Kathi Ayers, MSN, NP
Trauma Program ManagerSharp Memorial Hospital
San Diego, CA
Kathi Ayers is the Trauma Program Manager at Sharp Memorial Hospital an ACS verified Level II trauma center in San Diego, California. Her passion for trauma care has evolved over the past thirty years while working in the San Diego community in roles that included trauma resuscitation staff nurse, trauma surgical intensive care unit charge nurse, assistant trauma coordinator, nurse practitioner and trauma program manager. Locally she has served the trauma community as a chair of the San Diego Trauma Program Managers, co-chair of the San Diego County Medical Audit Committee Performance Improvement Committee, President of the Trauma Research and Education Foundation (TREF), board member of the Trauma Manager’s Association of California (TMAC), and trauma nursing educator. She is also a Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt.
Nationally she has been a member and director-at-large for the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) and currently is the President-elect of STN. She is also a TOPIC instructor. In addition, she serves as the Chair of the Injury Prevention Council of the American Trauma Society.
Marcella Bono, JD, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, TNS
St. Louis Children's HospitalClinical Education Specialist
St. Louis, MO
Marcella Donkin Bono is the Clinical Education Specialist for Trauma Services at St. Louis Children's Hospital where she is responsible for coordination of trauma education for the hospital and for the coordination of trauma outreach and injury prevention. Her experience includes 10 years in the PICU at SLCH( staff nurse 4 years, PNP 3 years, ANM, 3 years). She also has experience in patient safety, regulatory compliance, and risk management. Marcella also completed a health policy internship in the United States Senate. This experience led her to obtain her law degree to enhance her ability to advocate for children in the development of healthcare policy.
William M. Bowling, MD, MBA
Trauma and Surgical Critical CareHurley Medical Center
Flint, MI
Dr. William Bowling is a Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Surgeon from Hurley Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Bowling completed Medical School at Johns Hopkins University and his residency at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, MO. His Fellowship training in Trauma and Critical Care Surgery was at Barnes Hospital, Hurley Medical Center, and Parkland Hospital. He is a current member of the Advanced Practitioners Ad Hoc Committee of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST), Councilor of the Michigan Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, and the American Burn Association. He has co-published numerous articles regarding trauma and surgical critical care.
Brian Boyle
Eighteen-year old swimmer and athlete Brian Boyle’s future changed in an instant when a dump truck plowed into his vehicle in 2004. He was air-lifted to a shock-trauma hospital where he remained in critical condition for two months with a poor prognosis to live much less walk. Three years after he woke up in the intensive care unit he made what many consider to be one of the greatest comebacks in history when we crossed the finish line at the Hawaii Ironman in 2007. Since then he has competed in many such Ironman events.Mr. Boyle published his first book, “Iron Heart” and was awarded spokesperson of the year by the American Red Cross for his many contributions in 2009. In 2010, he graduated Cum Laude from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and donated his first unit of blood at the hospital that brought him back to life. In 2011, he received the Presidential Award for Excellence by the President of the American Red Cross, Mrs. Gail McGovern. In 2012, he was honored at the White House in Washington D.C. and presented with the “Champion of Change” award for his volunteer work with the Red Cross on a national level.
Mr. Boyle is a professional speaker and has given numerous keynote presentations throughout the country. He is currently in grad school working on a M.A. in Health Communications at Johns Hopkins University. His story has been featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, NBC’s Today Show, and ESPN. His journey of courage and determination has touched the hearts of many and his story and the message it carries has been celebrated around the world.
Karen Brenner, BSN, RN
Promedica Toledo HospitalToledo Children's Hospital
Research Coordinator
Toledo, OH
Karen Brenner BSN, RN is the research Coordinator at Promedic Toledo Hospital Trauma Center. She is currently enrolled at Lourdes University in the MSN program with an expected graduation of May 2014. She coordinates an extensive internship program.
Steven E. Briggs, MD, FACS
Trauma Medical DirectorSanford Medical Center-Fargo
Fargo, ND
Dr. Steven Briggs is the Trauma Medical Director at Sanford Medical Center-Fargo, a Level II Trauma Center in Fargo, North Dakota. Dr. Briggs completed medical school at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks, ND, and surgical residency at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale in Scottsdale, AZ. He also completed a residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City. Dr. Briggs went on to a fellowship in Trauma and Critical Care at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, North Carolina.
Dr. Briggs has previously done many presentations at the Annual North Dakota State-Wide Trauma Conferences, at the MeritCare-sponsored Trauma Tactics Conference, and has also previously presented at the 2009 Society of Trauma Nurses Annual Conference in Phoenix, on the topic of rural trauma issues.
Deb Brown, BSN, MHA, RN
Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central TexasAustin, TX
Deb Brown is the Interim Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Operating Officer at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Deb received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Austin in 1990 and subsequently spent the next 17 years at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas in various staff and leadership roles to include bedside nursing in the PICU and ED and leadership roles as the Director of the Trauma Service Line & Emergency Services Network and Transport Services. Deb was successful in leading the development and implementation of the State of Texas’ first Level I Pediatric Trauma Center as accredited by the American College of Surgeons. Subsequently, she developed the Trauma Service Line at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and was successful in gaining accreditation for the organization as the State of Arizona’s only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. With her knowledge in program development and implementation, Deb initiated the development of the Children’s Neurosciences Institute prior to coming back to Austin to lead the Trauma Service Line at Dell Children’s.
Mike E. Cahn
Director of SecurityThe Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
New Orleans, LA
Mike E. Cahn started with the New Orleans Police Department in 1991 and spent 16 years in SWAT as a Patrolman, Sergeant, Lieutenant and now Captain. Mike ran the Mayors Protective Detail when Mayor Nagin was elected and has been on over 430 SWAT Rolls and High Risk Warrants. Mike was the Deputy Commander for Special Operations for 5 years which included SWAT, 4 Tactical Platoons, Violent Offender Warrant Squad, Mounted/K-9 and the Armory. Mike was also an Instructor in 2003 for the Louisiana Tactical Association.
Mike led Special Operations in supporting the restoration of law and order during Hurricane Katrina for the New Orleans Police Department. Mike has received the Medal of Merit, Lifesaving Medal, 3 Medals of Commendation and eleven Commendations from the New Orleans Police Department. Mike retired from active duty status as Lieutenant in 2006 and maintains a Reserve Lieutenant status assigned to Special Operations, SWAT. Mike was the Chief Security Officer for Unified Recovery Group (URG), a resurgence company specializing in federally funded disaster recovery work. URG owns and operates a large variety of specialized disaster clean up equipment for immediate mobilization and has over 70 years combined experience in Disaster Recovery and Re-Construction service, until he retired in April, 2009.
Mike is currently the Director of Security of the Roosevelt Hotel, Waldorf-Astoria Collection in New Orleans. Mike has co-chaired 2 committees for the FBI for the 2013 Super bowl. Mike is the President of the GNOHLA Security Directors Assn from 2010 to Present as well as represents all hotels and banks in Metro New Orleans for the USSS (United States Secret Service), on the Human Trafficking and Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Diana Clapp, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN, NREMT-P
University of Maryland Medical Center, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma CenterSenior Clinical Nurse II
Baltimore, MD
Diana is a Senior Clinical Nurse II in the trauma resuscitation unit at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Her role does not end at the bedside as she aids in providing education to the Trauma Resuscitation Unit staff, as well as nursing and Emergency Medical Services Staff both in Maryland and abroad. She maintains a role ensuring EMS quality in communications and care for the Shock Trauma Center and runs the advanced airway program with a group of EMS colleagues. Diana is happy to be a member of the Shock Trauma staff for the past 8 years and enjoys participating in the trauma prevention programs and outreach as well. She also serves as faculty for local community colleges and the University of Maryland for EMS programs.
Becky Cook, DNP, RN, ARNP-PC
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterTrauma Nurse Practitioner
Cincinnati, OH
Becky Cook, DNP, RN, CPNP has been a pediatric trauma nurse practitioner at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for the past 14 years caring for children with mild to severe traumatic injuries. She has spoken on numerous topics including traumatic brain injury, non-accidental trauma, solid organ injuries, and youth violence.
Kimberly Davis, MD, MBA, FACS, FCCM
Trauma Director, Yale-New Haven HospitalChief of the Section of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Surgical Emergencies
Professor of Surgery (Trauma)
Vice Chairman, Clinical Affairs, Department of Surgery
Surgical Director, Performance and Quality Improvement, Yale-New Haven Hospital
New Haven, CT
Dr. Kimberly Davis earned her BS in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale then attended Albany Medical College and received her surgical training in the Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital program. Following a fellowship in trauma and surgical critical care, she spent eight years on the faculty at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois, prior to returning to Yale in 2006. She serves as the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Chairman for the Connecticut State Committee on Trauma, and as the Secretary Treasurer of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, and has held leadership positions in other regional and national organizations. She has published extensively in the medical literature, with over 90 peer reviewed publications. She serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Trauma, Injury and Infection, and the Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation, and as an ad hoc reviewer for 8 other critical care and surgical journals. Dr. Davis received her MBA in Healthcare Leadership from the Yale School of Management in May of 2012. She is board certified in surgery and surgical critical care. Her research interests are in the fields of performance improvement and quality, inflammation and sepsis, and trauma resuscitation.
Juan Duchesne, MD
Medical Director, Shock Trauma Program – North Oaks Medical CenterAssociate Professor of Surgery
Tulane University School of Medicine
New Orleans, LA
Dr. Juan C. Duchesne is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Tulane University School of Medicine and Medical Director of the Shock Trauma Program and North Oaks Medical Center. He joined North Oaks Medical Center in June of 2013 and has been with Tulane’s Department of Surgery since December 2006. He received his undergraduate education at the University of Puerto Rico (Humacao, Puerto Rico) and his Medical Degree from Ponce School of Medicine (Ponce, Puerto Rico). Dr. Duchesne did his general surgery residency and fellowship training at the Louisiana State University Health Science Center (New Orleans, LA). Following his fellowship training in 2005, Dr. Duchesne was Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery/Trauma/Critical Care at The University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson, MS). While there, he received the Outstanding Clinical Research Achievement Award. He currently serves as Chair of the Committee of Trauma for the Louisiana chapter with the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Duchesne has presented his research results at national and international trauma and critical care surgical conferences. Dr. Duchesne is well published, having over 60 publications.
Jeffery M. Elder, MD
Director & Medical Director - New Orleans EMSMedical Director, New Orleans Fire Department
Chief Medical Officer, New Orleans Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness
New Orleans, LA
Dr. Jeffrey Elder is currently the Director and Medical Director for New Orleans EMS. He serves as the Medical Director of the New Orleans Fire Department and is the Chief Medical Officer for New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. A graduate of LSU School of Medicine, Dr. Elder began his career in EMS while training as a resident in Emergency Medicine at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. While working with some of the best paramedics in the country, he learned how advances in pre-hospital medicine can drive in-hospital emergency medical care. He is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Section of Emergency Medicine at LSU Interim Public Hospital in New Orleans. His interests include advanced airway techniques and training, prehospital time sensitive illness, and pre-hospital cardiac arrest survival.
Bridget Gardner, RN
Interim LSU HospitalLEVEL 1 Trauma Center
Program Coordinator - Injury Prevention
New Orleans, LA
Bridget Gardner has been a registered nurse at the Interim LSU Level 1 Trauma Center for 22 years, where she is currently the Injury Prevention Program Coordinator for the Trauma Department. She is a 1992 graduate of Charity Hospital School of Nursing and began her career in the Emergency Department. Bridget is the Program Director for the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force and oversees Occupant Protection activities in 9 regions of the state. Bridget developed and coordinates the teen Sudden Impact Program for Louisiana, in which adolescents attend a seven-hour education program within the hospital, focusing on seat belt usage, distracted driving, and driving under the influence. She is the recipient of the 2001 National Association of Governor’s Highway Safety Representatives Special Achievement Award, the 2011 Louisiana State Police Superintendent’s Award for Excellence, and the 2012 CADA Excellence in Prevention award. She is the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Strategic Highway Safety Plan Young Driver’s Emphasis Area Chairperson. Her goal is to continue to identify engineering, enforcement, and education partners to help reduce the number of injuries and fatalities within the state of Louisiana.
Lynn Gerber-Smith, RN, MS
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma CenterSenior Clinical Nurse II
Lynn has been a nurse at the University of Maryland for 37 years. For 35 of those years Lynn has worked at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in the Trauma Resuscitation Unit (the TRU). Lynn has her Masters Degree in Nursing Education and enjoys traveling across the US and the UK to speak. She has presented in 39 states and 4 countries. Lynn currently coordinates nursing education and process improvements in the TRU. In addition Lynn is a Clinical Instructor for the University Of Maryland School Of Nursing, teaching medical surgical nursing on a large complex surgical floor at the University of Maryland Medical System. Lynn has more than 15 publications, the most recent in a British pre-hospital text.
Dan C. Godbee, M.D.
Battalion Surgeon – 3rd Battalion, 20th SFG(A)Dan Godbee is a faculty member with the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, as well as the medical director of the Emergency Medical Services for East Baton Rouge Parish and the City of Baton Rouge. In his job as a medical faculty member, he has held Directorships in Advanced Life Support and Emergency Ultrasound at LSU Medical Center. He was the Inaugural recipient of the Ed Howell Award for Resident Research and a former member of the Executive Committee of the Louisiana College of Emergency Physicians.
Dan Godbee received his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1976. Immediately upon graduating from college, he enlisted in the U.S. Army to be a Special Forces Engineer. During six years of active duty with the 5th Special Forces Group and 82nd Airborne Division, he served in various positions as a Special Forces Engineer, Combat Diver, Special Forces Medic, Dive Medical Technician, and Arabic Linguist. With the 82nd Airborne Division (1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment), Dan was deployed as part of the first battalion on the Sinai Multinational Force and Observers in 1982.
In 1983, he completed six years of active military duty and returned to Atlanta to pursue graduate studies at Georgia Tech. He received Masters Degrees in Mechanical Engineering (1987) and Industrial and Systems Engineering (1989). During graduate school, he also worked as a private engineering consultant, primarily providing hardware upgrades and software installation and training to local businesses and the U.S. Army at Fort McPherson, GA. He served in B Company, 3rd Battalion, 11th Special Forces Group in the U.S. Army Reserve (Columbus, GA) from May 1983 to June 1994 when the unit was inactivated. He was activated with the Army Reserve for Operation Desert Shield in 1990. In the 11th SFG, he served as a Special Forces Medic, Intelligence Sergeant, Team Sergeant, and Company Operations Sergeant.
Dan graduated from Mercer University School of Medicine in 1999, where he was the Student Body President in his senior year. He was selected for promotion to Sergeant-Major in the USAR in September of 1999. He completed a residency in Emergency Medicine at Louisiana State University in 2002 where he was a Chief Resident in his final year. During his intern year of residency, he was commissioned as a Captain in the Medical Corps in March 2000.
In March 2003, he was activated with the Army Reserve and served as an Arabic Linguist and Deputy Brigade Surgeon for the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division with the first deployment of an Army STRYKER Brigade in combat. While on that deployment, he served as the Minister of Health for Ninewah Province, Iraq in 2004. As the Minister of Health, he directed 15 public hospitals, 4 private hospitals, 200 primary health clinics, set-up an EMS system of 60 ambulances, and managed a budget of $35 million.
Carol Immermann BSN
Mayo Clinic Rochester MinnesotaTrauma Program Manager
Carol Immermann currently is the Trauma Program Manager at Mayo Clinic Rochester, a Level I trauma program in rural Minnesota. In her role, Carol works with a number of Level IV trauma centers supporting the trauma coordinators and medical directors in regional development and performance improvement. Carol is a member of the Minnesota State Trauma Advisory Council, the Minnesota State Applicant Review Committee, and Minnesota State Trauma Performance Improvement Committee. She is a site surveyor for Level III and Level IV hospitals in the state and the STAC liaison to the Southern Minnesota Regional Trauma Advisory Committee (SMRTAC). Carol currently co-chairs the STN Rural Special Interest Group (SIG) and vice-chair to the TOPIC committee.
Elizabeth Katrancha MSN, RN, CSN, CNE
University of Pittsburgh at JohnstownInstructor of Undergraduate Nursing
Johnstown, PA
Elizabeth Katrancha has 18 years of nursing experience, her background includes emergency medicine, long term acute care, and most recently she has been employed as an instructor of undergraduate nursing at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. She is currently in her final semesters of a DNP/Medical-Surgical Clinical Nurse specialist program at the University of Pittsburgh and has completed over 1,000 practice hours with trauma services at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, a Level 1 regional resouce trauma center.
Brian D. Kim, MD
Assistant Professor of SurgeryTrauma, Critical Care, and General Surgery
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Dr. Brian Kim is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He completed medical school at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City and his residency in general surgery at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, MN. He went on to fellowship training in Burn, Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Dr. Kim’s academic interests include the acutely traumatized patient, surgical education, emergency general surgery, agonal resuscitation, damage control trauma and general surgery, trauma system development, hemostatic resuscitation strategies, thoracic trauma and complex chest wall reconstruction, and surgical quality and performance improvement.
Jorie Klein, RN
Director, Trauma Program & Disaster ManagementParkland Health & Hospital System
Parkland, Dallas, Texas
Jorie Klein is the Director of the Trauma Program, Disaster Management, and North Texas Poison Center for Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas, Texas. She has a long history of exemplary trauma leadership at the state, regional, and national level, including: President of the Texas EMS, Trauma, and Acute Care Foundation; Vice-Chair of the Governor’s Emergency/Trauma Advisory Council’s Trauma System (Texas); Chair of the Texas Hospital Association’s Policy Committee on Trauma and Emergency Services, and Chair of the Texas Hospital Association’s Trauma Technical Advisory Group. Jorie Klein is a past president of STN, and has also served on numerous STN committees, from the Annual STN Conference Committee (which she chaired from 1998 – 2004), to ATCN Regional Chair, and State Chair for Texas. She has received many awards for her service to the trauma community, most recently Governor’s EMS / Trauma Council’s Journey of Excellence Award (2009).
Jorie Klein has authored papers, book chapters, and courses on emergency preparedness, disaster management, mechanism of injury, decision-making in trauma care, and preparing for a trauma site visit, among others. She has been frequent invited speaker on a vast array of trauma topics for both national and international audiences.
Amy Koestner, MS, RN
Trauma Program ManagerSpectrum Health
Grand Rapids, MI
Amy Koestner is the Trauma Program Manager at Spectrum Health, a level 1 Trauma Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Amy has a nursing career of over 30 years, with experience spanning the bedside in pediatric ICU, regional pediatric education, flight nursing, adult ICU bedside care, and the past 15 years in the role of trauma program manager. She has led multiple trauma centers through five ACS verification visits. Amy earned her BSN from Nazareth College, and her masters from Wayne State University.
Amy has been active in the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) for over 10 years, serving in a variety of leadership roles, including past president in 2008. Her involvement in STN has included participation as an original author/ faculty member for the Optimal Trauma Center Organization & Management Course, as one of the key authors of the Senior Lifestyle & Injury Prevention (SLIP) course, as national & international faculty for the Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) course. She is the appointed STN chair liaison to the Committee on Trauma and a nurse reviewer for the ACS. Amy remains active as faculty for ATCN, the Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC), Rural Trauma Team Development Course (RTTDC), and speaks on trauma topics on a state and national level. Amy has been involved in trauma system development in Michigan through her leadership role in the Michigan Trauma Coalition and Regional Trauma Advisory Committee in West Michigan.
Molly Lozada
AdministratorTrauma Verification Program
American College of Surgeons
Molly Lozada has been with the American College of Surgeons for over two decades. In the early stages of her career with ACS, she served as technical support for the National Trauma Data Bank registry software. Several years ago, Lozada transitioned to the role of ACS Verification, Review, & Consultation Program Administrator. She has been integral to the growth of the Optimal Trauma Center Organization & Management course that is offered collaboratively by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) and the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN).
Patricia A. Manion, MS, RN
Pat is an experienced educator, critical care nurse, and trauma nurse. Her clinical and educator experience included many years of critical care in surgical, medical and cardiac critical care units. As a Trauma Program Manager, she held positions in two American College of Surgeons verified Level II Trauma Centers. Most recently she has been employed as a project manager and an independent educator and consultant. A long time member of the ENA, she has been a TNCC Instructor and State Faculty and contributed to the 6th edition of the TNCC manual. She also held the offices of Michigan ENA Trauma Chairperson, State President and State Secretary and was awarded the Emergency Nurse Excellence Award in 2004. A member of the Society of Trauma Nurses for past 17 years, she has served on the Board of Directors as Annual Conference Chairperson for 5 years, Secretary for 2 years, and Membership Chairperson for 2 years. Her contributions to STN include editing the latest version of the e Library and currently, serving as Lead Nurse Planner for continuing nursing education programs for STN.
Tracy McDonald, MSN, RN, CCRN, NEA-BC
The University of Kansas HospitalTrauma and Burn Program Manager
Tracy Rogers-McDonald, MSN, RN, CCRN, NEA-BC has been in trauma program management for over 10 years. She is currently in a Director at Large position for the Society of Trauma Nurses. She serves as the current course director for the American Trauma Society's Trauma Program Manager Course and is a member of the ACS TQIP Education Committee.
Maria F. McMahon, MSN, RN, PNP-AC/PC
Trauma Center ManagerBoston Children’s Hospital
Boston, MA
Maria is the Trauma Center Manager at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. Maria has been a nurse specializing in pediatric critical care and trauma for over 20 years. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA and her Master’s of Science in Nursing, PNP at MGH Institute for Health Professions in Boston, MA. After working in Philadelphia and Cincinnati, she moved to Boston to work at BCH first in the Medical-Surgical ICU and then as part of the Critical Care Transport Team before becoming the Trauma Center Manager in 2006. Maria provides strong leadership to the clinical staff, nurse practitioners, injury prevention specialists and administrative support staff while seamlessly ensuring the successful development, implementation and evaluation of the Trauma Center. She demonstrates her advanced clinical skills while providing exceptional patient care on a daily basis. Maria’s compassion, clinical knowledge and attention to detail make her an asset to the Trauma team.
Norman McSwain, MD, FACS
Professor of Surgery, Tulane University School of MedicineTrauma Director, Spirit of Charity Trauma Center, Interim LSU Public Hospital
Police Surgeon, NOPD
Dr. McSwain is the Trauma Director at the Interim Louisiana State University Public Hospital. He has been a faculty member at Tulane University School of Medicine since 1981. He completed his medical training at the University of Alabama School of Medicine and his surgery residency at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA.
Dr McSwain is the only person in the history of the American College of Surgeons to receive all five of the major trauma awards: 1.) Committee on Trauma, Meritorious Achievement Award for State/Provincial Chairs, 2001, 2.) Scudder Orator, 2001, 3.) Committee on Trauma Millennium Commitment Award, 2000, 4.) Surgeon’s Award for Service to Safety, National Safety Council, 1998, and 5.) Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Meritorious Service Award, Committee on Trauma, 1989.
For the past 30 years, he has provided care to severely injured police officers at Charity Hospital and while at Tulane, he has written or revised more than 25 textbooks, published more than 360 articles and traveled throughout the world giving more than 800 presentations. He has lectured in all of the 50 states, all provinces in Canada, most of the countries in Europe, most of the countries in Central America, and the upper part of South America.
Kim Meyer, MSN, CNRN, ACNP-BC
Neurosurgery Nurse PractitionerUniversity of Louisville Hospital
Louisville, KY
Kim Meyer currently serves as Neurosurgery Nurse Practitioner at the University Of Louisville Hospital, a level 1 trauma center, and has over 13 years as an advanced practice nurse. Previously, she served as a consultant to the Department of Defense, developing the military’s concussion management guidelines and providing electronic consultation regarding brain injury management to our nations deployed military providers. Ms. Meyer has an extensive background in neurotrauma, and has authored numerous book chapters/articles on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI), including those in the Core Curriculum for Neuroscience Nurses and the Textbook of Traumatic Brain Injury. In addition to her clinical work, she is pursuing a PhD with a TBI research agenda.
Judy Mikhail, MSN, MBA, RN
Program ManagerMichigan Trauma Quality Improvement Program (MTQIP)
Department of Surgery
University of Michigan Health System
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Judy Mikhail is currently the Program Manager for the Michigan Trauma Quality Improvement Program (MTQIP), which is based at the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor. She has over 30 years of progressive trauma nursing experience, most recently as the administrator for Trauma, Bariatrics, and Neuroservices at Hurley Medical Center, a Level-1 Trauma in Flint, Michigan. She began her nursing career in the Burn Unit at Hurley, and progressed from surgical ICU staff nurse to clinical nurse specialist and ultimately a trauma program manager and trauma administrator. Judy earned her diploma in nursing from Hurley Medical Center School of Nursing, her BSN from the University of Michigan, and MSN from the University of Texas. In 2003, she completed work on her MBA from Colorado State University. Judy Mikhail is currently a full-time doctoral nursing student at the Medical University of South Carolina. She has been active in many professional organizations, including the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST), the American Burn Association (ABA), the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), and the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN).
Judy Mikhail is a nationally recognized speaker in trauma care and has been an active educator and course director for PreHospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN), the Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC), Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing (CATN), Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS), and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). She serves as an adjunct instructor for the University of Michigan-Flint, School of Nursing. She has authored over 18 publications in trauma, including the evaluation and treatment of abdominal trauma, the use of midlevel providers in trauma centers, injury severity scoring, resuscitation endpoints in trauma, and care of the burn patient. She has won three local research awards. Judy Mikhail has served as President and Treasurer of the board of directors of STN. She has been involved in trauma system development in Michigan, including serving as President of the Michigan Trauma Coalition, and currently serves on the State of Michigan Trauma Advisory Committee.
Frank “Tres” Mitchell, III, MD, MHA, FACS
Medical Director of Trauma & Surgical Critical CareScottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center
Scottsdale, AZ
Dr. Frank “Tres” Mitchell is the Medical Director of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center. Dr. Mitchell has a long history in the trauma community and is highly visible at the national level. Dr. Mitchell graduated with a BA from the University of Missouri and earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He went on to complete his General Surgery Residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He is board certified in General Surgery and in Surgical Critical Care. Dr. Mitchell has been a member and officer of the National ATLS Committee and a Region Chief for the Committee on Trauma. He has served as an ACS Committee on Trauma Site Reviewer since 1999. He is a member of the Committee on Trauma Verification Review Committee, and most recently, he completed serving as its Chair. He is active in many professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, the American Association for Surgery of Trauma, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Western Trauma Association, and the Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics.
Jennifer Mooney MD
Louisiana State UniversityAssistant Professor
Trauma and Critical Care Surgeon at University Hospital, Spirit of Charity Trauma Center, New Orleans Louisiana Medical School - University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas Tx Residency and Trauma Fellowship - Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas Tx Board Certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.
Daria Ruffolo, RN, DNP, CCRN, TNS
Loyola University Medical CenterACNP Department of Anesthesia
Chicago, IL
Daria Ruffolo spent nearly 20 years as a bedside nurse in the surgical/trauma intensive care venue before taking on the role as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, with the Anesthesia/Critical care team at a busy urban medical center. She holds undergraduate degrees in both nursing and biology. Daria is certified in both critical care and trauma. She is also credentialed as a certified specialist in adult care and hold a DNP with the doctoral work center in youth violence prevention. In her role as an ACNP she does critical care evaluation, pre-operative assessment and risk stratification for the operative patient population. Prior to this role she served as the ACNP to the trauma/surgical critical care team for 12 years. She has adjunct appointments in two collegiate nursing programs and has spoken at over 200 national conferences including NTI, Trends and the Midwest conference. In addition she has a number of publications to her credit in journals such as The International Journal of Trauma Nursing, AACN Clinical Issues, Journal of Trauma Nursing and Nursing Ethics. Daria has served as a nurse missionary in areas such as the outback of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Slovakia, Dominican Republic easrern Africa and Ecuador.
Major Carl Saizan
Region 1 Command InspectorLouisiana State Police
New Orleans, LA
Major Carl Saizan’s ultimate goal in life was to be a State Police Trooper. Anything after that, he said, would be lagniappe. Carl Saizan said his father, a New Orleans police officer for 22 years, inspired him to enter law enforcement. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
Saizan started with the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer in November 1983. A year later, he joined the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office, where he worked corrections, moved over to the traffic and became commander of the special response team - the group that later evolved into today's SWAT team.
Saizan joined the State Police in 1990. By then, he had also left the Army Reserve for the U.S. Coast Guard's Reserve forces. Assigned to State Police's Troop B, Saizan worked regular highway patrol until 1994, when he was moved to the department's criminal patrols division. In 1995, Saizan was named Trooper of the Year for his participation in the unit. Saizan also joined the State Police SWAT team. After a promotion to sergeant, he helped re-establish the agency's motorcycle division, which had been disbanded in the late 1980s. He was appointed executive officer in 2007.
Babak Sarani, MD
Chief of Trauma and Acute Care SurgeryAssociate Professor of Surgery
George Washington University
Washington, DC
Babak Sarani, MD, is the chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at The GW Medical Faculty Associates. He is also an associate professor of surgery at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. Dr. Sarani completed medical school and training in General Surgery at The George Washington University School of Health & Sciences. He then completed a fellowship in trauma surgery and surgical critical care at the University of Pittsburgh. He worked at the University of Pennsylvania from 2005-2011 in the Division of Trauma Surgery, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery. While there, he also helped establish their rapid response system. He is a member of the leading societies related to general surgery, trauma surgery, and critical care.
Dr. Sarani has received numerous invitations to lecture on topics related to trauma surgery, critical care, and rapid response systems in the United States and Europe. He is also widely published in these fields and has authored several chapters related to these topics. Dr. Sarani's commitment to teaching is evident in the numerous teaching awards he has received from GW, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently the moderator of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Traumacast podcast. His research interests include diagnosis and management of coagulation disorders following trauma, delirium in the ICU, and optimal design of rapid response systems.
Kathryn Schroeter, PhD, RN, CNOR, CEN
Editor, Journal of Trauma NursingAssistant Professor of Nursing
Marquette University College of Nursing
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Kathryn Schroeter has been an education coordinator at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, WI since 1986. Dr. Schroeter is an Assistant Professor for the College of Nursing at Marquette University. She received her BSN from Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI, and her MS degree from the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She received her Master of Arts degree in Bioethics from the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she currently holds the position of adjunct Assistant Professor in Bioethics. She received her doctoral degree in nursing at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She is the editor of the Journal of Trauma Nursing. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Nurses Association (WNA), The Wisconsin League for Nursing (WLN) and the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN).
She is also an appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program. Dr. Schroeter has published articles and spoken locally, regionally, and nationally on bioethics, nursing, education, and perioperative issues. She coauthored a book entitled “Practical Ethics for Nurses and Nursing Students”.
Deb Syverson, BSN, RN, EMT
Trauma Program ManagerSanford Health - Fargo
Fargo, ND
Deb Syverson is the Trauma Program Manager at Sanford Health – Fargo, an American College of Surgeon’s verified level II Trauma Center in Fargo, North Dakota. Deb has a nursing career of 25-plus years, caring for adults and pediatrics in critical care, emergency nursing, and flight nursing. She has also been an educator for Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN), Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing (CATN), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and many “home-grown” trauma courses for the rural trauma centers in the region.
Deb has been an active participant and leader in the inclusive North Dakota state-wide trauma system for the past 15 years, including functioning as a site-reviewer for the Level IV & V trauma centers. Additionally she has maintained an active role in the MN state-wide trauma system, as the chairperson for the WESTAC (Western MN Regional Trauma Committee). Deb has been a member of STN for 14 years, and has been involved with the Rural Special Interest Group for 10 years.
David Tuggle, MD, FAAP
Pediatric SurgeonDell Children’s Hospital
Austin, TX
Dr. David Tuggle is a pediatric surgeon at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin, TX. He completed his medical school and general surgery residency training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and went on to a residency in pediatric surgery at Oklahoma Children’s Memorial Hospital.
Marla L. Vanore, MHA, RN
Director, Trauma & Injury Prevention ProgramsChildren’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Marla Vanore is the Director Trauma and Injury Prevention Programs at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She has extensive experience in Trauma systems and both pediatric and adult Trauma Programs. She has written and spoken on numerous trauma topics and has served as a trauma site surveyor and consultant across the country. She is a past President of STN and is currently the Liaison to the Board for JTN as well as a member of the national Board of ATS.
Myra Varnado, BS, RN, CWOCN
LSU Health SystemNew Orleans (Spirit of Charity Level 1 Trauma Center)
Clinical Manager of Wound Healing and WOC Nurse Services
Myra Varnado is a Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse Specialist with extensive clinical expertise in the area of Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management. She graduated from the Emory University WOC Nursing Education Program and has authored numerous publications regarding WOC topics. Myra has published Clinical Practice Guidelines that appear on the AHRQ Website, www.guidelines.gov on behalf of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society and has successfully defended hospitals regarding Unavoidable Pressure Ulcer litigation.
Cheryl Wraa, MSN, BSN, RN
Laurelwood GroupDirector, TCAR Programs
Ms. Wraa has been a nurse for more than 30 years. Her experience has included critical care, flight, emergency and trauma nursing. She was the Trauma Program Manager for UC Davis Medical Center, a level I adult and pediatric center for 6 years. She was also clinical faculty for the school of nursing. She currently is the Director for the Trauma Care After Resuscitation (TCAR) programs and an educator for ReSurge International. Cheryl is also a senior clinical editor for the Journal of Emergency Nursing and is co-author of a medical/surgical nursing textbook.
Martin Zielinski, MD, FACS
Asst. Professor of SurgeryTrauma, Critical Care, and General Surgery
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Dr. Martin Zielinski is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He completed medical school at the Universit of Minnesota and general surgery residency at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education. His fellowshio in Surgical Critical Care was in the Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and General Surgery at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education. His academic interests include acute care surgery, trauma surgery, sports medicine, surgical critical care, small bowl obstruction, hollow viscous perforation after endoscopy, trauma systems, and midlevel provider best practice.