Leadership Team

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Founder & CEO, Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation (ACR) | Retired EMS Chief

Joe Powell began his career as a frontline paramedic, progressing to EMS Chief and ultimately to system-level strategist, educator, and innovator. 

His work is grounded in real-world operational

experience and expanded through published research, device development, and 

Founder & CEO, Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation (ACR) | Retired EMS Chief

Joe Powell began his career as a frontline paramedic, progressing to EMS Chief and ultimately to system-level strategist, educator, and innovator. 

His work is grounded in real-world operational

experience and expanded through published research, device development, and international education. He established the 50.1% Moonshot, a system-level target of achieving 50.1%

neurologically intact survival across all cardiac arrest patients, at a time when such outcomes were widely considered unattainable.

Read Full Bio HERE

RET Paramedic and Battalion Chief, Richland Fire & EMS

Co-Chair, ACR

 With 38 years of experience in both fire and EMS industries, Chief Hempstead’s passion to serve is stronger today than any other time in his career. He enjoys developing leaders throughout all levels of his organization from fire fighter to chief officer. His role as a ch

RET Paramedic and Battalion Chief, Richland Fire & EMS

Co-Chair, ACR

 With 38 years of experience in both fire and EMS industries, Chief Hempstead’s passion to serve is stronger today than any other time in his career. He enjoys developing leaders throughout all levels of his organization from fire fighter to chief officer. His role as a chief officer focuses on the importance of being a servant leader and developing a culture of excellence in our workforce. Chief Hempstead's current body of work includes growing political equity, integrating his organization into the community, building partnerships, enhancing professional business practices, oversight of his community risk reduction programs and evolving the EMS delivery model to produce great community outcomes.  

  Division Chief of EMS, Olathe Fire Department, Kansas

 Kevin Joles, FAEMS, is the Division Chief of EMS for the Olathe Fire Department in Kansas, Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) EMS Section, and a Board Member of the Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation (ACR) Consortium. With nearly 30 years in emergency services, 

  Division Chief of EMS, Olathe Fire Department, Kansas

 Kevin Joles, FAEMS, is the Division Chief of EMS for the Olathe Fire Department in Kansas, Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) EMS Section, and a Board Member of the Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation (ACR) Consortium. With nearly 30 years in emergency services, he is passionate about advancing prehospital care, improving cardiac arrest outcomes, expanding prehospital blood delivery programs, and strengthening EMS systems through innovation and collaboration. Kevin is a member of Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI) Cohort XIII and actively advocates for federal policy changes that support EMS reimbursement, workforce development, sustainable mobile healthcare delivery, and broader access to lifesaving prehospital interventions. 

 Division Chief of EMS

Billy Croft is an active 27-year veteran of the Naperville fire Department in Illinois and serves on the ACR Advisory Board. In his role on the advisory board, he serves the ACR consortium with education, support, and guidance. Billy has a passion for education and inspiring others through lectures, presentations, an

 Division Chief of EMS

Billy Croft is an active 27-year veteran of the Naperville fire Department in Illinois and serves on the ACR Advisory Board. In his role on the advisory board, he serves the ACR consortium with education, support, and guidance. Billy has a passion for education and inspiring others through lectures, presentations, and other events across the country using his own experiences and knowledge of running a high performing ACR agency. 

Former Firefighter/Paramedic, Division Chief Billy Croft is extremely active with his department serving as a primary instructor in the Training Bureau with Fire and EMS. He has also been involved with several specialty teams including TRT, TEMS, and Public Education. Billy is also active as a Significant Incident Advocate team leader and serves on the executive board for NFD Local 4302. 

Billy was the driving force with the implementation of ACR for the Naperville Fire Department in 2019. In 2021, the Naperville Fire Department saw ROSC rates at 40% and survivability at a staggering 21% with 15 patients walking out of the hospital neurologically intact! When Billy is not trying to change the world, he enjoys creating music and traveling with his beautiful wife Lucy! 

Battalion Chief, Richland Fire & EMS

Josh Smith is a Battalion Chief with Richland Fire & Emergency Services (RF&ES) located in southeast Washington State. In addition to his role as an advisory board member for ACR, he also serves on the Program Advisory Committee for Heart Safe Communities through the Citizen CPR Foundation. He is the pr

Battalion Chief, Richland Fire & EMS

Josh Smith is a Battalion Chief with Richland Fire & Emergency Services (RF&ES) located in southeast Washington State. In addition to his role as an advisory board member for ACR, he also serves on the Program Advisory Committee for Heart Safe Communities through the Citizen CPR Foundation. He is the program coordinator for Heart Safe Richland, a public education initiative aimed at increasing sudden cardiac arrest survival through a holistic lens. He is a Citizen CPR Foundation 40 under 40 award winner, an award that recognizes individuals considered to be future leaders in cardiac arrest survival. 

  Emergency Medicine Physician

EMS/SWAT Medical Director 

Dr. Holland is a full-time Emergency Medicine Physician. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine and EMS. Dr. Holland currently serves as the EMS Medical Director for Carson City Fire Department and Central Lyon Fire Protection District and is the Tactical Physician for Carson Ci

  Emergency Medicine Physician

EMS/SWAT Medical Director 

Dr. Holland is a full-time Emergency Medicine Physician. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine and EMS. Dr. Holland currently serves as the EMS Medical Director for Carson City Fire Department and Central Lyon Fire Protection District and is the Tactical Physician for Carson City Sheriff's Office SWAT. 

He earned his Medical Doctorate and Master of Public Health degrees from University of Nevada School of Medicine. He completed Emergency Medicine Residency and EMS Fellowship at Indiana University School of Medicine. He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for the Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation Consortium and has served as the Chair of the ACEP EMS Section. 

Dr. Holland has been involved in EMS in different capacities for 14 years. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends while camping, boating, skiing, hiking, and traveling. He lives in Reno with his wife and their 3 young children.

 Strategic Marketing Leader 

 TJ currently serves on the ACR Advisory Board. Prior to joining the ACR leadership team, TJ worked at ZOLL Medical for over 9 years where he held numerous leadership positions, most recently the Senior Director of Global EMS Marketing. TJ has worked for various companies in the healthcare industry for the past

 Strategic Marketing Leader 

 TJ currently serves on the ACR Advisory Board. Prior to joining the ACR leadership team, TJ worked at ZOLL Medical for over 9 years where he held numerous leadership positions, most recently the Senior Director of Global EMS Marketing. TJ has worked for various companies in the healthcare industry for the past 15 years. Before his time in healthcare, TJ was a Captain in the United States Army, with multiple combat deployments to Iraq in the early 2000s. TJ holds a BS in Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from MIT.