Johnathan R Cockrell

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Welcome to my Online Portfolio!
I am a dedicated higher education leader, faculty mentor, and EMS program innovator with more than 20 years of experience in community college health and career and technical education (CTE). My work spans program development, accreditation, and workforce partnerships, with a focus on advancing student success and institutional growth. In addition, I bring 25 years of frontline and leadership experience in emergency medical services (EMS), which continues to inform my approach to teaching, mentoring, and program innovation.

My career began in emergency services as a firefighter, critical care paramedic, and flight paramedic, where I gained firsthand experience in healthcare, patient care, and interdisciplinary education. Since transitioning to higher education, I have served as an educator, program director, instructional designer, and simulation specialist in allied health and career technical programs.

I have successfully led accreditation processes for multiple paramedic training programs and am the Paramedic Program Director and Associate Dean of Career and Technical Education (CTE) at Hawkeye Community College. In this role, I work on the leadership team across 29 career and technical programs and manage the paramedic education program. In addition to faculty development, curriculum improvement, and accreditation oversight, I am passionate about student success, equity in education, and strengthening workforce partnerships. I also serve as an accreditation site visit team captain for CoAEMSP.

I have designed and implemented student retention initiatives, led interprofessional education (IPE) simulation efforts, and expanded clinical site agreements to ensure students are well-prepared for dynamic careers in healthcare.

I am currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education Leadership and have recently completed coursework on AI in higher education. I frequently present at conferences and continuing education events, sharing insights on curriculum innovation, faculty development, and accreditation best practices. This portfolio serves as a resource for colleagues, search committees, and conference selection panels to explore my work, leadership philosophy, and contributions to healthcare education and workforce training. Thank you for visiting!

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In November 2023, I was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award by the Community Colleges for Iowa.

I have a creative side, and love to make videos for every paramedic program I managed or taught in. Below are examples of a videos I created for paramedic graduations.

Recognizing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education, I recently completed an AI in Higher Education course through Capella University. This experience has equipped me with strategies to integrate AI-driven tools that enhance student learning, streamline administrative processes, and support faculty innovation. I am committed to leveraging AI to personalize student engagement, optimize curriculum design, and improve data-driven decision-making in CTE programs. The "Mastering EMS Education" video below exemplifies an AI-generated video I created to demonstrate the capabilities to aspiring educators.