Joshua Paiva, NRP, MBA

Joshua Paiva (he/him) is the Founder and CEO of ColoVAX leading the organization’s efforts to bring accessible healthcare to communities in need. Josh brings a wealth of experience in healthcare, emergency response, and public health preparedness. A former U.S. Army Officer, he led large-scale operations for Brigade-level units (4,000–5,000 soldiers), focusing on preparedness and response to biological threats, including vaccine-preventable diseases. His 14+ years of service—spanning military, paramedicine, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) leadership—has taken him from the Balkans to the urban centers of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., to rural communities across America. No matter the setting, his mission has remained the same: ensuring that underserved and marginalized communities receive the care they need.

Josh holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Colorado State University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health & Safety (EHS). Before founding ColoVAX, Josh worked in the private sector, helping develop FEMA’s Biological Incident Annex (2016–2018) and supporting the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) BioWatch program (2019–2020). His work involved close collaboration with state and local governments across the U.S., including here in Colorado, to strengthen biological threat preparedness. He also developed and led FEMA training programs on responding to biological threats and vaccine-preventable diseases.

Josh is deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside dedicated public health officials at the local, state, and federal levels. His passion for service and commitment to healthcare access continue to drive ColoVAX’s mission forward.