TraumaCon 2016: Speaker Biographies

Kai Bortz, MSN, RN, CMSRN, CNL

Since 2003, Bortz has worked with the trauma population in many different roles at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, PA. Bortz is currently the Patient Care Specialist for quality of the Trauma, Neuro, and Burn Division. Member of the Society of Trauma Nurses since 2005, recently named Chair of the Geriatric SIG. Bortz was present at the onset of the Geriatric Trauma initiative and served an active role in the development and implementation of NICHE rollout to trauma nurses, geriatric trauma process improvement initiatives, and geriatric-focused multidisciplinary trauma rounds.

A. Britton Christmas, MD, FACS

A. Britton Christmas received his B.A. degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in 1996 and his M.D. degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 2000. He completed his internship, residency, and surgical critical care fellowship in the Department of Surgery at the University of Louisville from 2000-2006 where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical society. He joined the faculty of The F. H. “Sammy” Ross, Jr. Trauma Center at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2006 where he currently serves as an attending surgeon for trauma, critical care, and acute care surgery and as Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His society memberships include the American College of Surgeons, the Association for Academic Surgery, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST), and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST). He is a former recipient of the EAST 2008 Leadership Development Workshop Scholarship and the 2010 recipient of the EAST Foundation Brandeis Scholarship.

Mark D. Cipolle, M.D., Ph.D., FACS, FCCM

Mark Cipolle, M.D., Ph.D., FACS, FCCM, earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. He earned a master's and doctorate degree in physiology and biophysics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His medical degree was also obtained from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Illinois Chicago, Cook County and West Side VA Hospitals. Dr. Cipolle also completed fellowships in trauma/surgical critical care surgery and critical care research at the University of Minnesota.

He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Cipolle's special interests are in management of complex abdominal hernia, venous thromboembolism, and the development of practice management guidelines in trauma and critical care.

Diana Clapp, BSN, RN, CCRN NR-Paramedic

Diana attended the University of Maryland, obtaining her BSN in 2003. In 2006, she joined the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center as a nurse in the Trauma Resuscitation Unit; in 2014, she transitioned to the Quality Improvement Coordinator. She remains active in Disaster management and education in her new role and is excited to be an author for Cittoine’s Disaster Medicine revised edition as continuing to travel to provide education. Diana spends her free time working on DNP, throwing tennis balls for her black lab, and raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association in Honor of her mother!

Raul Coimbra, MD, PhD, FACS

Dr. Raul Coimbra is the Surgeon-in-Chief of the UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Department of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care, Burns and Acute Care Surgery, as well as the Director of the Level-1 Trauma Center at UC San Diego Health System.

Dr. Coimbra has played a significant role in building our region's first Level-1 Trauma Center into one of the top programs in the nation, as well as a model for trauma centers around the world.

He is President of the Board of Directors for the World Coalition for Trauma Care, as well as a member of the Global Alliance for the Care of the Injured with the Division of Trauma and Injury Prevention of the World Health Organization. He is the Chairman of the Trauma Registry and Data Committee for the World Health Organization.

In addition, Dr. Coimbra is an active member of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, as well as Chair of the Regional Committees of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. He has been appointed to a three-year term as Recorder and Scientific Chairman of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. He is also the Chairman of the San Diego County Trauma Medical Audit Committee, providing leadership to the Trauma System in research, education, clinical practice and quality improvement.

His vision and dedication have resulted in the opening of a new, state-of-the art trauma resuscitation unit at UC San Diego's Medical Center in Hillcrest, which has improved the efficiency for surgeons and addresses the continued growth of the trauma program and commitment of the community it serves in southwest San Diego.

H. Gill Cryer, MD, FACS

Dr. Cryer is Professor of Surgery and Chief of Trauma, Acute Care Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care at Ronald Regan UCLA Medical Center. He is a past president of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and a past member of the Executive Committee of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma where he was Chair of the Performance Improvement and Patient Safety Committee and the Trauma Quality Improvement Project (TQIP). His research interests include shock and resuscitation, multiple organ failure, management of the unstable trauma patient, trauma systems and quality improvement.

Daniel Doherty, RN, MSN, CEN

Daniel Doherty RN, MSN, CEN has been the Staff Development Specialist In the Emergency Department at Christiana Health Care System in Newark Delaware for the last 14 years. He has presented this topic at numerous inservices, confernces for healthcare providers, police and court interpreters.

Amanda Elikofer, MSN, RN, NE-BC

Trauma Program Manager, Deaconess Regional Trauma Center
Amanda Elikofer is the Trauma Program Manager at Deaconess Regional Trauma Center (ACS Level 2 and State of Illinois Level 2) in Evansville, IN. Prior to coming to Trauma Services, Amanda was a trauma ICU nurse and the assistant manager of the pediatric trauma unit. She received her BSN and MSN from the University of Southern Indiana and is a certified nurse executive. She was the STN/EAST Foundation Nurse Fellow in 2013 and currently serves on the STN Leadership Committee. Amanda will join the STN Board of Directors in 2015. Outside of work she enjoys spending time boating and being outdoors with her husband and two young boys.

Kelly Gettig

Kelly Gettig is the Lead Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with Trauma Services at Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin, TX. Dell Children's is a Level 1 Trauma Center and Kelly has been with the program since its inception in 2007. Ms. Gettig has over 20 years of pediatric nursing experience and a passion for education and research in child abuse and traumatic brain injury. She was lead faculty for the PNP program at the University of Texas at Austin from 2008-2012. Kelly is a published author and well-known educator offering talks at medical and nursing conferences across Texas and the U.S.

Annemarie Glazer, RN, BSN, MBA

Annemarie Glazer is the coordinator for performance improvement at the first downstate New York Level 1 ACS verified trauma center. Her professional career includes a variety of roles including trauma outreach and prevention coordinator, specialist in poison information, college health, pre-hospital emergency care and education. She is currently a member of STN, ATS, ENA,and NAEMT. She is an active participant in the Nassau County, New York REMSCO and RTAC.

Michelle Goreth, MSN, RN-BC, CPNP-AC, CCRN-P, CTRN, CPEN, TCRN

Michelle Goreth is a Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with over 16 years of experience in pediatric emergency, surgical, trauma, critical care, and performance improvement. Currently, she is the Lead Nurse Practitioner for Pediatric Surgery at the University of MS Medial Center- Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children where she is developing a Pediatric Surgery/Trauma Advanced Practice Service Line for the state’s only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi Medical Center (1999) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (2009). She is currently working towards completion of a Doctor of Nursing Practice with research interests including role transition of the pediatric acute care advanced practice nurse in academic trauma centers, pediatric mild traumatic brain injury, and trauma quality improvement. Michelle is a local, regional, and national lecturer with special emphasis in Pediatrics, Surgery & Trauma, and Quality Improvement. Throughout her career, she has been a member of multiple organizations and committees related to advanced practice, pediatrics, and emergency/trauma care. Currently, she serves as a member of the Pediatric Trauma Society Research and Membership Committees. In addition, Michelle is an active educator and has been designated with Outstanding Reviewer status by the Journal of Pediatric Health Care.

Daniel L. Gross, DNSc, RN

Daniel L. Gross, DNSc, RN, is the Executive Vice President for Sharp HealthCare. He oversees four acute-care hospitals, three specialty hospitals, government relations and clinical effectiveness at Sharp HealthCare. Dr. Gross began his career at Sharp in 1979 as a clinical nurse at Sharp Memorial Hospital. Over the years, he served as Clinical Nurse IV, Director of Patient Care Services, Regional Director of Critical Care, Regional Director of Patient Care Services and System Vice President of Clinical Services. Prior to his role as Executive Vice President, Gross was Chief Executive Officer of the Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus for 11 years, where he had oversight of three hospitals, an outpatient surgery center, home care services and two senior centers.

Gross is a member of the American Hospital Association (AHA) Board of Directors, chair of the AHA Operations Committee and chair of the AHA Regional Policy Board 9. He is a member and former chair of the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties (HASDIC) Board of Directors, and past chair of the California Hospital Association (CHA) Board of Directors. In addition, he is a member of the California HealthCare Foundation Board, past chair of the Trauma Center Association of America Board of Directors and a member of the San Diego State University (SDSU) Campanile Foundation Board. Gross is also a member of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association San Diego Chapter Board, a member of the West Health Institute Medical Advisory Board, a member of the Orbis Education Advisory Board and he serves as adjunct faculty for SDSU, University of San Diego (USD) and University of California at San Diego.

His awards and honors are numerous and include the SDSU Alumnus of Distinction Award from the College of Health and Human Services (1999) and the USD Author E. Hughes Career Achievement Award (1999). In 2002 he was named the American Heart Association Volunteer of the Year, and in 2003 he was named the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by Independence Community College, KS. In 1998 and 2007, Gross received the leadership award from HASDIC. He is also the recipient of the California Health Foundation and Trust 2010 Walker-Sullivan Health Care Fellowship. In 2012, Gross received the CHA Award of Merit.

Gross received his BSN from Wichita State University, his MS in nursing administration from SDSU and his DNSc from USD.

Marialice Gulledge, DNP, ANP-BC

Marialice is the Chief, Nurse Practitioner for the Department of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC. Her background includes prior emergency department nursing experience, trauma nurse clinician, flight nursing, and active duty service with the US Army. Marialice has worked as an advanced care practitioner with the department since 2007. She is a member of EAST (associate), ANA, NCNA and AANP.

Teresa Hobt-Bingham, MSN, RN

Teresa Hobt-Bingham is currently the manager of the Vanderbilt Trauma Unit. She has 15 years of trauma critical care experience with the last 5 years in a leadership position. Teresa is a board member of the Vanderbilt Trauma Survivors' Network, she is the current Chair of the Organ Donation Advisory Committee as well as the Chair-elect for the Vanderbilt Nurse Wellness committee.

Melissa Hockaday, NP

Melissa Hockaday is an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Service Line Leader, Executive for Trauma & Acute Care Surgery for an American College of Surgeon Verified Level I Trauma Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. She obtained her master’s degree in nursing from Indiana University as well as her BSN. Melissa is a board certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner who currently practices on trauma and surgi-cal critical care service. Melissa has over 15 years of experience in emergency medicine, trauma and surgical critical care. Her professional career includes several leadership roles for nursing and advanced practice providers. She has been Trauma Program Manager at ACS verified Level 1 Trauma center for past 4 years and was active in the development of three Level III Trauma Centers within hospital sys-tem. Melissa has also been past president for Indiana Trauma Network and actively participates on the Society of Trauma Nurses Leadership committee.

Donald Jenkins, MD, FACS

Diana Kraus, RN, BSN, TNS

Dr. Jenkins is Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of Trauma in the Division of Trauma, Critical Care and General Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is also Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD. He retired in 2008 from the U.S. Air Force, having served as the Trauma Medical Director at Lackland AFB, TX. He was responsible for all trauma medical care and administration of the USAF's only American College of Surgeons Verified Level 1 Trauma Center at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in San Antonio, TX in the decade prior to his retirement. He was also the Flight Commander and Chairman of General Surgery for 59MDW.

Diana is currently the Director of the Trauma, Orthopedic, and Child Abuse Service Lines at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Diana has a 30 year nursing career, with experience spanning the bedside in adult and pediatric emergency nursing, pediatric/neonatal critical care transport, regional pediatric education and the past 10 years in trauma program leadership.

Diana has worked for the Dell Children’s Medical Center since April of 2013. Prior to Diana coming to Dell, she was at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, in St. Louis Missouri as the Trauma Program Manager. Diana was heavily involved with the State of Missouri and Illinois in improving pediatric care across the state and has recently become involved in the State of Texas. She is a member of the Emergency Services for Children (EMS for Children) Advisory Board for the State of Texas, as well as a member of the Pediatric Committee for the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council. She currently is a board member for the Society of Trauma Nurses and has been involved in trauma system development, emergency preparedness and disaster management as it pertains to children. She is a nationally recognized speaker in the area of pediatric trauma and has presented at numerous regional, state and national conferences.

Amy Kritchen, BSN, RN, CEN

Director of Accreditation, Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation
Amy Krichten RN, BSN, CEN is the Director of Accreditation for the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation. Prior to this, Amy served as the Trauma Program Manager for WellSpan Health ~ York Hospital, a Level-1 Trauma Center. She has been a consultant and site surveyor for state trauma systems and has spent her twenty-plus years of nursing in the trauma spectrum. She graduated from Lancaster General Hospital School of Nursing, and received her BSN from Regis University in Denver Colorado. She currently is the co-chair of the STN-Leadership Institute Committee and is faculty for the STN-TOPIC course. In addition, Amy is an ATCN Instructor and a Certified Emergency Room Nurse.

Julie Nash, MSN, RN

Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Manager, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri
With 23 years of nursing experience, Julie has served in a variety of areas including emergency medicine, occupational health, case management and trauma management. She currently serves as the Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Manager at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Barnes-Jewish Hospital is a Verified Level I American College of Surgeons Trauma Center and a designated Level I Trauma Center for the States of Missouri and Illinois. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, Julie serves on multiple regional, state and national trauma and EMS committees.

Joan Pirrung, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC

Trauma Program Manager, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE
Joan has worked with the trauma population for the last 20 years at the bedside in the ICU followed by her current role as trauma program manager. She has been in the role for 11 years and has worked in an ACS verified Level 1 trauma center for 13 years. A major part of her role is to manage and actively participate in PI. This includes case review, co-chairing PI committee meetings and assisting in loop closure.

Kathryn Schroeter, PhD, RN, CNE, CNOR

Kathryn Schroeter is a nurse scientist and clinical ethicist at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. Dr. Schroeter is an associate professor at Marquette University College of Nursing and also an adjunct assistant professor at the Center for Bioethics & Medical Humanities at the Medical College of Wisconsin. As a member of the ANA Steering Committee for the revision of the Code of Ethics for Nurses she is a contributing author of the new ANA Code. She is the editor of the Journal of Trauma Nursing and authored the book "Practical Ethics for Nurses and Nursing Students."

Christine Schulman, MS, RN, CNS, CCRN

Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, Legacy Health
Chris Schulman is a trauma and critical care clinical nurse specialist who has worked at all 3 Level 1 Trauma Centers in the Pacific Northwest. She has presented at numberous regional and national conferences, including AACN's National Teaching Institute, the ENA National Education Symposium, and the Society of Criticial Care Medicine Annual Education Conference. She has published several articles in critical care journals on a variety of clinical topics and professional development. She currently serves a 3 year term on the AACN Board of Directors.

Elizabeth Seislove, MSN RN

Elizabeth Seislove has been in trauma for the past 24 years. She started out at as a trauma ICU nurse, followed by the APN for the Trauma ICU. Elizabeth transitioned into the Pediatric Trauma Coordinator position, followed by the Program Manager and now the Director of the program. She is an active member of the Society of Trauma Nurses and has held several position within the society: Chair of Neuro Sig, ATCN Chair, and currently national faculty for the ATCN program, president of the society and planning committee member for the EAST/STN collaborative efforts. Elizabeth has spoken locally, regionally, nationally and internationally on various trauma topics.

Lynn Gerber Smith, RN, MS

Lynn Gerber Smith is a master’s prepared nurse educator with 39 years of trauma and critical care experience and at Level I trauma center. Lynn is known both nationally and internationally for her publications and presentation on Trauma During Pregnacy. Lynn has presented on this topic in 40 states and 4 countries. Her presentations have been at the AACN NTI as well as the ENA national conference and the Society of Trauma Nurses Annual meeting.In addition to her presentations ha authored the chapter on Trauma and Pregnancy in all four editions of the trauma nursing textbook.

Nicole Stassen, MD

Nicole A. Stassen, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She also serves as the Director of the third year medical student clerkship at the University of Rochester Medical School and as the Director of the Kessler Family Burn Trauma Intensive Care Unit.

Dr. Stassen earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and earned her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, in Piscataway New Jersey.

Dr. Stassen then completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Chicago Hospitals, where she was awarded the Golden Apple Teaching award her chief year. She subsequently completed a fellowship in trauma and critical care at the University of Louisville. While in Louisville she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Hiram C. Polk, Jr. on the genetic characterization of gamma interferon and its role in sepsis and the examination of altered immune function in the elderly trauma victim.

Dr. Stassen is certified by the American Board of Surgery in general surgery and surgical critical care. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the Association for Academic Surgery, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Association for Surgical Education and the Surgical Infection Society. Her areas of special interest include acute care surgery, general surgery, trauma and critical care and surgical education.