Speakers

Speaker information will be added as it becomes available.

Paula Beard
Paula Beard is a Director of Operations for the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) with primary responsibility to lead the development of tools and resources. This includes Event Analysis (including the dissemination the Canadian Root Cause Analysis Framework), the Canadian Disclosure Guidelines, the in-country development of the WHO Safe Surgery Saves Lives initiative, and Patients for Patient Safety Canada.

Paula is also responsible for leading the development of a pan-Canadian reporting and learning system, supporting CPSI's Legal and Regulatory Advisory Committee, and liaising with international patient safety organizations. She has been with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute since January of 2006. Previously, Paula worked for Saskatchewan Health and the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region in various quality and safety roles and on the frontline as an advanced care paramedic until June of 2008.

Blair Bigham
Blair is a prehospital researcher at Rescu, the prehospital and resuscitation science program of the University of Toronto, where he recently completed his graduate degree in medical science. Located at St Michael’s Hospital, Rescu coordinates the Toronto Regional RescuNet and acts as a coordinating centre for the NIH-funded Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium. Blair has contributed to numerous projects, including the Evidence-Based Protocols Project led by Dalhousie University and the upcoming 2010 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation guidelines. He has also recently completed extensive research into the implementation and effectiveness of the 2005 AHA CPR and ECC guidelines for cardiac arrest in emergency medical services.

Blair was the co-principal investigator for the systematic review and the Principal Author for the Patient Safety in EMS paper co-commissioned by the EMS Chiefs of Canada and the Canadian Patient Safety Institute.

Blair’s findings have received international attention and his training in research coupled with his field work as an advanced care paramedic for York Region and Ornge allows him a unique perspective to the challenges facing EMS and how scientific research can contribute to the advancement of the EMS industry.

Scott S. Bourn
Dr. Bourn has a rich and diverse background in emergency medical services, emergency & critical care nursing, and education. He has been certified as a nurse and paramedic for over 30 years, and has worked as a field paramedic, emergency department and critical care nurse, EMS system coordinator, and director of a university EMS degree program. He has also been a prolific writer and educator; he has written over 200 articles and video scripts, and has lectured or consulted throughout the United States, Israel, England, and Canada. Scott has also been an active researcher and presently serves as a Primary Investigator or collaborator on research at the University of Colorado, University of Pittsburgh, and University of Arizona. Scott has a Masters Degree in Critical Care Nursing and a Ph.D. in Health and Behavioral Sciences, both from the University of Colorado Denver.

Scott was appointed by the Governor of Colorado to serve on the Colorado State EMS and Trauma Advisory Council in 2002, and has served as the Chairman of the Council since 2005. Prior to coming to American Medical Response in 2001 Dr. Bourn was a Clinical Instructor and Director of Emergency Health Programs and Extended Studies for the Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Colorado. Scott lives in Parker, Colorado with his wife Marilyn and their five children.

Bruce Farr
As Chief of Toronto Emergency Medical Services, Bruce K. Farr leads the largest EMS service in Canada, responding to 250,000 calls per year.

Bruce has had a distinguished career as a Paramedic, Supervisor, Manager, Deputy Chief and Chief of Toronto EMS spanning more than 36 years. During his tenure as Manager of EMS Education, Toronto EMS implemented one of Canada’s first Advanced Life Support Paramedic Programs.

As Deputy Chief of EMS Operations, he oversaw his Team through major events affecting EMS in Toronto, including the G7 Summit, the Papal Visit and World Youth Days. Bruce has spoken at international emergency service conferences about Toronto EMS and its successful management of the SARS Crisis, the Molson Toronto Rocks Concert, the 2004 Blackout, and the 2005 Air France Crash.

Chief Farr received the Canadian Governor General’s EMS Award for exemplary service and St. John Ambulance Priory Award in recognition for his contributions to EMS.

Chief Farr is also honoured to be representing EMS services across Canada as President of the EMS Chiefs of Canada (EMSCC). He was elected to this position in 2006 by his peers, and is currently involved in multi-level government awareness campaigns on EMS, both nationally and internationally.

James M. Hunter (Jungle Jim Hunter)
“Jungle”, the Original Crazy Canuck, brought a whole new perspective to the challenge of being the fastest person down a snow-covered mountainside. His daring and reckless abandon brought international acclaim to the Canadian National Ski Team during his tenure from 1969 to 1977. Jungle remains one of Canada’s most recognized and successful male skiers, highlighted by a bronze medal at the 1972 Olympic Winter Games at Sapporo, Japan in the combined.

He is one of the most innovative skiers in the history of alpine skiing and had to be, with his off-season training activities in the 1970’s based from the family farm near Shaunavon, SK.

Jungle currently uses his wealth of experience to aid individual and corporate clients in meeting both mental and physical challenges. Jungle has also been involved in broadcasting and continues to do inspiring speaking engagements.

His legacy includes a generation of Canadian Alpine Ski racers known as the “Crazy Canucks”. As Manager of the Olympic Torch Relay for the 15th Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, he left of legacy of funds for athletes and coaches of $11M through the Torch Relay Legacy Fund. Jungle has raised close to $100M in funds for Olympic sport through sponsorship and support for sport. Today, Jungle trains and motivates coaches, athletes and parents towards excellence in sport.

 

Dr. Michele Nanchoff-Glatt Ph.D., R.Psych
Dr. Nanchoff-Glatt is a psychologist, marriage and family therapist and a nurse. She operates a counselling and consulting practice in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, specializing in referrals from physicians and other health professionals. She has over 30 years of experience in the mental health and counselling fields in primary care, tertiary care and ambulatory care settings.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities with the Department of Family Medicine, Dr. Nanchoff-Glatt provides coaching to physicians and residents to improve their communication skills. Dr. Nanchoff-Glatt is also a master trainer and the Canadian Regional Consultant for the Institute for Health Care Communication (IHC), a non-profit foundation dedicated to improving health care by improving communication between health care professionals and their patients and families. She conducts IHC workshops and leads faculty development (aka train-the-trainer) courses in the area of clinician-patient communication throughout Canada and the USA, and provides communication coaching to health care professionals.

Dr. Nanchoff-Glatt has a Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology and a master’s degree in nursing with a clinical specialization in counselling individuals, couples, and families with physiological and psychosocial health problems. She is registered as a psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists and is an Approved Supervisor of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Joe Penner
Joe Penner leads the Mecklenburg EMS Agency, also known as MEDIC - the paramedic service for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area in North Carolina. It is a $44mm organization with 429 employees who will answer 101,000 service requests this year.

Prior to joining Medic, Joe Penner was the Vice President of Corporate Affairs with the American Medical Response in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was responsible for the Business Development and Government Affairs for AMR’s Mid-Atlantic Division. Since 1990, he worked for AMR in mergers & acquisitions as well as various operational capacities across the US.

Joe received his MBA from Marquette University and a BS in Business Administration/Health Care Management from California State University. He is a Fellow and Board Certified in Healthcare Management by the American College of Healthcare Executives.

In addition to being actively involved with his local community, he is a very proud husband, father, and member of several professional organizations including: Commission on the Accreditation of Ambulance Services (Board Member, past Chairman), Coalition of Advanced Emergency Medical Systems, American Ambulance Association (past Board Member), American College of Healthcare Executives, North Carolina Association of EMS Administrators, National Association of EMS Physicians.

John Sinclair
John Sinclair is currently the Fire Chief of Kittitas Valley Fire Rescue, and Emergency Manager for the City of Ellensburg, in Washington State. He has spent the past 33 years learning the art and science of fire suppression, EMS, emergency management, management of projects, and leadership of people. He has held the positions of firefighter, paramedic, lieutenant, battalion chief, assistant chief, deputy chief and fire chief.

John is also the Immediate Past Chair and International Director of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Emergency Medical Services section. His involvement with the EMS section over the past 17 years has allowed him to be involved with every major issue to face fire-based EMS services for over a decade. This has allowed him to become an expert in EMS systems and on many operational areas.

Additionally, John serves on; the Advisory Board of Fire and Emergency Television Network (FETN), the Advisory Board for Tacoma Community College, Central Washington University’s Paramedic Program and served on the Board of Directors for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians for nine years.

John is a published author, recognized speaker, consultant and expert witness. As a lifelong learner, he is always willing and ready to learn from others.

Pam Whitnack
Pam Whitnack is the Executive Vice President of Rural, Public and Community Health, responsible for overseeing the operations of regional hospitals, the south health service delivery zone, primary care and chronic disease management, senior’s health, addiction and mental health, community and rural health, emergency medical services, and population and public health.

Prior to her employment with Alberta Health Services, Ms. Whitnack served as Vice and Senior Vice President of several portfolios of the former Chinook region, including IT, laboratory technologies, mental health and others. Her most recent post before assuming her current role was CEO of the former Chinook Health Region in 2005.

Ms. Whitnack is a graduate of the Holy Cross School of Medical Laboratory Technology in Calgary and completed advanced registration (ART) in Hematology. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot Watt University and has a Certified General Accountant designation.

Gary Wingrove
Gary Wingrove is director of government relations and strategic affairs for Mayo Clinic Medical Transport. He is president of the National EMS Management Association, coordinator of the International Roundtable on Community Paramedicine and president of The Center for Leadership, Innovation and Research in EMS. Gary was honored recently by being named by JEMS Magazine as one of the inaugural Top Ten Innovators in EMS, and by the International Association of Flight Paramedics by being the first commissioned Honorary Flight Paramedic. Gary lives in rural Buffalo, Minnesota, with his wife Karen and 11 year old twins, Joey & Allie.