A Rising Tide: How Texas is Elevating EMS Through Advocacy and Action with Butch Oberhoff

When EMS leaders unite around value, policy follows. In this episode of The Leadership Lab, Asbel Montes sits down with Butch Oberhoff, Senior Director of Government Affairs at Acadian Ambulance Service and President of the Texas EMS Alliance, to unpack how strategic advocacy, clinical credibility, and data-driven storytelling reshaped emergency care policy across Texas. From solving EMS workforce shortages to securing $10M+ in funding for field blood programs, this episode exposes how collaborative, clear, and accountable leadership changed outcomes across systems long constrained by fragmentation, underfunding, and regulatory barriers. You'll Learn: ✅ How Texas EMS expanded its workforce by 10,000+ personnel using ARPA funds ✅ The critical role of transparency in winning legislative support for EMS funding ✅ Why physicians—not lobbyists—testified to unlock millions in whole blood care ✅ How payer-provider alliances crafted surprise-billing reforms that stuck ✅ What it means to lead with a "rising tide lifts all boats" mentality ✅ Real, replicable frameworks to elevate finance, operations, and advocacy in EMS This episode is for leaders who move systems forward—not just keep them running. Whether you're in healthcare finance, EMS operations, government relations, or clinical leadership, you'll walk away with practical insights to influence policy, unlock funding, and drive meaningful reform where it matters most.   Links: Asbel Montes LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/asbel-montes-31027634 Asbel Montes Book (In Plain Sight): https://asbelmontes.com/store/ Asbel Montes Website: https://asbelmontes.com/    Butch Oberhoff LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/butch-oberhoff-15750b21/    Solutions Group Services: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/solutionsgroupservices  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solution_sgroup/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solutionsgroupservices  Website -  ​​https://www.solutionsgroup.com/