Get to know our 2023 Speakers!
Adam L. Gottula, MD
Speaker Bio
Adam Gottula: Dr. Gottula is an anesthesia critical care fellow at The University of Michigan with an academic interest in out of hospital cardiac arrest, mechanical support, and critical care transport medicine. Prior to my fellowship I completed my emergency medicine training at The University of Cincinnati where I also served as the Resident Assistant Medical Director for UC Health Air Care, the critical care medicine transport service.B7
Adam Street RN, BSN, CFRN, CCRN
Speaker Bio
Adam started his nursing career in western Wisconsin on a Neuro Unit and transferred to the ICU. Being in a general ICU for six years at a Level II Trauma facility he was exposed to many patients types and situations. He was part of the Code Blue, medical response, ECMO and Trauma teams. Part time Adam worked as the Trauma Program Manger for a Level 4 Trauma hospital. Currently he works for LifeLinkIII a flight service that covers Minnesota and Wisconsin where he has been since 2020. He is a preceptor and enjoys training and teaching at the base and at local EMS agencies.
Allison Moreno, BSN, RNC
Speaker Bio
Bio Coming Soon!
Amanda Humphries-Ventura MD
Speaker Bio
Dr Humphries-Ventura is an assistant professor or emergency medicine and emergency medical services at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School in Houston, TX. She serves as the medical director of Sugarland Fire – EMS in Sugarland, TX, and faculty for Heavy Lies the Helmet. She previously served as a flight physician at the University of Cincinnati Air Care and Mobile Care, as well as University of New Mexico Lifeguard Air Emergency Services. She is driven to expose and explain the effects of trauma on first responders and health care providers, and is committed to using her own experience to guide others toward growth and recovery.
Andrew D. Fisher, MD, MPAS
Speaker Bio
Andrew D. Fisher joined the Army in 1992 as an Infantryman. He successfully completed the Regimental Indoctrination Program and was subsequently assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in 1993. While assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, he completed an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course and discovered his desire to work in the medical field. His enlistment ended in 1996 and returned to Indiana to attend school.
While attending Indiana University, he also served in the Indiana National Guard as a combat medic. During this time, he served as a squad leader and platoon sergeant. In 2000, he graduated from Indiana University with an Associate’s Degree in Paramedic Science and continued his work in EMS as a paramedic.
In 2004, he attended the Interservice Physician Assistant Program, graduating in 2006. His first assignment as a physician assistant was to the Joint Security Area, Republic of Korea. In 2007, he attended the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Regimental Orientation Program, upon successful graduation was again assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment as the senior physician assistant. In August 2013, he was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Special Troops Battalion in Fort Benning, GA. He was promoted to the rank of Major in 2014. Finally, in April 2015, he was promoted to the Regimental Physician Assistant for the 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, GA. He currently serves as a physician assistant in the Texas Army National Guard in Austin, Texas.
Andrew has been extensively involved in ketamine use at the point of injury for analgesia, the development and implementation of the Group O low titer whole blood program, Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) for the Role 1 and point of injury, pain and sedation in prolonged field care, and TCCC adherence. He has also advocated for the utilization of social media for dissemination of free online medical education (FOAMed) for medics and other medical professionals.
In 2020 he graduated from the Texas A&M University College of Medicine and currently a general surgery resident at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He leads the efforts of the National Stop the Bleed Month and Day, is a member of both the Stop the Bleed Education Consortium and the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care.
His awards and recognitions include, Bronze Star Medal (w/ 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters and 1 Valor Device), Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal (w/ 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medals (w/ 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (w/ 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (w/ 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Presidential Unit Citation (w/ Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal (w/ Bronze Service Star), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (w/ 4 Bronze Campaign Stars), Iraqi Campaign Medal (w/ 2 Bronze Campaign Stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCOPD Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Korean Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon (w/ numeral ‘2’), NATO Medal (ISAF), Combat Medical Badge, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Flight Surgeon Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, Italian Jump Wings, Infantry Order of Saint Maurice Medallion (Legionnaire), U.S. Army Physician Assistant of the Year (2010), Distinguished Hoosier (2012), Hero of Military Medicine (2018), Frank K. Butler, Jr TCCC Award (2018), Clarence Sasser Scholarship (2016), Pat Tillman Scholarship (2016), Special Operations Medical Association Scholarship (2018).
Amilynne Tomaszewski, BS, MICP, FP-C, CCP-C
Speaker Bio
I have been working in the prehospital arena since the early 2000’s. I have been a paramedic for the majority of my EMS career, working in flight and critical care transport. I have served in both operational and clinical leadership roles, as well as serving as an educator. I am working to obtain my BSN as well.
Bradley Milburn, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Bradley Milburn BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN is currently a Flight Nurse with PHI Air Medical, LLC working in the St. Vincent StatFlight Program. Bradley has over 6 years of combined experience both as a Flight Nurse and as an RN. Bradley has a diverse background with experience including: Flight and Ground Critical Care Transport, Administration, Surgery, Education, and Emergency Department Nursing. Additionally, Bradley is double board certified in Emergency Nursing (Certified Emergency Nurse) and Flight Nursing (Certified Flight Registered Nurse). Teaching experience includes teaching in an academic program teaching the ASN level nursing students and he holds several instructor certifications and teaches several classes throughout the year. Bradley also serves as a Preceptor for new employees+B50.
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Brian Imdieke, BASc, NRP, FP-C
Speaker Bio
Brian Imdieke has been in the prehospital emergency service for 14 years. Brian comes from Minnesota where he actively holds rank as a certified flight paramedic for North Memorial Health Air Care since 2011. Brian holds an associate degree in paramedicine, NRP, FP-C, CCP-C as well as a bachelor’s degree in health care administration with an emphasis in science. Throughout his career he has obtained the rank of FTO and currently serves as a flight educator while maintaining ground EMS operations on a casual basis throughout the state.
In addition to his full-time role as a flight paramedic he is involved with outreach education on ventilation and cardiology to local, rural, and state emergency services as well as their affiliated hospitals. He has recently become a regular speaker within online, state, and national conferences.
With great interest and passion for the advancement in medical understanding, Brian continues to research topics such as ventilation strategies and occlusion myocardial infarction ECG recognition with hopes to one day makes these topics standard practice within the prehospital community.
Brian and his wife Heather lives in Saint Stephen, Minnesota with their two sons Jamie and Aaron.
Bryan Selvage- BOE, FP-C, NRP
Speaker Bio
Mr. Selvage is a Flight Paramedic and educator. He has been a pre-hospital emergency medical provider for almost 20 years, with a background ranging from 911 EMS to critical care. Bryan holds an Education degree from the Eastern New Mexico University, and is a previous college Paramedic Program Director. Bryan passion is for education and training for EMS and Critical Care providers at all levels.
Bryan Winchell, CCRN, FP-C, C-NPT
Speaker Bio
Bryan Winchell is a flight nurse and Clinical Coordinator for Flight For Life in Texas. He started as a paramedic then flight paramedic, CVICU nurse and flight nurse. Bryan is also a helicopter search and rescue technician with Texas Task Force 1, a partnership with the Texas National Guard. Bryan is a gifted speaker, able to relay complex topics in a way that is engaging and practical.
Caroline Souter BSN, RN, TCRN, CCRN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Caroline Souter is a Flight Nurse with AirCare at Augusta University Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Georgia Southern University. During undergrad, she worked as an emergency room technician at Erlanger’s Level I Trauma Center. Upon graduation, she completed a Critical Care Nurse Residency at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After completed of her nurse residency, she moved to Augusta Georgia and began working in the Level I Trauma Center associated with the Medical College of Georgia. She is currently enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Georgia Southwestern in Americus, Georgia.
Casey Thompson MSN, RN, CFRN, CCRN, EMT-P
Speaker Bio
Speaker Bio coming soon!
Charles W Sheppard MD
Speaker Bio
Practicing medicine for over 50 years. EMS for over 40 years Life Line medical director for 26 years. Board of directors for Air Medical Physicians Association. CCTMC Charles Sheppard educational Annual scholarship award 2021. Missouri Chapter ACEP, RR Hannas award for outstanding Emergency Physician State of Missouri 2017, AMPA President’s award for contribution to educational programs 2012, Air Medical Physicians Association Medical Director of the year 2006. Lectured at multiple national and regional conferences on prehospital topics. Including Critical Care Medical Transport Conference, Air Medical Transport Conference, EMS World, and others. Passion for EMS
Chris Smetana, AS
Speaker Bio
Chris Smetana is the co-founder and Senior Director of Emergency Medical Education at IA MED. He is also a Critical Care Flight Paramedic/ HSAR Tech and an EMS Educator with +20 years of public safety experience.
He has had the honor to work with military and governmental agencies to assist various units and departments within the US government and abroad in supporting the war on terror.
Chris is a national speaker and has authored several medical education books ranging from Critical Care Medicine, Aircrew Operations, and Advanced Cardiopulmonary transport.
He is an industry champion for organizational culture and mental health awareness with a passion for professional development within EMS.
Christopher Root MD, NRP
Speaker Bio
Chris Root is an Emergency Medicine resident physician, flight physician and former New York City paramedic. He currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico where works in the Emergency Department and flies with UNM Lifeguard. His research interests include airway management, medical education, interdisciplinary team dynamics and breakfast burritos.
Cody Winniford
Speaker Bio
Cody has worked in prehospital medicine for 18 years with experience in both military medicine and civilian EMS. He has served in many leadership roles for large and small EMS services. He has also served as an educator/instructor for initial paramedic and EMT programs, NAEMT courses, and other continuing education programs. Cody currently serves as the Air Medical Base Supervisor for PHI Air Medical in Baltimore, MD.
Cory Oaks MPA
Speaker Bio
Cory has been involved in the emergency services in many roles for the last 34 years. From Wildland Firefighter, to volunteer EMT and Career Fire Paramedic and Captain. His flight career spans 18 years as a flight paramedic, educator and into his current role as Program Director with Haiti Air Ambulance.
Cory was the 2018 recipient of the Tim Hynes Award and received a two-year scholarship to the Medical Transport Leadership Institute from the Medevac Foundation where he completed his CMTE in 2021. He completed a Bachelors in Public Emergency Services Management and a Master’s in Public Administration and was the 2022 recipient of he F.A.S.T.2022 Alan Wolfe Excellence in Leadership Award
College of Advanced Practice Paramedics, Board Member of the Tim Hynes Foundation as well as holds positions with numerous local, state and national committees.
Danielle Goodrich, BA, FP-C, CCP-C
Speaker Bio
Danielle Goodrich is a bachelors prepared flight and critical care certified paramedic with experience in specialty care ground transport, rotor wing transport, national disaster deployments, and various 911 field operations. She currently works for The University of Vermont Health Network as the clinical coordinator for the regional transport system and was the previous supervisor of the UVM HealthNet Critical Care Transport Team and Emergency Communications Center. One of her biggest professional achievements was being part of the leadership team that established the first aeromedical base in Vermont.
She has 21 years of EMS experience with over half of those years working in various training and educational positions. Previously, she functioned as the training coordinator for a combination 911 department, instructed numerous EMS courses at The University of Vermont, and taught both nationally and internationally.
Danny Nayman, MBA
Speaker Bio
Danny has been a paramedic for 20 years, with 11 years of experience in one of the largest and busiest EMS agencies in North Carolina, with Wake County EMS, he was promoted to the position of Advance Practice Paramedic and participating in the establishment of the first Community Paramedic program in the United States. Danny has also served as a Clinical Educator, Performance Improvement Officer, and Education Program Manager for a large hospital-based Critical Care agency in North Carolina. Currently he is the Product Owner for emsCharts, where he manages enhancements and improvements to the documentation software and works to improve reliability of data by simplifying the documentation process. He also continues to work, part-time, as a Paramedic with Duke Life Flight in Durham North Carolina.
Douglas George, MD
Speaker Bio
Dr. Doug George is currently an Assistant Professor at The University of Vermont Lanier College of Medicine and a Prehospital and Emergency Attending Physician at The University of Vermont Health Network. Dr. George serves as a Flight Physician and an Associate Medical Director for The University of Vermont HealthNet Critical Care Transport Team. Additionally, he is the Associated District Medical Advisor for Vermont EMS District 3 and is an operational physician/ medical director for Vermont’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force-1. Dr. George is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, and he completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine at Boston Medical Center. After residency, Dr. George trained as an EMS and Flight Fellow Physician at The University of New Mexico.
Dr. Robert L. Grabowski DNP, MBA, APRN-CNP, AGACNP-BC, CPNP-AC, CEN, CCRN, CFRN, CMTE, EMT-P
Speaker Bio
Dr. Grabowski is the Chief Flight Nurse Practitioner for Metro Life Flight in Cleveland, Ohio and is dual-boarded as an adult and pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. Dr. Grabowski also serves as Officer-in-Charge of the Advanced Trauma Life Support section of the 629th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Team, US Army Reserve; deployed to Syria and Iraq , 2022. Throughout his roles at Metro Life Flight, the US Army, and as Faculty at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Grabowski is an avid educator and lecturer. Dr. Grabowski leverages his 15+ years of experience in Fire, EMS, and Nursing to bring relevant advanced practice knowledge and current evidence to emergency and critical care practitioners at any level.
Elizabeth Luckey-Smith, BSN
Speaker Bio
Elizabeth Luckey-Smith is a Flight Nurse with Vanderbilt LifeFlight in Nashville, TN. She entered the air medical industry with a ten-year background in adult and pediatric emergency medicine and interventional cardiology in high-volume, high-acuity centers with advanced therapies and transplant services. She holds a passion for education and continuously learning from high-caliber clinicians and peers.
Eric Bauer, MBA, FP-C, CCP-C, C-NPT, Paramedic
Speaker Bio
Eric Bauer is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FlightBridgeED, LLC. He has worked in the EMS field for 31 years, with the past 19 years spent in the HEMS industry. Eric is an internationally recognized best-selling author, speaker, and educator. He has spoken on many critical care topics as an educator. He has authored and published 222 critical care podcasts related to the pre-hospital critical care industry, with over 4.5 million downloads to date. Eric was awarded the 2017 EMSWORLD Innovation Award for his Ventilator Management: A Pre-hospital Perspective book and Mechanical Ventilation Course and the recipient of the 2018 John Jordan Award for Excellence in Transport Medicine Journalism by the Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association.
Esther McIlvain, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
I’m currently a Flight Nurse with Flight For Life Colorado and I was previously a flight nurse with Mercy Air in California. I’ve been a nurse since 2014 with a background predominately in the Emergency Department, but also in the Intensive Care Unit. I’ve worked in Virginia, Texas, California, Nebraska, and Colorado. I was not a travel nurse, just a nurse that traveled too much. I’ve finally found the place I want to call home and I want to stay in Colorado. I love the outdoors and all the activities Colorado has to offer. My experience flying with Flight For Life has been invaluable. Not only do we transport extremely critical patients with cardiac devices and multiple drips, but we get to assist with Search and Rescue and land on mountains. From rescues to critical care transport, flight nursing is my niche. I enjoy learning and sharing my knowledge as a way to create the best patient outcomes and to change people’s lives for the better.
Gwendolyn Cavin, BA BSN
Speaker Bio
Gwenny Cavin is an EMS Educator at heart who sprouted her roots in the ER and HEMS. She believes learning should be fun and lives for those aha moments when her students come alive with curiosity and a hunger for growth. Frequently called “intense,” for her fast-paced and loud persona, Gwenny’s ability to slow it down to connect with patients and treat their humanity along with their pathology is her superpower. When she’s not in the ED, a helicopter, or the classroom, she enjoys destroying her husband at pickleball and cooking exorbitant amounts of food for her family. Her three children are the light of her life, but they exhaust her to no end. Gwenny is a connoisseur of Diet Coke (can, fountain, bottle) and her blood type is Torchy’s queso.
Heather Shanabrook, DNP(c), BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Heather Shanabrook has served in the prehospital environment for over 25 years, the last 15 years as a nurse. Currently, she is a critical care transport nurse and paramedic with the Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health System. Heather has completed her training as a Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator and is working with her leadership team to facilitate the implementation of that position within her organization. In addition to transport and prehospital work, Heather has been an Emergency Department and ICU nurse. She is passionate about teaching and currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. Heather holds her BSN and is currently working on her DNP/FNP through Rutgers University. In addition to her MICP certification, Heather maintains her CEN and CFRN certifications.
Hunter Hix BSN
Speaker Bio
Hunter is a Flight Nurse in Colorado with a background in ICU, ER and EMS, Hunter has 5 years of experience as a critical care nurse. Hunter is currently enrolled in a dual doctorate Nurse Practitioner program.
Jacob A. Miller, DNP, MBA, ACNP, ENP-C, CNS, NRP
Speaker Bio
Jacob Miller is a Certified Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Paramedic with background in flight, critical care transport, and emergency nursing. Jacob received his Master of Science in acute care from the University of Maryland, post-master’s certificates in family practice and advanced transport nursing from Case Western Reserve University, and his Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Cincinnati.
Jacob is an active member with the Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association, the Emergency Nurses Association, and is co-chair of the EMS Special Interest Group with the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners.
Jacob practices as a full-time flight nurse practitioner with the University of Cincinnati Air care team in Cincinnati, OH where he chairs their Professional Practice Committee.
James C Boomhower MS(c), BS, FP-C, NR-P, C-NPT, CCISM
Speaker Bio
James Boomhower, MS(c), BS, FP-C, NR-P, C- NPT, CCISM has been involved in EMS for over 15 years in a variety of health systems throughout New England. He currently functions in the role of Critical Care Transport Specialist-Paramedic/ Lead Peer Support Director with Boston Medflight of Bedford, Massachusetts and Crisis and Peer supporter for the ECHO FAST team and the state of RI CISM team. His desire to bring mental health awareness to the EMS arena has spurred him to create the Stay Fit 4 Duty platform as well as work to implement a peer support program in his workplace. James is working to realize his goal of promoting recognition, management and acceptance of acute stress in emergency responders as he obtains a Masters in Clinical Psychology at Colorado State University.
Jamie Eastman, RN, NRP
Speaker Bio
Speaker Bio coming soon!
Janie Kofford Ford MSN, MS, AGACNP – BC, RN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
I have been a nurse for 45 years, a flight nurse for 38 years and a Nurse Practitioner for 6 years working as a hospitalist. During that time I have been a clinical educator for 32 years and been involved in public speaking for several conferences. I enjoy studying the art of masterful teaching and have tried to hone that skill to benefit the adult learner who can be a challenge and the exception to many traditional teaching styles. I am a section editor of The Air Medical Journal and contributor and feel it an honor to have some of my words in this well respected journal.
I have worked in hospitals in Southern California, and Utah and worked as a paramedic and Mobile Intensive care liaison for Los Angeles County over 21 hospitals and assisted with the implementation of trauma centers and pediatric receiving centers. I have worked as an expert witness where so much of the time the heart of the case revolves around the type of education they did or did not receive.
I have a husband and 4 children and 13 of the most beautiful grandchildren on the planet. My husband and I love to travel, we have horses and a dog and bond over the amazing personalities they possess. Our horse is a therapy horse and has worked magic with so many hurting children and adults.
I love history, especially American history, chocolate, the outdoors, fall leaves, happy endings and sharing my drive to teach the art of compassionate caregiving, so all of our patients receive compassionate care which takes many forms. I am blessed to have been in a career that has given me so many experiences and rewards and led me to so many friends and co-workers whose examples inspire me to always do and be better.
Jason Herman, MSN, RN , TCRN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Jason Herman has been a nurse for 8 years and spent most of that time in emergency medicine. He obtained his Associate Degree of Nursing from The College of Coastal Georgia and his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University. He currently is an active member of the Edson College Alumni Board. Jason graduated from The University of Alabama at Birmingham with his Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner pathway. Jason is a student at Augusta University pursing his Doctorate of Nursing Practice. He is currently employed as a flight nurse, at Augusta University Medical Center. Jason was part of the winning team of the AMTC’S Clinical Simulation Challenge in Fort Worth, TX last year. His wife Ashlyn, is a second-year emergency medicine resident at Augusta University and the couple shares an Italian Greyhound named Roo!
Jason Hoffman, BS, NRP
Speaker Bio
Speaker Bio coming soon!
Jeff Wayland, MD
Speaker Bio
Speaker Bio coming soon!
Jennifer Wheeler MPH, FP-C, C-NPT
Speaker Bio
Jennifer (Jen) Wheeler has been an educator, provider, and leader in the pre hospital emergency arena throughout New England for over 15 years. Jen has served in a number of roles including ALS program manager, inaugural member of Yale New Haven’s Pediatric Transport Team, Yale New Haven program educator where she advanced to program manager. Currently Jen excels as a Critical Care Transport Specialist-Paramedic within Boston MedFlight where she is an active member of the education team throughout all disciples and courses. Jen most recently acquired a Masters in Public Health concentrating on non for profit healthcare organizations. Jen hopes to continue to advance the paramedic field of education and continues to be a steward of the profession.
Jeremy C. Williams, B.S., NRP
Speaker Bio
A lifelong learner, Jeremy Williams is a passionate clinician and researcher whose interests explore the intersection of health/healthcare, communication, and psychology. Williams’s clinical experience spans many facets of EMS including: 911, interfacility and critical care transport, and education. As a researcher, he has authored and presented original research at several academic conferences including the Midwest Psychological Association Annual Conference, the Kansas Public Health Association Annual Conference, the Central States Communication Association Annual Conference, the Kansas Capital Research Symposium, and the Midwest Global Health Conference. His research interests include the communicative nature of the patient-provider relationship with specific interest in how media representations might impact patient-provider interactions, access to healthcare, and vaccination hesitancy.
Joe Hylton, MA, BSRT
Speaker Bio
With over 27 years of healthcare experience as an EMT, Respiratory Therapist, and Paramedic within hospitals and RW/FW/Ground transport, and 6 years as a clinical educator in the industry, I provide a pragmatic and easy
Joe Lewis, MSRC, RRT-RCP
Speaker Bio
Joe Lewis is a Registered Respiratory Therapist with over 20 years of experience. He currently teaches full time at Tarrant County College in Texas, while also pursuing his Masters Degree in Respiratory Care. Joe utilizes various means of media, including YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to effectively inform and inspire future healthcare providers.
Jon C. Inkrott, RRT, RRT-ACCS
Speaker Bio
Jon C. Inkrott, RRT, RRT-ACCS is a Registered Respiratory Therapist and Adult Critical Care Specialist. He is a native of Sarasota, Florida and started his career in 1993 at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, Florida. His career path has afforded him successful positions at the Orlando Regional Medical Center, the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, and The Christ Hospital-Cincinnati. Since 2012 he has practiced as a Flight Respiratory Therapist and EMS Field Training Officer with the AdventHealth Flight 1 Program in Orlando, Florida and since 2018, with JetI.C.U., a world-wide fixed-wing program based in Tampa, Florida.
He is the current Surface and Air Transport Section Chair for the American Association for Respiratory Care and serves as a consultant for the National Board of Respiratory Care’s Clinical Simulation Exam and Adult Critical Care Specialist Exam committees, respectively. He is the Associate Director for the Florida Society for Respiratory Care’s Region IV and holds an Adjunct Faculty position with the University of Florida’s Critical Care Paramedic Program. He also serves as a respiratory subject matter expert in legal cases around the United States.
His areas of interest include ARDS and ARDS Research and Prevention, Lung Protective Ventilation Strategies, Advanced Mechanical Ventilation Modalities, NIV in the ARDS patient, and Critical Care Transport Safety and Education. Along with presentations in association with the CDC and the Strategic National Stockpile, he has presented multiple times at the AARC Congress and Air Medical Transport Conference, the Florida EMS CLINCON State conference, The Cleveland Clinic’s Advanced Practices in Critical Care Symposium, and the Society of Critical Care Medicines International Congress. Since 2019 he has served as an outstanding peer reviewer for the Air Medical Journal and has been published in the Respiratory Care Journal, the Air Medical Journal, and has co-authored book chapters in the Mechanical Ventilation, First Edition textbook (Shelledy, D; Peters, J.; Jones &Bartlett, 2020; ISBN 9780000125934).
Kate Connelly, MD, NRP
Speaker Bio
Kate Connelly: Dr. Connelly is an EMS fellow at the University of Cincinnati, where she also completed her residency training. She is also a flight physician for UC Health Air Care & Mobile Care and worked as a paramedic prior to attending medical school.
Kevin T Collopy, MHL, FP-C, NRP, CMTE
Speaker Bio
Kevin Collopy, MHL, FP-C, NRP, CMTE is the clinical outcomes & compliance manager for Novant Health AirLink/VitaLink where he oversees the program’s research, education, risk management, and quality management, and reimbursement programs. Kevin regularly speaks across the United States and has taught emergency & wilderness medicine on 3 continents. He’s an author of over 200 articles and book chapters including 30 peer-reviewed research abstracts and papers. In addition, Kevin serves on several national and international advisory boards, teaches the paramedic program at Cape Fear Community College and is currently overseeing multiple clinical trials. He also maintains his LEAN Healthcare Blackbelt certification, has a master’s in healthcare leadership, and is known for developing and innovating quality management solutions in prehospital care systems
Laurel Whittemore, RN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Laurel is a 18-year Emergency and Critical Care nurse with extensive teaching experience including Regional Clinical Educator for Life Flight Network. Clinical experience includes 7 years of flight (rotor and fixed-wing), 5 years of Critical Care Transport on ground ambulance, and 6 years in other nursing roles such as Open-heart Surgery, Intensive Care, PACU/OR, and working on the Trauma Team. She has also been an instructor at the Ski and Mountain Trauma Conference for 4 years. She has received multiple nursing awards as well as the Enviroguard award from the city of Boise for efforts in protecting the environment. Humanitarian efforts include COVID relief in the Los Angeles area, volunteering in a shelter for the Paradise Fire victims in California, and medical relief after Hurricane Katrina. Laurel has been a youth mentor/teacher for 18 years and teaches community and school members CPR, Stop The Bleed, and anti-smoking/vaping classes. She enjoys performing clinical simulations, small and large-scale, for her hometown hospital. When not teaching, Laurel enjoys running, hiking, and waterskiing.
Lauren Maloney, MD, NRP, FP-C, NCEE
Speaker Bio
Dr. Lauren Maloney, MD, NRP, FP-C, CIC, NCEE, a double board certified Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services Physician, is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH), an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University (SBU), the Police Surgeon and Medical Director for the Stony Brook University Police Department and Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the Medical Director for the SBU Paramedic Program, an Associate Medical Director for SBUH EMS, and faculty for the SBU Institute for Engineering-Driven Medicine. She completed the Paramedic Program at SBU in 2009, received her Bachelor’s of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from SBU in 2012, graduated with a Doctorate of Medicine with Distinction in Medical Education from the SBU School of Medicine in 2016, completed an Emergency Medicine Residency as a Chief Resident at SBUH in 2019, and was the inaugural SBUH Emergency Medical Services Fellow from 2019-2020. Additionally, Dr. Maloney serves as a course director for several medical student electives at the Stony Brook University School of Medicine including Prehospital Emergency Medicine, and a Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Elective in Biodesign.
Dr. Maloney has over a decade of experience working as a 911 and critical care transport paramedic in New York City and Long Island, in addition to holding New York State and National EMS education teaching credentials. She is a well published author, and was the recipient of the 2019 Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Resident Educator and Excellence in Research Awards, the 2019 Suffolk Regional EMS Council Physician of Excellence Award, and more recently, the New York Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physician’s 2022 Research Rising Star Award.
Lori Avaiusini MN, RN, CCRN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Lori Avaiusini is a Pediatric Clinical Educator and flight nurse for Airlift Northwest based in Seattle Washington. She has 23 years of nursing experience in pediatric and neonatal critical care, with 20 years of transport experience in ground, fixed-wing and rotary-wing. With a Masters of Nursing degree, with a focus on education, she enjoys training new and experienced flight staff through didactic, skill-based and simulation training.
Marc Baron, DNP(c), MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, CFRN, PHRN
Speaker Bio
Marc Baron is a prehospital provider with 28 years of experience in the EMS and fire community, both as a volunteer and career member. He has 19 years of nursing experience, specializing in Leadership, Emergency and Transport Medicine. Currently Marc is the Director of Nursing for Suburban Community Hospital outside of Philadelphia. Marc spent 5 years as a leader in Pediatric Transport at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He has previously served as the Director of Emergency Services for Salem Medical Center in New Jersey where he oversees the Emergency Department as well as the newly established SCT and Transport team. Marc holds his master’s degree in nursing education and will complete his DNP in May. He holds multiple national certifications in both Nursing and PreHospital medicine, notably his NEA-BC, CEN, CPEN, CFRN, and TCRN.
Michael A Frakes APRN, FAEN, FAASTN, FCCM
Speaker Bio
Michael Frakes is the Chief Quality Officer and the Director of Clinical Care for Boston MedFlight. A Nebraska native, his EMS experience includes roles as a firefighter, EMT, paramedic, nurse, transport nurse, advanced practice nurse, administrator, executive, and communications specialist. He has an Associate’s Degree in Emergency Medical Services from the Johnson County (KS) Community College and nursing degrees from the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Connecticut. His non-clinical education includes a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Kansas and certificates in healthcare quality and patient safety. He has been a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program Examiner, ANCC Magnet Program Commissioner, and President of the Transport Nurses Association. He is a Fellow of the College of Critical Care Medicine, the Academy of Emergency Nursing, the Academy of Air and Surface Transport Nursing, and the American College of Healthcare Executives, and is a Certified Barbeque Judge.
Michael A Jasumback MD
Speaker Bio
I am an emergency physician and EMS medical director of 25 years. I have a special interest in critical care medicine as it applies to the realm of transport medicine. I have a special interest in sepsis and fluid resuscitation as well as hemostatic resuscitation. I am a member of AMPA, NAEMSP and ACEP.
Michael D. Gooch, DNP, APRN, CCP
Speaker Bio
Dr. Michael D. Gooch is board certified as an acute care, family, and emergency nurse practitioner. He is also board certified as an emergency, flight, transport and trauma nurse. He has over 25 years of emergency and transport medicine experience. He obtained his MSN from Vanderbilt University and his DNP from Loyola University Chicago. He is an Assistant Professor of Nursing with Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, as well as faculty with the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia. At Vanderbilt University Medical Center, he practices as an emergency and flight nurse practitioner. He has completed over 1,500 patient transports during his tenure with Vanderbilt LifeFlight. He is a founding member of the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners and serves as the Southeastern Regional Director. He also serves as an APRN liaison to the board of directors for the Air and Surface Transport Nurses Association and is a member of the Emergency Nurses Association’s advanced practice advisory council. Michael is a nationally recognized speaker and published author regarding varied emergency and transport medicine topics. He serves as a column editor for the Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal.
Michael J. Lauria, MD, NRP, FP-C
Speaker Bio
Michael Lauria started working in emergency services in 2002 as a Firefighter/EMT-I. In 2005, he graduated from Dartmouth College and enlisted in the Air Force, completed the rigorous Pararescue (PJ) training pipeline, and served at the 321st Special Tactics Squadron. During his service he deployed to OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM as the primary medic assigned to a Combat Search and Rescue Team, Joint Special Operations Task Force, and in support of C Company, 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). In October 2012, he returned to New Hampshire after accepting a position as a Critical Care/Flight Paramedic for the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team (DHART). Michael graduated with honors from the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine in 2018 and completed Emergency Medicine residency at the University of New Mexico. Currently, he is an EMS Fellow and will go onto a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine. Outside of clinical responsibilities, he writes for the EMCrit podcast, consults for various emergency service organizations, and speaks around the world on clinical human factors and improving clinical performance in stressful situations.
Michael Perlmutter, MD, FP-C, NRP
Speaker Bio
Michael C. Perlmutter, MD, FP-C, NRP
Emergency Medicine Resident Physician, Hennepin County Medical Center
Critical Care Paramedic, North Memorial Health Ambulance & Air Care
Michael Perlmutter is an emergency medicine resident physician at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School. In the ten years prior to medical school, he worked on the ground and in the air as a critical care and flight paramedic, where he served as a Field Training Officer and contributed to protocol development, education, and training initiatives. He has lectured at EMS and Emergency Medicine conferences in the United States and abroad, speaking about his research and topics of particular interest, which include advanced airway management, acute heart failure, sepsis care, and the many uses of ketamine. He is also active in the Free Open Access Medical Education (#FOAMed) movement, where he observes, comments, and contributes via his Twitter handle, @DitchDoc14.
P.S. Martin, MD
Speaker Bio
2022 marks my 40th year in EMS and my 35 year involved in HEMS. I have held the positions from first aid/first responder, EMT, EMT-P, Flight Paramedic, Communication Specialist, EMS Physician, Flight Physician, to EMS/HEMS medical director. I also have had the privilege of being a CAMTS site surveyor, Secretary Treasurer/President of AMPA, Vice President of the Prehospital Guidelines Consortium (a NHTSA funded NAEMSP program), as well as President of the WV NAEMSP Chapter. During my years of practice I have been Medical Director/Associate Medical Director of two large critical inter hospital transport programs and have developed specialty transport teams in such areas as pediatrics and ECMO. While still practicing my specialties I am now also Associate Professor at the West Virginia University School of Medicine and Director of the WVU Division of Prehospital Medicine focusing on the delivery of EMS/HEMS/Critical care transport in rural environments.
Portia – Trained AKC Service Dog (Mastiff)
Speaker Bio
Trained AKC Service Dog (Mastiff)
Rachael Farner, MSN
Speaker Bio
Rachael is an experienced neonatal transport nurse and has been the NICU transport team director at University Hospital in San Antonio since 2014. She is actively involved in outreach education, simulation and quality improvement.
Ruben Troncoso MD, MPH
Speaker Bio
Speaker Bio coming soon!
Sam Matta BSN, RN
Speaker Bio
Sam has spent the past 16 years as an emergency/critical care nurse. During the first 4 years as a trauma/critical care nurse with the US Army. The past 12 years have been spent as a critical care transport and flight nurse working in direct support of major academic medical centers in the national capital region. Beginning early on in Sam’s career he has served in both formal and informal education roles in units and programs he has worked with. Sam is also recognized as a subject matter expert in both airway management and mechanical ventilation with invitations to present both regionally and nationally on the subject.
Sarah Barber, BS Psychology, EMT-P, FP-C
Speaker Bio
Sarah Barber has been a Flight Paramedic with Life Flight Network for sixteen years. In 2011 she ventured into Safety and Quality Management, and has worked in dual capacity as a clinician and a Quality Manager ever since. Her early training included a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford University which has been a valuable asset in every aspect of life. When she’s not flying in helicopters or collecting data for continuous quality improvement, she can be found trail running with her dogs and camping with her husband in the mountains of her home state, Idaho.
Sean Eaton, AGE, NRP, FP-C, CCP-C
Speaker Bio
Sean Eaton is a Critical Care Paramedic with 20 years of experience. Sean’s experience includes work as a Firefighter-Paramedic, Mountain Search and Rescue Medic, Wildland Fire Medic, Ground CCT Medic, Rotor and Fixed Flight Medic, and Educator. Sean is also the CEO, Founder, and Lead Educator for FlightCrit, an online education company providing education and mentoring for prehospital, emergency, and critical care transport professionals, and is pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University.
Shad Ruby MS, AGACNP-BC
Speaker Bio
Began my career in EMS as an EMT and then paramedic in 1996. In 2005, I started working as a firefighter/paramedic in the suburbs of Cincinnati while finishing my nursing degree. As a nurse I worked in an emergency department and later a Mobile Intensive Care Unit after taking a critical care course through the Cleveland Clinic. In 2011, I began my first flight position and then started working with UC Health in 2014. I graduated from Wright State in 2020 as an Acute Care NP and specialize in pulmonary critical care full-time while still flying with UC.
Stephanie Gardner, MD, FAAEM, FACEP, FAEMS
Speaker Bio
Speaker Bio coming soon!
Stephanie L. Bailey MSN, RN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Stephanie has been a registered nurse for over twenty-seven years. Her emphasis has been in emergency and critical care/flight nursing. Stephanie has had a diverse career that began in the emergency medical services as a paramedic and expanded into nursing where she was a flight nurse for twenty years. She is an experienced presenter, has presented at three national air medical transport conferences and also as multiple regional conferences. Stephanie is also an experienced instructor for over twenty five years in several courses including advanced life support, pediatric advanced life support, paramedic and nursing courses. It is her extensive background and passion for teaching that has supported her role as a Simulation Education Manager. In 2018 Stephanie was published in Air Medical Journal and in 2021 completed an authorship for the Air and Surface Transport Nurses Association’s Human Patient Simulation for Transport Environments Book. She is currently working on completing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice.
Stephanie Queen DNP, M.B.A, MSN, RN
Speaker Bio
Speaker Bio coming soon!
Stephanie Steiner, MSN, ACNP-C, CPNP-AC, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Stephanie Steiner, MSN, ACNP-C, CPNP-AC, CFRN is currently a Regional Clinical Educator for PHI Air Medical serving Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan rotor wing bases. Stephanie has 15 years of experience as both a flight nurse and flight nurse practitioner functioning on ground, rotor, and fixed transports for both adult and pediatric populations. Additionally, Stephanie is a dual boarded acute care nurse practitioner with her most current practice setting in a Regional Burn Center Intensive Care Unit. This burn center cares for both adult and pediatric burn patients in an academic setting. Stephanie has an extensive background in education and teaching with roles as graduate faculty in acute care nurse practitioner programs and a unique flight subspecialty graduate program located within Ohio. Teaching specialties include acute and ICU level care as well as simulation based education for ICU providers and all air medical crews.
Teri Campbell MSN, RN
Speaker Bio
Teri Campbell has been a flight nurse for over 20 years and flies for the University of Chicago, UCAN program. She has an extensive clinical background including high-risk OB, pediatrics, emergency, trauma, critical care and flight/transport. She has authored numerous publications related to high-risk OB, pediatrics, cardiac, and transport topics. She has been blessed to have lectured at numerous regional, national and international conferences.
Vahe Ender, NRP, FP-C
Speaker Bio
Vahé Ender is a Critical Care Paramedic and Clinical Project Manager at Boston MedFlight, a combined neonatal, pediatric and adult critical care retrieval and trauma team. Additionally, he is a tactical medical provider for a regional federal special response team. He is actively involved in clinical development, research and quality assurance with a focus on trauma resuscitation, transfusion and airway management.
Benjamin Lawner, DO, EMT-P
Speaker Bio
Dr. Benjamin Lawner is the Medical Director for the Baltimore City Fire Department and the Maryland ExpressCare Critical Care Transport program. A longstanding paramedic and expert in transport medicine, Ben was the lead editor for the ground-breaking text, Avoiding Common Prehospital Errors and he serves in a multitude of educational roles in his capacity as Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine (EM) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and its EM and EMS-related training programs. Ben’s interest in emergency medicine began at an early age. He considered paramedics Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto as childhood friends and was often spotted at daycare donning a plastic “squad 51” fireman’s hat. After “Emergency!” was cancelled, he inexplicably clung to the TV set for career counseling. Disappointed by the surgeons of, “Trapper John, MD,” Ben turned to Howie Mandel (St Elsewhere’s Dr.Wayne Fiscus) for further inspiration. True to his out-of-hospital roots, Ben completed EMT school in 1994 where he secured his first pair of trauma shears. Until 2001, Ben worked for Alachua County Fire Rescue as a lead paramedic / firefighter. Fortunately for the population of north central Florida, Ben was never detailed to a fire suppression apparatus and remained “stuck on the box (ambulance).” He graduated from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2005 and completed his EM residency training at the University of Maryland. He served as a Chief Resident and Faculty Development Fellow for the 2008-2009 academic year and completed an EMS fellowship jointly sponsored by UMBC, UMD, and the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS). Ben’s current academic interests include medical education, critical care transport, and resuscitation. In 2018, Ben was the recipient of the Street Medicine Society’s John P. Pryor award. The award is given to an EMS physician for their exemplary service to the field of emergency medical services.
William Kelly Miller RN, CFRN
Speaker Bio
Speaker Bio coming soon!
Zaffer Qasim, MD
Speaker Bio
Dr. Qasim is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
He obtained his medical degree from the University of Karachi. He completed residency and fellowship training in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care in the United Kingdom, where he also worked as an attending (consultant) emergency physician and operational EMS physician. He moved to the United States to complete training in Trauma/Surgical Critical Care at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, Maryland before moving to Philadelphia.
His academic interests lie in advanced trauma and endovascular resuscitation, airway management, simulation, and prehospital care.
You can follow him on Twitter: @ResusOne