Leadership Team
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Richard SchompChief Operating OfficerRichard Schomp is the Chief Operating Officer for Sunstar Paramedics. For 35 years Richard has worked in various roles within the company beginning in 1987 when he began his career as a part time emergency medical technician. Richard went on to complete paramedic school at St. Petersburg College. Richard holds 2 separate associates degrees from St Petersburg College and a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from Eckerd college. Richard has extensive knowledge of every facet of Sunstar’s operational channels. Previously serving as the Director of Operations for 9+ years, Richard oversaw the past 2 CAAS Accreditation cycles with no deficiencies noted. Early in his career, Richard spent several years working in the Communications center as an operator and overseeing quality assurance. During that time, Richard was instrumental in helping the Communication Center complete 3 Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) accreditations. Richard is a Pinellas county certified paramedic and firefighter(retired). He possesses an extensive background in emergency management and labor management. After serving 25 years, Richard retired from the City of Seminole in 2012 as a District Chief. Richard has been a resident of Pinellas County for over four decades and has been married to his wife Doreen for 35 years with whom he has three adult children. |
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DEBBIE VASSDIRECTOR OF QUALITY INITIATIVESDebbie Vass is the Director of Quality Initiatives for Paramedics Plus. Previously, she was the Chief Administrative Officer for Sunstar Paramedics. She joined Sunstar Paramedics as an EMT in 1986 and has worked as a paramedic, registered nurse and director of clinical services within the organization. Debbie’s primary focus is ensuring quality patient care throughout all levels of the Sunstar team. A certified paramedic and licensed nurse in the state of Florida, Debbie has also served as an adjunct, non-credit faculty/CME Instructor at St. Petersburg College and has taught Pinellas County Continuing Education Classes to EMTs, paramedics and nurses. She holds associate’s degrees in nursing and emergency service management from St. Petersburg College and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in management. She was named “Nurse of the Year” by the State of Florida in 2008, and helped steer Sunstar Paramedics to earn a Florida Governor’s Sterling Award in 2009. She also serves as a Florida Governor Sterling Lead Examiner. Debbie is a native of Pinellas County and a graduate of the Leadership Pinellas class of 2009. Her hobbies include bicycling, movies and photography. |
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JEREMY TINTERDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONSJeremy Tinter is the Director of Operations for Sunstar Paramedics in Pinellas County. He has been with Sunstar for over 15 years and was recently promoted from Director of Clinical Services position which he held for 6 years. As he grew through the ranks, Jeremy held many positions over the years such as a Clinical Services Coordinator, Field Training Officer, Critical Care Paramedic, and Assistant Supervisor. His emergency medical services career has not only been clinical care but also focused on education and training. Jeremy holds many instructor ratings ranging from AHA to NAEMT, served as an adjunct through the non-credit faculty/CME Instructor at St. Petersburg College and as a PCEMS CME Program to EMTs, Paramedics and Nurses. As the Clinical Director, he and his department was awarded the State of Florida EMS Educator of the Year Award in 2017. He was the proud recipient of the seventeenth annual 2016 American Ambulance Associations “Star of Life” award and ’40 under 40’ in 2021. Before moving to Operations, Jeremy was the chair of the quality committee for Pinellas County Fire & EMS and recently produced several research articles showcased at the National EMS Physicians conference in 2021. Jeremy is a native of Florida and a longtime resident of Pinellas County. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a MBA with a focus in healthcare analytics, BA in interdisciplinary social sciences, and a graduate of EMS Leadership Academy, class of 2016. He loves to care and work for the community where he lives and does this through his current role and volunteering for 211 Tampa Bay Cares as a board of directors since 2020 and as their governance chair since 2021. |
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 | JAZMIN SOLOMANDIRECTOR OF CLINICAL SERVICESJazmin Soloman is the Director of Clinical Services for Sunstar Paramedics. During Jazmin’s time at Sunstar she has held various positions, including Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic, Assistant Operations Supervisor, and Emergency Medical Dispatcher. Prior to her appointment to this position, Jazmin served as the EMS Training Coordinator for Pinellas County EMS. Jazmin has participated in the curriculum development, continuing education, and clearance process for Pinellas County EMTs and Paramedics. She holds multiple instructor certifications from the American Heart Association and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and Jazmin takes great pride in the education and professional development of clinicians. Jazmin holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration in Emergency Management and Homeland Security and a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of New England. During her studies, she focused on maternal and child health, emergency management, conflict competence, injury prevention, and community health promotion programs. Jazmin is a mother of 3 who enjoys travel, hiking, and fitness. Jazmin is known to focus greatly on “why we do what we do”, in all levels of training and leadership. |
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JIM PENNINGTONDIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYJim Pennington is the Director of Information Technology for Sunstar Paramedics. He’s been in charge of the IT department since 2000 and before that held the position of System Status Supervisor and Data Analyst. Before joining Sunstar in 1994, Jim worked in the banking industry and was a certified law enforcement officer in Pinellas County. Jim is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and holds bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Management Information Systems from the University of South Florida. A lifelong resident of Pinellas County, Jim enjoys spending time with his wife and photography. He is an active board member of a local non-profit photography group and served on his local homeowners’ association for 10 years and 5 years as president. Jim is also a graduate of Leadership Pinellas, class of 2012. |
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BRIAN EELLSDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONSBrian Eells is the Director of Communications for Sunstar Paramedics. As the leader of Sunstar’s prestigious Communications Center, that has earned the title of being an Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch, Brian is responsible for maintaining superior emergency service standards. He joined the Sunstar team in 2002. Throughout Brian’s time at Sunstar he has held various positions, including EMT, ACH EMT, Paramedic, System Status Controller, and Communications Supervisor. Brian holds a Master of Business Administration Degree along with a Bachelor’s of Art in anthropology. He is a Certified County Paramedic and has been certified as an International Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatcher since 2003. Brian has been married for 5 years and is a father of three. He spends his time enjoying family and friends, traveling, reading, and learning new things. |
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BARRY NIEMANNDIRECTOR OF DEPLOYMENT & ANALYSISBarry Niemann is the Director of Deployment and Analysis for Paramedics Plus. He joined Sunstar Paramedics as an EMT in 1982 and has worked as a paramedic, flight paramedic, adjunct instructor, Emergency Medical Dispatcher and communications center manager. Barry’s primary focus is to analyze ambulance call data by time of day, day of week and location to ensure the proper amount of resources are on duty to meet the needs of our customers throughout our organization. Barry has been a guest speaker at several national conferences and has hosted EMS systems from all over the world. He holds an associate’s degree in emergency medical services from St. Petersburg College and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in human services. Barry led the Sunstar Communications Center in receiving an Accreditation of Excellence from the National Academies of Dispatch in 2000. He is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Pinellas. Barry is a native of Pinellas County and enjoys the outdoors including tennis, softball and anything on the water. |
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MALACHI WHITEDIRECTOR OF RECRUITINGMalachi White has been with Patient Care EMS Solutions since April 2016. In his role, Malachi oversees recruitment and on-boarding of all clinical, non-clinical and support staff at Sunstar. Previously, Malachi served 20 years in the United States Air Force and recently retired as Master Sergeant, one of the three Senior Non-Commissioned Officer ranks in the Air Force. Malachi served in several positions in the Air Force. His primary job was Aircraft Armament Systems of the F-15, B-2 stealth bomber, and F-16. Most recently, he served 3 years as an Air Force Enlisted Accessions Recruiter in St Petersburg, Florida where he recruited and facilitated the enlistment of 120 of Pinellas County’s finest volunteers. As an Air Force recruiter, he received the prestigious Silver Badge award for three consecutive years. This badge is awarded to the recruiter who achieves 115% of the Air Force’s annual recruitment goal. Additionally, while in the Air Force, Malachi served as an Airman Leadership School Instructor, in which he facilitated over 2000 hours of leadership training and professional development for new Air Force supervisors. Malachi has been awarded several times in his career in the Air Force, most notably, he was awarded as the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year for the 86th Logistics Readiness Group in Rammstein Air Base, Germany. Malachi earned his MBA from Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach California, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Curriculum Development from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Malachi has been married to his wife June, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant for 20 years. They have 2 children, Bryana and Ruben. When not working, Malachi loves to cook and spend time watching movies with his family. He is an admitted Star Wars and Marvel fanatic. |
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GARY DICKEYDIRECTOR OF SUPPORT SERVICESGary Dickey is the Director of Support Services for Sunstar Paramedics. He joined Sunstar Paramedics as the Warehouse Coordinator in 2016 and oversees the Materials, Fleet, Warehouse, and Accounting departments. Gary has an extensive Logistic, Operation, and Loss Prevention background, managing big box retailers such as Best Buy and Bed Bath and Beyond. Gary holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of South Florida and is a Florida native. |
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Trevor Miller-EvansSafety & Risk ManagerTrevor Miller-Evans is the Safety and Risk Manager for Sunstar Paramedics. His primary focus is to provide leadership to promote the health and safety of Sunstar first responders and our interactions and response within the community. He began his EMS career in 2010 holding prior positions as FTO, Dispatcher, Supervisor, and Education Coordinator. He provided steadfast leadership for our employee response through the 2020 pandemic and continues to promote a safe and engaged working environment for the Sunstar organization. Trevor holds a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Waldorf University of Iowa with a Bachelor’s in Education and Community Leadership from Saint Petersburg College. He is a lifelong learner and holds multiple certifications through OSHA and infection control practices. Trevor is a local resident of Saint Petersburg often found with his family bicycling around the downtown waterfront, enjoying the local markets and weekend festivals. If not in Pinellas, he can be found on an airplane looking for a new adventure around the world. |
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Elise HealHuman Resource ManagerElise Heal is the Human Resources and Payroll Manager for Sunstar Paramedics. Elise joined Sunstar Paramedics in early 2023. She supports employees and leadership to ensure regulatory and company compliance. Additionally, Elise focuses on employee relations, payroll management, benefits administration, and company training. Her tenure in the HR field spans over five years. She is knowledgeable in industries varying from manufacturing to public sector and technology. Elise graduated at the top of her class with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University. Additional education includes an associate degree in Broadcast Journalism from City College of Ft. Lauderdale, and BLS certification from the American Heart Association. She is also a Florida Notary. Born and raised in Miami, Elise can be found vacationing in the Florida Keys once a year. On weekends, she enjoys Sunday dinners with family. Her hobbies include exercise, cooking, DIY home improvement, watersports and karaoke. |
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RICHARD SCHOMP – CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERRichard Schomp is the Chief Operating Officer for Sunstar Paramedics. For 35 years Richard has worked in various roles within the company beginning in 1987 when he began his career as a part time emergency medical technician. Richard went on to complete paramedic school at St. Petersburg College. Richard holds 2 separate associates degrees from St Petersburg College and a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from Eckerd college.
Richard has extensive knowledge of every facet of Sunstar’s operational channels. Previously serving as the Director of Operations for 9+ years, Richard oversaw the past 2 CAAS Accreditation cycles with no deficiencies noted. Early in his career, Richard spent several years working in the Communications center as an operator and overseeing quality assurance. During that time, Richard was instrumental in helping the Communication Center complete 3 Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) accreditations.
Richard is a Pinellas county certified paramedic and firefighter(retired). He possesses an extensive background in emergency management and labor management. After serving 25 years, Richard retired from the City of Seminole in 2012 as a District Chief.
Richard has been a resident of Pinellas County for over four decades and has been married to his wife Doreen for 35 years with whom he has three adult children.
Debbie Vass is the Director of Quality Initiatives for Paramedics Plus. Previously, she was the Chief Administrative Officer for Sunstar Paramedics. She joined Sunstar Paramedics as an EMT in 1986 and has worked as a paramedic, registered nurse and director of clinical services within the organization. Debbie’s primary focus is ensuring quality patient care throughout all levels of the Sunstar team.
A certified paramedic and licensed nurse in the state of Florida, Debbie has also served as an adjunct, non-credit faculty/CME Instructor at St. Petersburg College and has taught Pinellas County Continuing Education Classes to EMTs, paramedics and nurses. She holds associate’s degrees in nursing and emergency service management from St. Petersburg College and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in management.
She was named “Nurse of the Year” by the State of Florida in 2008, and helped steer Sunstar Paramedics to earn a Florida Governor’s Sterling Award in 2009. She also serves as a Florida Governor Sterling Lead Examiner. Debbie is a native of Pinellas County and a graduate of the Leadership Pinellas class of 2009. Her hobbies include bicycling, movies and photography.
Jeremy Tinter is the Director of Operations for Sunstar Paramedics in Pinellas County. He has been with Sunstar for over 15 years and was recently promoted from Director of Clinical Services position which he held for 6 years. As he grew through the ranks, Jeremy held many positions over the years such as a Clinical Services Coordinator, Field Training Officer, Critical Care Paramedic, and Assistant Supervisor. His emergency medical services career has not only been clinical care but also focused on education and training. Jeremy holds many instructor ratings ranging from AHA to NAEMT, served as an adjunct through the non-credit faculty/CME Instructor at St. Petersburg College and as a PCEMS CME Program to EMTs, Paramedics and Nurses. As the Clinical Director, he and his department was awarded the State of Florida EMS Educator of the Year Award in 2017.
He was the proud recipient of the seventeenth annual 2016 American Ambulance Associations “Star of Life” award and ’40 under 40’ in 2021.
Before moving to Operations, Jeremy was the chair of the quality committee for Pinellas County Fire & EMS and recently produced several research articles showcased at the National EMS Physicians conference in 2021.
Jeremy is a native of Florida and a longtime resident of Pinellas County. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a MBA with a focus in healthcare analytics, BA in interdisciplinary social sciences, and a graduate of EMS Leadership Academy, class of 2016.
He loves to care and work for the community where he lives and does this through his current role and volunteering for 211 Tampa Bay Cares as a board of directors since 2020 and as their governance chair since 2021.
Jazmin Soloman – Director of Clinical Services
Jazmin Soloman is the Director of Clinical Services for Sunstar Paramedics.
During Jazmin’s time at Sunstar she has held various positions, including Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic, Assistant Operations Supervisor, and Emergency Medical Dispatcher. Prior to her appointment to this position, Jazmin served as the EMS Training Coordinator for Pinellas County EMS.
Jazmin has participated in the curriculum development, continuing education, and clearance process for Pinellas County EMTs and Paramedics. She holds multiple instructor certifications from the American Heart Association and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and Jazmin takes great pride in the education and professional development of clinicians.
Jazmin holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration in Emergency Management and Homeland Security and a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of New England. During her studies, she focused on maternal and child health, emergency management, conflict competence, injury prevention, and community health promotion programs.
Jazmin is a mother of 3 who enjoys travel, hiking, and fitness.
Jazmin is known to focus greatly on “why we do what we do”, in all levels of training and leadership.
Jim Pennington is the Director of Information Technology for Sunstar Paramedics. He’s been in charge of the IT department since 2000 and before that held the position of System Status Supervisor and Data Analyst. Before joining Sunstar in 1994, Jim worked in the banking industry and was a certified law enforcement officer in Pinellas County.
Jim is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and holds bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Management Information Systems from the University of South Florida.
A lifelong resident of Pinellas County, Jim enjoys spending time with his wife and photography. He is an active board member of a local non-profit photography group and served on his local homeowners’ association for 10 years and 5 years as president. Jim is also a graduate of Leadership Pinellas, class of 2012.
Brian Eells is the Director of Communications for Sunstar Paramedics. As the leader of Sunstar’s prestigious Communications Center, that has earned the title of being an Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch, Brian is responsible for maintaining superior emergency service standards.
He joined the Sunstar team in 2002. Throughout Brian’s time at Sunstar he has held various positions, including EMT, ACH EMT, Paramedic, System Status Controller, and Communications Supervisor.
Brian holds a Master of Business Administration Degree along with a Bachelor’s of Art in anthropology. He is a Certified County Paramedic and has been certified as an International Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatcher since 2003.
Brian has been married for 5 years and is a father of three. He spends his time enjoying family and friends, traveling, reading, and learning new things.
Malachi White has been with Patient Care EMS Solutions since April 2016. In his role, Malachi oversees recruitment and on-boarding of all clinical, non-clinical and support staff at Sunstar. Previously, Malachi served 20 years in the United States Air Force and recently retired as Master Sergeant, one of the three Senior Non-Commissioned Officer ranks in the Air Force.
Malachi served in several positions in the Air Force. His primary job was Aircraft Armament Systems of the F-15, B-2 stealth bomber, and F-16. Most recently, he served 3 years as an Air Force Enlisted Accessions Recruiter in St Petersburg, Florida where he recruited and facilitated the enlistment of 120 of Pinellas County’s finest volunteers. As an Air Force recruiter, he received the prestigious Silver Badge award for three consecutive years. This badge is awarded to the recruiter who achieves 115% of the Air Force’s annual recruitment goal. Additionally, while in the Air Force, Malachi served as an Airman Leadership School Instructor, in which he facilitated over 2000 hours of leadership training and professional development for new Air Force supervisors. Malachi has been awarded several times in his career in the Air Force, most notably, he was awarded as the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year for the 86th Logistics Readiness Group in Rammstein Air Base, Germany.
Malachi earned his MBA from Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach California, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Curriculum Development from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.
Malachi has been married to his wife June, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant for 20 years. They have 2 children, Bryana and Ruben. When not working, Malachi loves to cook and spend time watching movies with his family. He is an admitted Star Wars and Marvel fanatic.
TREVOR MILLER-EVANS – SAFETY & RISK MANAGER
Trevor Miller-Evans is the Safety and Risk Manager for Sunstar Paramedics. His primary focus is to provide leadership to promote the health and safety of Sunstar first responders and our interactions and response within the community. He began his EMS career in 2010 holding prior positions as FTO, Dispatcher, Supervisor, and Education Coordinator. He provided steadfast leadership for our employee response through the 2020 pandemic and continues to promote a safe and engaged working environment for the Sunstar organization.
Trevor holds a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Waldorf University of Iowa with a Bachelor’s in Education and Community Leadership from Saint Petersburg College. He is a lifelong learner and holds multiple certifications through OSHA and infection control practices.
Trevor is a local resident of Saint Petersburg often found with his family bicycling around the downtown waterfront, enjoying the local markets and weekend festivals. If not in Pinellas, he can be found on an airplane looking for a new adventure around the world.
ELISE HEAL – HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERElise Heal is the Human Resources and Payroll Manager for Sunstar Paramedics. Elise joined Sunstar Paramedics in early 2023. She supports employees and leadership to ensure regulatory and company compliance. Additionally, Elise focuses on employee relations, payroll management, benefits administration, and company training.
Her tenure in the HR field spans over five years. She is knowledgeable in industries varying from manufacturing to public sector and technology. Elise graduated at the top of her class with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University. Additional education includes an associate degree in Broadcast Journalism from City College of Ft. Lauderdale, and BLS certification from the American Heart Association. She is also a Florida Notary.
Born and raised in Miami, Elise can be found vacationing in the Florida Keys once a year. On weekends, she enjoys Sunday dinners with family. Her hobbies include exercise, cooking, DIY home improvement, watersports and karaoke.