By Sarah Roebuck
EMS1
CLINTON, Miss. — Heather Davis, Ed.d, NRP, director of student assessment at the David Geffen School of Medicine in California, has been honored with the 2024 Rocco V. Morando Lifetime Achievement Award, NAEMT announced. This recognition celebrates her lifelong dedication to excellence, significant contributions and exceptional leadership in EMS.
Davis spent nearly 20 years at the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care, where she served as associate director and program director. As education director for Los Angeles County Fire, she oversaw training for over 3,000 firefighter EMTs and paramedics. Known for empowering others and providing mentorship, she is widely recognized as a dedicated educational leader, NAEMT states.
Davis joined the NREMT Board of Directors in 2008, serving on key committees and becoming the first member at large on the Executive Committee in 2015, according to NAEMT. As chair, she guided the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic by redesigning the ALS exam and introducing provisional certification. She also helped plan NREMT’s 50th anniversary and co-founded the IDEA Task Force to address EMS policy. Additionally, she chaired NAEMT’s Education Committee and served as California’s PHTLS coordinator. Davis holds a doctorate in Educational Psychology from USC.
“Heather’s lifelong contributions and dedicated efforts to improve the clinical training of our EMS practitioners are beyond reproach. Her mentorship and guidance have made a lasting impression on our EMS profession,” said NAEMT President Susan Bailey, MSEM, NRP. “NAEMT is grateful for Heather’s contributions of knowledge and fortitude in our formative years, spearheading the launch of our education committee. It is without question that NAEMT’s education program and PHTLS course would be at the same level of global excellence as it is today without her time, knowledge, and talent. This award represents a modest acknowledgment of her lifetime commitment to the EMS practice of patient care.”
The presentation for the award will be made during NAEMT’s General Membership Meeting in Las Vegas.