Please tell us a little bit about yourself:

My name is Benjamin Abraham Swig. I’ve dedicated my life to serving others through emergency medicine, healthcare innovation and public health leadership. From my early days as an EMT to becoming a paramedic and administrator with New Orleans EMS, and later co-founding two mobile health businesses, my work has always centered on strengthening systems that care for people in their greatest moments of need. I am a recipient of the Surgeon General’s Outstanding Service Award and the 2024 EMS Leadership Award, and currently a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) candidate at Tulane University, where I’m researching the use of drones for emergency medical care and the fiscal sustainability of EMS. Eagle County is my home and I’m running for the ECPS Board to ensure our paramedic services remain world-class, community-focused, and future-ready.

Why do you want to join the ECPS Board of Directors?

I want to serve on the ECPS Board to bring a first responder’s perspective to the table—something currently missing. As the only EMS provider in this race, I offer critical insight into what it takes to deliver high-quality, compassionate and efficient emergency care. I’m deeply invested in the future of this community and want to help guide ECPS through challenges and opportunities—ensuring it remains a national leader in out-of-hospital healthcare.

What are some of your prior board leadership experiences?

I have served on several advisory committees, healthcare coalitions and strategic planning groups, including those focused on EMS quality improvement, rural health delivery and mobile health innovation. I’ve helped build and guide mobile care programs from the ground up, which is included in ECPS’s current strategic plan. I’ve also advised startups and healthcare organizations across the U.S. on governance, operations and public health integration.

What skills, connections, resources, and expertise do you have to offer to our organization?

I bring a unique blend of real-world EMS experience, executive leadership and public health scholarship. My connections span emergency care systems, public health agencies, academic institutions and health tech innovators. I offer strategic planning expertise, experience in building mobile health infrastructure and a deep understanding of how policy, operations and patient care intersect. I also understand the fiscal realities of operating EMS systems and am passionate about sustainability, access and innovation.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I’m an avid skier, amateur drone pilot, and enthusiastic backcountry adventurer. I also enjoy exploring Colorado’s wilderness with my family and staying engaged in EMS education and emerging technology. Whether it’s on the mountain, in the field or in the community—I’m always thinking about how we can make our systems stronger, smarter and more responsive to the people we serve.