NC FIRST RESPONDER MENTAL WELLNESS SUMMIT

Captain Howell PD/On Patrol LIVE

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Tom is a nationally recognized law enforcement leader, bestselling author of COPIKAZE, and Co Host of On Patrol Live, known for bringing raw honesty and real world leadership to every room he walks into. With more than twenty years on the job and a career that spans patrol, investigations, teaching, consulting, and nationwide presentations in over forty five states, Tom has built a reputation for transforming people and culture through practical leadership, resilience, and accountability. His message is simple but powerful: lead by example, stay a student of human behavior, and never stop becoming the person your team and your family can be proud of.

FF/Paramedic

Managing Editor, Firefighter Nation

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Stephanie is a 22-year veteran of the fire service and has spent the past 20 years as a professional firefighter/paramedic in a large metropolitan fire department. Throughout her career, she has been highly active in firefighter health as a union officer, peer team coordinator, published author, and FDIC presenter. Currently Stephanie continues to serve on the front lines as a firefighter/paramedic, is the managing editor of Firefighter Nation, and is a sitting member of the IAFF Female Health & Safety Standing Committee. ​​​​​

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Blessed and Healthy Families, PLLC​

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Ivy is a doctorally prepared family nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health provider, and nationally recognized lactation consultant with more than twenty years in nursing and seventeen years in pediatrics. A frequent speaker across the country, she brings a unique, compassionate approach to patient care, mental health, and healthcare culture, backed by multiple board certifications and leadership roles. Ivy is passionate about supporting families, advocating for mental wellness, and driving real change in healthcare through education, outreach, and honest conversations.

Cape Fear Community College EMS Instructor

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With six years on the EMS frontline as a paramedic and a decade in the fitness industry as a NASM and ACSM certified trainer, he brings a powerful blend of emergency experience and evidence-based performance coaching. From Rush Fitness to Gold’s Gym to teaching MOSSA and Les Mills programs, he has spent years helping people build strength, resilience, and confidence. Today, he uses that combined expertise to show first responders how physical readiness fuels mental wellness and how training the body can protect the mind in the toughest moments of this career.

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Warrior's Cry Counseling Services

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Jim is a Marriage and Family Therapist and the owner of Warriors Cry Counseling Services, specializing in trauma treatment and individual and couples therapy. With more than twenty years as a pastoral counselor, military chaplain, and therapist along with combat deployments in both special operations and conventional forces, he brings deep insight into trauma, resilience, and the need for true confidentiality. A former EMT and EMS chaplain, Jim now uses EMDR, EFT, and evidence based clinical care to help first responders and families heal, rebuild connection, and reclaim their lives.

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Cape Fear Valley Mobile Integrated Health

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William is a paramedic with Cape Fear Valley EMS and a graduate of Liberty University’s Doctor of Health Sciences program. A former Weapons Squad Leader in the United States Army and Squad Leader in the United States Marine Corps, he brings a unique blend of military leadership and frontline medical experience to his work. With a background in senior fitness management and personal training, William now focuses his research on reducing PTSD, burnout, and suicidality among first responders.

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Priority 1 Fitness

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De’Angelo Rivera is a nationally registered paramedic with more than seven years of frontline experience in Augusta, Georgia, a former United States Marine, and the founder of a fitness brand dedicated to restoring the health and strength of EMS professionals. After losing seventy pounds through disciplined fasting, training, and sustainable nutrition, he turned his personal transformation into a movement that connects physical readiness with mental resilience and career longevity. Through powerful storytelling, practical strategies, and a no excuses approach to wellness, Rivera challenges EMS culture to prioritize health and equips providers with the tools to rebuild strength, confidence, and purpose.

Duplin County EMS

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With thirty five years in Fire and EMS and more than three decades as a paramedic, Richard brings deep experience from urban, suburban, and rural systems. A longtime educator who taught his first EMT class in 1993 and his first paramedic course in 1995, he has served as an FTO, shift supervisor, agency training officer, and system training officer, giving him a broad and informed perspective on the profession. A Level 2 paramedic instructor, longtime AHA and NAEMT faculty member, and the North Carolina NAEMT education coordinator, he is committed to elevating training and strengthening the future of EMS.

The Salty Paramedic

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​Cody is a firefighter and paramedic whose unfiltered humor and honesty have made him one of the most recognizable first responder voices on social media, with over four hundred thousand followers. As the author of the bestselling Don’t Lose Yourself, he brings real talk and real tools to help responders protect their mental wellness. Cody’s mission is simple: use his platform, his story, and his influence to remind every responder that you can serve hard, struggle honestly, and still stay true to who you are.

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PIERCE Provisions Founder/Author

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​Brad is a twenty five year first responder, paramedic, educator, and the founder of PIERCE Provisions and The PIERCE Foundation, two missions dedicated to equipping and supporting those who serve. After fighting his own battles with trauma, and burnout, Brad turned his pain into purpose and became a powerful voice for first responder mental wellness. His message is raw, relatable, and rooted in lived experience, reminding responders everywhere that healing is not weakness and no one has to fight their darkness alone.​​​​​

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Zetron

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Laura is a public safety specialist with more than twenty years of experience in emergency communications and system implementation, now serving as Regional Sales Manager for Zetron. Her career includes leadership roles in training, analysis, and project coordination, helping agencies strengthen emergency response and exceed industry standards. With a Master’s in Psychology and years of teaching experience, Laura blends technical expertise with human insight to drive meaningful innovation in public safety.

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Transformational Speaker/Author

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Dr. Michelle Harris is a leadership and wellness strategist, transformational speaker, and author of The Clarity Code Blueprint, dedicated to helping leaders “lead well from within.” As the creator of The Clarity Code Effect, she blends evidence-based wellness practices with timeless spiritual principles to bridge the gap between purpose and performance. A sought-after consultant and keynote speaker, Dr. Harris empowers high achievers across industries and faith communities to prevent burnout, build resilience, and reclaim the clarity and confidence needed to lead with impact.

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MedCenter Air

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Roman is a Flight Nurse with Atrium Health MedCenter Air who has spent his entire adult life in emergency services, from volunteer fire and rescue to career firefighting and eventually EMS. A single night helping load a patient into a helicopter sparked his calling, leading him to pursue nursing and build experience in ICUs and emergency departments before serving with Duke Life Flight and MedCenter Air. Deeply committed to caregiver wellness, Roman has supported teams through critical incidents for years and helped launch the first internal peer support team for his division, now serving Mobile Medicine and agencies across the region.

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Wake County EMS

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John Sammons is an emergency services professional with more than twenty five years of dedicated service, currently serving as an Advanced Practice Paramedic, Relief District Chief, and Peer Support Team Member with Wake County EMS. His career spans firefighting, emergency department care, prehospital medicine, field training, and high fidelity simulation, supported by years of teaching and mentorship. A member of the NAEMT Lighthouse Leadership Committee and founder of the Patient Centered Paramedic blog and podcast, John is a respected writer and speaker committed to elevating evidence based practice and patient advocacy in EMS.

ECU Health East Care

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John, known as “vonron,” brings more than twenty five years of experience in fire, EMS, critical care, and flight medicine, serving as a flight paramedic with a hospital based critical care service in North Carolina and Virginia. With a bachelor’s in education, a master’s in biology, and a PhD in cognition and applied neurophysiology focused on social support, burnout, and performance under stress, he blends deep clinical insight with advanced research. A respected instructor, speaker, and published author, vonron has presented at major conferences around the world and uses his combined background in education and clinical practice to translate emerging science into practical, meaningful lessons for the prehospital community.

Resilient Frontlines

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Emilee began her career as a 911 dispatcher, later serving in mobile crisis mental health before becoming CISM certified and stepping deeper into the world of responder wellness. Today, she is a therapist dedicated to supporting first responders and their families, combining frontline insight with clinical care. Her work is driven by a clear purpose: to help the people who show up for everyone else finally have a place where they can be heard, understood, and supported.

Paramedic Sophie

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Sophie is a critical care paramedic, flight clinician, and president of the Tennessee Association of EMS Providers (TAEMSP). She co-hosts the Life and Sirens podcast and is an internationally recognized speaker on EMS leadership, culture, and education. Sophie is passionate about shaping the future of prehospital care through mentorship, advocacy, and honest conversations that challenge the status quo.

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Air Medical Pilot

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Matt is a former USMC combat pilot and air medical helicopter pilot whose message, “12 Seconds Changed Everything,” comes from a life forever altered by loss, trauma, and the long climb back toward resilience. With firsthand experience in PTSD, moral injury, survivor’s guilt, and the realities of high stakes missions on the battlefield and in the air medical world, he speaks to responders with a depth they instantly recognize. Matt’s mission is powerful and personal: your story matters, and even the darkest moments can become a source of purpose, hope, and healing.

Paramedic (ret.)/Author

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Jeffrey is a retired Wake County EMS leader whose thirty five year career helped shape one of the most respected and recognizable EMS systems in the country. With hundreds of media appearances and presentations at more than twenty state, local, and national conferences, he has become a trusted voice in public communication and EMS culture. Today, Jeffrey shares insights from his memoir, Hi, I’m A Paramedic, offering honest lessons from a lifetime of service and storytelling.

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Wilkes Community College

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Nathan Earp is an EMS educator with more than fifteen years of field experience and seven years shaping the next generation of providers. As the Lead Instructor and Clinical Coordinator for Wilkes Community College’s EMS program, he oversees curriculum, clinical placements, and the mentorship of future responders. Nathan is dedicated to preparing students for both the physical and mental demands of the profession, emphasizing resilience, readiness, and the ability to perform under pressure.

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Cape Fear Valley Mobile Integrated Health

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​Tara brings more than thirty years of experience in mental health, substance use, and Emergency Medical Services to her mission of supporting first responders and the communities they serve. As a Community Paramedic and Behavioral Health Professional with Cape Fear Valley’s Behavioral Health Community Paramedic Program, she connects individuals, including first responders, to treatment, recovery resources, and system level solutions that truly make a difference. A longtime supporter of Crisis Intervention Team programs and a recipient of multiple statewide awards, Tara is driven by one belief: help the helpers, and make sure no responder ever walks alone.

Hashtag BuddyCheck

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Stephen served twenty two years with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, working in patrol, community coordination, and crisis response, following four years of honorable service in the United States Marine Corps. Exposed to numerous critical incidents and the impact of vicarious trauma, he became a dedicated instructor and peer support advocate, teaching Crisis Intervention Team courses with a focus on trauma and officer wellness. Now a North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist, he is driven by a clear mission: to ensure no first responder faces the damaging effects of job related trauma alone.

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Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

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Christopher Goenner brings 35 years of experience in emergency services, having served as a police officer, EMT, firefighter, and paramedic. His career includes roles as a Master Paramedic and Field Training Officer, and he now serves as an educator, shaping the next generation of EMS professionals. Christopher’s extensive frontline experience has given him a unique perspective on the long-term psychological toll of emergency service work.
Through his personal story and professional insight, Christopher advocates for systemic change, early intervention, and the normalization of mental health support in emergency services.

Original Strength Systems

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​Tim is an author and international speaker who has spent more than ten years educating physical therapists, physicians, professional sports coaches, and elite personal trainers. Known for bringing clarity, energy, and real world application to complex topics, he bridges science and practice in a way that elevates performance across disciplines. His work continues to influence leaders and clinicians around the world.

The 9-1-1 Chaplain

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Brandi is the founder and Executive Director of The 911 Chaplain Initiative, a former dispatcher and ordained minister known nationwide as The 9-1-1 Chaplain. Featured at NENA, APCO, and dozens of regional events, Brandi brings lived experience, deep empathy, and a powerful calling to care for the humans behind the headset.

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Guardian Strength and Wellness Founder

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​Matt Ridings is a twenty four year law enforcement veteran and current Lieutenant over Vice and Narcotics with the Forsyth County Drug Task Force, known for his leadership across roles from patrol and SWAT to peer support. In 2024, he launched Guardian Strength and Wellness and created “Out of the Darkness,” a powerful twenty four hour course that tackles mental wellness, suicide prevention, family survival, and burnout for first responders.

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Hot Mic Training

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Samantha is a 9-1-1 professional, Certified Training Officer, and national speaker whose frontline experience and time as a “Gypsy Dispatcher” give her a rare, honest perspective on life beneath the headset. As the creator of the Gold Line Truths series and Chair of APCO International’s Editorial Committee, she tackles the real issues facing dispatchers with clarity, courage, and heart. Whether teaching in the comm center or speaking on stage, Samantha is dedicated to equipping the next generation of public safety professionals with the mindset, resilience, and tools to thrive in this career.​

Felicia Kelly International

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Felicia Kelly brings two decades of expertise in sales, lifestyle strategy, and high-performance coaching, empowering achievers in demanding careers to align their personal and professional lives. After reaching seven-figure success and navigating profound loss and an MS diagnosis, she became an EMT and speaker dedicated to helping others face life’s hardest moments with clarity and purpose. As a former multimillion-dollar business coach, two-time author, and creator of The RICH Side Newsletter™, Felicia now teaches The RICH Method for Living™—a framework that helps professionals redesign their lives, find peace, and activate abundance with intention.

G Squared Consulting and Counseling Services, PLLC​

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Blaise is a mental health counselor, speaker, former firefighter, and author dedicated to empowering individuals, especially first responders and Black men, to embrace emotional wellness and resilience. With a thriving virtual and in person practice, he blends professional expertise with a relatable and engaging style that encourages real connection and growth. Blaise’s work uses insight, humor, and authenticity to create safe spaces where healing and transformation can truly happen.

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UNC- Nash/Greene County EMS

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Amy Ramsey is a dedicated North Carolina paramedic who has served her community since 2003, bringing more than twenty years of experience and commitment to the front lines of emergency care. She holds an associate degree in emergency management and is actively pursuing her bachelor’s degree to further advance her impact in the field. Beyond her work in EMS, Amy invests in the next generation as a Girl Scout leader in Wilson County, reflecting her passion for service both on and off duty.

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First Responder REBOOT

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Scott is the Program Coordinator for First Responder REBOOT, a national peer led program that equips first responders and their spouses to overcome service related trauma through guided conversations grounded in trauma science and Scripture. A Firefighter and EMT with Nolensville Fire in Tennessee, he blends real world experience with advanced training, including an MA in Crisis Response and Trauma from Liberty University. As a member of the Tennessee Mental Health Strike Team, he is dedicated to helping responders heal, grow, and find hope after the hardest calls of their careers.

Wilson County EMS

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Lee has spent nearly thirty years in EMS and knows firsthand the weight of burnout, post traumatic symptoms, and depression. After years of carrying those struggles in silence, he is now committed to learning healthier ways to cope and to rebuild the parts of his life that matter most. Married for twenty years and focused on strengthening his relationship with his wife and children, he brings honesty, courage, and hard earned insight to every conversation about healing in this profession.