Horizon Health EMS Educator Named Practitioner of the Year

Horizon Health’s Sean Robison has received top honors for advancing emergency medical education in rural communities.

The Illinois Rural Health Association presented Sean with its 2025 Rural Health Practitioner of the Year award at its annual educational conference, July 30-31, in Champaign. The award honors a rural provider that has gone beyond community expectations to meet the needs of its residents.

“Being able to provide community-based education to Edgar County and surrounding areas is very important to me,” said Sean, emergency medical technician and licensed course instructor. “I am grateful to Horizon Health for supporting what I do, and to our Foundation, for its continued work on securing grant funding. Without these grant opportunities, our education outreach would not be as strong as it is today.”

Samantha McCarty, director of Horizon Health Emergency Services, said Sean has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to rural-based emergency services, building bridges between underserved patients and the life-saving professionals who respond to emergencies.

“Recognizing the unique challenges faced in rural emergency medical services, Sean has pioneered forward-thinking educational strategies. These include simulation-based learning, mobile training units, and innovative education methods that make EMS training more accessible, efficient, and impactful,” Samantha added.

Sean provides emergency services training for area police and fire departments, first responders, schools, and the community at-large. He is Horizon Health’s lead instructor for CPR/AED, first aid, and EMT-Basic courses, which prepare students for the National Registry EMT Exam. He has 10 years of experience as an educator and serves as the EMS coordinator for the Paris Community Fire Protection District.

“Sean has cultivated partnerships with local high schools, community colleges, and healthcare systems,” Samantha said. “He has empowered countless students to pursue careers in emergency medicine, many of whom return to serve in the very communities they grew up in. This grassroots approach not only addresses critical staffing shortages but also fosters trust and continuity of care within rural populations.”

The Illinois Rural Health Association is a collaborative organization whose mission is to strengthen health systems for rural residents and communities through advocacy, education, networking and leadership. The state’s 86 small and rural hospitals account for nearly 40 percent of all Illinois hospitals with an annual economic impact of $16 billion.