Leadership

Chief John Spencer

A growing leader in the Emergency Medical Services/Public Safety field with over 15 years of experience at various levels including regulatory experience gained while working in the Office of Emergency Medical Services at the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Presently the Chief of Service for Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Service and Emergency Management Director for the Town of Suffield serving a population of close to 16,000 residents spread over 42 square miles. Previously served as an Administrative Operations Supervisor for a large commercial EMS organization serving the City of Hartford and surrounding communities. Previous experience includes working in a variety of urban and rural environments and growing from the challenges each system presents.

Our Board of Directors

President - Andrew Wakefield
Dr. Wakefield is a neurogurgeon at Hartford Hospital. He specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery. He has been a very supportive member of the SVAA board of directors since 2009 and was elected president of the group in 2019.

Vice Pres - Don Miner
I like Suffield. It's a nice community with lots of caring people. I like having the opportunity to get involved and to give something back and have found that Suffield Volunteer Ambulance is a good way to do that. This is a great group of people who come from all walks of life, are very caring and comitted to the organization and our patients. I'm pleased to be able to contribute time as an advisor to the Explorer program (my kids have all been Explorers), a member of the Patient Advocate Team and to work on internal communications. My involvement in Suffield Ambulance has led to other areas of community service. I'm active in the Rotary Club which has been a key supporter of the ambulance, president of the Connecticut Search and Rescue Dog Team, and I am also a past-member of the Suffield Police Commission.

Treasurer - Barbara Daley
I moved to Suffield in 1990 with my husband, Tim, and the first two of our four children. I grew up in upstate New York and graduated from Bryant College with a BS in accounting. I gained my accounting experience with the former firm of Scully & Wolf, of Glastonbury, and for the past twenty years have maintained a small accounting and tax preparation practice. Most recently, I spent ten years as treasurer of the Suffield Soccer Club. Prior to that, I served on the Board of Assessment Appeals and the Board of Education in East Windsor. I am honored to have been chosen to serve on the Board of the SVAA, a very well known and highly respected organization.

Director - Jack Muska
My wife, MaryAnn and I have lived in Suffield since 1972. We have 5 children (3 live in Suffield) and 10 grandchildren. I served as an EMT for the first nine years of the SVAA and am happy to now serve the SVAA as a board member. My education includes a BSME degree from Notre Dame University and MS in Engineering and an MBA from RPI, Hartford. I retired in 2002 from Pratt & Whitney and International Aero Engines after 38 years. My career involved many years of the jet engine business including engineering, administration, sales, marketing and product support. In January 2004, I was hired by the Town of Suffield as facilities manager to oversee the completion of renovations to the McAlister and Spaulding schools. I was appointed Public Works Director in February 2005. I am active in the Suffield Rotary and a member of the finance committee of Sacred Heart Church. I was a member of both the new high school and ambulance building committees.

Director - Holly Jacobs
I live in Glastonbury with my husband, Jake (an ASM member of SVAA) and two college attending sons. Along with being a Director on the Board, I volunteer weekly on the ambulance as an EMT, am the Community Services Coordinator, and am half of Team Blinky; our baby robot ambulance. I drive the distance to volunteer with SVAA because the organization is amazing, as is the Town - support what you love! I'm a dedicated volunteer elsewhere too, including being an Executive Board member on the Capital Region Incident Management Team and I'm the new Chaplain for Manchester Elk's Lodge.

Director - Jackie Guzie

Director - Sue Thorner

Director - Jay M. Presser
I moved to Suffield in 1978 and retired after forty years as an attorney with a Labor and Employment law firm in Springfield, Massachusetts. I have been active in our community; serving two tenures with the Suffield Zoning Board of Appeals and have been an officer and/or Board member for the Suffield Little League, the Suffield Travel Basketball Club, the Suffield Platform Tennis Association, and the Suffield Sports Council (which I was responsible for the building of the Family Recreation Center, etc.) I have remained an active volunteer after my retirement from work. In addition to proudly serving on the SVAA Board, I continue as a Suffield Rotarian, serve as the Chairman of the Suffield Observer, am a Board member for Survivor Journeys® (supporting cancer survivors, caregivers and family members) and deliver Meals-on-Wheels.

Director - Jen Michalman