The California Paramedic Foundation works every day to advance paramedicine across the Golden State. Its mission centers on the important areas of education, standardization, prevention, and philanthropy. Working on these issues across the diverse California EMS ecosystem is no small task, but the Foundation is well on its way to effecting change. This success is in no small part to our advisory board. Each advisor is a national leader in their field, and together they provide a wealth of resources to the Foundation and California paramedics. We are happy to announce we have expanded this board to include the following key advisors.

Keith Griffiths is a partner with Redflash Group, a national consulting group that provides marketing and communications outreach for EMS, public safety, and healthcare markets. He is also the founding editor of JEMS, The Journal of Emergency Medical Services, and still sits on their editorial advisory board.

With a professional network cultivated for over 40 years, Keith has a special gift for bringing together stakeholders and building partnerships. He plays a hands-on role with various RedFlash clients, leading marketing strategy and execution, government and nonprofit outreach, consensus projects and other initiatives. Throughout his career, he’s served on numerous boards and is a familiar face at meetings of national importance.

“Having lived most of my life in California, I care about my adopted state and community, and what kind of service my family would receive if they ever needed to call 911. I understand the challenges that EMTs and paramedics have to overcome and the insights they can provide. The California Paramedic Foundation gives them not only a voice but a means to make a difference.”

Aaron Byzak serves as Chief Government and External Affairs Officer for Tri-City Medical Center and Senior Advisor to Galvanized Strategies, a full-spectrum strategic public affairs firm offering external affairs and consulting for its clients. Additionally, Aaron is the founder and chief advocate of Hazel’s Army, a community advocacy and education group that in 2014 helped pass the most comprehensive assisted living reform agenda in California’s history.

For more than two decades, Aaron has served in positions of progressive leadership in Emergency Medical Services, health policy, and health care management. He has received numerous best practice awards and national recognitions for his leadership and work in health care, public health, advocacy, and communications including four Emmy Awards.

He earned his master of business administration in health care management and policy from UC Irvine’s Merage School of Business, and a bachelor’s degree in social science from Chapman University. Additionally, Aaron earned certificates in leadership from Cornell University and UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. He is Board Certified in healthcare management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

Dr. Janet M. Coffman is professor at Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, Healthforce Center, and the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Her other research interests include health care reform, access to care for vulnerable populations, and innovations in management of chronic illnesses. Dr. Coffman has authored numerous publications on the health care workforce in California and the United States. She leads the independent evaluation of California’s Community Paramedicine Pilot Project. Dr. Coffman received a master’s degree in Public Policy and a PhD in Health Services and Policy Analysis from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Daniel Davis completed his undergraduate training in neuroscience at UCLA, where he was a National Merit, Regents, and Alumni Scholar as well as a varsity member of the 1987 NCAA National Championship Volleyball Team. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and attended the UCSD School of Medicine, where he remained for his residency training in emergency medicine. As a resident, he was recognized by his department as Chief Resident and Outstanding Graduating Resident, by his institution as House Officer of the Year, and by the Emergency Medicine Council of Residency Directors as the Outstanding Academic Emergency Medicine Resident.

Dr. Davis spent the first part of his professional career at UCSD, where he received several competitive grants allowing him to complete a fellowship in neuroprotection and resuscitation, studying under Drs. David Hoyt and Piyush Patel. He has published over 200 original articles in peer-reviewed journals, received numerous research awards and grants, and served as Principal Investigator for the prestigious Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium. In addition, he provides medical direction for Riverside County Fire Department and Mercy Air Medical Services and serves as Scientific Advisor for Air Methods Corporation.

Dr. Davis’ most impactful work to date has been the development of the Advanced Resuscitation Training (ART) program, which uniquely links performance improvement data and training to reduce preventable deaths in the hospital and prehospital environments. The ART program has been a singular success in the landscape of resuscitation science and has saved more than 1,000 lives in just a few years. Dr. Davis speaks internationally on the topics of resuscitation and patient safety, offering important perspectives on medical science, healthcare, and the mysteries of life and death.