Speaker Bios

Alsted, Tom
Tom is the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Emergency Health Services Federation. Prior to his current role, Tom worked as a Paramedic and TEMS Element Leader for the Pennsylvania State Police SERT and York County QRT. He is also a former Municipal Police Officer and is the Emergency Management Coordinator for a regional EM Program within the EPZ of the Crane Clean Energy Site. Tom is a member of the PA-IMT, South Central Task Force All Hazards IMT and participates in several HCC committees.

Anthony, Jordan

Berry, Dr. Chris

Bixby, Tony
Tony Bixby, MBA, NRP, CCEMT‑P, FP‑C, serves as the Director of Prehospital Services for the UPMC North Central Pennsylvania region and the EMS Chief for Susquehanna Regional EMS. A graduate of the Williamsport Hospital and Medical Center Paramedic Training Institute, he has held leadership roles across both ground and air medical operations. Tony is an alumnus of the inaugural NAEMT Lighthouse Leadership Program, where he now mentors emerging EMS leaders. He serves on the NAEMT Board of Directors as the East Central Region Director and holds board positions with the Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania and the American Trauma Society, Pennsylvania Division. Through the collective dedication and professionalism of the entire Susquehanna Regional EMS team, the organization has earned significant recognition, including the 2024 Pennsylvania EMS Agency of the Year and the 2025 EMS World Dick Ferneau Career Service of the Year awards.

Bledsoe, Daniel

Brandau, Dr. Adrian
Adrian Brandau has been involved in EMS for over 20 years, and the fire service for more than 30 years.  He continues to hold certification as a Paramedic with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.   Adrian is board certified in Emergency Medicine and recently completed a fellowship in EMS with Life Lion EMS at Penn State Health.  Adrian currently lives in Hughesville and is one of the Assistant EMS Captains with Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department.

Carpenter, Robert (Bob)
Robert M. Carpenter is the Executive Director at Emergency Medical Services of Northeastern Pennsylvania as well as a founding member and the Operational Coordinator for the Gruen-Gow Memorial CISM Team of Northeastern Pennsylvania.  Bob is a Nationally Registered Paramedic (NRP), Board Certified Community Paramedic (CP-C), and is Certified in Critical Incident Stress Management (CCISM).  Bob has been actively involved in emergency services since 2001 and CISM since 2014. Bob serves on many advisory boards and committees locally, regionally, and statewide including serving on the board of directors for NAMI Northeast Region and the planning committee for the NEPA CIT Program.  Bob is most passionate about provider mental health and is a strong believer in the importance of Peer Support.

Culvey, Earl
Earl Culvey is a 25+ year veteran of EMS, having served various staff and leadership roles around North Central Pennsylvania. He is currently serving as a Paramedic Supervisor, for the Division of EMS, Geisinger Health System, in Danville, PA. He is also the Creator of the Dao of EMS, focused on professionalism, leadership and excellence in care. Earl loves to educate and share his experiences with other EMS clinicians. His interests include EMS Education and Leadership, EMS Research, provider wellness and mass casualty incident management. 

Fleagle, Deb

Fuhrman, Brittney

Godin, Jason

Gomez, Anthony
An EMT for three years and currently enrolled in paramedic school, Anthony brings more than 24 years of experience as a computer engineer to his work in EMS. He entered the field with a genuine desire to serve and support his community. Born and raised in Queens, New York to immigrant parents, he is a fluent Spanish speaker who has traveled throughout Latin America and Europe in various professional roles. He has called Columbia County home for more than 22 years.

Haas, Fred
Fred Haas, NRP, MS, DICO-C, is a seasoned EMS professional with nearly four decades of experience in prehospital care, leadership, and safety management. A graduate of the Williamsport Hospital & Medical Center Paramedic Training Institute, Fred served 23 years with Sussex County EMS in Delaware, advancing to Shift Commander and Health and Safety Officer. He now serves as Safety Manager for Geisinger EMS and EMS Manager at Knoebels, continuing his lifelong commitment to emergency services — and enjoying his well-earned retirement exploring amusement parks and roller coasters.

Haupt, Andrew

Humes, Sara

Jenkins, Girard
Girard serves as the Adult Trauma Program Performance Improvement Coordinator and EMS Outreach lead for the Geisinger Medical Center. He has been involved in EMS, fire, and rescue services since 1989 and brings decades of field experience to his leadership and educational roles. A Prehospital Registered Nurse (PHRN), Girard also holds a Master’s degree in Nursing with a focus on education, supporting his commitment to advancing trauma care and EMS training.

Kachurak, Frank
Frank Kachurak is an experienced technology leader and educator with expertise in data engineering, IT strategy, and emergency services instruction. He serves as the Director of Data Engineering and IT Strategic Partner in Penn State IT and as the Clinical Course Coordinator for the Centre County Public Safety Training Center. His work reflects a balance of innovation, teaching, and service to both the academic and public safety communities.

With over 20 years of experience as a firefighter, EMT, and instructor, Frank brings real-world operational insight to both the classroom and the field. He is the owner and managing partner of Halligan Training, LLC, and an active member of the Nittany Valley Fire Company, Pleasant Gap Fire Company, and Decatur Fire Company. Frank has taught and presented for a wide range of academic and training institutions, including Penn State, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC), and Bucks County Community College, bridging the gap between technology, emergency services, and applied instruction.

Krotzer, Kevin
Kevin Krotzer is a nearly 40-year veteran of the fire and EMS service and a second-generation volunteer from Hanover Township Volunteer Fire Company. He spent his career as a Paramedic with the City of Allentown EMS, serving in specialized roles as a USAR Medic, Hazmat Medic, and member of multiple special operations teams, including Lehigh County and PA Company 3. Following his retirement, Kevin transitioned to Emergency Management, where he now serves as Special Operations Coordinator – Chief 42. He continues to volunteer with Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company, Keystone Water Rescue, and the Schuylkill Haven Dive Team, and remains active as an instructor in EMS, hazmat, and water rescue.

Kupas, Dr. Douglas

Kwiecen, Jeffrey

Lyte, Steve

Magyar, Mike

Martin, Anthony

Newvine, Shane
Shane Newvine is a veteran EMS professional with over 30 years of service, beginning his career as an EMT in 1990 and earning his Paramedic certification from The Williamsport Hospital Paramedic Training Institute in 1992. He serves as Assistant Chief overseeing Special Operations with Jersey Shore Area EMS and also works as a part-time paramedic across central Pennsylvania. A DOH EMS Instructor since 2001 and a Tactical Medicine/Firearms Instructor with MPOETC since 2021, Shane holds National Registry and IBSC Tactical Paramedic certifications and is a Fellow of the Academy of Operational Medicine.

Plummer, Austin
Austin is a paramedic and a student currently working toward a law degree. He serves as the Systems Coordinator at the Southern Alleghenies EMS Council, where he supports regional operations, quality improvement initiatives, and Education. Before joining the Council, Austin spent 10 years at AMED EMS, where he worked full time and continues to serve part time. He also previously sat on the Board of Directors for the Southern Alleghenies EMS Council until transitioning into his current role within the organization.

Siberski, Dr. Duan
Dr. Duane D. Siberski, D.O., FACOEP-D, FACEP, PHP is a board-certified Emergency Medicine and EMS physician at Penn State Health – St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he serves as EMS Medical Director. A graduate of Villanova University, he completed paramedic training at Delaware County Community College and earned his medical degree from University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He provides regional leadership as Medical Director for Eastern PA EMS Region and multiple municipal agencies and serves on the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council Medical Advisory Committee. A former Board member of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, Dr. Siberski is a frequent national, regional, and local lecturer recognized for his passion for emergency medicine and EMS education.

Siko II, Ray
Ray Siko is a lifelong public safety professional with over 40 years of experience in emergency services. He currently serves as Chief of Police for the City of Shamokin and Chief of Department for the Kulpmont Fire Department, where he has been a chief officer for 25 years. Certified in multiple disciplines including firefighting, EMS, and tactical operations, Ray brings extensive experience in leadership, response, and training to his community and the broader emergency services field.

Squirly, Cheryl

Trueman, Mark

Wissemann, Col. (Ret'd) Michael

Col. (Ret.) Michael Wissemann is a nationally recognized leader in military medicine, healthcare operations, and emergency response, with more than 30 years of frontline and executive experience. A Penn State–trained nurse and retired Army Colonel, he has led trauma and medical teams in some of the world’s most demanding environments, including deployments to Kosovo, Iraq, and Kuwait. His career spans command and senior leadership roles shaping Army healthcare delivery across Europe and the United States, as well as leading FEMA medical teams during the COVID-19 crisis. A distinguished graduate of the U.S. Army War College, he is a board-certified nurse executive, Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit. Today, he serves as nurse manager for Penn State University Health Services while continuing to contribute through EMS, tactical medicine, and community health education. (Keynote Session)

Organizations:

(The) Bloomsburg EMS Training Institute

Geisinger Medical Center Trauma Programs