PEPL Authors

The Principles of Ethics and Personal Leadership (PEPL) author team is responsible for developing the PEPL course materials for students and instructors, and providing advice and guidance to PEPL faculty. Read about the authors below:

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PEPL Authors

Leslie Hernandez, Chair

Leslie Hernandez, MAEd, FP-C, has been a paramedic since 1983. She worked for Kendall County EMS and Bulverde Spring Branch EMS – rural 911 providers in the capacity of paramedic, education director, and assistant administrator.

She currently serves as division director of Community Education at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Hernandez oversees the paramedic and critical care flight medic program for the U.S. Army. She received her Master's degree with a focus on adult education and training from University of Phoenix and is currently working on her EdD in adult education. She serves as the American Health Heart Association Training Center Coordinator.

Hernandez speaks at state and national EMS conferences on multiple topics, including blended learning environments for today’s EMS professional.
Craig A. Manifold, DO, Medical Director

Dr. Craig Manifold serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Health Sciences, School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He is the former Medical Director for the San Antonio Fire Department and surrounding areas in Texas County including San Antonio AirLIFE.

He attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and continued his training in Emergency Medicine with his Internship at Wilford Hall Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas and his Residency with the Joint Military Medical Centers Emergency Medicine Residency in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Manifold is presently serving on several committees with the South Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC), American College of Emergency Physicians, and Governors EMS and Trauma Advisory Committee. He also serves as Joint Surgeon for the Texas Air National Guard, and Commander for the 149th Medical Group of the Texas Air National Guard in San Antonio.

Presently, Dr. Manifold serves as Principal Investigator for several clinical trials. Dr. Manifold has had several publications and has presented at many national conferences as well as overseas in other world conferences.
Rod Barrett

Rod Barrett of Bentonville, Ark., began his career as an EMT in 1978 and became a Paramedic in 1982. He received a bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University in 1973, and became an R.N. in 2004. He served with both private and public service models in Little Rock, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn., before joining the Bella Vista Fire/EMS department in 1986. He retired after 25 years with the department. Barrett continues in the EMS community as an instructor in several disciplines and as an adjunct instructor for Northwest Arkansas Community College in the College of Health-related Professions, as well as various other agencies.

Barrett served on the NAEMT Board, the Arkansas EMT Association Board of Directors for 12 years with three terms as president, and as a member of the Arkansas Governor’s Advisory Committee since 1996. He also serves on the Fire Science Advisory Board and the EMS advisory board for Northwest Arkansas Community College. He was inducted into the Arkansas EMS Hall of Fame in 2014.

He has chaired the Disciplinary Process Committee on the current revision of the Arkansas EMS Rules & Regulations and has been active as an adjunct instructor for the Northwest Arkansas Community College in the College of Health Related Professions, and serves on the Fire and EMS advisory boards.
Chris Cebollero

Nationally recognized EMS leader, author and advocate, Chris Cebollero is also the Senior Partner for Cebollero & Associates, a consulting firm assisting EMS agencies transition to the Community Paramedic model. He is the Host of the EMS Leadership Podcast on EMS Radio, Host of the World of EMS Podcast for EMS World, Video Host of the Innovation Zone on EMS1, Host of Inside EMS podcast for EMS1, and Executive Producer of the EMS Roundtable podcasts. Chris served on the NAEMT Board of Directors and has been a member of NAEMT since 1999.
John Pierce

John Pierce, MBA, NRP, serves as Instructor, Emergency Medicine Program, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Pittsburgh, and as Associate Director, Office of Education at the Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania.

John got his start in EMS as a volunteer EMT and firefighter and has functioned in various provider, manager and administrative roles for private, public and fire-based service EMS models. He received his MBA in 2011 from the University of Phoenix and been providing prehospital patient care for 24 years, 20 of which have been at the Advanced Life Support level. He has served in various capacities as educator and coordinator delivering AHA, ASHI, VFIS, NAEMT, ASLS and DOT EMS curricula.

John has a passion for EMS and its people. He is active as an advocate for EMS at the local, state and federal levels, with a focus on leadership development and management education for industry members. He was a member of the Allegheny County EMS Council’s Safety Committee and the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council’s Critical Care Task Force.