Meet our Board
Get acquainted with the team that guides NAVRA and brings us greater success year after year.
Stephen Martell
President & CEO
Stephen joined the West Midlands Fire Service in the UK in 1994 and rose to the rank of Station Commander before leaving for the USA in 2001. Since coming to the US, he initially joined the City of Hollywood Fire Rescue before finding a home with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue in 2004. Stephen is currently a Captain with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and is an instructor of Firefighting, EMS and Technical Rescue.
Stephen has experience and certifications in various fire and EMS disciplines and worked with many community-based organizations and is a member of the US&R Florida Task Force 1. Stephen is also a Graduate of the Institution of Fire Engineers and is a Core instructor at the University of Miami’s Gordon Center for Simulation an Innovation as we as an instructor at the Miami-Dade Fire Academy.
Stephen was one of the original members of Miami-Dade’s Blackheart Extrication Team and has filled the role of Team Medic, Technician and eventually Command and has participated in every World Rescue Challenge from 2013 to 2019.
Stephen is now trying to lead NAVRA and to take NAVRA’s unique brand of extrication training to higher levels and spread the concept of Patient Centered Extrication across the North Americas and beyond.
Chad Roberts
Vice President and Training & Safety Officer
Current 15 year member the Oakville Fire Dept, Acting Captain on Heavy Rescue 254.
TERC Canada certified judge since 2018.
Past competing member with the Oakville Fire Extrication Team, 2010-2019.
Current manager of the Oakville Fire Extrication Team.
NFPA Level 2 certified Fire Officer, Auto Ex, Ice Water Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Rope Rescue, and Confined Space Rescue.
Current member of the Canadian Motorsports Response Team.
Current Instructor at Humber College Pre Service FF program, Toronto, On.
Current Writer for Canadian Firefighter magazine, "Extrication Tips", quarterly column.
Maria Chin
Executive Secretary
Maria is a 29 year veteran with the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department and currently a Division Chief in charge of the Division of Professional Standards.
She has participated as a member of Blackheart and competed in WRO Trauma competitions.
She has recently gained her certification as a competition assessor.
Maria has a passion for training and was the Recruit Training Bureau OIC from 2006 until 2020 where she facilitated over 30 recruit classes for MDFR.
As the Secretary for NAVRA, Maria is giving back to the global community on supporting the mission to teach prevention, safety, extrication and emergency medical procedures.
Liz Paintif
Marketing & Liaison Officer
As President and shareholder, Liz is responsible for all operations of the organization. She works closely with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate organizational or personal development.
She directs activities to develop and implement the company’s short- and long-range business goals and profitability objectives. Continuing to grow the company under her leadership, Liz attributes the success of Turtle Plastics to listening to customers, making quality products, innovating EHS solutions, and carrying out the principal mission and the vision of Tom Norton, the company’s Founder.
Liz serves as a Trustee of the Turtle Plastics Foundation.
Prior to joining Turtle Plastics, Liz held executive leadership roles within growth industries including nonprofit management, commercial real estate development, and general business consulting. Liz is a Deloitte alumnus.
Liz is a member of Delta Mu Delta, an international honor society that recognizes academic excellence. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Economics from Southern New Hampshire University. Liz is a 2006 graduate and community activist of the Cleveland FBI Citizen’s Academy. Liz volunteers as an Executive Committee and Board Member for the North American Vehicle Rescue Association (Miami, FL) and Partner Member for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (Emmitsburg, MD).
In her spare time, she and her husband Russ enjoy motorsports, traveling, and spending time with family. She is an avid gardener and weekend home improvement warrior.
