Vermont EMS
Conference

Michael King is an experienced Emergency Nurse and educator with more than 20 years of experience in EMS and emergency nursing. He has spent the last 18 years in the Emergency Department at the University of Vermont Medical Center, the state’s only Level One trauma center, and is a Lecturer in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the Larner College of Medicine. He has led clinical and operational initiatives including chairing the ED Triage Subcommittee and serving on the Virtual Provider in Triage and Patient Experience Committees, with prior leadership as Supervisor of the Regional Transfer Center. Michael is the Immediate Past President and current Treasurer of the Vermont Emergency Nurses Association, and serves as Course Director for both the Vermont EMS Conference and the Stowe Updates in Emergency Medicine Conference. A recipient of the ENA’s 20 Under 40 Award and UVMMC’s Excellence in Trauma Care Award, he remains committed to evidence-based emergency care, pediatric resuscitation education and multidisciplinary collaboration.

David Weiss is an Emergency and Critical Care Flight Nurse and educator with 16 years of EMS and 8 years of nursing experience. After six years in the Emergency Department at the University of Vermont Medical Center, he is now a full-time Critical Care Flight Nurse with UVM HealthNet Transport. He maintains his Advanced EMT certification, is an active member of two local rescue squads, and works as a Medical and Rescue Specialist for Vermont Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1. Passionate about pediatric emergency and critical care education, he chairs the Education Committee for UVM HealthNet Transport, was the inaugural chair of the Emergency Department’s Pediatrics Committee, and was named the 2023 Vermont EMS for Children Champion. He developed and teaches “Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Assessment and Evidence Based Resuscitation” through the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Larner College of Medicine.

Daniel Wolfson, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine and the State of Vermont EMS Medical Director. He has led numerous EMS research projects and is Vermont’s site lead for the PAIN trial (Prehospital Analgesia Intervention trial), a national study comparing fentanyl and ketamine for prehospital pain management. His work focuses on evidence-based EMS protocols, expanding access to medications for opioid use disorder, and improving systems of care in rural environments.

Mike Leyden has worked for over twenty-five years in emergency services and healthcare, including direct patient care, teaching, public health and healthcare administration. He is the EMS Training Center Manager for UVM Health. He spent much of his nine years with the UVM Health Network at Porter Medical Center in Middlebury, as Emergency Management Director and then Associate Vice President for Operations, and previously oversaw State EMS Office operations and healthcare system preparedness at the Vermont Department of Health. Mike holds a Master’s in Public Health from the Boston University School of Public Health, has been a Nationally Registered Paramedic since 2004, and serves on the NREMT’s board of directors.

Dr. Charles is vice chair for faculty development in the Department of Surgery at the Larner College of Medicine and, since April 2026, the inaugural Green and Gold Professor of Faculty Development in Surgery. He is an academic surgeon scientist passionate about global surgery, health services research and high-quality surgical education. He has been a principal investigator on numerous NIH grants focused on trauma and burn injuries and health care disparities, has more than 350 peer-reviewed publications, and serves as an Associate Editor for JAMA.

Jennifer Gratton, BSN, RN, TCRN, is the Trauma Program Manager at the University of Vermont Medical Center, the state’s only trauma center, verified by the American College of Surgeons as an Adult Level I and Pediatric Level II Trauma Center. With more than 38 years in trauma and critical care, she has managed UVMMC’s trauma program for over two decades, after positions as a Surgical Intensive Care nurse and Trauma Case Manager. She is an active member of the Society of Trauma Nurses, serves on the Board of Directors of the Trauma Center Association of America, and presents at local and national trauma conferences.

Ray Walker began his EMS career as a volunteer EMS clinician and ambulance driving instructor in 1997, served as Assistant Chief and then Chief of his EMS agency, and joined the Vermont EMS Office in November 2000. His current responsibilities include oversight of the Office’s licensing and regulatory activities. From 1992 to 2000 he served on the staff of Governor Howard Dean. When he’s not at the office, Ray can be found on his way up or down a mountain or with his nose in a book.

Devin Major is a public safety professional with over 16 years in the fire service, 14 years in law enforcement and 13 years in EMS. He serves as a Deputy Sheriff, works actively in fire and EMS, and is the Assistant EMS Data Manager for the State EMS Office, where his work focuses on data analysis, performance improvement and statewide emergency response initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business.

Dr. Laurel Plante graduated from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in 2003 and the Tufts-Baystate Emergency Medicine Residency in 2006, after several years as an EMS provider with Shelburne Rescue and UVM Rescue. She served as District 10 EMS Medical Director, then came to UVM Medical Center as Medical Director of the UVM Paramedic course that brought paramedicine to District 3, which she has helped grow from 15 paramedics to almost 100. She is Medical Director of the UVM Health Network EMS Academy, Associate Medical Director of the Elizabethtown Paramedic Program, and an Associate Professor at the Larner College of Medicine, where she created and directs the fourth-year medical student EMS rotation.

Patrick Malone is a Senior Lecturer Emeritus at the University of Vermont Initiative for Rural Emergency Medical Services (IREMS). He serves on the Vermont EMS Advisory Committee and chairs the Education Council. A Vermont EMT and Senior Instructor, he has been involved with EMS for over forty years.

Nick Carson, FP-C, CCP-C, CP-C, TP-C, NRP, B.S. is an EMS Supervisor with University of Vermont Health. He owns Precision Training, LLC, and hosts the Code 321 Podcast. Nick is a national conference speaker specializing in training, safety systems, trauma care, leadership, and active threat response. Nick has authored multiple training programs across emergency response agencies and currently sits on his organization’s training committee. He has worked in the career fire service, municipal EMS, critical care medicine, and HEMS. Nick also works for Mind the Frontline Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to the mental health and wellness of first responders.