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Our Team Amy C. Mauro, Esq. Executive Director Amy C. Mauro, Esq. is an accomplished and transformative leader who has worked on critical policy issues and strategic organizational change for twenty-five years, in both District and federal agencies and in three branches of government. Read More Larissa Bergin Board Secretary Larissa Bergin is a Partner at Jones Day. Her practice addresses the antitrust concerns arising from M&A matters, joint ventures, federal investigations, and commercial practices. Read More Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD, MPH, MPA Board Member Lisa Fitzpatrick is Founder and CEO of Grapevine Health, a digital health media company whose mission is to build trust and improve patient engagement among Medicaid patients through delivering culturally appropriate and relatable health information. Read More Carrie Kohns Board Member Carrie Kohns is the founder and CEO of strategic communications consulting firm, K&K Group, where she has been guiding political, corporate and nonprofit clients since 2018. She has more than two decades of experience in political strategy, policy development and communications management. Read More Babak Sarani, MD Board Member Dr. Babak Sarani is Professor of Surgery and Emergency Medicine and Chief of Trauma Surgery at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. He and GW Hospital led the effort to provide whole blood to the paramedics in the DC Fire and EMS Department and to write the protocols which allow them to administer this life-saving modality to critically injured patients, resulting in a dramatic decrease in firearm-related deaths in Washington, DC. GW. Continuing to partner with the Washington, DC Fire Department, Dr. Sarani created and leads the only deployable Extrication and Amputation service in the District. Read More Tommy Wells Board Member Tommy Wells is a long-time DC resident, attorney, and public servant. Read More John A. Donnelly, Sr. Fire & EMS Chief and Honorary Co-Chair, ex officer Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly, Sr. was nominated by Mayor Muriel Bowser on September 4, 2020 to lead the 2,200 member DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. He was confirmed by the Council of the District of Columbia on December 15, 2020. Read More Steve Blivess Board Treasurer Steve Blivess is Chief Legal Counsel for Frederick County Public Schools. Blivess has spent the past 20 years as an attorney and labor relations professional with experience in litigation, as counsel to government executives, Fortune 500 corporations, family-owned businesses and individuals. Read More David Hoagland President, Local 36 of the IAFF and Board Member David Hoagland is President of Local 36 of the International Associated of Fire Fighters, representing over 2,000 members of the DC Fire & EMS Department. He is currently a Lieutenant and was most recently assigned to Engine 9 in the Adams Morgan/U Street neighborhood. Read More Robert Holman, MD Board Member Dr. Robert Holman is Associate Dean of Admissions at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. He retired from the practice of medicine in 2024, after serving as the Medical Director of the DC Fire and EMS Department for eight years, the Department's longest serving Medical Director. He served in that role following 24 years of private practice of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine. Read More Ronald Siarnicki Board Member Ronald Siarnicki spent 24 years in the fire service as a volunteer and professional firefighter before retiring and then serving as Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for 22 years. Read More Balchander Jayaraman Board Co-Chair Balchander Jayaraman is a recognized leader with over 18 years of emergency preparedness experience that includes evacuation and response plan development, Continuity of Operations planning, resilience assessment, HSEEP compliant exercise and scenario design and training, evacuation map creation, and program and project management. He is an effective consensus builder who has successfully worked with business leaders, government officials, advocacy groups, and community based organizations to generate support for innovative approaches to emergency preparedness planning. Read More Milton Douglas Board Member Milton Douglas retired from the DC Fire & EMS Department in 2022, after 35 years of service, at the rank of Assistant Fire Chief of Technical Services. Read More Kate Fogle Archivist Kate Fogle manages the Foundation's Virtual Exhibit, the History of the DC Fire and EMS Department in Photos, Videos, and Oral Histories, and supports the Washington, DC Fire and EMS Museum on behalf of the Foundation. Read More Renee McPhatter Board Member Renee McPhatter is proud Ward 7 resident who has lived in the District of Columbia for over 30 years. She is Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations at George Washington University. Read More John Sollers Board Member John Sollers retired from the DC Fire & EMS Department in 2021 at the rank of Assistant Fire Chief. During his 35 years with the Department, he specialized in special operations, incident command and response to technical rescue and hazardous materials incidents, logistics and facilities, fleet maintenance, program management, emergency planning, operational readiness, and instructing and training and motivating team members. Read More

< Back Babak Sarani, MD Board Member Dr. Sarani graduated from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in 1997. He then completed his training in General Surgery at GW in 2004. Following this, he completed fellowship training in Trauma and Critical Care Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. He began his career as an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, and Critical Care Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He was recruited back to DC in 2011 where he became the Founder and Director of the Center for Trauma and Critical Care at The George Washington University Hospital. Regionally, Dr. Sarani is a leader in trauma care both in Washington, DC and in Northern Virginia. Dr. Sarani established the first trauma center in Arlington, Virginia and is now leading the effort to establish the first trauma center in Anacostia, Washington, DC. He is the immediate past Chair of the Washington, DC Committee on Trauma – a position that he held for six years. Dr. Sarani is now the Vice Chair and Chair Designate for the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Performance Improvement Program, which is tasked with establishing evidence-based guidelines for trauma care nationally. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Trauma Society, past member of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Secretary of the Surgical Critical Care Program Director’s Society, President of the Chest Wall Injury Society, past Chair of the Brady United Against Gun Violence Regional Leadership Council for Washington, DC, and past Editor-in-Chief of the Society of Critical Care Medicine textbook on the Fundamentals of Critical Care Support. Dr. Sarani is also an active researcher who has published the only papers evaluating causes of death following public mass shootings. These papers have altered response strategies and processes of care in many EMS jurisdictions throughout the United States. During his off time, he enjoys traveling with his wife and two daughters and eating at fine restaurants.

< Back Robert Holman, MD Board Member From 2013 to 2016 Dr. Holman served as Internal Medicine Discipline Director for Unity Health Care, Washington’s largest federally qualified health center. In 2016 he was asked to assist in the transformation of Washington, D.C.’s Fire and EMS agency, where he became their longest serving Medical Director – with accomplishments including: Development of the nation’s largest 911 nurse triage line; Increase in Utstein cardiac arrest survival rates from below national average in 2016 to being tied for #1 in the US in 2023; neurologically intact survivors increased by 200%; Improvement in stroke bundle of care performance from 7% in October 2022 to 70% in May 2024; Facilitated interagency collaboration to establish the D.C. Stabilization Center that directs intoxicated patients from Emergency Departments to a community stabilization center; and Launched field transfusion of whole blood in D.C., contributing to a decreased homicide rate. Dr. Holman served on GUSOM’s Committee on Admissions from 2001-09 and served the National Board of Medical Examiners for sixteen years as, primarily, a member of the USMLE Step 2 committee. He is recipient of the 2024 Eagle award for national leadership in EMS, awarded by the Metropolitan Medical Directors Global Alliance. Dr. Holman obtained his BA in Latin from the University of California, Davis, graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine, interned at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and later returned to Georgetown for the remainder of his Internal Medicine residency and chief residency before completing a Medical Staff Fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.

< Back Carrie Kohns Board Member Carrie’s career includes notable roles serving prominent political figures. Most recently, Carrie served as Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications to Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., where she played a key role in shaping the mayor's messaging and media strategy. For seven years, she was the Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Karen Bass, now Mayor of Los Angeles, where she managed communications, policy and strategic initiatives to steer Bass’ agenda on the national stage. Prior to this, Carrie served as Chief of Staff and Communications Director for Mayor Adrian Fenty in Washington, D.C. Her leadership in these high-pressure environments allowed her to shape major public policy and communications strategies. Previously, Carrie served as the Washington Director and Communications Director for Rep. Loretta Sanchez, running her Capitol Hill operation, handling media relations and legislative initiatives. Carrie grew up in Washington, DC and lives in Ward 4 with her husband, a Metropolitan Police Department Officer, and her son.

< Back Kate Fogle Archivist Kate previously served as an Associate Curator of Photography at the Library of Congress, where she curated photographic materials, made recommendations for historical and contemporary acquisitions, and wrote for the Library's Picture This blog. She has had fellowships or internships at the National Women’s History Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and several museums and archives in New York. Kate has a Master of Arts in Film and Photography Preservation & Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University in Ontario, Canada. She lives in the DC area with her young daughter and her husband, who is an active-duty Coast Guard Officer.

2026 Awards Ceremony and Dinner The DC Fire & EMS Foundation co-hosted the 2026 DC Fire and EMS Department Awards Ceremony and Dinner on April 10, 2026. Thank you to our sponsors and donors who helped make this amazing night happen! Contact us for information on how to become a sponsor at the 2027 ceremony! Video Honoring Mid-Air Collision First Responders Video Honoring Technician Stephen Shipp, Jr. Thank You to Our Sponsors Platinum Level 2025 Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner 2024 Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner See the full 2026 Photo Album here and the full ceremony here . Photos by Shanika Clegg Guests of Sponsor ServePro of Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly, his wife Germaine Donnelly, and special guests Foundation Board Member Tommy Wells and his wife Barbara Wells Foundation Board Member Dr. Robert Holman and Assistant City Administrator Chris Rodriguez Special Guest Lovey Stovall and K9 Bill DCFD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums Department MCs BFC Brian Palmer and BFC Jeff Coombe Foundation Executive Director Amy Mauro DC Fire and EMS Department Honor Guard Foundation Board Co-Chairs Chander Jayaraman and Fire Chief John Donnelly with Zach Leonsis,Monumental Sports & Entertainment Zach Leonsis accepting Fire & EMS Champion Award on behalf of Ted Leonsis, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Guest MCs Fred Smoot and Brian Mitchell, retired Washington Commanders Guest MC Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board Guest MC Aimee Cho, Journalist and Reporter, NBC4 Washington (WRC-TV) Lindsey Appiah, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Sonia Shipp receives the Benjamin Grenup Recognition of behalf of her husband Technician Stephen Shipp, Jr. The parents of two boys rescued from a fire thank their life savers from Engine 11, Truck 6, and Rescue Squad 2 Eastern Concert Choir Eastern Concert Choir Families of Flight 5342 honor the first responders to the January 2025 Mid-Air Collision Families of Flight 5342 honor the first responders to the January 2025 Mid-Air Collision Mid-Air Collision Honorees Eastern Concert Choir Fire Boat Company of the Year Honorees Pre-Hospital Care awardee with Children's Hospital Partners Paramedic of the Year, Firefighter of the Year, and Administrative Employee of the Year Administrative Officer and Paramedic of the Year Chief Officer of the Year Cardiac Arrest Survivor thanks her MPD and DC Fire EMS (Engine 14, Medic 17 and EMS 4) life savers Cardiac Arrest Survivor thanks his life savers from Engine 9 Engine 9 members with GWU Hospital Partners Administrative Unit Citation Awardees Fire Chief Excellence Awardees AFC Gary Steen, Medical Director Dr. Sean Morgan, and Chief of Staff John Coombs Retiring AFC Daniel McCoy with Chief Donnelly Additional Photos by Valerie-Wraggs Freeman Foundation Board Member Retired Assistant Chief Milton Douglas and his wife Ingrid Bucksell Sponsor Vespers CEO Dr. Milad Pooran and Guest

< Back Amy C. Mauro, Esq. Executive Director Amy is a results-oriented manager and problem-solver known for her depth of knowledge on policy, legal, agency operations, budget, public safety and criminal justice issues. From 2015 to 2023, she served as Chief of Staff for the DC Fire and EMS Department during a time of significant transformation of the Department . She worked with retired Chief Gregory M. Dean, current Chief John A. Donnelly, Sr., and their executive leadership teams, to drive strategic budget investment, cultural and organizational change, and service improvements. The Department’s reforms and innovations, particularly in the area of EMS, have received national recognition and emulation. Prior to working for the Department, Amy served as General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the DC Office of Risk Management (DCORM), as well as a staff member in the Office of the City Administrator, DC US Attorney’s Office and DC Council. Amy is passionate about improving DC Fire & EMS services for DC residents, which includes her family and kids. She is currently working with the Board to build the DC Fire & EMS Foundation to the stature that the Department’s members and customers deserve. Amy is a DC native and lives with her husband Mark, and their two children, in Ward 6.

< Back Renee McPhatter Board Member Earlier in her career, Renee worked for D.C. Councilmember Kathy Patterson as the staff director for the D.C. Council Committee on Judiciary. In that role, she worked on issues pertaining to the Fire and EMS department. Renee also held other positions in the District government including serving as Deputy Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs for former D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, and General Counsel for the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services. Renee earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law.

DC FIRE & EMS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $442,467 IN GRANT AWARDS FROM LEGACY ON ICE PROCEEDS Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s Legacy on Ice event raised funds for the families of those lost in the tragic January 29, 2025 mid-air collision over the Potomac River, first responders, and the US Figure Skating Association Contact: Amy C. Mauro, Esq. 202-297-0599 amy@dcfireemsfoundation.org August 1, 2025 (Washington, DC) – On March 2, 2025, Legacy On Ice brought the figure skating community and thousands of supporters together at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena to honor the 67 lives lost in the January 29th airline tragedy on the Potomac River, as well as the first responders who rushed to the scene. One third of the funds raised by the event will benefit area first responders (the remaining funds benefit the families and the US Figure Skating Association). “The grants being announced today are both a practical measure of gratitude and a symbol of hope and healing for those first responders who worked on this tragic scene to help bring closure to the families of those who lost their lives,” said Chander Jayaraman, Co-Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Government agencies involved in the plane crash response, or their affiliated non-profit organizations, were eligible to apply for the funds. The grant applications were evaluated by a committee of DC Fire & EMS Foundation Board and staff members, and then reviewed and approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. The evaluations were based on the eligibility of the applicant, the quality and completeness of the application, the anticipated impact of the proposed funding, and the nature and size of the responding agency’s response to the Potomac River tragedy. The Foundation announced the following awards: $142,500 to the DC Police Foundation for the building of Wellness Rooms for Metropolitan Police Department personnel, a Member Wellness Academy for police officers and their families, and the purchase of an mobile wellness application for every police officer on the force; $85,000 to the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for foundational support of mass casualty response operations, enhanced response readiness, and delivery of targeted staff training on trauma-informed family assistance and interagency coordination; $27,554 to the Prince Georges County, MD Fire and EMS Department for a new wireless communication system and equipment for special operations personnel, as well as a train the trainer course on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, an evidence-based therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, for both the county’s fire and police departments; $15,000 to Charles County Dive and Rescue, Inc. to support their purchase of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to assist with dives and rescues; and $172,413 to benefit DC Fire & EMS Department personnel through its affiliated organizations, including: $44,247 to the DC Fire & EMS Foundation in unrestricted funds for Legacy on Ice related program costs; $70,196 to the DC Fire & EMS Foundation for sustaining and expanding trauma support services for DC firefighters and EMS personnel; $25,000 to Food on the Stove to support its Food for Thought initiative $23,000 to the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation to support its Family Services program; and $10,000 to the DCFD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums for supplies and equipment replacements. Amy C. Mauro, Esq., Executive Director of the Foundation, stated that “We are eternally grateful to Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports & Entertainment for their leadership in this initiative and their understanding of the impact that this work has on these employees and organizations.” ###########

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< Back John Sollers Board Member John has extensive experience coordinating with both local and federal agencies and is a certified instructor in hazardous materials, incident management, and National Fire Protection Administration best practices. He is a graduate of the Executive Leaders Program: Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security and the University of Maryland.