2022 Board Members
President
Nancy Holland
In 2015, Nancy collapsed in a restaurant from sudden cardiac arrest. Her life was saved thanks to the quick action of a bystander who performed CPR until help arrived with an AED. She was told her event was a fluke that was unlikely to happen again. But, Nancy’s story doesn’t end there. Three years later while on vacation in Tahiti she suffered not one, but two heart attacks. Nancy was later diagnosed with Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection - SCAD.
Nancy has turned her life-changing diagnosis into a passion. Since 2015, Nancy has been a tireless advocate for hands-only CPR and has taught countless individuals this lifesaving skill. Nancy currently services on many boards and committees - all of which promote heart health in some fashion:
- Johnson County HeartSafe Foundation (2016 to present)
- Johnson County Emergency Medical Services Board (2018 to present)
- American Heart Association Ambassador (2016 to present)
- American Heart Association Go Red For Women Executive Leadership Team (2019)
- American Heart Association Kansas Advocacy Committee (2020 to present)
- WomenHeart Champion (2019 to present)
- WomenHeart Advocacy Corps (2020 to present)
Nancy also works as a WomenHeart Champion at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City where she meets with other women who have had recent heart-related events to share her story, offer information on heart health and let them know that there are better days ahead.
Nancy is a graduate of Louisiana State University and previously worked as a web developer and editor at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation before stopping work to raise her two sons.
Vice President
Joe Stellwagon
Joe has been involved with HeartSafe since 2018 having joined this organization to help improve the public's understanding and response to sudden cardiac arrest. Joe is a current licensed Kansas Paramedic and retired from Johnson County Med-Act ambulance in 2019 after 27 years. He currently works for Johnson County Community College as an EMS lab instructor and Kansas Instructor Coordinator. He is a certified instructor for American Heart Association and American Health Safety Institute. He is a member of the Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association, National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, and National Association of EMS Educators. He has an associate degree in EMS from Johnson County Community College. Joe's hobby is teaching families first aid topics to better prevent and respond to their own emergencies.
Secretary
Brad Robbins
Brad, a Captain for the Leawood Police Department, has been a member of the Johnson County Heartsafe Foundation since its inception and has served as the board's secretary since 2020. He has been a CPR/AED/First Aid Instructor since 2000, helped facilitate the introduction of AEDs into Leawood's patrol cars in 2002 and has twice been recognized with the LPD's Lifesaving Award.
As a division commander, Capt. Robbins supervises one of the department's three divisions and is now the agency’s primary Public Information Officer. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas and has also completed the State of Kansas' Certified Public Manager program and the FBI's National Academy police executive program.
Treasurer
Daren Pfeifer
Daren is an EMS Relations Director at HCA Midwest Health where he focuses on building EMS relationships, education, and emergency preparedness. Daren has worked in EMS and healthcare for over 25 years. He was chosen as a recipient of the Star of Life award by the American Ambulance Association in 2000 for his work educating youth about public safety and EMS careers. Daren is a founding member of the Johnson County HeartSafe Foundation and has been on the Board of Directors Since 2016.
Daren is a Kansas and nationally registered paramedic, holds an associate degree in nursing from Hutchinson Community College, bachelor of nursing from the University of Kansas, and master of public administration with a graduate certificate in disaster and emergency management from Park University.
He is a member of Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society, National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, and the Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association. He has worked with youth as a baseball coach and a Boy Scout den leader. Daren is also active in MidAmerica Regional Council where he has worked to pass legislation to improve end of life issues.
Member at large
Brad Fowler
Brad is the American Heart Association Training Center Coordinator for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. He oversees 10 Training Sites and 592 individual instructors throughout the Johnson, Wyandotte, and Linn Counties in Kansas and train an average of 2,500 people each year. His training center offer classes for those expecting parents/grandparents, Heartsaver classes for those non-healthcare workers that need CPR/First Aid certification, and BLS, ACLS and PALS classes for those Healthcare workers that need recertification.
Brad is a retired Paramedic of 25 years. He has been teaching classes for the last 27 years ranging from basic CPR and First Aid, to ACLS for Experience Providers, and everything in between.
Member at large
Chris Bell
Chris currently works for Consolidated Fire District #2 as a Driver Operator/AEMT for Consolidated Fire District #2. CFD2 serves the cities of NE JoCo such as Mission, Mission Hills, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, and Westwood. He has been with the department for 15 years and helps the department by teaching CPR classes to the community. Chris earned a Bachelors's Degree from Pittsburg State University.
Member at large
Kristin Katzman
Kristin is the Business Information Analyst for the Shawnee Fire Department. She has been an active CPR instructor within the Johnson County community since 2010. Kristin earned her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from Baker University and Masters Degree in Nursing from Fort Hays State University.
Member at large
Stacy Jones
Stacy is the Clinical Practice Coordinator at the Johnson County Office of the EMS Medical Director. By reviewing all of the cardiac arrest calls in Johnson County as part of the Continuous Quality Improvement Program, Stacy works with the Office of the Medical Director and educators from all of the Johnson County fire departments and ambulance service to ensure the highest quality EMS care for Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest. Stacy joined HeartSafe in 2018. He has been a Paramedic since 2000 and Registered Respiratory Therapist since 2015. Stacy was also an Army Medic and has taught CPR, First Aid, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support for many years.
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Member at large
Melody Morales
Melody is the founding member of Johnson County HeartSafe Foundation and served as Vice President for the foundation from 2016-2021. She is the current medical director program manager for the Johnson County EMS System. She manages the Johnson County EMS System Quality Assurance/Continuous Quality Improvement Program. She monitors system clinical performance for eight fire departments and MED-ACT, the county ambulance service, through creating key performance indicators and outcome/performance measures, as well as maintaining clinical registries. She also works collaboratively with area hospital TCD coordinators in order to improve care continuity. Melody has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Melody has worked at various hospitals throughout the KC area in various departments including; the Emergency Department, Interventional radiology, and Quality Resources. While working at those various hospitals, she had the opportunity to serve as a charge nurse as well as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner.