Director: Paul Ganss, EdD, NRP, NCEE
Paul has been the director of the EMSLRC since November of 2019. He has worked in the EMS field for over 40 years as a paramedic and educator with experience in public and private EMS, fire-based EMS, and hospital-based EMS and critical care transport. He is a 1980 graduate of the Paramedic program at the Medical College of Ohio and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree from Siena Heights University. Dr. Ganss also has a Master of Science degree in Emergency Health Services from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a doctorate in Health Professions Education from the A.T. Still University of Health Sciences.
Medical Director: Peter Georgakakos, DO
EMS Instructor: Jon Dunham, BS, NRP
Jon joins the EMSLRC with nearly three decades of diverse EMS and public safety experience. He completed his initial EMT-A and EMT-P training at Mary Greeley Medical Center, eventually working for Mary Greeley Medical Center’s Mobile Intensive Care Services as a paramedic and EMS Instructor. He taught EMS classes at all levels and provided continuing education opportunities throughout the region. Jon holds degrees in Liberal Arts from Des Moines Area Community College and in Criminal Justice with emphasis in Homeland Security from Purdue University. Jon is a nationally-registered paramedic. He is married to his college sweetheart, Cathy, and has two beautiful children, Tyler and Marissa.
EMS Instructor: Michelle Gardner, BS, NRP
EMS Instructor: Michael McElmeel, MSM, NRP, CCP
Mike started his career in EMS in 2005 after a successful 22 year military career that ended in 2004. He has worked as an EMT-B, EMT-I and Paramedic. He has also worked as a volunteer, part time, and full time employee sometimes all at the same time. . He has been a certified Reserve Peace officer in the state of Iowa since 2011 and has worked for several law enforcement agencies in Eastern Iowa. Mike has been an EMS Instructor and Evaluator at several Community Colleges and now the EMSLRC. Mike holds an AGS from Pikes Peak Community College, an AAS in Paramedicine from Kirkwood Community College, a BS in Political science and a MSM in Management both from Troy University. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in Health Professions Education at A.T Still University of Health Sciences. He is married and has 3 grown children
Life Support Educator: Kari Horton, BA, NRP
Life Support Educator: Brandi Claypool-Vercande, MSN
Administrative Services Coordinator: Cassandra Moon, MA, PMP
Cassie Moon joined EMSLRC as an Administrative Services Coordinator in 2022. Prior to joining UIHC, she worked in private industry as a project manager for various government contracts. Cassie enjoys working in a new environment that involves interaction with a diversity of internal and external customers and supports a team dedicated to life support training. Her primary tasks include registering UIHC staff and the public for American Heart Association (AHA) classes and communicating with an extensive network of 1100+ AHA instructors aligned with the EMSLRC AHA Training Center. Cassie also supports the department’s EMS education programs that includes students from around the U.S. and is responsible for educating the next generation of EMTs, AEMTs, and Paramedics. Cassie has an M.A. in Library Science, is a certified project management professional (PMPâ), and recently became an AHA Basic Life Support Instructor.