The National Registry Team

Bill Seifarth, MS, NRP, ICE-CCP

Executive Director

Bill Seifarth was appointed by the National Registry Board of Directors to serve as the fifth Executive Director of the National Registry, starting August 24, 2018. A Nationally Registered paramedic and an industry veteran, Seifarth brings more than 20 years of experience to the position, including Emergency Medical Services (EMS) leadership at both the State and Federal levels, along with a background of managing several comprehensive certification programs.

Alan Arguello

Chief Operating Officer

Alan Arguello leads the operations of the organization, which includes the leadership and administration of risk management, operational planning, program implementation, performance monitoring, and incident/business continuity preparedness activities. Alan is a Paramedic and certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He carries a BA in National Security Studies from Tulane University and an MBA from Louisiana State University, Shreveport

"The highest form of knowledge is empathy." - Plato

Lori Leist, MLHR

Chief People Officer

The human resources team, led by Chief People Officer, Lori Leist, is responsible for managing the strategy and processes related to building and retaining an exceptional team of professionals at the National Registry.  Part of the Registry’s vision statement is to be the best place to work; Lori and her team work to make this a reality.  Ms. Leist holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Dayton, and a Masters of Labor and Human Resources from The Ohio State University.  

“So often in life things that you regard as an impediment, turn out to be great good fortune.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Mihaiela Gugiu, PhD

Chief Assessment Officer

Dr. Mihaiela R. Gugiu oversees the development and validation of certification examinations, the development and implementation of recertification, and the efforts to innovate the certification process in line with appropriate standards in the credentialing industry.  Dr. Gugiu has extensive experience in psychometrics, research, and accreditation standards, and is committed to advancing the development of certification examinations in a fair and equitable manner.  Dr. Gugiu holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Western Michigan University and a nursing degree from Victor Babes School of Nursing, Romania.

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity." - Amelia Earhart

Sara Hammond

Chief Financial Officer

Sara Hammond is a Senior Executive with over ten years of experience at the National Registry. Ms. Hammond has a Bachelor's in Accounting from Franklin University.

"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending."  C.S Lewis

Ash Panchal, MD, PhD

Research Director

Dr. Ashish R. Panchal oversees the National Registry's research activities and serves as a mentor for the research fellows. He is also an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and serves as the Delaware County EMS medical director. Dr. Panchal has a PhD in Organ System Physiology from Case Western Reserve University and an MD from The Ohio State University.