About

Staff

Elizabeth B. Armstrong, MAM, CAE Management Counsel

Mrs. Armstrong is the chief staff executive for NASEMSO. She oversees NASEMSO’s scope of operations and staff team delivery of services, programs, and information beneficial to the members. She is responsible for the association’s legal and corporate functions, financial management and leadership/governance support. Her education includes a B.B.A. in Marketing from The College of William and Mary, and a Master of Association Management from The George Washington University. She is a Certified Association Executive.
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Dia Gainor, MPA
Executive Director

Ms. Gainor is the executive director for the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) and provides strategic leadership to promote and expand the organization’s presence and capacity as a national leader in emergency medical services (EMS). As executive director, she acts as a spokesperson for NASEMSO, positioning the association to pursue its vision with federal partners and other organizations. Her major duties and responsibilities include outreach, representation and business development. She also was the staff lead for both the NHTSA-funded EMS Workforce Guidelines and DHS-funded Model Interstate Compact for EMS Personnel Licensure projects. Prior to coming to ASMI, Dia was Idaho’s State EMS director for 19 years. She served as president and treasurer of NASEMSO, as well as chair of its Highway Incident & Transportations Systems Committee. In 2008, Dia was appointed by Secretary Peters to serve on the National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC) to the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) and was selected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to serve as the Council’s first chair. She also chaired the Intelligent Transportation Systems Transportation Safety Advancement Group (TSAG) for the U.S. DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration, which focuses on interdisciplinary opportunities to promote technology solutions to protect public safety responders and travelers. In May 2011, Dia received the highest award the Idaho Military Division may bestow upon a civilian, the Idaho Distinguished Service Medal. Additionally, she received the Idaho Governor’s Challenge Coin “in gratitude for her service.” She is an “EMS 10 Innovator” and the 2010 recipient of the James O. Page/ JEMS Award. Dia’s expertise is grounded in a B.S.in Emergency Health Services Administration, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, and 12 years of field experience as a paramedic and firefighter.
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Andy Gienapp, MS, NRP Deputy Executive Director

Mr. Gienapp is the deputy executive director for the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) providing strategic leadership to promote and expand the organization’s presence and capacity as a national leader in emergency medical services. He manages the NASEMSO Workforce project and Strategic Plans for State EMS Offices project. For nearly 11 years (2010-2021), Mr. Gienapp served as the State EMS Director in Wyoming. During that time, he led Wyoming EMS stakeholders in accomplishing numerous goals that dramatically moved the state system toward a modern, integrated, and more sustainable EMS system. These goals included a complete revision and modernization of the scope of practice through administrative rules; the adoption of the National Registry of EMTs exam process as a mandatory element of the licensing process; the successful passage of legislation that made Wyoming the eighth state to join the EMS personnel licensure compact; the creation of rules and regulations formalizing the concepts and licensure of Community Paramedicine; working in conjunction with the Wyoming Medicaid Office to develop a means for reimbursement of Community Paramedicine activities; complete implementation of a mandated, statewide EMS patient reporting system; revitalization and engagement of the state’s trauma system; and supporting the creation of a state EMS association. During his tenure with Wyoming EMS, Mr. Gienapp also served NASEMSO in many capacities including president-elect, member of the Board, chair of the Rural EMS Committee, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Rural Emergency Care, member of the Board for the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education, and an Expert Panel member for the EMS Agenda 2050 project. Most recently, he contributed significantly to the National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines revision as the NASEMSO project manager for that 18-month-long effort. Mr. Gienapp graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a Master of Science in Emergency Health Services. In addition, he is a nationally registered paramedic, Tennessee-licensed paramedic, and Wyoming paramedic. He is a recipient of the Sikorsky Lifesaving Award. Mr. Gienapp is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army National Guard and has served our country since May 1989. E-mail

Rachael Alter, BA
Program Manager

Rachael is the staff liaison for the Pediatric Emergency Care Council for the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO). She serves as the lead liaison to the EMS for Children (EMSC) Innovation and Improvement Center, leading various national initiatives, to include the National Prehospital Pediatric Readiness Project and providing support to federal EMSC Program Grantees. Additionally, Rachael navigates federal contracting regulations and supports federal contract invoice processing for ASMI clients. Prior to joining ASMI, Rachael was the EMSC program specialist for the Idaho Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for five years; her employment with Idaho EMS also included service to rural providers and trauma registry contract management. She has served in various state and national organizations, including National EMSC Grantee Meeting Planning Committee, EMSC Performance Measures Advisory Council, Intermountain Regional EMSC Coordinating Council president and more. Rachael holds a B.A. in German Studies from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, is a Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and is a former Emergency Medical Technician. She joined ASMI in 2012.
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Randall Eimerman
NEMSIS Liaison

In this capacity, he provides support to the NASEMSO Data Managers Council and interfaces with the NEMSIS Technical Assistance Center (TAC) on issues of national significance as well as state-specific challenges. This position is enabling a new generation of the NHTSA Office of EMS, the University of Utah (NEMSIS TAC) and NASEMSO working together to support the state EMS offices and collaborating to ensure a collective national voice about EMS data-related issues.

Randall was the State EMS Data Manager during the past five years working in the state of Indiana before transitioning to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He has been a Paramedic in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. Randall has an Associate’s Degree from Lincoln College and completed data manager training for the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Randall worked with the NEMSIS TAC for five years in his state EMS data manager capacity and has had the opportunity to work with many ambulance services, hospital organizations, and patient registries. He looks forward to continuing his efforts on a national level.
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Mary F. Hedges, MPA
Program Manager

Ms. Hedges is a program manager serving the National Association of State EMS Official (NASEMSO). She is the staff liaison for the NASEMSO Medical Directors Council, the Program Committee and the Highway Incident & Transportation Systems Committee. Additionally, Mary is the staff support for the NHTSA-funded Model EMS Clinical Guidelines project. She has extensive experience in government and the private, non-profit sector, with proven expertise managing programs and people, as well as success in accomplishing legislative goals. She was the executive director of the Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board for 10 years, where she managed the state agency responsible for regulating ambulance service and EMS personnel. Mary served as the agency’s legislative liaison, drafting legislation and testifying at committee hearings. Mary also has held positions with the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Human Rights, and was a legislative intern in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly. She has served in various state and national organizations, including board member and former president of Advocates for EMS, and NASEMSO Executive Committee member and chair of its Government Affairs Committee. Mary holds a B.S. in Education from West Virginia University and a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of North Dakota.
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Sharon L. Kelly

Membership Coordinator and Executive Assistant

As Membership Coordinator for NASEMSO, Ms. Kelly manages data information systems and computer records, print media production, and inquiry response. She is responsible for statistics compilation and analysis, and maintains membership and dues records.
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Kelli Perrotti

Exhibit Coordinator

Kelli serves as the staff liaison for the Trauma Managers Council, engages with corporate sponsors, and provides general membership support. Kelli has more than 20 years of experience in nursing, healthcare, public health, and public policy, serving in various roles and environments. Since 2011, she has served as the manager of the Wyoming Trauma Program and System for the Wyoming Department of Health Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). From 2009 to 2011, Kelli was a public health nurse and adult health coordinator for Albany County Public Health. Before that, she spent 10 years as a critical care nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Ivinson Memorial Hospital. Kelli earned a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Wyoming and an M.S. in Health Services Administration from the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy. She holds a Wyoming Nursing License/Multistate Compact (Active) and has certificates in the National Incident Management System 100, 100b, 200, 300, 700, and 800. She was also the secretary of the NASEMSO Trauma Managers Council and on the Steering Committee from 2012-2018. Kelli joined ASMI in 2022.
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Michelle Savoie, CMP
Meetings Manager

Ms. Savoie handles meetings management, and membership and meetings promotion for NASEMSO. She is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and uses her comprehensive knowledge of meetings management to enhance the experiences of NASEMSO members. In 2014, she earned the Certified Virtual Event Planner designation from ICohere Academy. In 2015, Michelle became a Digital Event Strategist by successfully competing the DES certificate program.
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Dawn M. Shiley, MA, CAE, QAS, TSMBE, CVEP
Communications & Marketing Director

Ms. Shiley is Communications & Marketing Director for NASEMSO. She has more than 25 years experience working with non-profits and trade associations. She earned her B.A. from Vanderbilt University and M.A. from The George Washington University School for Public and International Affairs. In 2013, she received The Social Media Business Equation Certification, a top certification program for professionals on social media marketing campaigns. She became a Certified Association Executive (CAE) in 2016.
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Leslee Stein-Spencer, RN, MS

Program Manager

As a Program Advisor, Ms. Stein-Spencer assists National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) officers and staff on domestic preparedness issues. Leslee has over 30 years of experience in planning, organizing, implementing and managing emergency medical services in a variety of settings. This includes providing staff support for the Health and Medical Preparedness Council, representing the association at national and federal meetings as it relates to preparedness and response initiatives and activities and reviews and provides comments on federal documents and plans. Leslee served as the state EMS Director in Illinois from 1986 through 2004; and Director of Medical Administration and Regulatory Compliance for the Chicago Fire Department from 2007-2017. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and has lectured both nationally and internationally on domestic preparedness. Leslee has also served as a homeland security consultant for government, hospital and EMS providers on planning, preparing, training and exercising on incidents involving weapons of mass destruction and emerging infectious disease outbreaks.  In addition, to her duties with NASEMSO, Leslee currently is serving as Part-time Acting Chief of EMS for Illinois from Jan 2018-June 2018. Leslee graduated from the Mayfair Nursing School as an R.N. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from DePaul University and an M.S. in Hospital Management from the National College of Education.
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Dan Manz

Senior Projects Specialist

Dan has served in various capacities as staff for NASEMSO, including project support of the National Scope of Practice Model, coordination of various activities related to the EMS Education Agenda, and lead facilitator for the EMS Personnel Licensure Compact. Based on his success in helping to create the EMS Compact, he also worked with the Physical Therapy community and the Council of State Governments in drafting their compact-enabling legislation. Dan brings over 45 years of emergency medical services (EMS) and public health experience to ASMI. In addition to serving as Vermont’s Director of EMS for 24 years, Dan has been intimately involved in numerous EMS projects of national scope and has worked successfully with a wide variety of public and private partners including academic researchers, physicians providing medical direction to EMS systems, EMS providers of all types, state regulators, and the public. Throughout his career Dan has consistently demonstrated his abilities to mentor/coach groups of professionals, communicate effectively with diverse groups of people, and facilitate strategic and innovative planning initiatives.