Dr. Daniel Shepherd will be the next medical director for the Santa Barbara County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has announced. Dr. Shepherd will officially begin his new role on Feb. 1.
Dr. Shepherd began working at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Emergency Department in 2014, quickly becoming involved in the EMS System. He has served as the medical director for the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, as well as the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
In 2016, Dr. Shepherd began serving as medical director for the Ventura County EMS Agency. He is one of a small group of physicians to have earned an EMS Subspecialty Board Certification from the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
“With his extensive experience in our local systems, Dr. Shepherd will be an immediate asset to the critical initiatives underway in our EMS system,” said Van Do-Reynoso, Public Health director.
Dr. Shepherd began his EMS career as a lifeguard in Ventura, followed by several years working as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for the University of California, Santa Barbara Ambulance Service.
He earned his medical degree from Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, completing his residency in emergency medicine at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center.
“Dr. Shepherd has a thorough understanding of the current EMS environment in California, and more specifically, Santa Barbara County,” said Nick Clay, EMS Agency director. “He brings expertise and energy, focusing on evidence-based initiatives and leveraging technology to move the county’s EMS system to the next chapter.”
Current medical director Dr. Angelo Salvucci will step down and assume the new role of assistant medical director for the Santa Barbara County EMS Agency, supporting various projects.
— Jackie Ruiz for Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.