Joanne Rupert MA, LPC, NBCC

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Joanne Rupert is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of First Responder Trauma Counselors (FRTC) and serves as the Executive Director of First Responder Trauma Services (FRTS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the behavioral and physical health needs of first responders, frontline professionals, and their families.

Joanne holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado, and is a National Certified Counselor (NCC). She is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and has advanced training in trauma, post-traumatic stress injuries, addictions, Brainspotting, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and mediation.

With more than 30 years of experience in emergency services, Joanne has served professionally and as a volunteer in ambulance, fire, law enforcement, and corrections. Her extensive first responder background, combined with her clinical expertise, provides a unique perspective in addressing the behavioral health needs of those who serve their communities.

As Senior Clinical Director, Joanne oversees FRTC's peer support programs, critical incident response services, and specialized counseling programs for member agencies, their employees, and legal partners. She is a skilled facilitator of critical incident processing and defusing and has supported agencies throughout Colorado following traumatic events and line-of-duty incidents.

Joanne serves as Director of Clinical Services for the National Peer Support Academy, a 40-hour, P.O.S.T.-reviewed Peer Support Certification Academy that trains peer supporters from law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, corrections, healthcare, and military communities under the philosophy of All Badges, All Uniforms, All Scrubs, All Together®. She is also the lead instructor for FRTC's T.R.I.B.E.S. Program, 911 A.W.A.R.E. Workshop, and Stronger at Home Program.

A recognized leader in first responder behavioral health, Joanne is the author of the National Peer Support Academy Manual and is a frequent guest speaker and presenter at local, state, and national conferences on peer support, trauma, resilience, leadership, and wellness in public safety and healthcare professions.

Joanne's passion is ensuring that those who dedicate their lives to serving others have access to the support, connection, and care they deserve.

Ed Rupert MA, CCHT

Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer

Edward Rupert MA, PhD candidate, has seen firsthand the consequence of repeated stressors involved with the First Responder life for over 50 years. This knowledge caused Ed to study various ways of dealing with his own experiences and the toll that it takes on the brave men and women.

Ed became a Certified Hypnotherapist through the National Guild of Hypnotists and The International Board of Clinical Practitioners. After receiving his MA he continued learning about the management of Post Traumatic Stress and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Counseling Psychology. Ed has been awarded the prestigious Red Cross of Hutt for his lifelong humanitarian efforts.

He is an author, speaker and educator and who spent 13 years as A Police Officer in the Air National Guard, and continued his Law Enforcement career with the Schaumburg, Illinois Police Department, and then The Larimer County Sheriff's Office in Colorado, as a Patrol, K-9 Officer, as well as an Investigator of Narcotics and Juvenile and Sex Crimes. Ed also worked as a EMS Paramedic, and private ambulance service owner while still involved in Law Enforcement and then was one of the co-founders of, The International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists and is the co-founder of Larimer County Dive Rescue, after which he spent a 23 year career as a Public Safety Chief, developing creative, and integrated approaches to industrial Firefighting, Law Enforcement and EMS for a Political Subdivision in the State of Colorado.

Ed has served on the Advisory Board of a Safehouse for Domestic Violence Survivors, and is a past current board member of the Poudre Valley Fire Protection District. He is also a past member of the Advisory Board for RESPONDERSTRONG and currently on the board for AIMS Community College Paramedic Program. Ed is also an Adviser to The Board of Directors of 911 For 911 a First Responder Focused 501c3. He has also presented as an invited featured speaker for the International Sound Healing Conference, as well as the EMS World Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ed is an active board member of First Responder Trauma Services, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity designed specifically to care for the behavioral and physical health needs of frontline workers, including ALL BADGES, ALL UNIFORMS, ALL SCRUBS , ALL TOGETHER and their families.

Joanne Rupert MA, LPC, NBCC

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Ed Rupert MA, CCHT

Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer

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