Dario Mondragon
Director of Operations
Dario was born in Guerrero Mexico and immigrated to the US in 1989 with his family to continue his education and create a new life in America. He started working for Progressive Medical International in 1998 as a warehouse team member where he learned the in and outs of the products that PMI carried. Dario was always motivated to learn which enabled him to continually move up the ranks within PMI until finally becoming the director of equipment operations where he oversaw all of the sourcing, purchasing, and sales of patient equipment. Dario worked for PMI until 2013 when the company was sold to Sarnova which created the push Dario needed to venture out on his own and help form Coast Biomedical. Dario says that knowing that the equipment he is providing is helping those in the EMS industry to save lives and deliver better patient care is what motivates him every day.
When Dario is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids or spending time with friends watching professional soccer games.
His goal for the future is to continue to do whatever he can to help people succeed in their goals.
Derek Goodman
Business Manager
Born and raised in southern California whose father is now a retired Huntington Beach Fire captain and brother is a current Orange County Fire Fighter Paramedic, Derek has been around fire and EMS since he was born spending many of Thanksgivings and Christmas’s at the station visiting his dad. He always has had an interest and respect for Fire and EMS but didn’t think that was the path he was meant to take. He graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management while working in sales for Snap-On Tools gaining a vast knowledge of sales, production, and marketing. While with Snap-On an opportunity presented itself to go to work for Progressive Medical International, a company specializing in EMS supplies and equipment. While at PMI Derek attended EMT school and received his NREMT certification so he would have a better understanding of the products and how they are used in the field when talking with customers about the different products PMI offered. While at PMI he also spent a lot of time educating himself on the EMS patient equipment functionality and accessories of each unit. PMI was acquired by Sarnova in 2013 which was his signal that it was time to move on and in June 2013 Derek helped start Coast Biomedical Equipment. Coast Biomed started as just a 3 person team in a 1500 square ft. warehouse and now in 2021 has grown to a 23 person team in a 10,000 square ft. facility. Derek has been part of the growth since the beginning and he says it has been fun to see the customer relationships and business continue to grow over the years. According to Derek, the EMS industry though large, is still a “tight knit community” where you are judged by the quality of your work and held to the standard of your reputation which has helped Coast to create trust and loyalty from their customers. When Derek is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his Wife, Daughter, and Son in the outdoors either at the beach, mountains, or somewhere in between. He is also an avid cyclist who rides pretty much anything on two wheels no matter in the dirt or on the pavement.
Vincent Ta
Director of Biomed Operations
Vincent was born in Vietnam and immigrated to America in 1993 with his family and chose San Diego as their new home. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering technology from ITT Technical Institute in 2001 and began his career with Alaris Medical System in the service department where he worked for 2 years. While at Alaris he was recruited by Progressive Medical International where he then worked for 11 years. At PMI he learned to work on defibrillators, patient monitors, EKG machines, infusion pumps, and ventilators. After the sale of PMI in 2013 Vincent decided this was his opportunity to join Coast Biomedical and have the freedom to build the biomed shop, develop, and train new technicians to meet expectations of Coast Biomed. Outside of work Vincent loves to hunt, bike, fish, hike, and camp. He has become a real outdoorsman over last few years and continues to look for opportunities to adventure outside.
Paula Davila
Sales Account Manager
Paula was born in Mexico City, Mexico and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business marketing. At the age of 25 she moved to California and began working for Progressive Medical International who she worked for until 2013 when PMI was purchased by Sarnova. After the acquisition of PMI, Paula continued working for the Sarnova subsidiary company Boundtree until 2018 when she was successfully recruited by Coast Biomedical. Paula brings a wide range of knowledge of the EMS industry and is particularly knowledgeable with EMS supplies. She has been able to build lasting relationships with her customers both domestic and international through her attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile to meet all her customers’ needs. Since Paula is bilingual, she has helped Coast drastically expand its customer base. Paula’s family has owned a private ambulance company in Mexico City since 1984 so she has grown up getting to see the positive difference EMS can make in peoples’ lives, which inspires Paula every day. Paula describes herself as outgoing, spiritual, dedicated, and persistent. When she is not at work, she enjoys working out to keep her body and mind healthy and watching her daughter play softball. Paula says family is everything and spends as much time with them as she can. Her goal is to travel the world and immerse herself and her family in as many cultures as possible while making lifetime memories.
Vanessa Rivera
Biomed Service and Sales Coordinator
Vanessa was born in Southern California and has spent her whole life there as a first generation American citizen in her family. Before working for Coast Biomed, Vanessa worked several years as a production manager at an international animal feed company. She describes herself as self-motivated, determined, and always looking to lend a helping hand and her colleagues will agree. Vanessa says that Coast has given her the opportunity to commit herself to continuous learning and innovation in the EMS field which was not something she was familiar with before. She looks forward to growing with Coast and continuing to form and grow relationships with customers and vendors.
Outside of the work, Vanessa enjoys attending music festivals and spending the sunny San Diego days at the beach.