Meet the Team

Axene Continuing Education, LLC (ACE) delivers high quality, practical EMS continuing education courses for Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics. The idea for the company sprang from the simple tenet that learning should be fun! The company developed in response to the shift from in-person training to online delivery of First Responder continuing education courses during the pandemic. During this time, Dr. Erik Axene saw an opportunity to inject the axiom ‘learning fun’ into online continuing education.

Erik AxeneFounder and Director of Curriculum
Dr. Axene truly believes “If you’re not having fun teaching, your students aren’t having fun learning.” Those words evolved into the ‘learning fun’ motto at the core of everything he pursues.

Matt BallEducator and Curriculum Developer
Matt Ball is a firefighter, paramedic and registered nurse. As an EMS continuing education instructor Matt enjoys making complicated information easy to understand in a fun and interactive way.

Adam KlaffEducator and Curriculum Developer
Adam Klaff is a practicing Physician Assistant working in pulmonary/critical care medicine. Adam enjoys creating curriculum to deliver practical, life-saving information in a relatable manner.

Nate TaylorMedical Education Content Developer
Nate Taylor is a seasoned Physician Assistant with expertise in emergency medicine, trauma care, and medical education. His dedication to service and patients inspires countless students.

Philip HydeMedical Education Content Developer
Philip Hyde is an experienced Firefighter and Paramedic. He values helping new and experienced Firefighters stay informed on the ever-changing and complex emergency response environment.

David AxeneExecutive Director and Health Consultant
David Axene is recognized as a strategist and industry thought leader. He is an internationally recognized health care consultant providing consulting to all types of health care organizations.

Jon SpeierSales and Marketing Director
Jon Speier anchors the Sales and Marketing team for Axene Continuing Education. He connects with each client to get to know their CE requirements and works to build a lasting relationship.

Danny SpringerRegional Sales Director
Danny Springer’s passion for helping others shines through in his role as Regional Sales Director with Axene Continuing Education. The values of teamwork, dedication, coachability, honesty, and pride all help define Danny.

Deborah AxeneProject Director
Deborah Axene’s background in dentistry brings a focus and attention to detail that guides the ACE team. From admin to making sure each lecture checks all the boxes, she keeps ACE on course.

Devin LaFreniereMedia Director
As a seasoned media professional, Devin LaFreniere leads the production efforts for ACE. He earned a degree in telecommunications and still recalls the good ol’ days of shooting on videotape.

Lon CampbellDirector of Communications
Lon Campbell brings a unique mix of marketing savvy, graphic design and hands-on web development to the ACE team. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Cal Poly Pomona.

Duke AxeneMascot/Very Good Boy
Duke Axene is a rescued racing Greyhound. He spends his time now watching over the ACE team, brightening everyone’s mood, and sleeping. Duke also likes to the ponder the question: Who’s a good boy?