Holly O'Byrne

Chief Bank is a fellow of the Academy of Emergency Medical Services, National Association of EMS Physicians. Continuing his distinguished career in Emergency Services, he currently serves as Vice President of the Pre-Hospital Blood Transfusion Initiative Coalition, is a Committee Member of the AABB Pre-Hospital Standards Committee, and Committee Member of the AABB THOR (Trauma Hemostasis and Oxygenation Research) Pre-Hospital Work Group. Mr. Bank is a graduate of EMS Management, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA in 1996. Among his accomplishments, he developed the first ground blood transfusion program in 2016 working with Dr. John Holcomb and the Texas Department of State Health Services, developed several pre-hospital transfusion protocols and was instrumental in the deployment of Low Titer Group O Whole Blood Products for Ground EMS in 2017.

Randall Schaefer, DNP, RN, CEN (Lieutenant Colonel, Retired), is a retired US Army Trauma Nurse with multiple deployments who advocates for civilian prehospital blood programs, so we don't forget the hard lessons we learned on the battlefield. She has assisted nearly 90 agencies nationwide in implementing prehospital blood transfusion programs using a standardized process. She is the President of the Prehospital Blood Transfusion Coalition (PHBTC). She serves as a subject matter expert for the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB) Prehospital Emergency and Out-of-Hospital Scheduled Transfusion Standards Working Group Committee and a Technical Expert for the National Institute for Defense Health Cooperation (NIDHC)/National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH) Prehospital Blood Transfusion Implementation initiative supporting the research and implementation strategy of the DOT NHTSA grants.

Holly O’Byrne is a Lieutenant/Paramedic and the Blood Program Coordinator for DC Fire and EMS. She integrates evidence-based trauma care, advanced training, and multi-system data collaboration across EMS, hospital, and public health partners. Holly’s work focuses on improving early resuscitation, health equity, and system performance through innovative policies and robust quality improvement frameworks. She has authored peer-reviewed publications, contributed to national clinical practice guidelines, and presented at NAEMSP, EMS World, THOR, and multiple regional blood coalition conferences. Her leadership continues to advance prehospital care, trauma readiness, and lifesaving transfusion practices nationwide.

Holly O’Byrne is a Lieutenant/Paramedic and the Blood Program Coordinator for DC Fire and EMS. She integrates evidence-based trauma care, advanced training, and multi-system data collaboration across EMS, hospital, and public health partners. Holly’s work focuses on improving early resuscitation, health equity, and system performance through innovative policies and robust quality improvement frameworks. She has authored peer-reviewed publications, contributed to national clinical practice guidelines, and presented at NAEMSP, EMS World, THOR, and multiple regional blood coalition conferences. Her leadership continues to advance prehospital care, trauma readiness, and lifesaving transfusion practices nationwide.

Dr. Matthew Levy is an EMS physician, educator, and civic leader with three decades of experience. He holds full-time appointments at Johns Hopkins University in Emergency Medicine and Surgery, serving as Deputy Director of Operational Medicine. Dr. Levy is Medical Director of EMS Education for the American Red Cross and Chief Medical Officer for Howard County Fire and Rescue Services. He also serves as Central Maryland's Regional EMS Medical Director for the Maryland State EMS Agency, MIEMSS. A Fellow of both the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Academy of Emergency Medical Services, and actively participates in local, state, federal, and international organizations focused on prehospital, operational, and disaster medicine.

Chief Bank is a fellow of the Academy of Emergency Medical Services, National Association of EMS Physicians. Continuing his distinguished career in Emergency Services, he currently serves as Vice President of the Pre-Hospital Blood Transfusion Initiative Coalition, is a Committee Member of the AABB Pre-Hospital Standards Committee, and Committee Member of the AABB THOR (Trauma Hemostasis and Oxygenation Research) Pre-Hospital Work Group. Mr. Bank is a graduate of EMS Management, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA in 1996. Among his accomplishments, he developed the first ground blood transfusion program in 2016 working with Dr. John Holcomb and the Texas Department of State Health Services, developed several pre-hospital transfusion protocols and was instrumental in the deployment of Low Titer Group O Whole Blood Products for Ground EMS in 2017.

Dr. Matthew Levy is an EMS physician, educator, and civic leader with three decades of experience. He holds full-time appointments at Johns Hopkins University in Emergency Medicine and Surgery, serving as Deputy Director of Operational Medicine. Dr. Levy is Medical Director of EMS Education for the American Red Cross and Chief Medical Officer for Howard County Fire and Rescue Services. He also serves as Central Maryland's Regional EMS Medical Director for the Maryland State EMS Agency, MIEMSS. A Fellow of both the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Academy of Emergency Medical Services, and actively participates in local, state, federal, and international organizations focused on prehospital, operational, and disaster medicine.

C. J. Winckler serves as the deputy medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department, and medical director for North Channel EMS and Wilson County ESD 3. He is also the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Regin 8 medical director. Dr. Winckler is an associate professor at the University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center and Texas A&M College Station School of Medicine. He is the Immeidate past President of TX NAEMSP, Chair of GETAC EMS Medical Director’s Committee, and Vice Chair of GETAC Prehospital Whole Blood Task Force. In San Antonio he has developed telemedicine CPR for dispatch, an ECMO prehospital CPR Alert system, and the world’s first prehospital whole blood program to serve an entire metropolitan system.

Holly O’Byrne is a Lieutenant/Paramedic and the Blood Program Coordinator for DC Fire and EMS. She integrates evidence-based trauma care, advanced training, and multi-system data collaboration across EMS, hospital, and public health partners. Holly’s work focuses on improving early resuscitation, health equity, and system performance through innovative policies and robust quality improvement frameworks. She has authored peer-reviewed publications, contributed to national clinical practice guidelines, and presented at NAEMSP, EMS World, THOR, and multiple regional blood coalition conferences. Her leadership continues to advance prehospital care, trauma readiness, and lifesaving transfusion practices nationwide.