Meet Jeffery Thibodeaux: The Driving Force Behind PSIS Operations
Jeffery Thibodeaux boasts over three decades of leadership and industry experience that support his role as Director of Operations for PSIS. Jeff discusses his career journey from volunteer firefighter to his current position on the executive team of Pharma-Safe. Over the years, Jeff has exemplified his commitment to serving communities in his involvements such as:
- A ten year tenure on the board of the East Texas Gulf Coast Regional Trauma Advisory Council
- Aided in implementing the Stop the Bleed program in Texas
- Aided in expanding the AMBUS project
- Active involvement in Texas’ Medical Incident Strike Team to aid victims of natural disasters
- A ten year tenure on the board of the East Texas Gulf Coast Regional Trauma Advisory Council
In this interview, Jeff explains how he supports his teams, his advice to young professionals, and how his values lead him to join Pharma-Safe.
"Your integrity means something. A handshake means something."
Professional Journey: Dedication to Safety Innovation
Early Beginnings in Crowley, LA, and Leadership Development
Jeffery (Jeff) Thibodeaux was born in Crowley, LA, and began his emergency care career as an EMT for three years as a volunteer firefighter. Wanting to do more for patients, he trained to become a paramedic. He spent a decade as a Search and Rescue Paramedic with Acadian Ambulance while volunteering as a firefighter. He then moved to Flight Paramedic, then to Operations Manager and Governmental Relations.
Being able to help others, talking to people, and learning from elders all contributed to his fulfilling career as a paramedic.
In the meantime, Jeff was also involved with the Sheriff’s Department in Crowley, LA, and served on the civil service board. He explains that this experience shaped his career and his ability to help facilitate problem-solving.
Continuing Education
Jeffery’s commitment to excellence is reflected in his continuous learning. Throughout his years, Jeff attended many leadership training classes through Acadian Ambulance and participated in the Acadiana Parish Leadership EXCEL program to hone his leadership skills. Before working as director of operations for PSIS, Jeffery completed the OSHA 30 training and the NCCER Safety Course.
AMBUS Project
He served as a regional advisory council chair for the Regional Gulf Coast Trauma Council within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Texas. This council oversaw fourteen hospitals and thirty-eight EMS services. For ten years, he stayed in this role.
Jeff served on the Emergency Medical Task Force, Region Six, of the Texas HHS on the medical incident support teams and worked as the director of regional AMBUS. As the director of the regional AMBUS, he developed the first medical bus in Texas.
Once he identified the gap in service of ambulatory buses in southeast Texas and presented this gap to the Texas HHS, he met with senators and legislators to gain support for the project and then developed the bus from the ground up.
He planned the project, developed standard operating policies and procedures for it, then put it into operation. The Director of Operations notes this as one of his proudest achievements during his paramedic career.
Once this project concluded, he retired from Acadian Ambulance and moved to constructing and selling medical buses. After a year and a half of sales work, he was offered a job in 2019 to work for PSIS.
Current Role and Responsibilities
As the Director of Operations for Pharma-Safe, Jeff is responsible for overseeing four department managers: paramedics, safety, logistics, human resources, and IT. Utilizing his 30+ years of industry and leadership experience, Jeff guides them and guarantees that he represents the managers at the executive level. Jeff aims to fulfill Pharma-Safe’s values of team culture and integrity in his advocacy for his teams. He ensures managers understand their accountabilities and expectations of quality and care.
Joining PSIS: A Values-Driven Decision
When asked what motivated Jeffery Thibodeaux to join the Pharma-Safe team, he said two things: the company culture and the company values.
Pharma-Safe’s executive team is largely run by people who have been paramedics. This creates a unique and valuable culture for its employees, including Jeffery Thibodeaux. The team can understand the pain points of customers and employees alike. To him, this is vital in creating an environment of trust, openness, and loyalty.
PSIS also provides Jeff an opportunity to achieve the work-life balance he had been looking for. He explains the culture of reliability, cohesion, teamwork, and family orientation are aspects that brought him to PSIS and why he looks forward to every day of work.
The core values of PSIS strongly guide Jeffery Thibodeaux’s work. As the director of operations, he strives to maintain an open-door policy to anyone needing his assistance and voice; to be a reliable person willing to hear out issues and help all employees.
He explains that he honors his late father’s memory by maintaining the values of work ethic, accountability, and integrity instilled in him.
Jeff’s greatest goal is to leave any place better than he found it. He is grateful for the opportunity to impact the environment around him and make changes for the better. Each day, he looks forward to going to work, making a difference, and cultivating relationships with the people around him. And each day, he returns to the office for the people around him and faces challenges head-on.
Life Beyond the Office
The Thibodeaux family lives in Texas, consisting of Jeffery’s two sons and his high school sweetheart wife of thirty-two years. When working as a paramedic, he was often away from home; he expresses immense gratitude to his family for their understanding and support of him throughout his journey.
He values the time and work-life balance he enjoys now with them, cooking, playing golf, watching sports games, and going to church together. His son is an Eagle Scout and spent time with him on campouts, canoeing trips, and was involved with leadership in the troop.
A Career Defined by Service and Leadership
Jeffery Thibodeaux’s dedication to service, leadership, and family makes him an invaluable asset to PSIS. His journey from a volunteer firefighter to Director of Operations is a testament to his commitment to making a positive impact. At PSIS, Thibodeaux continues to inspire and lead, driven by the values that have shaped his remarkable career.
