Lauren Emanuelson | Washington, IL

Lauren Emanuelson’s commitment to lifelong learning is evident in everything she does. Raised in Ottawa, Illinois, Lauren began her EMS career while still in high school, volunteering with local ambulance services and earning her first responder license at age 16. She went on to complete every level of EMS education while pursuing advanced degrees. She holds a bachelor's in nursing from the University of St. Francis, a master's in legal studies from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Science in Data Science from Eastern University. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, focused on leadership development for frontline paramedic managers.

For almost ten years, Lauren worked at OSF in various nursing roles but her passion for pre-hospital medicine led her back to full-time EMS practice. She has served at Advanced Medical Transport (AMT) for nearly 16 years and is currently the Vice President of Operations. Her system-wide quality improvement initiatives, in collaboration with the Peoria Fire Department, improved out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivability in Peoria and Tazewell counties by 31.5%. “These numbers are not just statistics,” says Todd Baker, President of AMT. “They represent real people who survive insurmountable medical events due to Lauren's effort to instill collaborative, structured, data-driven care.” Through this program, Lauren co-authored nationally scaled research published in Critical Care Medicine in 2024 showing improved patient survivability utilizing neuroprotective CPR.

Lauren has received national recognition for her work, being honored as a “40 Under 40” by the American Ambulance Association and receiving the Zoll Pulse Award for leadership. Under her guidance, AMT’s Race to the Top program won two AMBY awards for Best Clinical Outcomes and Community Impact.

As a child, Lauren “grew up playing every sport imaginable,” and enjoyed helping teammates improve their skills. Her passion for coaching plays out as she mentors emerging EMS professionals, believing that “sustainable healthcare leadership begins with investing in people.”

One of the greatest challenges Lauren has overcome has been her struggle with adult obesity. “The weight gain happened gradually, and one day I realized I was down a path of no return.” She committed to improving her nutrition and activity level and received bariatric surgery as part of a structured, long-term plan. “This taught me the value of giving myself grace, focusing on sustainable progress, and embracing small, meaningful changes that built lasting habits.”

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Lauren enjoys staying active through kickboxing and spending time with her dogs, Rory and Argus. “My favorite hangout spot in central Illinois is the Peoria Civic Center during the Peoria Rivermen hockey season. From October through April, you can usually find me in Section 212 on weekends, cheering on the Rivermen,” a passion and hobby she shares with her significant other, Mike Bishoff.