GNTC’s Claudio Leyssens Named EMS Educator of the Year by Northwest Georgia Region 1 EMS

April 4, 2017

Claudio Leyssens, Emergency Medical Services instructor and clinical coordinator at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC), was named the 2017 EMS Educator of the year by Northwest Georgia Region 1 EMS.

The Mike Miller EMS Educator of the Year award was presented to Leyssens during the annual Northwest Georgia Region 1 EMS Council Awards Banquet that is held each year to honor Emergency Medical Service providers and stakeholders. The banquet recognizes EMS professionals from Bartow, Catoosa, Chattanooga, Cherokee, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties.  

“It was an amazing honor when they announced that I was the winner,” said Leyssens. “There was some very fierce competition this year and it’s definitely a big deal.”

Claudio Leyssens is the Region 1 EMS Educator of the Year in Northwest Georgia.
Claudio Leyssens is the Region 1 EMS Educator of the Year in Northwest Georgia.

The award is named in honor of Mike Miller who was a paramedic for Floyd Medical Center EMS and Polk County EMS. Miller was the first paramedic instructor at Coosa Valley Technical College before it became GNTC. He served in the Region 1 Office of EMS and Trauma as a regional training coordinator and addressed the problem of low pass rates for EMT courses in the region.

Leyssens is the lead instructor for the Advanced EMT program on the Floyd and Catoosa County Campuses of GNTC and is the clinical coordinator for all five EMS programs. He is a level 3 instructor and also teaches CPR courses at his church, volunteers for the Red Cross, and has served as a volunteer for the Boy Scouts by providing first aid.


Related Video: GNTC | Emergency Medical Services


According to Leyssens, EMS programs are a great fit for students that enjoy healthcare and like a big variety of situations.

“No day is the same and every call is different,” said Leyssens. “EMS providers are challenged every day.”

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma, or a certificate in business, health, industrial, or public service career paths. This past year, 13,734 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,876 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 5,858 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start.

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