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
Interim Vice President & 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
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.
Scott Dean
Treasurer
City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department
Assistant Fire-Chief, Chief of the Special Operations Division
22 years of service
Scott serves as an Assistant Fire Chief for the City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue. At his current position, he oversees the Special Operations Division which encompasses the Dive Team, Fireboat, Hazmat Team, Technical Rescue Team, SWAT-medic Team, Drone Program, and the Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Team Florida Task Force II.
He is a Task Force Leader on the US&R Team, which deploys to natural and man-made disasters within the United States. Some of his deployments include Hurricane Katrina, Haiti Earthquake, Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Irma, Puerto Rico Earthquake, Surfside Building Collapse, etc.
Mr. Dean also was the Incident Commander at the Marlins Stadium COVID-19 testing and vaccination site where he supervised over 100 personnel.
Carlos “Iggy” Eguiluz
Director of Operations
Carlos retired in October 2018 as a FF/ Driver Engineer/Paramedic who served for 31 years with the City of Coral Gables Fire Rescue Department (since 1988). He has an Associate’s Degree in both Fire Service and EMS.
As an original member of the CGFD Special Response Team (SRT) in 1991, Carlos remained involved competitively as a Medic, Technician and Incident Commander from 1991 through 2006.
He served as the Team Coordinator for 25 years (from 1992 through 2015). During that time CGFD competed in Regional and/ or International Competitions in 16 years, winning a total of 7 Regional, 1 International and 1 World Extrication Competitions. He was elected and served as the TERC (Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee) USA Executive Board Secretary (2006 -2009) and has been a TERC USA Regional (1997), National and International (1999) Judge.
In addition, Carlos was appointed to the World Rescue Organization Executive Board (2002 - 2007) and has been a WRO Assessor since 2001. He was appointed Lead Extrication Instructor for the Miami Dade College Medical Campus Paramedic and EMT Programs from 1994 through 2018, has also been a State Certified Vehicle Extrication Instructor since 1993 and is a certified VM R OPS/ Tech Instructor.
Carlos had served as the NAVRA Assessors Coordinator from 2013 through 2016 and as Head Judge in various World, National and Regional events for the Organization.
He is currently a NAVRA/WRO Certified Assessor and was awarded the first ever NAVRA/TERC USA "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2016 by the Associations.
He now serves as the Director of Operations for NAVRA and is a current member of TERC USA.
Liz Paintif
Vendor Liaison Officer, Marketing 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.
Brandon Post
Logistics Manager
Brandon is a 20-year veteran of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. For the past 18 years he has been working on one of Technical Rescue Units while also receiving certifications to drive all the fire apparatus.
He is a State of Florida Fire Instructor, Live Fire Training Instructor as well as Co-Chair on then Heavy Fleet Build Committee. Brandon is also a member of Florida Task Force One Urban Search & Rescue Team where he serves as a Logistics Manager. He has the certifications to operate forklifts, heavy machinery, commercial driver’s license, as well as military and commercial aircraft load planning.
Brandon is the founder and team captain for the Blackheart Extrication Team. When not competing in events Brandon functions as the Logistics Manager for NAVRA (North American Vehicle Rescue Association).
For the past 10 years the Blackhearts have competed in every NAVRA Regional & National event as well as every WRO (World Rescue Organization) World Rescue Challenge. Most recently placing 3rd in the World in LaRochelle, France, a feat no other American team has achieved in the history of the WRO.
