Dia Gainor, MPA, EMT-P, QAS

Account Executive

Dia is the executive director for the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials (NASEMSO) and provides strategic leadership to promote and expand the organization’s presence and capacity as a national leader in emergency medical services (EMS). As executive director, she acts as a spokesperson for NASEMSO, positioning the association to pursue its mission of providing vision, leadership and resources in the development and improvement of state, regional and local EMS and emergency care systems with federal partners and other organizations. Her major duties and responsibilities include outreach, representation, and business development. She also is the staff lead for both the “EMS Compass” performance measures development project funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Department of Homeland Security-funded Recognition of EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact project. Prior to coming to ASMI, Dia was Idaho’s State EMS director for 19 years. She served as president and treasurer of NASEMSO, as well as chair of its Highway Incident & Transportations Systems Committee. In 2008, Dia was appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) to serve on the National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC) and was selected by the NHTSA Administrator to serve as the Council’s first chair. She also chairs the Transportation Safety Advancement Group (TSAG) for the U.S. DOT within the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, which focuses on interdisciplinary opportunities to promote technology solutions to protect public safety responders and travelers. She is an “EMS 10 Innovator” and the 2010 recipient of the James O. Page/JEMS Award. In 2011, Dia received the highest award the Idaho Military Division may bestow upon a civilian, the Idaho Distinguished Service Medal. Additionally, she received the Idaho Governor’s Challenge Coin in gratitude for her service. In 2012, she was selected for the federal Public Safety Award by the Administrator of NHTSA “In recognition of her outstanding national leadership in enhancing the collaboration among highway safety, public health, transportation, and emergency medical services.” The first ever Outstanding Wildfire Emergency Medical Service Distinguished Service Award was presented by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s Incident Emergency Medical Subcommittee to Dia in 2013 “for providing unparalleled service in wildfire emergency medical services.” Dia’s expertise is grounded in a B.S. in Emergency Health Services Administration, a master’s degree in Public Administration, a Mickelson Memorial Fellowship bestowed by the Western Governors Association, and 12 years of field experience as a paramedic and firefighter. She joined ASMI in 2011.