Moderator

Ann Houk, RN MSN/Ed MHA, CDP

Chief Administrative Officer & Chief Compliance Officer, Home Health & Hospice of Kansas, Wichita

Ann has 15+ years of home care and hospice experience. She has developed a very successful Palliative Care Program that has helped more than 120 patients remain in the comfort of their home as their diseases progressed. She is the Chair for Sedgwick County’s local emergency planning committee and is also the current KHCHA District 2 Co-Representative and Chair of the 2024 KHCHA Annual Conference Committee. 

Panelists

Shannon Ward
Lieutenant/EMT with the Community Risk Reduction, Wichita Fire Department              

Shannon has served 29 years with the department, with 24 of those years as a firefighter at a station and the last five as an inspector and educator. All of the Wichita Fire Department inspectors have firefighting backgrounds. One of the responsibilities as an inspector are the inspections of residential board and care facilities for the state.

Jaime Anderson, MICT, BS, MPH
South-Central and Southeast Kansas Regional and Response Coordinator, Healthcare Coalition Partners of Kansas

Jaime is a broadly skilled Paramedical professional with proven expertise in cultivating relationships between interagency partners with diverse interests at the federal, state, local and private sector levels. She has demonstrated high-level, high-visibility supervisory emergency response experience during complex Emergency Management, Public Health and Medical, and Health and Human Service responses. These responses include the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hurricane Ian, and the Eastern Kentucky floods of 2022. Jaime has a deep knowledge of public health programs, systems, tactical critical trauma care, and emergency management structure across public and private sectors. Her prior private sector experience includes serving as a Disaster Program Manager for the American Red Cross where she led and organized 21-chapter counties to enhance disaster preparedness. Jaime holds an Undergraduate Degree in Science, as well as a Master’s in Public Health Administration. Jaime is a driven individual who strives to encourage and promote collaboration and communication within Healthcare Sector coalitions, and their communities. Jaime and her Healthcare Coalition team was recently nominated for a United States Public Health Service Outstanding Unit Commendation for their work in facilitating and presenting at the 2024 National Healthcare Preparedness Coalition in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Master Trooper Dustin Sawyer

Kansas Highway Patrol

Master Trooper Sawyer has served with the Kansas Highway Patrol since 2018. Prior to that, he served in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In his time with KHP, he has become an Active Shooter Instructor for the agency through the Kansas Active Shooter Mitigation program for civilians and the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training for law enforcement officers. He is also a member of the KHP’s Mobile Field Force, a Firearms Instructor, and a member of the agency’s recruiting team.

Tricia Tiede
Sergeant, Wichita Police Department

Sgt Tiede graduated from the Wichita/Sedgwick County, Kansas Law Enforcement Academy in 1995.  She has spent the past 29 years serving in various capacities at the Wichita Police Department, including patrol officer, detective, and instructor on various safety topics. Sgt Tiede has been the recipient of multiple honors and awards throughout her years of service, including the Distinguished Service Award on five occasions and Detective of the Year in 2021. Sgt. Tied provides leadership to the Police Department and Community through her experience and training, and she strives to develop and enhance partnerships with citizens to positively affect the quality of life in the Wichita community.

Veronica Anderson
Champion of FirstNet Solutions in Healthcare

With a commendable tenure of over 16 years at AT&T, Veronica Anderson has distinguished herself as an expert in the telecommunications field, particularly within the FirstNet program, where she has dedicated the last six years of her career. Currently serving as a FirstNet Lead Sales Executive 4, Veronica specializes in managing Private Sector accounts, with a deep-seated expertise in the healthcare sector. Her role involves not just leadership but a profound commitment to understanding and meeting the unique communication needs of healthcare providers. 

Veronica's passion lies in consulting with clients, especially within the healthcare vertical, to ensure they understand the critical importance of being on FirstNet. She champions the FirstNet mission with the belief that reliable, secure, and efficient communication is paramount in healthcare settings for both emergency and routine care. Her advocacy is grounded in the conviction that connecting healthcare providers on FirstNet not only enhances their operational efficiency but also significantly impacts patient care and outcomes. 

As she prepares to share her insights at the upcoming panel, Veronica Anderson is not just representing AT&T or FirstNet; she is a voice for the transformative power of dedicated public safety communications, especially in healthcare. Her expertise, passion, and visionary approach make her a pivotal figure in driving forward the conversation on how technology, and specifically FirstNet, can be leveraged to support healthcare providers, enabling them to deliver superior care in an increasingly complex and demanding environment.