PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOPs SPEAKERS

Todd Besancenez, BS, EMT-P has over 37 years of experience in pre-hospital emergency care and services. ​He started his career at Mehlville Fire Protection District in 1995 and was promoted to Assistant Chief EMS in 2019.​ Assistant Chief Besancenez has been integral to the District’s dedication to improving patient outcomes and quality of care. ​He developed the District’s Critical Care Paramedic program and most recently spearheaded the launch of Mehlville Mobile Healthcare, the District’s new community paramedicine program. He is a graduate of Lindenwood University with a Bachelor of Science in Paramedicine. ​He also holds certifications in Critical Care and Community Paramedicine. 

William Downum, MBA, BSN, RN is a Trauma Educator and Injury Prevention Outreach Coordinator for Mercy Hospital St Louis. William began his nursing Career in 1980 after graduating from a 3-year Diploma of Nursing program at Texas Eastern School of Nursing in Tyler Texas. Since then, he has provided nursing care in critical care settings including emergency room and trauma care. William also holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, a Master’s in Business Administration, and is a current student in Mizzou’s Master’s of Science in Nursing program. He serves as a member of the Injury Prevention Committee for Trauma Centers of America and Safe States. 

Carl Freeman, MD is a critical care surgery specialist at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and has over 27 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. 

W. Scott Gilmore, MD is the Medical Director of St. Louis Fire Department, Affton Fire Protection District and Lemay Fire Protection District. He started his career in EMS over 20 years ago as an EMT-A working in a fire based system. He continued his training and became an EMT-I, EMT-P and EMS Educator. Prior to becoming the Medical Director of the St. Louis Fire Department, he served as the Assistant Medical Director. In addition to being the Medical Director, he works as an attending physician in the Emergency Department at Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis, Missouri and serves on the Board of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. 

Pam Golden, APRN, MSN-CS, CCRN, TNS is the Trauma Program Manager at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.

Jeanne Harman, BSN started out her career in medicine as an EMT-I and currently has over 20 years of nursing experience, mainly at Level I Trauma centers. Jeanne also has an extensive background in medical devices, helping to bring the EZ-IO to market and accepted as a standard of care, promoting Intrathoracic Pressure Regulation Therapy, and now working with Advanced CPR Solutions Neuroprotective Resuscitation. She has developed and taught numerous classes at national conferences. With her fun presentation style and pertinent content Jeanne is always a conference favorite. 

Melissa Kroll, MD is an EMS physician at Washington University in St. Louis. She is the Assistant Medical Director of Mehlville Fire Protection District where her focus is on Mobile Integrated Health. She has worked mobile integrated health systems for the last 7 years in the St. Louis Metropolitan area, is the immediate past chair of the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) Mobile Integrated Health and Community paramedic committee and has been leading a national ET3 conversation as part of NAEMSP for the last 3 years.  

Nick Marty is a Community Paramedic at Mehlville Fire Protection District. His career as an emergency medical service provider began in 2012 as an EMT, and after obtaining his Critical Care certification, Nick shifted his focus to non-emergency response. Nick enjoys using his skills and experience to help people navigate healthcare and social services as well as improve their quality of life. 

Jenny Rieker CP, CCEMTP is the Director of Mobile Integrated Health at Mehlville Fire Protection District, where she leads implementation of programs including High Utilizer engagement, ET3 and related 911 alternative initiatives, the Fall Referral Program, Stop the Bleed and community education, and Leave Behind Narcan, among others. She has more than 20 years of experience in pre-hospital emergency care and services and was one of Missouri’s first community paramedics. She helped create and run Missouri’s first Mobile Integrated Health program and served as Program Coordinator and Lead Instructor for the Community Paramedic education program. A licensed Community Paramedic with CCEMT-P certification, Jenny has spoken and taught at several regional and national EMS conferences 

Nate Surufka is a licensed paramedic with a critical care transport background of 11 years out of the Chicagoland area.  He holds certifications in ACLS, PALS, ITLS, and BLS. In addition, Nate has 9 years of experience in the medical device industry as a clinical specialist and territory manager specializing in building clinical programs to empower clinicians to provide high quality resuscitation efforts which align with CPR guidelines and is now a Director of Account Development at AdvancedCPR Solutions. Nate brings interactive and engaging resuscitation presentations backed by the latest scientific research to show what’s possible in improving resuscitation outcomes.