EMS Manager Workshop September 9, 2026
We look forward to your attendance at the 2026 EMS Manager Workshop. Your participation in this annual event allows DPHHS EMS, Trauma Systems & Injury Prevention Section to share with you our current and future projects and offer timely leadership information. It is also valuable time for us to hear your feedback and ideas.
Agenda
| Time | Session | Presenter |
| 0700-0800 | Light Breakfast & Sign-In | |
| 0800-0900 | KEYNOTE: Leadership's Role in Responder Mental Wellness | Dan DeGryse, Responder Strong |
| 0900-0945 | EMS Section Update | Shari Graham, EMS System Manager |
| 0945-1000 | Break | |
| 1000-1100 | Billing & Documentation | John Ungaretti, Gold Cross Services, Inc. |
| 1100-1200 | Responder Mental Wellness | Dan Degryse, Responder Strong |
| 1200-1300 | Lunch | |
| 1300=1400 | MT Disaster Preparedness | Lt. Col. Noah Genger, MT DES |
| 1400-1500 | Frontier Leadership Academy Panel | |
| 1500-1515 | Break | |
| 1515-1545 | CIH | Angela Brakefield, CIH Program |
| 1545-1615 | Grant Resources | Janet Trethewey, TSII Program |
| 1615-1630 | Feedback | Comments | Evaluation | |
| EMS Education Workshop | ||
| 1830-1930 | Lead Instructor Training | ECP Education Requirements | NREMT Process | Shari Graham |
| 1930-1945 | MT EPIC-TBI Updates | Janet Trethewey |
| 1945-2000 | Break | |
| 2000-2045 | Using Data to Drive Education | Nick Burkland |
| 2045-2100 | Q&A | |
Daniel DeGryse, BA, BS, CADC
Dan is currently the Program Manager for Responder Strong. A retired Battalion Chief from the Chicago Fire Department and former Coordinator of the Chicago Firefighters Union Employee Assistance Program. Dan has spent four decades in the clinical arena while advancing mental health awareness, crisis intervention, and substance use recovery among first responders. He has served as a consultant for the IAFF, IFSI, NVFC, MHFA and other first responder focused organizations where he offered his expertise towards training, curriculum development, and connecting emergency personnel with culturally competent care. Dan is a nationally recognized leader in first responders’ behavioral health and peer support programming. Dan is a sought-after speaker and trainer, known for blending professional expertise with lived experience, practical strategies, and deep compassion. His work has shaped peer support systems across North America.
Responder Strong
This program was Built for Responders by Responders. Since 2016, ResponderStrong has supported the mental health and overall wellbeing of Emergency Responders, including Healthcare Workers, and their families. Working across branch boundaries to represent all who work in Emergency Response, we partner with our allies: researchers, clinicians, educators, foundations, and other non-profits to better support our own. In 2020, ResponderStrong joined All Clear Foundation as its mental health initiative. In late 2023 we folded All Clear’s content into the Responder Strong brand and joined research partner, Science Alliance, to expand with other service-oriented and evidence-based initiatives.
