Elizabeth Gay
Elizabeth Gay is a Senior Clinical Principal Instructor at Vistelar with a background in Emergency Medical Services (EMS), critical care transport, and healthcare operations. With over 10 years of experience in high-acuity and fast-paced clinical environments, she specializes in frontline leadership, clinical education, and workforce readiness. Her work focuses on equipping healthcare professionals with the skills needed to maintain safety, performance, and composure in critical and often unpredictable situations.
Her career in healthcare began in EMS after early exposure to patient care as a lifeguard, which led her to pursue EMT and paramedic training. She advanced through roles in critical care paramedicine and EMS leadership, including positions with Berkeley County EMS, Global Medical Response, and Superior Ambulance Service. Over time, she transitioned into education and instructor roles, supporting clinician onboarding, training development, and performance improvement within hospital systems and emergency services organizations.
In her current role at Vistelar, Elizabeth focuses on conflict management and workplace violence prevention in healthcare settings. Drawing from both her professional and personal experiences—including having been assaulted in the line of duty—she is committed to teaching practical de-escalation strategies that protect both patients and providers. Guided by compassion and empathy, she is dedicated to improving safety standards in healthcare environments while helping clinicians build the tools and confidence needed to respond effectively under pressure.
• Critical Care Paramedic
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• Flight Paramedic Certification
• Northern Illinois University — Bachelor of Science, Public Safety Leadership / Public Administration
• Trident Technical College — Associate of Arts and Sciences
• Influential Women 2026
• Bravehearts
• Influential Women Network
• Vistelar
• Bravehearts Equine Therapy for First Responders
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to wanting to make a difference, no matter what I do. I want to make a difference, I want to leave a mark on the world that I can be proud of, and now that I have two kids, it's being able to treat others with compassion and make sure that the world that I'm leaving them is a lot better than what I came into. It's about treating others with compassion and empathy, following what I call the platinum rule, which is treating others the way that you would want to be treated in similar circumstances, because you never know what people are going through.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in healthcare today is the increasing rate of workplace violence and assault against healthcare providers, which has become alarmingly normalized in some environments. This presents serious risks to both provider and patient safety.
At the same time, there is a growing opportunity as regulatory bodies such as the Joint Commission now require workplace violence prevention programs. This creates momentum to implement better training, stronger de-escalation strategies, and safer clinical environments that protect both staff and patients while promoting safer standards of care.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values in my work and personal life are compassion and empathy. I believe in treating others according to the platinum rule—treating people the way I would want to be treated in similar circumstances. These values guide every interaction I have, both professionally and personally, and shape how I approach patient care, education, and workplace safety.