Stephanie Lareau, MD, FAWM, FACEP
Stephanie is an emergency medicine physician at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke Virginia and Associate Professor at the VT-Carilion School of Medicine. She completed a Wilderness Medicine Fellowship at Georgia Health Sciences and completed her EM residency and medical school at Wake Forest University. She is the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Director at VT-Carilion.
Stephanie earned the Fellowship of Wilderness Medicine and Diploma in Mountain Medicine. She is a member of the WMS Board of Director, is part of the WMS DiMM Faculty. and serves as a director for the WMS Student/ Resident Elective in Virginia and the VTC/Radford WM Student Electives.
As a medical student, she co-founded the Southern Student Wilderness Medicine Conference. She is a past president of the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine and formerly served on the board.
Her research interests include injuries in endurance mountain biking races, the effectiveness of high fidelity simulation in wilderness medicine education, student WM elective curriculum and Lyme disease within SW Virginia.
She is a certified Level 4 Swift Water Rescue Instructor through the ACA. She is an AWLS course director and instructor. She is also a WFA and CPR/AED instructor through ECSI. She is also a dive physician through UHMS/NOAA. She works as an instructor for local EMS and SAR including Roanoke County EMS, Franklin County Rescue Squad and Vinton Rescue Squad.
Outdoors, Stephanie enjoys mountain biking, sailing, rock climbing, skiing and SCUBA diving with her husband and dog.
Stephanie earned the Fellowship of Wilderness Medicine and Diploma in Mountain Medicine. She is a member of the WMS Board of Director, is part of the WMS DiMM Faculty. and serves as a director for the WMS Student/ Resident Elective in Virginia and the VTC/Radford WM Student Electives.
As a medical student, she co-founded the Southern Student Wilderness Medicine Conference. She is a past president of the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine and formerly served on the board.
Her research interests include injuries in endurance mountain biking races, the effectiveness of high fidelity simulation in wilderness medicine education, student WM elective curriculum and Lyme disease within SW Virginia.
She is a certified Level 4 Swift Water Rescue Instructor through the ACA. She is an AWLS course director and instructor. She is also a WFA and CPR/AED instructor through ECSI. She is also a dive physician through UHMS/NOAA. She works as an instructor for local EMS and SAR including Roanoke County EMS, Franklin County Rescue Squad and Vinton Rescue Squad.
Outdoors, Stephanie enjoys mountain biking, sailing, rock climbing, skiing and SCUBA diving with her husband and dog.
Stephen Lareau, JD
Stephen Lareau is a practicing attorney who focuses on intellectual property litigation and counseling. He received his J.D., with honors, from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he was a member of the North Carolina Journal of Law and Technology. Stephen is admitted to practice in North Carolina and is registered to practice before the U.S Patent and Trademark Office.
Stephen received his B.S. in mechanical engineering, summa cum laude, from Clemson University, where he was a member of the National Scholars Program.
An avid outdoor enthusiast, Stephen enjoys rock climbing, mountaineering, skiing, cycling, sailing, SCUBA diving, and generally being outdoors. Combining his two passions, he has lectured on legal issues in wilderness medicine. He is a member of the Steering Committee for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine.
Stephen received his B.S. in mechanical engineering, summa cum laude, from Clemson University, where he was a member of the National Scholars Program.
An avid outdoor enthusiast, Stephen enjoys rock climbing, mountaineering, skiing, cycling, sailing, SCUBA diving, and generally being outdoors. Combining his two passions, he has lectured on legal issues in wilderness medicine. He is a member of the Steering Committee for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine.
Patrick Robinson, MD, FAWM
Patrick is an emergency physician at Alamance Regional Hospital. He completed emergency medicine residency at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke VA. He earned his MD at Wake Forest SOM in the spring of 2014 and completed his Fellowship of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine prior to graduation. While in medical school, he has spent much of his free time organizing wilderness medicine events, including the 5th and 6th annual Southeastern Student Wilderness Medicine Conferences. In 2012, Patrick joined the Board of the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine as the student/resident member. In his time exploring the backwoods of North Carolina, Patrick recognized the importance of wilderness medicine education and has dedicated his time to promoting educational events throughout the region. He also has a particular interest in the skill set that wilderness medicine training can provide to those looking to travel to third world countries. Patrick has served on several medical missions to Central America and has seen first hand how wilderness medicine training can improve a healthcare team in those settings.
Mountain biking and rock climbing consume much of Patrick's free time, but he also enjoys the
occasional trip to the mountain streams of NC for some fly fishing. He has traveled well across the United States, to the Patagonia region of South America, and to Europe for rock climbing on anything from the tall boulders in Joshua Tree, CA to the multi-pitch granite trad routes on Laurel knob, NC.
Mountain biking and rock climbing consume much of Patrick's free time, but he also enjoys the
occasional trip to the mountain streams of NC for some fly fishing. He has traveled well across the United States, to the Patagonia region of South America, and to Europe for rock climbing on anything from the tall boulders in Joshua Tree, CA to the multi-pitch granite trad routes on Laurel knob, NC.
Henderson McGinnis, MD, FAWM
A former river rafting guide, Henderson McGinnis is a Professor of emergency medicine at Wake Forest University. He is the medical director of Wilkes County EMS and AirCare, Wake Forest University’s air medical service, and also serves as an assistant professor at Western Carolina University, where he is helping to design a wilderness medicine baccalaureate program for paramedics. Henderson served on the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine. He is an avid kayaker and rafter and is now exploring ways to share this passion with his two children..
Randy Howell, DHSc, PA-C
Randy is an emergency medicine PA at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA. He is the PA/NP Emergency Medicine Fellowship Director at Carilion Clinic. He also serves as an assistant director for the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship at Carilion Clinic. He is an assistant professor at the Radford University-Carilion PA program and the Virginia Tech-Carilion School of Medicine's department of interprofessionalism. Randy has been active in wilderness medicine for many years and has served on the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine. He is a member of the National Ski Patrol and a river guide in West Virginia. He is a certified ACA Level 4 Swift Water Rescue Instructor as well as an AWLS instructor. When not working or teaching Randy can be found on the river!
Michael Caudell, MD, FAWM
Dr. Michael Caudell is a Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, where he formerly served as the Medical Director for Wilderness & Survival Medicine and was the founder of the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship. Dr. Caudell is one of the founders of MedWAR (Medical Wilderness Adventure Race), serves as the Executive Director for the annual Southeast Race and serves on the Board of Directors for the North American Educational Adventure Racing (NAEAR). He is a Past Chair of the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Wilderness Medicine Section and Past Chair of the Fellowship Directors Committee. Dr. Caudell served 2 terms on the Board of Directors for the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) and is also a former chair of the WMS Education Committee. He remains active in the WMS, as Course Director for AWLS pre-conferences, Co-Chair of the Practice Guidelines Committee, and as a member of the Education Committee and its GME Fellowship subcommittee. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM). Dr. Caudell is Past President and has served on the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine (ACWM). He has earned his Diploma in Mountain Medicine (DiMM) along with certifications in Level I Swiftwater Rescue, SCUBA Advanced Open Water, Mixed Gas and Rescue Diving.
Taylor Haston, DO, FACEP, MBS, MPH
Dr. Taylor Haston is from Charlotte, NC but currently lives in Augusta, GA. She an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and the Director for the Wilderness Medicine Program and Fellowship within the Center of Operational Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Taylor completed medical school at Nova Southeastern University in 2011, Emergency Medicine Residency at MCG in 2014 then went on to complete a Wilderness Medicine Fellowship in 2015 also at MCG. She is the Chair-Elect of ACEP’s Wilderness Medicine Section, serves on the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) Education and GME Committees and is the GME Lecture Series Subcommittee Chair. Taylor is formerly served on the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine (ACWM) and is the past Advisory Council chair. She also is a past faculty director for the Southeastern Student Wilderness Medicine Conference in 2018 in that was held at MCG in Augusta, GA. Dr. Haston is both an Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS) and a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) instructor. She is Faculty and Medical and Safety Director for the Southeast MedWAR, as well as and Faculty and Content Expert for the EMRA MedWAR. Dr. Haston earned the Diploma in Mountain Medicine (DiMM) and certifications in Level 1 Swiftwater Rescue, Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diving. She provides medical support and serves as medical director for Racing the Planet Ultramarathon race series. Taylor enjoys providing medical care and education in austere environments around the world. She also has 2 awesome dogs, one that she adopted from the Atacama Desert in Chile while working as medical support at an ultramarathon race.
Ben Chopski, DO,
Ben Chopski is a general internist from Roanoke, VA. Ben serves as an academic hospitalist at VCU Health where he advises the Wilderness Medicine Interest Group at the VCU School of Medicine. He is active in resident procedure training and volunteers with the Unique Pathogens Unit for response to pandemic threats.
His medical career began as an EMT in the Roanoke area. He subsequently earned his medical degree from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2011. When not teaching, he is usually found in his kayak on the James River or backpacking in central Virginia. He is a certified Level 3 River Safety and Rescue Instructor through the ACA.
His medical career began as an EMT in the Roanoke area. He subsequently earned his medical degree from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2011. When not teaching, he is usually found in his kayak on the James River or backpacking in central Virginia. He is a certified Level 3 River Safety and Rescue Instructor through the ACA.
Sarah Beth Dinwiddie, RN, BSN
Sarah Beth is the trauma nurse specialist for Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, the region’s only level 1 trauma center. As a registered nurse, she has over a decade of experience working in emergency departments across the country. Her wilderness instruction began in the Fall of 1999 when she attended a wilderness first responder course through the local search and rescue team. From that point on, she has dedicated her career and life to promoting safety and injury prevention especially in the backcountry where help may be further than a phone call away. Her outdoor “safety” career began with Benton County Search and Rescue where she was an active member from 2005-2010 and was trained in swift water rescue, cave rescue, high angle rescue, and wilderness rescue. She served as the training officer for Benton County Search and Rescue from 2008-2010. Deciding to pursue travel nursing, she gave up the search and rescue team but was able to remain active in the great outdoors including serving as Safety Team member for Bridge Day at the New River Gorge as well as medical support on a 22 day, self-support raft trip down the Colorado River. Her passions are kayaking, hiking, repelling, and caving. She is a Swift water Rescue Level 3 Instructor, certified by the American Canoe Association. She currently has a 7 year old son who is her greatest passion and she is grateful that she is able to share the great outdoors with him.
Jessie Gehner, MD
Jessie Gehner is an emergency physician at Virginia Tech Carilion and was the first Wilderness Medicine Fellow to graduate from the program in 2017. She first was introduced to wilderness medicine as a patient when she was a thru hiker on the Appalachian Trail. As fate would have it she returned to Roanoke, to complete a residency in emergency medicine and and fellowship in wilderness medicine at the same hospital where she was taken 10 years prior. Research interests include altitude physiology and pathophysiology, and long distance hiker health. Jessie is also passionate about expanding emergency and wilderness medical education in Nepal. Her interests include backpacking, mountaineering, cycling, animal rescue and rock and roll music.
Josh Nichols, MD
Josh Nichols is an Emergency Medicine Physician at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke Virginia where he also completed a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine. During his training he earned his Diploma in Mountain Medicine through the Wilderness Medicine Society and certification as a Dive Medicine Physician through the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association. He is an avid whitewater kayaker and distance trail runner as well as a certified HAM radio technician. He teaches courses in swift water rescue and dive medicine around the world, directed toward medical professionals. He also enjoys volunteer medical race support for endurance events in the region.
Keri Baker, NP
Keri is an nurse practitioner in emergency medicine at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia. She is the founder of Sacred Valley Health, a non profit organization, based in Peru that trains and supports women in remote areas becoming health care workers in their communities. She is enthusiastic about teaching others about medicine in remote and limited resource environments. She is a grant recipient from the Carilion Clinic Foundation and developed a community wilderness medicine education program in Roanoke. Her project reached over 500 community members. She is an AWLS and WFA instructor. Her outdoor interests include running, cycling, paddling and international travel.
Chris Davis, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, FAWM
Chris is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and associate program director for the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship at Wake Forest University. He has completed fellowships in EMS and Wilderness Medicine. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine and completed his Diploma in Mountain Medicine from the University of New Mexico. Chris has been an educator and practitioner of wilderness medicine since 2004, first as a paramedic, and now as a physician. As a river guide, climbing guide, and former charter sailing captain, Chris has experience leading clients on adventures both on land and on the water. Chris is active in the rescue community and serves on a local mountain rescue team, and as a ski patroller. Chris' has a passion for experiential education, and loves to share experiences through realistic, simulation-based training. Chris is a high-angle and swiftwater rescue instructor for the National Park Service, AWLS instructor, is certified by the American Mountain Guides Association as a Single Pitch Instructor and ACA as a SWR instructor. In his free time, you usually find Chris on a river somewhere.
Zach Shaub, DO
Zach Shaub is a graduate of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and a former Virginia Tech/Carilion Clinic EM Resident. Currently he is an Emergency medicine provider in Idaho. In addition to wilderness medicine he has experience in Tactical Medicine and Austere medicine thanks to a background as a physician in the US Army and actively participated with the "Stop the Bleed" campaign, teaching basic hemorrhage control and tourniquet use to the general population. Zach has been involved with wilderness medicine and paramedic instruction during his time as a resident. Now when he isn't working he enjoys spending time with his girls, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly fishing, hunting, skiing and international travel.
Kyle Brown, MD, EMT-P, FAWM
Kyle earned a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Iowa State University if 1997 and has served as a Paramedic in central Iowa since 2001. He has been a frequent primary and continuing education instructor for numerous EMS programs. Additionally, he has served as an Adjunct Professor of Physiology and Pathophysiology at the Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, Iowa. He is interested in experiential learning, and scenario-based education.
He has been involved in multiple international humanitarian medical aide and public health projects in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. As an active member of the Wilderness Medical Society since 2010; he completed the Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine in 2014. He has served on the WMS Membership and Education committees. Since attending the WMS Student Elective in 2015 he has returned to instruct and participate in curriculum development for the Resident Elective.
Currently Kyle is a Family Medicine Resident at MercyOne in Des Moines, Iowa. He enjoys hiking, trail running and mountaineering.
He has been involved in multiple international humanitarian medical aide and public health projects in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. As an active member of the Wilderness Medical Society since 2010; he completed the Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine in 2014. He has served on the WMS Membership and Education committees. Since attending the WMS Student Elective in 2015 he has returned to instruct and participate in curriculum development for the Resident Elective.
Currently Kyle is a Family Medicine Resident at MercyOne in Des Moines, Iowa. He enjoys hiking, trail running and mountaineering.
Justin Spratt, DO, FACEP, FAWM
Justin is an assistant professor of emergency medicine with West Virginia University and Hospitalist at United Hospital Center. He is very active in pre-hospital medicine and serves as medical director of 8 agencies over a 3 county area. He received his fellowship of wilderness medicine in July 2019 through the WMS. His passion for the outdoor dates back to his childhood where he spent time camping, hiking and mountain biking. As time goes on he is active in skiing and whitewater rafting. He has helped teach and lead numerous courses in Swiftwater rescue, WMS student elective and AWLS courses.
Emma Duff, EMT
Emma Duff is an EMT and has a bachelor's degree from Roanoke College in Chemistry and Public Health. Emma worked as medical staff for the Blue Ridge Scout Reservation at Camp Powhatan for the 2017 and 2018 season. During her undergraduate education, Emma combined her passions for the outdoors and health education to develop a wilderness first aid curriculum tailored to undergraduate students. Currently, Emma works with the Center for Community Health Innovation which aims to foster equitable, resident-guided community development projects as a means to address Roanoke's persistent health disparities. In her spare time, Emma enjoys hiking, climbing, trail running and camping. Her research interests include community education and identifying relationships between place and health within the community. Emma teaches wilderness first aid (WFA), and assists with teaching advanced wilderness life support (AWLS).
Nate Moore, DO
Nate Moore is an Emergency Medicine Physician in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He went to medical school in South Carolina where he was introduced to wilderness medicine. He trained in Roanoke, Virginia at Carilion Clinic Emergency Medicine Residency. Nate was actively involved in Wilderness Medicine at Carilion and is now beginning a new journey in the Wyoming and Colorado area. He enjoys skiing, mountain biking, climbing, scuba diving, mountaineering and international travel.
Theo Lyotard, MD
Theo completed his residency in Family Medicine at Creighton University in 2017. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Emergency Medicine at the Monroe Clinic in Monroe, WI, followed by a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine at the Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA. He completed his DiMM through the Wilderness Medical Society and is working toward his FAWM. He teaches wilderness medicine to medical providers and the public whenever the occasion arises. Theo is certified in AWLS and as a Diving Medical Physician through NOAA and the UHMS. Whenever he is not working or teaching, Theo enjoys rock climbing, mountain biking, running, skiing, and SCUBA diving.
CJ Waasdorp, DO, FAWM
CJ completed a combined emergency medicine and family medicine residency at Jefferson Health Northeast in Philadelphia, PA before becoming a formal Wilderness Medicine Fellow at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA. In medical school, he completed an honors track that involved continuous additional training in Rural and Wilderness Medicine in Colorado. He is very active in education and maintained interested in teaching within his residency and with medical students, having served as a resident director for the WMS student elective. During his fellowship, he completed his FAWM through the WMS, continued training with the military mountain medicine DiMM, did scuba training, and enjoyed fostering safety and medical training through teaching and training others. He has previously worked in outdoor settings including a Colorado ski resort and a Hawaii ocean sports tour company and continues to enjoys outdoor sports in a multitude of settings from mountains to marine, frontcountry to backcountry: splitboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing and sailing.
Erin Meyer, DO, FAWM
Erin is a former med/peds physician at Christiana Care in Delaware and is currently practicing telehealth during the pandemic. She has been a director the WMS Student Elective for the past 5 years and has participated as a backpacking mentor and speaker for over 10 years. In 2016, she received the WMS Education Award for her dedication to WM education She has also lectured at several WM conferences in the northeast and mid-atlantic. She is passionate for being outdoors enjoying backpacking, skiing, SCUBA. She loves spending time outdoors with her wife, 4 children and 2 dogs.
Jeremy Kessler, MD, FAAFP, FAWM
Originally from Queens, New York, Jeremy Kessler studied medicine at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, in Mexico and then completed a one year internship at New York Medical College. Jeremy initiated residency in General Surgery at the University of Florida - Gainesville, and subsequently transferred into and completed a Rural Family Medicine residency at the University of Wyoming - Cheyenne. Jeremy has worked with the Himalayan Rescue Association in Nepal, assisting with setting up the Emergency Medicine tent at Everest Base camp. He also is certified as a Diver Medic Technician and has worked in Roaton, Honduras in the Cornerstone clinic at Anthony's Key resort focusing on scuba dive and hyperbaric medicine while treating the local Meskito Indians, who suffer from frequent dive related injuries. Jeremy also is the medical director and head physician of a Pediatric/Adolescent medicine not for profit practice at the sleep away camp he attended as a youth, located in the Berkshire Mountains of New York State. Jeremy practiced for three years as a board certified Family Medicine physician in Cheyenne, Wyoming within an urgent care setting. Jeremy completed his Wilderness Medicine fellowship at Virginia Tech Carilion Clinic School of Medicine in July of 2020 and continues to work as a physician in the Roanoke area. He is passionate about teaching in both the austere and clinical settings. Presently, he has completed his SWR, AWLS, AIARE, Mountain Medicine, FAWM, Open water and Advanced Open water scuba dive certifications. He plans to complete the last remaining portion of the DiMM requirements shortly. He has co-authored a chapter on the emergency treatment of submersion injuries which was published in the Corependium online textbook by Emergency Medicine Reviews and Perspectives. He has become and instructor for courses such as WFA, WFR and AWLS. In his free time, Jeremy has been a medical and surgical brigade volunteer across Latin America, giving back to the underserved Spanish speaking population. He is enthusiastic and enjoys working as an instructor with BRAM and looks forward to upcoming adventures, incorporating wilderness medicine into his future career path, while satisfying his passion for travel by exploring the globe.
Claire Wilsey, PA-C
Claire Wilsey is an Emergency Medicine PA at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA. As our second ACP Wilderness Medicine Fellow, she has completed her DiMM and is working towards her FAWM. Claire is a downhill skier, originally from Upstate New York, and prior instructor at Smuggler’s Notch Ski Resort in VT. She has completed her AIARE I course focusing on identifying and characterizing avalanche terrain. When not at work, she enjoys running, hiking, yoga, mountain biking, skiing, educational outreach, international travel, and volunteer support.
Justin Gardner, DO
Justin graduated medical school from WVSOM in Lewisburg, WV in 2016, and completed his Emergency Medicine residency at Henry Ford Macomb hospital in Clinton Township, MI in June 2020. He is the 2020-2021 Wilderness Medicine Fellow with Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA. Justin is certified in AWLS, and is currently working towards completing his FAWM. During Fellowship, Justin plans to complete his FAWM, earn his Swift Water Rescue certification, Rescue Diver SCUBA license, SWR instructor certification, to complete his DIMM and AIARE, and to become an instructor for AWLS, WFA, and WFR. He also plans to increase cooperation amongst Wilderness Medicine groups of medical schools and residency programs in the region. Justin has been a member of the WMS Expedition Medicine Committee since 2018. As a fellow, he will work with the committee to develop resources, national/international standards for expedition medicine, and hopefully, a certification course in Expedition Medicine. He also wants to became more active in Search and Rescue, Expedition medicine, and teaching Wilderness Medicine and Emergency Medicine. Justin enjoys mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, backpacking, camping, and snowboarding. He also wants to become more active in rock and ice climbing, white water rafting, as well as SCUBA diving. He is excited to work as an instructor with BRAM and looks forward to upcoming adventures and incorporating wilderness medicine into his future career path.
Larry Jones, BA, NREMT, FAWM
Larry Jones served for 29 years as an Environmental Scientist with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Geography from the University of Delaware. As a 42-year National Ski Patrol member at Pennsylvania’s Blue Mountain Ski Area, he was awarded an NSP National Appointment. He is an Outdoor Emergency Care and AWLS Instructor, and has received certifications in PHTLS and BTLS, as well as ski patrol avalanche and mountaineering training. He is an NREMT and is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine through the Wilderness Medical Society. He is
a past member of the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine. In addition to skiing, he enjoys hiking, backpacking and kayaking.
a past member of the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine. In addition to skiing, he enjoys hiking, backpacking and kayaking.
Linda Laskowski-Jones, MS, APRN, ACNS-BC, CEN, NEA-BC, FAWM, FAAN
Linda Laskowski-Jones is the Editor-in-Chief of Nursing, the Journal of Clinical Excellence for Wolters Kluwer. She received her Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in Nursing from the University of Delaware. Her experience spans more than 40 years of prehospital emergency services, clinical nursing, advanced practice, education, and leadership. She was the Vice President of Emergency and Trauma services at Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Delaware for 13 years, and held other advanced practice and leadership roles during her 32- year tenure at Christiana Care. Linda is a trauma center site reviewer for accreditation and serves as a member of the Delaware Trauma System Committee. She is the State Chair of the Trauma Quality Committee. Linda is on the Advanced Practice Committee of the Delaware Board of Nursing and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Linda is on the Editorial Board of International Emergency Nursing (UK).
Linda is an active member of the National Ski Patrol with 32 years of volunteer service and patrols at Pennsylvania’s Blue Mountain Ski area where she received the "Purple Merit Star"; for saving a human life, and recognition by the National Ski Patrol for excellence in emergency care. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine, an Advanced Wilderness Life Support Instructor, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine. Linda received the 2015 Warren Bowman Award from the Wilderness Medicine Society in recognition of accomplishment and professional commitment to service to the Society. She also received the Founder’s Award from the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine in 2015 for outstanding service.
Linda is an active member of the National Ski Patrol with 32 years of volunteer service and patrols at Pennsylvania’s Blue Mountain Ski area where she received the "Purple Merit Star"; for saving a human life, and recognition by the National Ski Patrol for excellence in emergency care. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine, an Advanced Wilderness Life Support Instructor, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine. Linda received the 2015 Warren Bowman Award from the Wilderness Medicine Society in recognition of accomplishment and professional commitment to service to the Society. She also received the Founder’s Award from the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine in 2015 for outstanding service.
Amy Meredith, NP
Amy Meredith is an Emergency Nurse Practitioner with over 30 years experience. She grew up in the highlands of Papua, Indonesia among the Moni tribe where her passion for austere medicine and exploration of off grid adventures were born. She is a member of the American Alpine Club, the Explorers Club; an avid rock climber, hiker and wanderer. Amy is passionate about learning and teaching outdoor skills, mentoring other adventurers and enhancing the art and science of health care delivery in remote environments. Amy currently lives on a blueberry farm in the New Jersey Pine Barrens with her husband, Mark and two dogs.
Cathy Edson, NP
Cathy spent her career in the Emergency Department, but has also volunteered across the globe in disaster situations. She was one of the original Mobile Intensive Care Unit Nurses and then became an ED Nurse. She went on to become a pioneer in the field of Emergency Medicine Nurse Practitioners, help others succeed in her footsteps.
Combining her passion for the undeserved and great outdoors with the skills and knowledge that she has acquired has led her to be an instructor for BRAM and a leader in the development of a future fellowship opportunities.
She looks forward to continued learning, teaching and inspiring others.
Combining her passion for the undeserved and great outdoors with the skills and knowledge that she has acquired has led her to be an instructor for BRAM and a leader in the development of a future fellowship opportunities.
She looks forward to continued learning, teaching and inspiring others.
Tom Burroughs, EMT-W
A full-time outdoor skills educator working internationally, Tom is focused on the development of powerful and effective methods of experiential learning. He is the Director of Ozark Safety & Rescue Educators.
In 2015, Tom received the ACA's "Excellence in Instruction" award, and has been nationally recognized among the "Best of the Best" of Swiftwater Rescue Instructors. From his start in emergency services in 1990, through his current position as the Team leader of the Washington CO. AR Wilderness Search and Rescue team, his focus on technical skills and rescue techniques has been a lifetime passion. As a NREMT / WEMT, he functions as medical support and safety on expeditions and large paddling events. Tom is an American Canoe Association (ACA) L-4 Whitewater Kayak Instructor Trainer, L-5 Advanced Swiftwater Rescue Instructor Trainer Educator and L-4 Rafting Instructor Trainer. In his role as an Educator for the ACA, Tom sits on the ACA's Safety and Rescue Discipline Committee, which provides oversight and curriculum development for the ACA's Safety and Rescue programs and is a foundational member / SWR 3-V Instructor for the International Technical Rescue Association (ITRA). As a wilderness medicine instructor for Sierra Rescue International, he instructs SRI courses throughout the country and he provides risk management services to numerous organizations. He is also an Instructor for the National Cave Rescue Commission and helped develop the original Small Party Self Rescue curriculum. Tom's programs employ an experiential teaching style that keeps folks interested and involved.
In 2015, Tom received the ACA's "Excellence in Instruction" award, and has been nationally recognized among the "Best of the Best" of Swiftwater Rescue Instructors. From his start in emergency services in 1990, through his current position as the Team leader of the Washington CO. AR Wilderness Search and Rescue team, his focus on technical skills and rescue techniques has been a lifetime passion. As a NREMT / WEMT, he functions as medical support and safety on expeditions and large paddling events. Tom is an American Canoe Association (ACA) L-4 Whitewater Kayak Instructor Trainer, L-5 Advanced Swiftwater Rescue Instructor Trainer Educator and L-4 Rafting Instructor Trainer. In his role as an Educator for the ACA, Tom sits on the ACA's Safety and Rescue Discipline Committee, which provides oversight and curriculum development for the ACA's Safety and Rescue programs and is a foundational member / SWR 3-V Instructor for the International Technical Rescue Association (ITRA). As a wilderness medicine instructor for Sierra Rescue International, he instructs SRI courses throughout the country and he provides risk management services to numerous organizations. He is also an Instructor for the National Cave Rescue Commission and helped develop the original Small Party Self Rescue curriculum. Tom's programs employ an experiential teaching style that keeps folks interested and involved.
Carver Haines, MD, FAWM
Carver grew up participating in outdoor activities including mountaineering, canyoneering, caving, diving, backpacking and more. He obtained his EMT and Wilderness EMT certifications in college, as well as mountain rescue and swift water rescue training. Carver worked as a Wildland Firefighter and Wildland EMT, responding to many large fires and firefighter rescue operations in the Northwestern United States. During this time he was part of the Medical Reserve Corps and pursued additional training in disaster medicine and search and rescue. Carver has been involved in equestrian sports since a young age, competing in 3-Day Eventing across the southwest and pacific northwest, and eventually becoming the chair and coach of the Oregon State University's equestrian teams. During residency Carver worked on promoting telemedicine and rural care, became the medical advisor for local caving grotto, and was chief resident during his final year of residency. Carver completed his Fellowship in Wilderness Medicine at Virginia-Tech Carilion Clinic and has since joined the program as part time faculty. He is pursuing his DiMM and DiDDM certifications, and has a strong interest in wilderness medical education.
Alex Axtell, PA-C, FAWM
Alex is a PA who graduated from Elon University in 2017. He worked with a hospitalist service in Grand Rapids, MI for several years prior to moving to Roanoke. His interest in the outdoors and first aid began in Boy Scouts on his journey to earning his Eagle Scout in 2005. He discovered the WMS while a member of the medical council for the Fortune Bay Expedition Team, an outdoor adventure group located in West Michigan. Alex became a FAWM candidate in 2017 and is currently awaiting confirmation of his FAWM completion. Skiing has been a lifelong passion of his and as a member of the National Ski Patrol, he continues his ski patrol service while in Virginia. He has also earned his Rescue Diver certification as a Fellow and is a member of the Scruggs Public Safety Dive Team on Smith Mountain Lake. One of his favorite parts of the Fellowship is the opportunity for teaching, both with other medical providers as well as the general public. After fellowship, Alex has stayed on as a staff PA in the ED run observation unit and continues to teach, serve and play with the fellowship. This includes continued service with Ski Patrol, Dive Rescue and Recovery, and taking the lead on teaching initiates such as our WFR courses. Alex is the WFA director for BRAM.