Spring 2019 – Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach, Missouri
| Keith Bachman Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Keith Bachman started working for Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 in December 2014 and became a Communications Training Officer (CTO) in June 2016. Keith is also a team member of the Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM) that began in March 2018. Presenting: Critical Incident Stress: Coping with Stress as a Telecommunicatior |
| Stacy Brady Missouri Assistive Technology In November 2017, the FCC permitted telephone carriers the opportunity to “fast track” copper line retirement for the purpose of integration of, and use of, advanced communications. While this impact seems relatively small given the types of access to phone service, it has a huge impact for those who rely on text based telephone service. Missouri’s topography also plays a part in this impact. How do you call 9-1-1 in an emergency but cannot communicate due to the changes in technology? Are smartphones the solution? What are some ways to stay connected in this day and age? Presenting: Impact of Advanced Communications for Consumers with Disabilities |
| Kima Burnett Jasper County Emergency Services (JASCO) Kima Burnett is from Joplin and is the Training and Quality Assurance Coordinator for Jasper County 9-1-1, where she has been since the agency’s inception in 1997. Kima is the Missouri Coordinator for the Missouri Telecommunications Emergency Response Taskforce and a committee member for the Missouri Public Safety Communications Conference (MPSCC). She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Missouri Southern State University. Kima is the proud mom of Travis, Megan, Myles, and Ransom, and she enjoys motorcycling, reading, Cardinals baseball, and playing pool. Presenting: First Responder Telecommunicator Disability Awareness Training Suicide Calls |
| Terry Burnworth Pyramid Consulting Terry is an architect and owner of Pyramid Consulting. Terry has been involved in hundreds of PSAP consolidations and procurement’s. He has presented at APCO International, APCO Canada, and IWCE on public safety communication (PSC) procurement methodologies. Before starting his own AE + Consulting firm, Terry was an instructor and professor at two universities. Terry has a BS in psychology, BArch, and MS. In his limited spare time, Terry owns a farm that has become a zoo with over sixty assorted animals. Presenting: Social Media Deployments in the PSAP: Real World Examples Don’t Be a Dinosaur: LMR to LTE Transitions Tail Wagging the Dog: Public Safety Communications System Procurement Methods |
| LaDonna Coriell Marshall County, Kentucky E9-1-1 LaDonna Coriell is a native of Kentucky and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Murray State University. She began her career in law enforcement with the Kentucky State Police (KSP) where she worked as a trooper and a DARE officer. After leaving the KSP, she began her career with the Department of Energy as a Security Police Officer. In 2017, she was named the Marshall County E911 Director where she feels she has found her calling. She considers it an honor and privilege to serve the incredible people of Marshall County, a place she calls home. Presenting: Faceless First Responders: The Marshall County School Shooting |
| Bryan Courtney Missouri Department of Public Safety Bryan Courtney joined the Missouri Department of Public Safety as Director of the Missouri Statewide Interoperability Network (MOSWIN) in May 2012. Director Courtney provides support for the MO 9-1-1 Service Board and is the State Point of Contact (SPOC) to FirstNet Authority and is the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC). SWIC responsibilities include facilitating state, regional, and local public safety interoperable communications. SWIC activities include supporting the state SCIP, regional Tactical Interoperable Communications Plans, Missouri Field Operations Guide (MO FOG), training and exercise. Presenting: Missouri Interoperability Center Update |
| Zachary Dykes Missouri State Highway Patrol – Troop D Zachary currently serves as a Communications Operator for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He served five years in St. Joseph and has been at the Springfield office for just over a year. In addition to routine duties such as call-taking and radio operations, Zach is a member of APCO and serves on several committees at the State and National Level. He is also an instructor with the Missouri Professional Training Partnership, which allows him to provide state-certified free continuing education to agencies in Missouri. Prior to working for the Patrol, Zach was a dispatcher in a Southwest Missouri county. Presenting: Everything You Need to Know About Presenting at the MPSCC Locating Callers Using Mobile Applications |
| Bob Ferrell NICE Public Safety Bob is entering his sixth year with Voice Products, which has benefited greatly from Bob’s abundant experience in management, customer service and 9-1-1/public safety. Bob has consulted with 9-1-1 centers in Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska to implement solutions to satisfy their communications recording and quality assurance requirements. He has a wealth of experience and knowledge related to 9-1-1 center technologies and public safety trends. Bob has a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Technology at Purdue University. Presenting: PSAP Performance Metrics: How Does Your PSAP Measure Up? |
| Emily Garcia Sullivan Police Department The Emergency Checklist is a simple checklist of questions that can be asked during call processing to determine the call type and dispatch priority of every call. The checklist helps call-takers take control of the call with confidence, organize call notes effectively, and help paint a picture of what the caller is reporting. Presenting: Customer Service in Dispatch The Emergency Checklist |
| Anjanette George Missouri State Highway Patrol – Troop G Anjanette “Angel” George began her dispatching career working for the Parkland College Department of Public Safety in 2000. She went on to work for the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Howell County (Missouri) 9-1-1 Center before beginning her current position at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop G in Willow Springs in 2010. Angel is married and has two children, two cats and two grandchildren (in that chronological order) and enjoys attending classic rock and heavy metal concerts. Presenting: Domestic Violence: Why Doesn’t She Just Leave? |
| Aaron Griffin Missouri State Highway Patrol Aaron is a Firearms Instructor with the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He is currently assigned to the Training Division at the Patrol Academy in Jefferson City. Presenting: Active Threat |
| Matthew Grogan Denise Amber Lee Foundation Matt Grogan is a trainer with the Denise Amber Lee Foundation and a Communications Specialist with the Combined Communications Center of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. This award winning center covers fire/medical dispatching for most of Clark County in southern Nevada. It houses over 2 million residents, including the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, which welcomes over 45 millions visitors a year. These visitors include the 22,000 that were in attendance at the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting on October 1st, 2017, an incident which he worked. Matt currently holds his Emergency Number Professional (ENP) certification from NENA as well as numerous certifications from APCO and FEMA. Presenting: Preparing Your PSAP for Severe Weather Hope in the Midst of Chaos |
| Rachel Irey Jefferson City Police Department Rachel has worked as a 9-1-1 operator for the past 12 years, ten of those with the Jefferson City Police Department. She has been instructing for approximately seven years and a CTO for five years. Rachel enjoys spending time with friends and family as well as running in her off time and scuba diving. Presenting: Dispatch Survival: We Didn’t Choose Shift Work, Shift Work Chose Us |
| Mark Jenkins Missouri Emergency Response Commision Mark A. Jenkins has served 25 years in the fire service. Mark serves as a career firefighter with the Columbia MO Fire Department (CFD) for the past 13 years and holds the rank of Fire Lieutenant. He also serves as CFD’s Hazardous Materials Team Branch Leader. The CFD HazMat Team is a local and regional response team. Mark is also a member of Boone County Fire Protection Districts’ Federal Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Team Missouri Task Force 1 and has been for 15 years. He currently holds the Certified FEMA Position of Hazardous Materials Team Manager and FEMA Structural Collapse. Mark serves as a Hazardous Materials Instructor for the Missouri Emergency Response Commission (MERC) and instructs basic and advanced HazMat responder courses. Presenting: Chemical Suicide: Information for Emergency Responders |
| Jerrod Joggerst FGM Architects, Inc. Jerrod is an accomplished architect with a wealth of experience in public safety facilities. He has a track record of achievement in complex architectural and construction projects, taking them from conception to completion. His experience includes facility assessments, master planning, design, construction documents and client/contractor interactions. Jerrod has demonstrated the ability to deliver projects within strict time deadlines, coordinate with multiple consultants, deal with code compliance challenges and meet budget constraints. Presenting: How to Modernize and Renovate Your Emergency Communications Center |
| Andrea Khan Kansas City Police Department Andrea Khan has been a member of the Kansas City Police Department’s Communications Unit for 22 years. At the age of 19, Andrea began working as a Call-Taker then Dispatcher for 11 years. She was promoted to supervisor in 2007. Andrea is a member of the Mid-America Regional Council’s Peer Support Team. She is also an instructor for the 3-day Telecommunicators CIT Course offered by KCPD. She is passionate about the importance of mental health of Telecommunicators. Presenting: PTSD, Burnout & Telecommunicators |
| Cheryl Konarski Dade County Emergency Services Cheryl Konarski is a 30+ year veteran of public safety, currently serving as the Dispatch Supervisor, CTO and full-time Telecommunicator for Dade County 9-1-1. Cheryl is the chair of the APCO, International Editorial Committee and has served on APCO PDEC and Historical Committees. She is currently the Treasurer of the Missouri Chapter of APCO. She is a graduate of APCO CPE Class 3 and will soon graduate the APCO RPL program. She presents throughout the State of Missouri as well as the APCO WRC and APCO 2017 and 2018 conferences. She and her husband Ski live in southwest Missouri. Presenting: Leadership: Taking it to the Next Level |
| Robert Leonard Hamilton Telecommunications Today, there are more threats than ever to networks affecting PSAPs and emergency service providers. The concern of network threats goes beyond a financial concern, and becomes a concern for public safety. Hear from an industry expert on what you need to be aware of and steps you can take towards cyber security. You will walk away with knowledge to identify common security challenges, risks, and threats impacting 9-1-1 and learn how to develop necessary policies and procedures to mitigate the most severe cyber risks faced by public safety. Presenting: Cyber Security Challenges and Opportunities for NG911 |
| Heather Lynch Connell Insurance Heather Lynch, MA, PHR, SHRM-CPHR Consultant 14 years of Human Resources Experience. Heather provides support to clients on human resources needs related to, but not limited to, employee relations, policy and handbook development, recruiting support and services, talent acquisition, technology and systems, creating job descriptions, employee training and engagement, management coaching and development, employment branding, candidate experience, and general HR compliance. Heather holds a Masters of Human Resource Management from Webster University and is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the Human Resources Certified Institute (HRCI) and the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM – CP). Presenting: The Importance of Consistent HR Policies, Procedures and Practices |
| Jeremy Lynn Greene County Sheriff’s Office Jeremy Lynn is a Captain with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office in Springfield, Mo. He is a 23-year veteran in law enforcement and public safety. His career began as a Dispatcher in Bolivar, Missouri for the Police Department. While working as a dispatcher, he attended the Drury Law Enforcement Academy and worked as a commissioned officer for the Bolivar Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. During his career, he has promoted through the ranks to Captain. The majority of his career was spent in the Patrol Division. He has also worked in the Professional Standards Division, Administration and is currently assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division. He is an instructor and teaches in- house training, outside agency training and at the Drury Law Enforcement Academy. Captain Lynn has received several honors during his career to include Missouri Deputy Sheriff of the Year, resolutions from the Missouri House and Senate, Kevlar Dupont Survivors Club and is a graduate of the FBI LEEDA program. Captain Lynn is married to his wife Angela of 19 years and has two daughters. Presenting: Keynote Address: Resiliency through Crisis |
| Joshua Mandell FGM Architects, Inc. Josh specializes in municipal public safety, law enforcement and emergency communications facility planning, design, documentation and construction. He applies two decades of hands-on leadership to each project assignment and team. Josh excels in distilling complex programs of need into high-functioning, state-of-the-art designs. He is a dedicated communicator and shines in a collaborative, iterative environment. Presenting: How to Modernize and Renovate Your Emergency Communications Center |
| Roger Martin Missouri State Highway Patrol Roger was appointed to Troop E-Poplar Bluff as a Telecommunicator in 2001. He moved to GHQ-Jefferson City in 2008 as the Chief Trainer for Communications. He is the MOAPCO Executive Council Representative, Co-Chair of the Missouri Professional Training Partnership, and a Group Leader for APCO International Committees. In his spare time, he serves as Secretary to the board of Directors for the Stained Glass Theatre of Mid-Missouri where he also directs and acts occasionally. He and his wife DeAnn sing karaoke as often as they can. They share four sons, one daughter-in-law, and two gorgeous granddaughters. Presenting: Help! My Workplace is Toxic Force De-Escalation: It Starts with Call-Taking Inviting Meaningful Feedback Active Listening |
| Amanda Matlock Pyramid Consulting Amanda Matlock is an award-winning journalist with nearly 50 writing, design, and photography awards from the Hoosier State Press Association, including Best News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure, Best Ongoing News Coverage, Best Business/Economic Coverage, Best Headline Writing, and (division one) Story of the Year winner four years running. She studied creative writing and history at Indiana University, Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI), and is now the Director of Marketing and Social Media for Pyramid Consulting. When not working, Amanda can normally be found trying to save an old building, lost in a used book store, or wandering around in an art museum. Presenting: Social Media Deployments in the PSAP: Real World Examples |
| Jessica Mayfield Polk County Central Dispatch Jessica is the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Polk County Central Dispatch. She has been with Polk County since 2015 and has worked in emergency communications since 2010. She is a certified trainer through the Missouri Professional Training Partnership. Presenting: Just A Dispatcher |
| Trista McGrath Jefferson County 9-1-1 Trista McGrath has worked in emergency dispatch for seven years. She has been involved in the CALEA accreditation process in her agency since 2013 and is currently the Accreditation Manager. She also coordinates all public relation activities including programs for community events, K-5 school children, job fairs, and teaching at the local police academy. Trista is a member Public Safety Communications Accreditation Network and the Missouri Law Enforcement Accreditation Coalition. Additionally, she is the Secretary for the Jefferson County Public Safety Committee. Trista holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and is pursing a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Presenting: Public Relations in the 9-1-1 Communications Center |
| Sarah Newell Polk County Central Dispatch Sarah began her career in Dispatch at 2004. Since that time, she was promoted to supervisor, assistant director and in 2010 chosen as the Director of Polk County Central Dispatch. She is an ETC and ETCI instructor through the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch (NAED). She served as the MONENA Conference Chairman for approximately eight years. Presenting: Dealing with Difficult Callers |
| Pam Opoka Mid-America Regional Council Learn how the Mid-America Regional Council’s (MARC) roving 9-1-1 Telecommunicator Peer Support Team model, for their 44 PSAPs and 703 telecommunicators, has been successful and received national-level attention, to include their feature in NENA’s The Call magazine in January 2019. Presenting: Peer Support Program for Telecommunicators |
| Mike Phillips Barry County Emergency Services E9-1-1 Mike Phillips has been in the 9-1-1 industry for over 15 years and is currently the Executive Director of Barry County E9-1-1. In 2015, he became a certified ENP. In 2016, Barry County E9-1-1 earned the distinction of an accredited center (ACE) of excellence in Emergency Medical Dispatch. Phillips was elected President of the Missouri 9-1-1 Directors Association in 2018 and has served on different local community boards, including being a member of the Rotary Club. Mike resides in Cassville with his wife and two children. He can be found coaching youth sports, fishing on Table Rock Lake and attending KC Chiefs games. Presenting: Leadership: Taking It to the Next Level |
| Steve Runnels National Weather Service – Springfield Steve Runnels is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Springfield, MO. In addition to being a forecaster and overseeing hazardous weather operations, Steve is the primary liaison between the National Weather Service and state and local government, the media, and emergency management communities. He actively promotes weather preparedness across a 37 county area in southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri. Prior to his arrival in Springfield in 1995, Steve graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University in 1987 and served at the NWS offices in Evansville, IN and Pleasant Hill/KC, MO. Presenting: Severe Weather Communications 200: Collaborating Intelligence to Save Lives |
| Michael Salonish DataTech911 Michael Salonish, with a strong background in big data analytics, developed early career focus on the development of C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) solutions for the Army and Intelligence Community. Michael transitioned into developing data distribution and analytic techniques to support operations improvement. Presenting: Incident Call Routing, Now with NextGen911 |
| Sonny Saxton Mercy Larry “Sonny” Saxton Jr. is a Deputy Director for Mercy EMS. Leadership appointments include President of Missouri National Emergency Number Association (MoNENA), Vice Chair of Missouri 9-1-1 Service Board, and Chair of IAED Taskforce on MPTS. Along with being a licensed Paramedic, he holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Enterprise Computing and Cybersecurity from Johns Hopkins University as well as a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Information Systems and Technology from Pennsylvania State University. His 25 year background in emergency services includes serving as a firefighter, Paramedic, and leader of EMS stations. Presenting: Leadership: Taking It to the Next Level |
| Stacey Smith Rolla Police Department Stacey Smith is the Communications Chief for Rolla Central Communications and has worked in public safety for 22 years. In her current position, Stacey runs the PSAP in Rolla, MO. Rolla Central Communications is a county wide consolidated 9-1-1 center that serves seven law enforcement agencies, six fire departments and two ambulance companies. Phelps County has approximately 45,000 residents and is home to Missouri University of Science and Technology. It is seated on the I-44 corridor halfway between Springfield and St. Louis. Stacey started dispatching for Rolla Central Communications when she moved to Missouri. She initially planned to only do it temporarily but quickly fell in love with it and cannot imagine doing anything else. She became a trainer early on in her career and was quickly promoted to Communications Supervisor. She oversaw the training program until her promotion to Communications Chief in 2017. Stacey is a certified APCO instructor. She also teaches courses in CIT and negotiations for dispatchers. She is on the executive board for Missouri Association of Crisis Negotiators. She is also a member of MOAPCO, MONENA and the MO 911 Directors Association. Presenting: Leadership: Taking it to the Next Level |
| Angie Stiefermann Jefferson City Police Department Angie Stiefermann has been employed with the Jefferson City Police Department for 26 years, has been a CTO, and a Telecommunications Supervisor and Instructor for the past nine years. As a member of a department that encourages continuing education, Angie feels a responsibility to do her part in educating others with affordable or free training through the APCO training partnership. Angie is married to a JCPD Lieutenant and has two teenage daughters. Presenting: CTO Refresher Communications Center Leadership Call-taking to Intelligence Gathering |
| Jamie Taylor Lee’s Summit Police Department Jamie has been in the field of public safety for over 25 years, serving both in the field and in the communications unit. He began as a Volunteer Firefighter and worked his way through the ranks and different departments to get where he is today. Jamie has served on the board of MOAPCO as well several committees within APCO International. Jamie currently serves as a Kansas City regional COML Instructor, COMC Instructor, Mid-America Regional Council Instructor, member of the Regional Peer Support Team, and also serves on or belongs to several committees at MARC. Presenting: Peer Support Program for Telecommunicators |
| Nate Vogel RapidSOS Nate has been working with public safety agencies for nearly 20 years. Nate has worked with most of the cutting edge Public Safety Technology Companies between 1999-2013. He has a passion for bringing new technology to the 9-1-1 space. While Nate’s professional career is on the commercial side of public safety, he fits right in to the 9-1-1 community. Nate brings a sense of humor and likability to his sessions. Presenting: Thousands of PSAPs are Receiving Lifesaving Location and Data: Is Yours? |
| Alan Wells St. Francois County Joint Communications Center As Director of St. Francois County Joint Communications and EOC Center, Alan was the visionary and oversaw the project to renovate and expand the St. Francois County 9-1-1, as well as many other initiatives to improve processes at the facility. Presenting: How to Modernize and Renovate Your Emergency Communications Center |