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20 Years at EMS World: A Tribute to Editorial Director Nancy Perry
This year marks the 20th anniversary with EMS World for editorial director Nancy Perry. We asked some prominent EMS leaders and regular contributors for their thoughts on what she’s meant to their careers and the development of our industry.
In 2006, shortly after EMS Magazine and EMS Expo changed ownership, Nancy took a chance on bringing in an inexperienced publisher. This was a risky decision on her part but, as I later discovered, not unusual. She had a habit of giving new authors and presenters their first big chance in front of a national audience. Nancy relishes the opportunity to discover and introduce new talent to the EMS community, and we are all the better for it. She challenges contributors to continually improve their writing and communication skills.
What is unusual for someone of her position and background is her reluctance to seek the spotlight. She delights in moving EMS forward by supporting and encouraging others. We get the credit for her tireless commitment to excellence, so we wanted to take this opportunity, on the occasion of her 20th anniversary, to pull back the curtain for a moment to reveal the guiding light behind EMS World.
—Scott Cravens, Publisher, EMS World
Few individuals have contributed to the EMS industry as effectively as Nancy. This camera-shy and publicity-averse lady has developed many EMS professionals, both in their clinical capabilities and in their ability to communicate and share best practices. In her 20 years, Nancy has cultivated some of the best authors, speakers and editors in the business. She has moved the industry ahead and developed tools to make EMS more effective, safe and patient-friendly.
—Jim Augustine, MD, Director of Clinical Operations, Emergency Medicine Physicians
Over the last 20 years Nancy has brought us articles covering events like the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. She has made outstanding contributions to the EMS profession and sustained the original vision of producing a magazine that promotes EMS and communicates new developments and cutting-edge technology. As we all know, EMS is a system, and Nancy, you have been a huge part of the EMS system in this country. You have helped improve the quality of life and save lives here in America and around the world. Merci beaucoup!
—Ken Bouvier, Deputy Chief of Operations, New Orleans EMS
Nancy is one of the kindest and hardest-working journalists and editorial directors I have had the pleasure of knowing. Her dedication to EMS and the education of the EMTs, paramedics, supervisors, managers and other leaders of our profession has been an inspiration for me and everyone who’s had the honor of working with her!
—Matt Zavadsky, Director of Public Affairs, MedStar Mobile Healthcare
I have had the pleasure of working with Nancy as both a writer and an editorial board member for nearly those same two decades. I saw early that passion and commitment to the advancement of emergency medical services is in her heart. She has a keen eye for excellence, timely topics and a vision for the changing landscape..
—Todd LeDuc, Asst. Fire Chief, Broward Sheriff’s Office Dept. of Fire Rescue
Nancy took a chance on me when I was just beginning my EMS journey and allowed me to write for (what was then) EMS Magazine and speak at EMS Expo, which assisted tremendously in helping me become the EMS voice I am today. Nancy, no words can convey my feelings better than “thank you”—you have been a friend and mentor.
—Ray Barishansky, Director, Office of Emergency Medical Services, Connecticut Dept. of Public Health
Nancy has really become the heart of EMS World. From her first days with the group, she sought to learn from the people the company sought to serve, made herself available, and listened and learned with enthusiasm, passion and professionalism. I have learned from her, and it has been a pleasure to work with and know her.
—Will Chapleau, Director of Performance Improvement, American College of Surgeons
Nancy has done so much to improve the information going to EMS providers through her work. During various years of Expos, I would pass her as she busily took care of several things at once while working another issue over the horizon. She made hard things look simple and allowed all of us at Expo to enjoy the show. She is truly a leader in EMS.
—Don Lundy, immediate past president, NAEMT
It is my pleasure to know and have worked with Nancy for nearly half of her career with EMS Magazine/EMS World. She represents the definition of a consummate and educated professional; her poise, professionalism, follow-through, inspiration and guidance are represented in her very being.
—Rick Patrick, Director, Workforce Health & Medical Support Division, Office of Health Affairs, Dept. of Homeland Security
Behind her quiet, modest exterior lies an experienced editor and businesswoman with a razor-sharp eye for detail and sagelike understanding of what will and won’t work when dealing with contributors and advertisers alike. I do not know of many people who have Nancy’s high work and production ethic. She fully understands the lot of the medic, and delivering the top stories of our EMS day is, for Nancy as for us, not a job but a way of life. Today she deserves kudos and admiration for a job very well done.
—Rob Lawrence, Chief Operating Officer, Richmond Ambulance Authority
Personally I’m deeply indebted to Nancy for her insight and strong support of the Eagles Coalition through helping to promulgate their work so eloquently. But at the same time, while many people praise her keen instinct for what’s trending—and will trend—in EMS and applaud her sophisticated helmsmanship of EMS World, I also see her as a terrific human being who has been a devoted mother, a caring colleague and a loyal friend to those fortunate to know her.
—Paul Pepe, MD, Riggs Family Chair in Emergency Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center; coordinator, EMS State of the Sciences Conference
Nancy, congratulations on 20 years with EMS World. It has been an honor to work with you on both the EMS World Expo and Integrated Healthcare Executive. Your creative abilities and attention to detail make everything you touch better. I look forward to the next 20 years of working with you, and I promise I will meet your deadlines.
—Jeff Beeson, DO, Texas medical director, Acadian Ambulance
Nancy is extremely insightful. Her work as an editor challenges you as a writer to think clearly, write clearly and make cogent points. Her contributions to an article are far more than grammatical; she challenges your very thought process to make the final product as sharp and informative as it can be. We’ve worked with editors over the years who merely move words and punctuation around on the page; Nancy is refreshingly and unapologetically the opposite. She truly cares about every word that goes into her publications, but more important, she works hard to ensure that every thought behind those words is clearly and logically expressed. Our industry is better-informed thanks to her 20 years of outstanding work.
—Doug Wolfberg & Steve Wirth, Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC
Nancy gave me a writing opportunity back in 2006 when I was a New York City paramedic. Years later I joined the CE team, and she has pushed and developed my writing and editing skills every month since then. I regularly refer up-and-coming EMS writers to her, as she is known for giving people the early chance they need to push their careers—and in doing so the field of EMS—forward.
—Sean Kivlehan, MD, Int’l. Emergency Medicine Fellow, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Nancy apparently never sleeps or takes a day off. I receive e-mails from her at all hours and on all days. She is invariably pleasant, funny and right on top of things. I have had many editors, and she’s the best by far! Happy 20th anniversary with EMS World, Nancy.
—Gene Gandy, EMS educator and consultant
I was introduced to Nancy in 1995 by then-owner Carol Summer. She turned out to be smart as a whip. What she may not remember is how nice she treated me (and everyone else, for that matter) on that sunny late afternoon two decades ago. And she brought a whole new era to the magazine. She was quick-witted, used common sense and had quite the personality to make things happen. As editorial director, she had her finger on the pulse of everything. And she still does.
—Alan Cowen, Deputy Chief (ret.), Los Angeles Fire Dept.
Where have the last 20 years gone? It seems like only weeks ago that Nancy walked into EMS Magazine, young, shy, straight out of college and eager to become a writer/editor. Even after I moved back to Minnesota in 1997, we were in almost-daily contact: planning the next issue, agonizing over typos and wondering if we were making the right choices about topics and speakers for EMS Expo. We were almost always on the same wavelength. I like to think I had something to do with her success, but her talent and abilities were always there, and she deserves every bit of credit for what she’s achieved. Congratulations, Nancy. I love you.
—Marie Nordberg, Associate Editor/Show Coordinator (ret.), EMS World
I can’t tell you how many aspiring young authors I have referred to Nancy. They were always a little unsure of themselves, and I was certain Nancy would appreciate that as evidence of their humility. In the many years of our acquaintance and friendship, I’ve always prized her for her own humility, despite her incomparable abilities as a writer, editor, “imagineer” and servant to the sick and their caregivers. She’s one of the 10 EMS people I respect most, and I’m thrilled just to know her.
—Thom Dick, EMS educator and author
I’ve been blessed in many ways to have EMS as a second act in my life. During those 23 years, nothing has given me more pleasure than writing for Nancy. Those of us in EMS are fortunate she adopted our always-hectic, sometimes-frantic profession as her own. Thank you, Nancy, for the last 20 years.
—Mike Rubin, paramedic and author
It gives me much pleasure to share one of what will surely be numerous plaudits to Nancy on the occasion of her 20th year serving EMS. Not only has she guided numerous individuals in developing professional articles that have, over the years, improved the ability of field providers to treat patients, but she has additionally made many friends.
—Lou Jordan, PIO, fire-police officer, Union Bridge Fire Company
I met Nancy close to 20 years ago. It has always been a delight to work with her. We have collaborated on articles, presentations, photographs and editorial reviews of article submissions. I believe EMS World and EMS World Expo have grown in large part due to Nancy’s influence and hard work. Congratulations to Nancy on a successful 20 years, and I hope she’ll stay around for another 20!
—Chuck Kearns, EMS consultant
Congratulations to Nancy on 20 incredible years of consistently challenging the paradigm that is EMS education and media. Reading her work for the past 15 years (my entire career in EMS) has been a pleasure, and having her persistent patience, continued guidance and willingness to allow writers to grow is a privilege each month.
—Kevin Collopy, Clinical Education Coordinator, VitaLink/AirLink
Nancy’s quiet manner, coupled with her ability to ask rock-solid questions, serves EMS World and our profession well. Twenty years—Nancy must have been hired when she was a teenager!
—Jay Fitch, PhD, founding partner, president, Fitch & Associates
When I started working with Nancy, I turned in articles by way of 3.5-inch floppy disks I’d leave in her (physical, not virtual) mailbox. In the intervening 15 years, EMS has been one of the few fields to change even more than publishing. Through owners and colleagues and challenges scarcely imaginable before we faced them, she’s demonstrated remarkable wisdom, vision, patience and grace, not to mention one of the most superlative work ethics ever witnessed. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work with her in serving and advancing the field of EMS.
—John Erich, Senior Editor, EMS World
Nancy is a class act and a quiet professional. I could give lots of examples, but they wouldn’t encapsulate the respect and trust she engenders in others.
—Tom Bouthillet, Captain, Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue
I have worked with many editors over the past 30 years, 250 articles and six books. I cannot think of one I enjoy working with more than Nancy. She has given me tremendous latitude and trust. She responds quickly to my ideas. She is incredibly positive. Nancy, you are truly one of my favorites. I look forward to many more enjoyable years of working with you.
—Barry Smith, Instructor, Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority
Nancy is a valued editorial partner of NAEMT and an inspiring reporter for the EMS profession. Her works have helped drive educational excellence, promote leadership and ethics, and showcase achievements in EMS. NAEMT appreciates Nancy for her collaboration, friendship and dedication to advancing the EMS profession. Congratulations on 20 years with EMS World!
—NAEMT
Nancy, you started making changes in the EMS profession using your gift of collaboration and communication in the same year Windows 95 was released and gas was only $1.09 a gallon. Wow. Since that time, your calm, steady style, combined with your attention to detail and your contagious enthusiasm for all things EMS, has had a significant impact on our profession. Thanks for being our advocate, our cheerleader and our matchmaker over all these years. Happy 20th.
—Ed Racht, MD, Chief Medical Officer, American Medical Response
