Meet the team

Dr. Joe Holley is the Medical Director for the State of TN Department of Emergency Medical Services as well as the Memphis and Shelby County Fire Departments and several municipal and private ambulance services in West Tennessee. He also holds the position of Associate Professor in Emergency Medicine for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Holley has served on over 30 deployments, including Hurricane Katrina and the Pentagon on 9/11, as the Medical Director of Tennessee Task Force 1, Urban Search & Rescue Team and serves on the national FEMA Incident Support Team. He is a member of the CAPCE Board of Directors, the National Association of EMS Physicians and a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Holley is board certified in Emergency Medicine and was among the first group of physicians in the nation to earn the designation of Fellow of the Academy of Emergency Medical Services.

Dr. Joe Holley also provides educational presentations, up-to-date protocols and emergency medical hot topics via EmergencyMedicalResources.com.    

 Kimberly Holley manages the administration, marketing, public relations and logistics for Paragon Medical Education Group and Emergency Medical Resources, PLLC. Kimberly is a Canine Search Specialist with TN Task Force One, FEMA Urban Search & Resuce Team.  Prior to Paragon, Kimberly spent 13 years with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Marketing and Administration. When she is not working on Paragon projects, Kimberly is actively involved in animal rescue and is Certified in Canine Behavior and Training. You can reach Kimberly directly at kimberly@paragonmedicalgroup.com  or 901-289-1771 or through our Contact us page.   

 Jim is a 30-year veteran of fire-based EMS. For 25 years he served as an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Officer for the Memphis Fire Department in an administration capacity, specializing in EMS, Emergency Management, quality improvement, and education. He’s a nationally known author with regular publications in EMS Magazine, Journal of Emergency Medical Services, Firehouse, and other trade journals. Jim has also lent his experience and talents to several emergency service industry text books as continuing author and technical writer. Jim is an EMS instructor coordinator and fire instructor for the state of Tennessee and the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD. In addition to his work in Emergency Services, he is currently the Program Director for Dyersburg State Community College EMS Training Program. For more than a decade, Jim has also served as a rescue/medical specialist and a medical coordinator for FEMA’s Tennessee Task Force One Urban Search and Rescue Team.  In 2010 he was honored as the JEMS10  EMS Innovator of the Year by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services.

 Amanda A. Bowen, BS, NRP, is a 24 year veteran of the fire and EMS services and currently serves as an EMS field lieutenant for the Memphis Fire Department. Amanda helped to develop the therapy dog program for the fire department and is currently the handler of Wilson, a two year old Golden Doodle. Amanda is also a member of the urban search and rescue team Tennessee Task Force 1, where she serves as a Medical Specialist. She also maintains her Tennessee EMS Program Director status and is a fire instructor. Amanda was an adjunct instructor at Memphis Fire Academy for 11 years and still serves there when she can as well with Tier 1 Group.  Amanda currently holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Bethel University and she received the Tennessee EMS Educators Association Adjunct Instructor of the Year award in 2010.

 

Dan Harris is an Emergency Medical Technician and has been with the Memphis Fire Department for 25 years where he serves as a Lieutenant, Heavy Rescue Company. Dan received his Fire Science Certificate from Oxnard Community College in California, followed by Hazardous Materials Incident Management from the National Fire Academy. He has completed Advanced Leadership Training through the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) and received his BS in Fire & Emergency Management. He works with private military contractors and trains military special forces in combat medicine and tactical rescue. For the State of TN, Dan serves as a Fire Instructor, Fire Officer and Incident Safety Officer. Dan is a Haz-Mat Team Manager for Tennessee Task Force One, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team. He has received multiple awards, including the Medal of Bravery, Tennessee Star of Life Award and the Lifesaving Medal. 

Rhett Nelson serves as Director of the Emergency Medical Technology program at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, MS. Rhett received his BA from Delta State University and has been a Nationally Registered Paramedic for 23 years- holding licenses in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. Rhett is a Nationally Certified EMS Educator through NAEMSE, and is a board-certified Flight Paramedic and Critical Care Paramedic. He is also a certified Volunteer Firefighter, Police Officer and serves as Adjunct Instructor for the Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy. He is a member of the Mississippi Association of EMS Educators and a member of the National Association of EMTs. 

Matt Randall is a Registered Professional Nurse and holds Paramedic, Flight Paramedic, Certified Flight Registered Nurse and Critical Care Paramedic Certifications. Matt received his EMT/Combat Medic Certification from the United States Army Academy of Health Science, followed by Paramedic Certification and Associate Degree in Paramedicine from Southwest Tennessee Community College and Associate Nursing Degree from Dyersburg State Community College. Matt’s 15 plus years of experience includes working as an EMT/paramedic with Regional One Health trauma center in Memphis; as a firefighter/paramedic; and as an Army combat medic deployed overseas for Operation Enduring Freedom. After the Army, he got his critical-care certification in flight and ground and at 24 became the youngest flight paramedic for Hospital Wing Air Ambulance Service in Memphis. He went on to serve as Director of Medical Operations for Mercy Flight Inc. of Buffalo, NY. Matt is a NEMSEA Level One Instructor and holds Instructor Certifications for NAEMT, ITLS, AHA & AAP. 

Deborah M. Thompson is a 34-year veteran of Emergency Services, with obtaining her EMT licensure in 1986 from Shelby State Community College (now Southwest) in Memphis. She graduated from St. Joseph Hospital, School of Nursing in 1993 and obtained her licensure through the State of Tennessee. Her nursing career has been dedicated to Emergency Nursing, with St. Joseph Hospital in Memphis, TN in the improvised area of north Memphis. She developed her nursing skills working with a very experienced group of medical professionals in a busy Emergency Room. She continued her experience and honing her skills at Methodist University Emergency Room, a Level 2 trauma center at the time, through an extensive teaching environment and regional hospital, that saw hundreds of patients. Deborah advanced her knowledge and training by obtaining her certifications in trauma obtaining and maintaining her TNCC. She has continued to be an active Emergency Room RN and utilizes that tremendous experience in a rural hospital setting in Middle TN where they relocated after her husband’s retirement. During her career she became, a teaching member of Paragon Medical Education Group where she has assisted with many teaching scenarios across the country.