Thursday, 3/20/2025

**All Courses will be held in the Lower Conference Center**

"Why 'Why' Means Everything" | 8:00 - 9:00

Description:

Often, leaders focus on clarity, execution, and effective communication to become great leaders. However, they overlook the commitment to lead courageously. Usually, this can be seen where a corporate leader is vocalizing an idea, yet the project fails to come to fruition. No one rallies behind their project, deadlines are missed, and people are put on performance review. The unfortunate reality is that the leader often misses the fundamental proponent of driving the team—the Why behind the vision. Before anything can be accomplished, a motivated leader must have a clear vision of where they are headed and what it is that they are seeking to accomplish. Cody has spent the past 15 years leveraging Vision Driven Leadership to give people hope, from youth to professionals working in the corporate world. From this journey, he learned that no matter what the vision is, we must keep in mind that there will be unexpected disruptions, obstacles, and rapid changes to which we must adapt as we move forward.

Actionable takeaways:

• Learn steps to identify the strong “why” behind a vision that can stimulate execution.

• Discover how to roll out a “why” into a tangible plan that encourages full team participation.

• Hear about three pillars that create a strong Vision Driven Leadership message.

Presenter: Cody Byrns is an internationally recognized speaker and number one best-selling author. In May of 2013, Cody’s life was drastically changed. While stopped at a red light on the highway, Cody was rear-ended by a box truck that failed to stop. As a result, he was considered dead until first responders saw his hand move. He received many injuries that day, including severe burns to almost 40 percent of his body. After years of countless surgeries and rehabilitation, Cody has chosen to not allow his scars to keep him bound in bitterness and defeat. Instead, he uses his story to uplift others. His goal is to help people live free from the bonds of scars (physical and emotional), equipping others with the proper steps to walk out of their past hurt and defeat and run towards their full potential. As a thought leader, he speaks worldwide to provide relevant, applicable, and thought-provoking messages.

"It's Okay to Laugh" | 9:15 - 11:45

Description:

American Emergency Preparedness is a national leader in 911 dispatcher welfare and self-care instruction. This workshop exposes the 911 professional to proven self-care techniques they will be able to utilize every day of their career, on and off the job. In a world and industry of daily challenges, AEP brings solution-based thinking to stress; we have modeled this workshop after results found through rigorous research and applied peer-reviewed answers to the challenging health questions of our industry. We have combined our “Hero’s Choice” method of stress mitigation with this new peer-support model to achieve true industry guidelines for self-care. Add in the presence, personality, and sense of humor of our instructors, and you have a four-hour workshop that attendees will be sure to remember for years to come!

In this workshop, we will cover:

• The Power of Laughter

• The Physiology of Stress

• The Positive Effect of Challenge

• Empathy as a Daily Tool of Leadership

• What You Can Exercise on Every Tour of Duty

• How to Battle Negativity

Presenter:

Ted Bourgeois, Director of Education at AEP, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role. With a background spanning over four decades in the emergency field, Ted's journey began as a Company medic in the U.S. Army in 1982. Since then, he has continuously evolved his skills and knowledge, becoming proficient in various areas crucial to emergency response.

Ted's dedication to education is evident in his extensive training certifications, which include tactical police and fire dispatching, critical incident stress counseling, suicide prevention, domestic violence intervention, hostage negotiation, active shooter response, counter-terrorism tactics, and advanced fire training. His military experience equipped him with essential skills in creating Emergency Action Plans and fundamental emergency procedures.

Throughout his career, Ted has transitioned from being an instructor in basic CPR and first aid to becoming an APCO certified instructor in call-taking and a Certified Training Officer. His commitment to staying updated with industry standards ensures that AEP's educational offerings remain relevant and effective.

Now retired from active service, Ted continues to contribute to the emergency response community by promoting industry awareness and providing essential training. His role at AEP involves developing educational material and coordinating the delivery of courses tailored to meet the evolving needs of clients.