AEMSA Conference & Expo

Tim Fresonke

PA-C, MPAS, NREMT-P
Session(s):
Born in Chaos: Managing Obstetric Emergencies in the Field  |  Jan 22  |  11:30 am
EMS in Transition: Advances, System Challenges, and the Future of Prehospital Medicine  |  Jan 22  |  1:30 pm
KEYNOTE: Seconds That Matter: The Decisions That Change Everything  |  Jan 23  |  8:15 am

Tim Fresonke, PA-C is a Physician Assistant, seasoned EMS professional, healthcare educator, leadership consultant, and founder of Fresonke Healthcare Group. An organization dedicated to advancing EMS, healthcare leadership, operational excellence, and educational innovation. Tim’s diverse professional background includes extensive experience in emergency medicine, prehospital care, healthcare education, leadership development, and emergency management. This multidisciplinary expertise has positioned him as a uniquely qualified speaker and consultant capable of addressing both frontline clinical realities and larger organizational challenges facing modern healthcare systems. What further distinguishes Tim is his formal academic foundation, which includes advanced degrees in healthcare, emergency management, and education. His bachelor’s degree in education provides a critical advantage in instructional design, curriculum development, and educational delivery—allowing him to create presentations, workshops, and programs that are not only clinically relevant, but also strategically structured for maximum audience engagement, knowledge retention, and practical application. This combination of real-world emergency medicine experience and formal educational expertise enables Tim to bridge the gap between operational performance and effective adult learning in ways few healthcare speakers can. Through his work, Tim specializes in: •EMS and emergency department performance optimization •Leadership development for healthcare professionals •Clinical education and workforce sustainability •Emergency preparedness and disaster response •Strategic operational consulting •High-pressure decision-making •Organizational resilience and systems improvement As a speaker, Tim is recognized for delivering highly engaging, practical, and evidence-informed educational experiences that empower providers and leaders alike. His sessions combine clinical credibility, leadership insight, formal teaching methodology, and compelling storytelling to create transformational learning opportunities. As a consultant, Tim partners with EMS agencies, healthcare organizations, and leadership teams to improve systems, strengthen workforce performance, enhance preparedness, and build long-term organizational resilience. Tim founded Fresonke Healthcare Group with the mission of elevating healthcare through stronger leadership, smarter education, and operational innovation. His work is driven by th

John Kriesel

Motivational Speaker
Session(s):
KEYNOTE: Still Standing  |  Jan 22  |  8:15 am

If Dr Norman Vincent Peale was writing his incredibly popular book, “The Power of Positive Thinking,” today he would need to add a separate chapter on John Kriesel.

In 2006 Kriesel was nearly blown to shreds by a 200-pound roadside bomb in the parched sands of Iraq, but battlefield angels in army uniforms kept him breathing long enough to reach a field hospital. He died three times and was shocked back to life. Somehow he survived through four hospitals, 35 surgeries and months of recovery. He lost both legs and suffered numerous other major injuries, but it was the loss of two close friends that hurt the most.

The guy who wasn’t supposed to survive and was told he probably would be in a wheelchair the rest of his life walked out of Walter Reed Army Medical Center after nine months. Working with author Jim Kosmo, Kriesel reveals his motivational story in “STILL STANDING: The Story of SSG John Kriesel,” winner of eight national book awards.

Four years after his near-death experience in Iraq Kriesel became a civilian marketing employee with the Minnesota Army National Guard and in 2012 was named Director of Veteran Services for a county in Suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also is a part-time contributor on KFAN Sports Radio and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

He was elected to the House in 2010 after a vigorous campaign where he was told he could not win in his district. He personally visited several thousand homes in all weather conditions and literally wore out the socket in one of his prosthetic legs. He won. After tours of duty in Kosovo and Iraq and a lengthy medical recovery Kriesel’s family wanted to spend more time with him and he chose not to run for re-election.

As a legislator, he was anything but a quiet freshman challenging even his own party and frequently speaking his mind. “Kriesel’s honesty is a breath of fresh air at the Capitol,” declared the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. In addition to serving veterans in the Twin Cities and being a frequent voice on KFAN’s Power Trip Morning Show, he continues to share his upbeat, motivational message with businesses and organizations throughout the United States.

“Still Standing: The Story of SSG John Kriesel” is available in print, eBook, and audio through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and through the publisher at www.ItascaBooks.com.

Terence Sheehy

Deputy Chief
Session(s):
Crowning Moments: Emergency Childbirth for the EMS Provider  |  Jan 22  |  11:30 am
It’s Just a Lift Assist: The Hidden Risks of Complacency in EMS  |  Jan 22  |  1:30 pm
Compassion Without Compromise: Leading People, Not Problems  |  Jan 22  |  3:30 pm
KEYNOTE: In Their Darkest Hour: Guiding Families Through Loss with Empathy and Clarity  |  Jan 23  |  4:15 pm

Deputy Chief Terence Sheehy serves as the Operations Deputy Chief for Dare County EMS on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where he oversees daily system operations across a geographically isolated coastal region shaped by hurricanes, seasonal population surges, extended transport intervals, and limited infrastructure redundancy. In this role, he supervises frontline officers, supports system-wide response coordination, and helps lead disaster preparedness and continuity operations in one of the nation’s most operationally complex EMS environments. Deputy Chief Sheehy began his career in emergency services at age seventeen and brings nearly three decades of experience across EMS, fire, technical rescue, ocean rescue, and emergency management. His leadership work includes operational command during hurricanes, infrastructure disruptions, and large-scale special events, as well as regional planning roles that strengthen healthcare and public safety coordination across eastern North Carolina. He currently serves in regional preparedness leadership roles supporting multi-county coordination and resilience planning. A nationally recognized educator and speaker, Deputy Chief Sheehy teaches leadership, communication, decision-making, and workforce development strategies for EMS and fire service audiences across the country. He serves as lead faculty for the North Carolina EMS Officer Program, helping prepare the next generation of EMS supervisors and command-level leaders statewide. His presentations are known for combining practical operational experience with storytelling, case studies, and immediately applicable leadership tools drawn from real-world command environments rather than theory alone. He has presented at major regional and national conferences including the American Ambulance Association Conference, ESO Wave, the Texas EMS Conference, the Maryland Emergency Management Association Conference, the Virginia Fire Rescue Conference, the IAFC Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs, and numerous state EMS leadership events. He is also a published author in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) and has appeared as a guest on several national public safety and leadership podcasts, including Through the Lens – The EMS Wizard Podcast. Deputy Chief Sheehy holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Medical Care from Western Carolina University. As an actively serving chie