMS practice.

Fire Captain, Vista Fire Rescue

Paul J. Wisniewski, D.O. is a board-certified general and critical care surgeon with extensive leadership experience in trauma systems development, surgical critical care, and military-civilian medical collaboration. He completed his General Surgery residency at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, California, and a Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Orlando Regional Medical Center in Florida. Dr. Wisniewski has served in key leadership positions throughout his career, including Trauma Director and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Director at Desert Regional Medical Center, and Director for the Navy Trauma Training Center in partnership with USC+LAC. A veteran of the United States Navy and decorated combat surgeon, Dr. Wisniewski deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, and Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he provided advanced trauma care in austere environments. Currently, Dr. Wisniewski serves as President and CEO of Cutting Edge Surgical Medical Group and Trauma Medical Director at St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley, California. He continues to advance trauma care through education, evidence-based practice, and system efficiency, focusing on improving outcomes in both military and civilian trauma populations.

Dr. Ali is Director of the First Responder Institute and PTSD IOP at Institutes of Health, where he specializes in the treatment of complex PTSD. In addition to treating patients, he is engaged in the Institute's clinical transdisciplinary community, facilitating team meetings, program-related development, supervising pre-licensed clinicians, assessing proper diagnoses of patients, leading individual and group treatment and outdoor exposure planning. Dr. Ali is certified in the trauma modality Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Moreover, he is fully trained and utilizes other evidence-based trauma modalities, including Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Prior to IOH, Dr. Ali was a postdoctoral resident at the San Diego VA in the residential PTSD clinic, Aspire Center. Dr. Ali has extensive experience working in hospital settings focusing on PTSD, chronic pain and substance use. Dr. Ali has several publications, including co-authoring a book chapter on treating the comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and chronic pain.

Robin began her nursing career on 1991 at Olive View Medical Center in the Emergency Department. For the past 23 years she worked in the ED at four other hospitals. In 1999 she was hired by Ventura County Fire Department as an Emergency Medical Dispatch QI nurse/trainer and was asked to develop a QI program for the first responders. In 2003 she was given the responsibility of becoming the Designated Infection Control Officer (DICO) for her department. As a new DICO, the sheer mass of regulations, laws and policies for officers was overwhelming. In order to make sense of all this, the DICO course was developed by Susan Hayward from Burbank FD and Robin and was first presented at Cfed 2012. The response was positive from those attending, so the course is being offered again by popular demand.

Scott Wagness is an accomplished paramedic with more than 15 years of Fire and EMS experience. He currently works as an EMS Coordinator for the Solano County EMS Agency where he focuses on field provider education and improving patient outcomes. Scott is also the current Director at Large for EMS for the Trauma Professionals Association of California (TPAC) where he is working to bring hospital based trauma professionals and field providers together through education. Scott is recently retired from the San Francisco Fire Department where he served as a Tactical Paramedic, Field Training Officer, and Paramedic Preceptor. He is the creator of a medication dosing guide that has helped to improve pediatric medication dosing accuracy throughout San Francisco. During his time with SFFD he received multiple awards including the Raymond Lim Excellence in EMS Award for his work improving prehospital pediatric care. As an active participant in the California EMS for Children Technical Advisory Committee, Scott is now helping to shape prehospital pediatric care throughout the state. Recently recognized as an author and medical contributor in the 2026 Emergency First Aid Guidelines for California Schools, his work is helping to improve student safety and healthcare education in California schools.

Dr. Schlesinger is Director of Education & Innovation for the Los Angeles County EMS Agency, Program Director for the Harbor-UCLA/LA County EMS Fellowship, and faculty for the Harbor-UCLA Emergency Medicine residency program. In addition to her work within the L.A. County EMS system, Dr. Schlesinger is Medical Director for the Newport Beach Fire Department and a Medical Officer with the National Disaster Medical System.

Steven is a Registered Nurse and Paramedic with nearly 20 years of experience in various healthcare settings, including 911 EMS, Community Hospitals, Regional Trauma Centers, and Critical Access facilities. Currently serving as a Flight Nurse in the Bay Area, he also maintains his skills and versatility by working in hospital settings. Steven has actively volunteered with the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), contributing chapters to both the 8th and 9th editions of the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC). He serves as a Chairperson for the California ENA Trauma Committee and is the Treasurer of the Bay Area Chapter of the ENA.

Vince Roldan has been a member of the Los Angeles County Fire Department for 23 years. He is currently a Fire Captain assigned as one of the department’s Peer Support Coordinators and serves as the department’s Lead Chaplain. Vince has been assigned as a Captain, Engineer, Firefighter Paramedic, and Firefighter throughout the County of Los Angeles. He has served as a chaplain for numerous families who have lost a loved one who was an active-duty firefighter including 4 families who lost their firefighter in the line-of-duty. Vince has served many families of both active duty and retired firefighters that have faced various crisis situations as both a chaplain and peer support team member. Vince enjoys sharing his knowledge that he has gained from classes in chaplaincy, peer support, critical incident stress management (CISM), and real-world experience. He has been happily married to his wife Maria for 30 years and is a father and grandfather.

Bernie Molloy has been in the fire service for 25 years, working through every rank at the Lakeside Fire Protection District in San Diego County, where he spent over 22 years before becoming the Fire Chief of Murrieta Fire & Rescue in March of 2022. He has focused largely on EMS, training, and fire department operations throughout his career and is now actively working on advocating for fire-based EMS on the Emergency Medical Services Policy Advisory Committee. Chief Molloy maintains his Paramedic license, holds a master’s degree in emergency services management, is a CPSE-credentialed Chief Fire Officer, and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program, where his research focused on EMS transport models in California and preparing and evacuating communities in advance of wildfires. Bernie has served in several professional capacities throughout his time as a Chief Officer. He was a member of the San Diego County Fire Chiefs EMS Section for six years, serving as president from 2017-2021. Once moving to the Fire Chief role in Murrieta, Chief Molloy took on the position of Secretary for the Riverside County Fire Chiefs Association and moved to the President role in January of 2024. Chief Molloy has also been an active member of Cal Chiefs since 2016, serving as the EMS Section President, the Southern Division Director, the President-Elect, and now the president for Cal Chiefs.

I have over 23 years of experience in the medical field, beginning my career as an EMT working in the emergency department. I have been a registered nurse for 18 years, with diverse experience in the ER, ICU, and home health settings. For the past 6.5 years, I have served as the EMS Coordinator for the Santa Monica Fire Department. During that time, our EMS division has experienced significant growth, expanding from a two-person team to a multidisciplinary program that now includes five dedicated EMS staff, as well as a Care Coordinator, APU, and AO programs. I have been fortunate to play a role in this evolution, helping to develop programs that support our fire personnel, improve patient care, and strengthen collaboration with our hospital and community partners.

Dr. Kazan began his medical career as an EMT at UCLA in 1994, later earning his medical degree from the Chicago Medical School and completing his residency at UCLA and Olive View-UCLA. Since becoming the Medical Director for the Los Angeles County Fire Department in 2015, he has received the California ACEP EMS Achievement Award and the EMS Authority Distinguished Service Medal, with many of his initiatives earning local, state, and national recognition. Dr. Kazan is also an attending emergency physician at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center and an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. His professional interests include education, process improvement, and workplace culture.

David Page, MS, NRP, is the director of the Prehospital Care Research Forum at UCLA and Director of EMS Education for EMS Corps. He serves as the chair of the International Paramedic Registry. He has over 40 years of EMS street experience and loves to innovate, learn, improve and advance EMS with science. Long and complete: David Page, MS, NRP, IPR-A Mr. Page is the director of the Prehospital Care Research Forum at UCLA, and Director of EMS Education for EMS Corps. He serves as the current and founding chair of the International Paramedic Registry assessment and credentialing board. He has over 40 years of continuous EMS street experience. Mr. Page is an award-winning national and international speaker. He was awarded the 2019 Scott B. Frame Service Award for his work teaching prehospital care in developing nations. He was also awarded the NAEMT president’s award in 2017, the prestigious Pinnacle National Leadership Award in 2016, and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities "Educator of the Year" award in 2011. In 2012 he recognized as one of the EMS 10 Innovators for his role in creating the Saint Paul EMS academy and Freedom House BLS unit, a project focused on creating career opportunities for low-income under-represented youth. Mr. Page holds a Master of Science degree in education from Minnesota State University. He helped create, coordinate, and teach the Inver Hills Community College’s paramedic degree program for 24 years. Mr. Page is international affiliate faculty and a member of education committee for the National Association of EMTs (NAEMT). He is a site visitor for the Committee on Accreditation of EMS Programs, and served as a senior facilitator for the CoAEMSP “Evaluating Student Competency” workshop, and NREMT Scenario Development workshop. A native of Mexico, Mr. Page continues to be involved in the development of EMS internationally. Current projects include work in 21 countries including Morocco, Australia, Philippines, Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica and others. He is the co-author of the Flipped Classroom curriculum for Jones and Bartlett’s EMT and Paramedic textbooks. Please connect with him on LinkedIn.

Gigi Rodriguez, RN, BSN, CPEN, MICN brings more than 38 years of Emergency Medicine experience and currently serves as Manager of Pediatric Urgent Care at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. She has dedicated her career to advancing pediatric emergency care through clinical excellence, program development, and interprofessional collaboration. Throughout her tenure at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, Gigi has held several key leadership roles, including Manager of the Children’s Hospital Emergency Department, Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator, and Clinical Educator. She has been instrumental in developing and strengthening pediatric emergency services, supporting operational growth, and promoting evidence-based practice. Gigi is passionate about mentoring nurses, residents, paramedics, and community partners in caring for pediatric patients, and is recognized for her collaborative leadership style, clear communication, and commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care.

Dr. Kevin T. Murphy began his career as a radiation oncologist specializing in tumors of the central nervous system, or brain and spinal cord. He was a pioneer and thought leader in the field of frameless stereotactic radiosurgery in both pediatrics and adults. Dr. Murphy has since developed PrTMS® therapy, a low-amplitude approach to rTMS therapy that is continually customized to each patient’s unique brain function. PrTMS® is designed to restore synchronicity to the brainwaves and, in turn, eliminate symptoms at the source. The original development of PrTMS® was driven by the quest for a noninvasive, e ective therapy to combat two causes very close to Dr. Murphy’s heart: the cognitive decline, or “chemobrain”, induced by radiation and chemotherapy, and the second, to help alleviate his son’s autism. Since then, PrTMS® has been used to treat countless di erent neurocognitive and neural disorders or deficits as well as has garnered praise from active duty and military Veterans, and professional athletes seeking peak human performance. Dr. Murphy is a proud Veteran of the US Navy, serving aboard the USS Ranger during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Liz Augusta, RN, MSN, LNCC, CPHRM is a Clinical Risk Manager for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services; the second largest municipal health system in the nation. She has worked with the Department’s Risk Management and Patient Safety program for over 20 years since completing her training as a paralegal and Legal Nurse Consultant. Currently, she works with the Department’s central Clinical Risk Management program overseeing 4 hospitals and 22 health centers. Under this role she assists in managing the Department’s claims and event reporting system, manages the Department’s CANDOR communication and resolution program, and chairs several systemwide committees related to hospital accreditation, clinical risk management, and early resolution of claims. Prior to her arrival to Health Services Administration, Liz was an Administrative Nurse on Duty, Emergency Department Charge Nurse, and an ED/Trauma Nurse at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, one of the Department’s two Level-1 trauma centers. Liz is a frequent speaker, both locally and nationally, on several patient safety and risk management topics, with a special interest in the patient experience in the provision of healthcare and its relationship to safety and quality. She imparts a unique perspective in her speaking engagements as both a nurse and consumer advocate for health care services.

Lori is a registered nurse with 26 years of experience in emergency, trauma, and prehospital care in Riverside County. She currently serves as the Prehospital Liaison Nurse Coordinator at RUHS, working closely with the base hospital, REMSA, and regional EMS partners. Her background includes extensive trauma and emergency department experience, leadership in disaster preparedness and quality improvement, and serving as an ATCN Program Director at RUHS. Lori is board-certified in emergency nursing and is passionate about education, collaboration, and strengthening system-wide emergency response.

Megan Lautz is an award-winning Registered Dietitian specializing in first responders. Megan creates realistic nutrition strategies that lead to improved energy levels, better body composition, and reduced stress for first responders. Megan has worked full-time for departments of 1,600+ firefighters since 2017. Megan was the recipient of the ASPDA Trailblazer award, recognizing her work advancing dietetics in public safety. Megan owns RescueRD LLC, which provides custom nutrition programs for departments nationwide.

Michael started his career in emergency medicine over 30 years ago when he became an EMT in New York State. A stint as an Army Medic led him to enter nursing school and seek out the ER. From the beginning of his nursing career, Michael has been providing education to his colleagues. From ACLS, to CEN, to ENPC, ENTEP and more, he continues to add to his base of knowledge in order to be a better resource to the nurses he serves. Michael calls himself a lifelong learner and is currently working on his 5th degree, a Doctor of Nursing Education from THE Ohio State University. In his current role, he serves as the NPD Specialist for Emergency Services at a community hospital in central California. In his spare time, he likes to volunteer his time and expertise to local sporting events serving on the medical teams. He is also a huge AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego), and an active member of his church. He recently married the woman of his dreams in 2025 and they live in California with their rescue pup, “Sadie”.

Patrick Nulty serves as the EMS Battalion Chief for the Santa Monica Fire Department, where he leads multiple innovative programs focused on community risk reduction, mobile integrated healthcare, and EMS system optimization. With over two decades of experience in fire and emergency medical services, Chief Nulty has been instrumental in developing collaborative models that address high 9-1-1 utilization, improve patient outcomes, and enhance operational efficiency. He is a passionate advocate for data-driven decision-making, cross-sector partnerships, and scalable solutions that meet the evolving needs of communities.

Rachel Cierpich is a Staff Training Instructor with San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Program for Law Enforcement and Community Partners. Rachel’s career with DBH began in 2012 as a Peer & Family Advocate with the Public Information Office/Community Outreach and Education Program and the Patients’ Rights Office. In her current role as a Staff Training Instructor, Rachel collaborates with various San Bernardino County first responder agencies and community partners to develop, coordinate, and deliver customized behavioral health trainings and informational presentations. As a certified San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Academy Instructor and a certified CIT Coordinator through CIT International, Rachel works to ensure that first responders and community partners are well-prepared to successfully support and respond to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

Chief Fish began his career in 1992 as a Volunteer Firefighter in Moreno Valley. Between 1995 and 2001, he worked as a State Dispatcher and Public Safety Communications Officer II in the Perris Emergency Command Center. In 2001, Chief Fish accepted a job as a Firefighter II Paramedic. For the following ten years, Chief Fish was promoted to Engineer Paramedic and Fire Captain Paramedic, working in the Coachella Valley, including the Cove Communities, La Quinta, and Mecca. In 2010 he accepted a transfer to the department's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Bureau. In 2015, Chief Fish was promoted to Battalion Chief with the CAL FIRE San Diego Unit as the Monte Vista ECC Chief. He returned to the Riverside Unit in 2017 as a Battalion Chief assigned to the Mountain Battalion. In February of 2019, Chief Fish accepted the Eastern Desert Division Chief position and returned to the Coachella Valley as the Fire Department Liaison for the Cities of Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta and the communities of Thermal, Mecca, and Blythe. He has served as the Deputy Chief of Eastern Operations for the past 5 years. In December 2025, Chief Fish was appointed the CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire, Unit Chief. Chief Fish holds an associate degree in Fire Technology, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fire Engineering Protection and Administration, and professional accreditation as a Chief Fire Officer (CFO) and Chief EMS Officer (CEMSO). He is a State Chief Fire Officer and still maintains his Paramedic license for the State of California. Chief Fish has been married for 22 years and has three children. His oldest son is an Engineer for the City of Jacksonville, Florida, his middle son is a Petty Officer Second Class in the United States Navy, and his youngest daughter attends college as a premed major.

Samuel Crenshaw is a Fire Captain with the Sonoma County Fire District and a Helicopter Rescue Paramedic with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. With nearly two decades of experience spanning structural firefighting, advanced life support, wilderness medicine, and technical rescue, he has served in roles from frontline paramedic to leadership positions within local, state, and federal agencies. Previously, he worked with the National Park Service in Yosemite and Lake Mead, where he combined emergency response with program development, training, and interagency coordination. Beyond fire and EMS, Samuel has held leadership roles in education, including as a Teach For America Director and award-winning high school teacher. He holds master’s degrees from Brown University and the University of Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree with highest honors from UC Berkeley. Recognized with multiple awards for both lifesaving care and leadership, he continues to blend operational excellence with mentorship, training, and service to community.

Sean Stokes joined the City of Beverly Hills Fire Department in 2006 and currently serves as the Fire Department’s EMS Division Chief. Previously, he held management positions in Emergency & Trauma services at a local hospital and worked as a Financial Analyst for a national healthcare system. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from California State University Long Beach, a Master’s Degree from University California Irvine and a Chief EMS Officer designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Captain Blackburn has been a Firefighter for 23 years with the Los Angeles County Fire Dept. His current duties as a Peer Support Coordinator gives him a unique perspective on the attributes and qualifications for Peers that want to assist in large scale CISM responses. Being a part of multiple active duty and line of duty CISM responses for LACoFD and other critical responses for agencies throughout the state has given valuable experience to prepare him to be an Instructor for the ICISF in Crisis Responses, and Peer Para Counseling. When not working Captain Blackburn enjoys traveling the world with his Wife of 23 years and 4 children.

Victoria Hall began her career with the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health in 2005. Ms. Hall is committed to the health and wellness of her community as shown through her many years as a dedicated advocate for recovery and resiliency through education and compassion. As a Mental Health Education Consultant currently assigned to Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Program for Law Enforcement and Community Partners, Ms. Hall has assisted in the delivery of trainings reaching thousands to provide education and information on ways to recognize a behavioral health crisis, communicate appropriately, de-escalate, and connect community residents and their families to appropriate resources. Ms. Hall is a certified San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy Instructor, a certified CIT Coordinator through CIT International, and holds additional certifications as a Mental Health First Aid Trainer, LEAP© Instructor and Trauma Informed Instructor through SAMHSA.

Clinical Pharmacist/Clinical Toxicologist/Critical Care Flight Paramedic/Director of Basic Sciences Education, Northwell Health