Rich Abrams is the assistant operations manager for Yale University’s Drama School and the Yale Repertory Theater. He is a former 9-1-1 dispatcher, communications manager and security systems analyst. He also is a former dispatch and stress management instructor. Rich has written articles for national publications covering topics from radio communications to customer service. He is a former member of the APCO Editorial Board, and co-managed two national and many chapter APCO conferences. Rich is treasurer for the Connecticut NENA Chapter and also serves as co-secretary for the Stage Managers’ Association and Security Chair for the American Federation of Police.

 

 

Kevin Bayer has been a shift communications supervisor at 9-1-1 in Evansville, IN since January 2000. He began his employment there in 1999 as a telecommunicator. He passed the APCO Communications Center Supervisor course that same year, and has attended three Indiana Chapter of NENA state conferences, and completed the IDACS/NCIC 2000 Train the Trainer course as well as several additional training seminars. He is a member of the NENA Public Education Committee and chairs his communication center’s Dispatchers’ Week committee. In 1996, Kevin earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Southern Indiana. He is currently pursuing his ENP certification requirements. Before his career in public safety communications, Kevin worked at a civilian transportation dispatch center and in radio and television broadcasting.

 

Kris Christensen Berg has served as the communication director for the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED) for six years. Among her many duties, she is responsible for the production of the quarterly National Journal of Emergency Dispatch, and the Academies’ Web site, which serves 35,000 members worldwide. She also is a member of the committee that plans and implements the annual Navigator Convention.

Before coming to NAED, Kris worked for McGraw-Hill Publishing for eight years in the magazine division as production manager/art director. She also spent three years as managing editor for the Utah Cattlemen’s magazine. She is a certified EMD and loves working for the Academies helping to promote its training, certification, accreditation and legislative goals for emergency dispatchers—who, she says, make an amazing difference in the lives of people all around the world. A native of Massachusetts, Kris now makes her home in Salt Lake City, UT.

 

Robert W. Cobb, Ph. D. currently manages the Education Program and the ENP certification program. He also is responsible for management of NENA’s three-year Wireless Implementation Project with the U.S. Department of Transportation to help accelerate the nationwide deployment of Wireless Phase I and Phase II. Additionally, he manages NENA’s program to identify grant opportunities with various federal agencies and private organizations. Since 1992 he has been instrumental in the development and coordination of the TDC/ODC conference, selected critical issues forums and the education sessions at NENA’s annual conferences. 

 

Roger Hixson is NENA’s technical issues director and is closely involved in many of the organization’s initiatives—including wireless E9-1-1 and Internet protocol technical and strategy issues, and development of E9-1-1 future design. Roger has worked in various areas of 9-1-1 service for 18 years, mostly in the telecommunications environment, and has chaired numerous 9-1-1 advancement efforts at the state, national and corporate levels. He holds a systems engineering degree.

 

Rick Jones is operations issues director for NENA. As part of his staff responsibilities, he participates in various telecommunications industry standards development organizations and related groups. He also assists in identifying issues and providing staff support for the NENA operations leadership (various operational committee chairs). Rick spent 25 years in public safety/emergency communications, including 12 years as a 9-1-1 emergency communication center manager in northern Illinois. He has been active in 9-1-1 and public safety development work for several telecom technical issues—such as number portability/pooling—since 1996.

 

Frank Kirk is manager of the Seminole County, FL Department of Public Safety, Emergency Communications/E9-1-1 Division. He is responsible for management of the Seminole County’s E9-1-1 system with seven PSAPs, the Fire/EMS Emergency Communications Center and the countywide EMS system. Frank’s career spans more than 40 years in the public safety arena, including serving as an EMS director and fire chief. He has spoken at more than 60 national, state and local conferences.  Frank obtained his ENP certification in 2003 and served as a member of the NENA Private Call Center Standards Committee and as a work team leader of the ETNS Committee Work Group. Frank currently serves as vice-chair of the Florida 9-1-1 Coordinators Association. He previously served as president of numerous organizations—including the Florida Association of Emergency Medical Dispatchers, Florida Association of County Emergency Medical Services and Secretary of the Florida EMS Advisory Council. During Frank’s career he had received numerous awards, including the Mark Fingeret EMS Administrator of the Year Award, the Al Ridgeway Award for Administrative Excellence in EMS, and in 2000 was inducted into the Florida EMS Hall of Fame. 

 

John L. Linko began his career in public safety communications in 1983 as a volunteer dispatcher for a municipal ambulance service in the Pittsburgh, PA suburbs. He continued to serve as a volunteer while working in communications at two Pittsburgh area hospitals, including an eight-year stint as a communications specialist with Allegheny General Hospital’s Life Flight program. Since 1995, John has been a shift supervisor with the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center, a regional 9-1-1 PSAP and dispatch facility serving Mesa County, CO. Along with supervisory responsibilities, John is involved in the planning, installation and support of the center’s VHF radio system, 9-1-1 CPE and emergency notification systems. John became certified as an ENP in 2003. He holds APCO instructor certifications in telecommunicator and fire communications, and has served on national-level committees with both APCO and NENA. He is currently a member of the NENA ADA Committee.

 

Robert L. Martin is executive director of NENA. Most recently, Robert has been working with the ComCARE Alliance in Washington, DC as director of partnership development and communications. For many years he served as the executive director for the NAED, which is allied with NENA to promote education, training and recognition for 9-1-1 and emergency communication professionals. He was influential in developing and managing diverse programs for conferences, standard setting, committee work and membership development. He was editor of the National Journal of Emergency Dispatch and program manager for the Navigator and EuroNavigator emergency dispatch management conferences. Robert Martin has more than 15 years of association management, coalition building and non-profit organization involvement. He is a past chapter president and district board member for the International Association of Business Communicators and past chapter board member for the national citizenship education non-profit Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from the University of Utah and a Master of Professional Communication degree from Westminster College of Salt Lake City.

 

Bill McMurray is a 27-year employee of the County of Marin, starting his career with the county as a public safety dispatcher. He entered into the public safety world in 1973, serving as a volunteer firefighter and fire dispatcher. In 1986, Bill was appointed by the sheriff to serve as the communications center manager. He has served on the board of the California Chapter of NENA for four years, including a term as president. He also served on the NENA executive board since 1998; four years as the Western Region vice president, and now serves as the president of the association. Bill has served on several state and NENA committees, including the California attorney general’s 311 Task Force, the California Emergency Services Advisory Board (911) and the NENA Data Standards Committee. Bill is a lifelong resident of Marin County; he has been married for 22 years and has three daughters.

 

Bob Oenning is the administrator of the Washington State Enhanced 9-1-1 Office where his primary responsibility is to ensure that residents of Washington receive effective access to emergency assistance by dialing 9-1-1. Under Bob’s guidance, Washington has implemented statewide Enhanced 9-1-1 service—including wireless with caller location capability to be completed this year. The E9-1-1 office’s ongoing programs continue to strengthen and define the quality of that service, including system upgrades to accommodate new technologies and private telephone systems. Prior to his position as the state’s 9-1-1 coordinator, Bob had more than 20 years of experience in telecommunications voice and data management, including eight years as the manager of a major local government telecommunications operation. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial technology from Western Washington University. 

 

Stephen H. Reichman has been involved with emergency services since the early 1980s. His public safety communications career began in 1986 as a dispatcher trainee in Chester County, PA. From there he moved to Bucks County as a full-time dispatcher as well as part-time dispatcher at the City of Bethlehem Police 9-1-1 Center. He currently serves as superintendent of training for Bucks County Emergency Communications in Doylestown, PA. Steve is an adjunct instructor for APCO Institute Online—APCO’s Web-based training resource—and also maintains his own resource Web site for public safety communications training. 

 

Stephen Seitz is director of government affairs and a senior strategist for NENA, with a strong background in government. Steve has worked with elected officials, organizations, associations and interests groups on the federal, state and local levels in the development and implementation of public policy. He also has worked in training and preparing leaders for public service in government and politics. Working closely with the NENA board, senior managers and association members in strategic planning, communications and policy development, Steve serves the membership directly, in building the association’s political presence; specifically organizing national, state and local activities in policy, coalitions and public affairs. He received a bachelor’s degree in international relations and economics from the James Madison School of Public Policy at Michigan State University. He resides in Washington, DC. 

 

Stephanie Spell is the communications technical bureau manager in Naples, FL, overseeing the planning, budgeting and operations of all technical aspects of a large public safety communications center. Her responsibilities include supervision of the 9-1-1 (including wireless) equipment and operations, 800 MHz radio system and field equipment, emergency medical dispatch training and quality assurance, CAD hardware, software and configuration, and the Florida Crime Information Center/National Crime Information Center record validations. She also serves as backup and support to the public information officer in providing media interviews and written position statements relative to communications issues in the community. Stephanie has 17 years’ experience as a member of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, building a career in public safety communications with progressive positions held from dispatcher, supervisor, training coordinator and operations manager to her current position. She is enrolled in a Bachelor of Science degree distance-learning program (emergency management major with public safety telecommunications minor) at Jacksonville State University (AL).
 

 

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The Editorial Board of Emergency Number Professional magazine enhances the standing of the publication and strengthens its professional and academic integrity through the active involvement of its members. Specific tasks and responsibilities of the Editorial Board are determined by the editor and are likely to include some or all of the following:

• Acts as a reviewer of editorial ideas, recommendations and contributions via the publication Intranet.
• Encourages the submission of topics, articles, research, presentations, interview, profiles and other relevant industry issues.
• Provides occasional guest editorials/viewpoints/commentaries.
• Represents and promotes the magazine’s mission at conferences they may attend.
• Provides helpful comments/criticism/information to the editor to assist in the development and direction of the publication.