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Nikki Caldwell, who serves as an administrative technician for Dare County EMS, has been named Dare County Employee of the Month for January 2025. The award was presented to Caldwell by Dare County EMS director Chief Jennie Collins during the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting held Monday, January 6, 2025.

Caldwell began her service to Dare County on December 2, 2019, when she was initially hired to serve as an income maintenance caseworker for the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services Social Services Division. On February 18, 2024, she transferred to Dare County EMS, where she took on her current role as administrative technician. In this position, Caldwell is tasked with a wide array of important responsibilities, one of which includes serving as the billing coordinator for Dare County EMS.

“Her title is administrative technician, but that doesn’t nearly explain the value that she brings to our department,” Collins said as she began her presentation. “She interfaces with our billing company and interfaces with the public a lot. When they have questions about their bill, they want a copy of their patient care record – or any of the sundry questions that they might have related to their experience with EMS – Nikki is that face that they interact with and talk to on the phone, and she is always polite and pleasant.”

Collins also noted that, although Caldwell has only been with Dare County EMS for just under a year, the extensive knowledge and experience she gained while previously working for the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services makes her an essential member of the EMS team.

“She was assigned as a Medicaid caseworker, so her knowledge of the Medicaid system was extremely valuable for us,” said Collins. “Adding in the other health insurances – which is a maze to go through when you’re coding and billing and things and answering questions – Nikki has handled with grace and a tremendous amount of positivity.”

As she continued her presentation, Collins also highlighted Caldwell’s can-do attitude and her willingness to always go above and beyond her own duties in order to assist with a variety of additional tasks as needed – including helping her colleagues throughout the department transition to three newly constructed Dare County EMS stations in 2024.

“She walked into the EMS Department, and we said, ‘Oh, by the way, this is always a team environment, and guess what? We need to move three stations.’ And so she was right there – rolled up her sleeves and helped pack and move and unpack and get all of the stations situated without one complaint. She was that cheerful, dedicated employee that you’re always hoping to have.”

As she concluded her remarks and presented Caldwell with the Dare County Employee of the Month award for January 2025, Collins offered praise for how quickly she has learned the many intricacies of her role as administrative technician for Dare County EMS – particularly when it comes to the training and certifications that are required to perform the EMS billing portion of her assignment.

“She has done what most people do in two years in under a year,” said Collins. “She has been a go-getter, and there’s nothing that stops her. So, with our sincere appreciation, Nikki, thank you!”

For more information about Dare County EMS, go to DareNC.gov/EMS.

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