People

People List

  • KC Hummer

    Member-at-Large

    University of Colorado School of Medicine

    Having spent a decade prior to medical school working in education and leadership, KC Hummer (she/they) is enthusiastic about providing high-quality academic resources to learners and supporting future and current emergency medicine physicians as they navigate medical school and residency. As a member-at-large, KC Hummer intends to accomplish this by improving the study materials associated with the SAEM exam many rotating students take during their sub-I rotations with clearer explanations, and by creating a centralized list of resources for medical students preparing to apply to residency. Previous roles and experience that will make KC Hummer a strong addition to the RAMS Board include her decade-long career as a teacher and education program director prior to medical school, as well as her prior experience as a Medical Student Ambassador at SAEM24.

  • Indrani Guzmán Das, MD

    Member-at-Large

    Stanford University

    I am passionate about making healthcare cheaper and more accessible to lower-resource and underrepresented patients. I believe that the emergency department is where systemic health inequities meet the frontline and the best place to help the most vulnerable people in my community. As a RAMS Member at large, I will create opportunities for emergency medicine physicians to build their medical competencies and provide support to high-need patients.

    I am a PGY-1 at Stanford Healthcare in California and a graduate of Weill Cornell Medical College and the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. As a resident, I serve on Stanford’s program evaluation committee to identify improvement areas for the residency, on the recruitment committee, and I am a mentor in programs that expand opportunities for underrepresented students, including LMSA, HPREP, and SEO Scholars.

    By way of background, I am a first-generation American whose parents became medical practitioners after arriving in the United States as refugees. Before attending medical school, I worked as a management consultant at Bain & Company where I helped S&P 500 corporations and international nonprofits define their strategic goals and improve their finances and operations. I subsequently worked at the International Rescue Committee on their global refugee resettlement program and public-private partnerships to deliver nutrition supplements to rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    While in medical school, I supported multiple health equity projects in the US and abroad. As a medical practitioner, I served in the Weill Cornell Community Clinic to provide care to uninsured, non-English speaking patients in New York City, as well as in the Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights to provide medical forensic exams to asylum seekers hoping to receive sanctuary in the US. From a research perspective, I partnered with Johns Hopkins and the Associated Press to report on hospitals that utilized predatory billing practices, conducted field investigations through the Harvard Chan School of Public Health on progressive insurance programs in the Chilean healthcare system, and collaborated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Partners in Health to identify opportunities to expand access to emergency care in Western Africa.

    As a RAMS board member, I would leverage my background in strategy consulting to expand educational resources to members. RAMS has a massive archive of data and educational material, such as the Residency/Fellowship Maps and overviews on how to perform uncommon procedures that are currently difficult to access. By improving the website navigation and organization of these resources, residents and medical students can make informed decisions in their training and career paths.

    I would also implement a structured mentorship program at our annual meeting to match faculty, residents, and medical students with shared interests. Emergency Medicine is full of unique challenges and exciting opportunities - we can best serve our patients and enjoy the experience when we can rely on and learn from our diverse experiences.

    Financial literacy is another critical area I plan to address. With over 40% of emergency departments now managed by private equity organizations, residents must be equipped with the knowledge to navigate various hospital structures effectively. Having worked with private equity, nonprofit, and publicly-funded hospitals, I will help RAMS members understand how their careers may be impacted by the organization structures that they join.

    Ultimately, I am committed to expanding RAMS as a vibrant, engaging, and resourceful community where every member feels supported and empowered to thrive in their careers. By prioritizing education, mentorship, and health equity, I hope that RAMS meets the needs of our current members and attracts future generations of emergency medicine professionals.

    Thank you for considering my candidacy for the RAMS Member-at-Large position. I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with you and enhance our community in emergency medicine. As you make your voting decision, please reach out if you would like to discuss any of the ideas that I’ve shared.

  • Jared A. Escobar, MD

    Member-at-Large

    Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School

    My path to medicine has been shaped by a unique blend of military service, healthcare experience, and a deep commitment to leadership and education. After high school, I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, where I served for five years as part of the Marine Special Operations community. Toward the end of my time in the Marines, I began cross-training with Navy Corpsmen, which ignited my passion for healthcare and set the foundation for my transition into medicine.

    After my military service, I completed my undergraduate studies at Fordham University before pursuing my medical education at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. While in medical school, I also joined the U.S. Army, where I was commissioned as a Captain. In this role, I continued to develop my leadership skills, applying military principles to the healthcare setting. Throughout medical school, I worked closely with senior leadership and fellow veterans to integrate teamwork training and leadership principles into the residency curriculum at RWJ. As a Curriculum Research Fellow, I contributed to the development of programs aimed at strengthening teamwork dynamics in medical education—principles I had refined in the military—and published qualitative research on this work. I was honored to be inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha and named a Rutgers Rising Star Scholar for my academic achievements and leadership contributions.

    Now, as a PGY-2 resident at New Jersey Medical School, I continue to integrate the leadership lessons I learned in both the Marine Corps and the Army into my medical training. I have been actively involved in initiatives focused on improving patient care in high-acuity environments, including the development of critical airway equipment and the application of teamwork principles such as briefing and debriefing to enhance performance during acute events. These experiences have deepened my respect for the pivotal role that emergency medicine plays in patient care and within healthcare systems.

    As a resident, my goal is to make meaningful contributions to the field of academic emergency medicine, with a focus on research, education, and leadership. I am excited about the opportunity to support the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) in advancing initiatives that promote academic development and the integration of team dynamics—principles that are crucial for improving patient care. Through my involvement with the Resident and Student Association (RAMS), I hope to advocate for policies that enhance the educational experience for residents and medical students, while fostering a sense of community, collaboration, and shared purpose among all members.

    With my combined military leadership experience, commitment to academic excellence, and passion for emergency medicine, I am eager to contribute to the continued growth of SAEM and the broader field of emergency medicine.

  • Ethan Grant, MD

    Member-at-Large

    University of Utah Health

    Dr. Ethan Grant is a PGY-2 resident at University of Utah Health. Dr. Grant is a native of rural West Texas, and completed his medical school training at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in 2023. His journey to medicine began by working as an emergency department scribe at Denver Health, where he grew to love the pace and changing environments of EM. During medical school, Dr. Grant served as the Wilderness Medicine Liaison for the emergency medicine interest group, and the Quartermaster for the Wilderness Medicine club. In these roles he broke down barriers that often prohibit students from training in austere environments. During residency, Dr. Grant has worked to improve the learning of incoming interns by coordinating education month. Additionally, he has invested in the future of emergency medicine by being involved with the interview process and by teaching medical students.

    If selected to be a Member at Large for RAMS, I hope to increase the visibility of RAMS at medical schools and residencies to improve member engagement. As a key point of relations between residents and medical students interested in EM, RAMS has an important opportunity to excite students about the many career possibilities within EM. I hope to broaden the ways in which students and residents view their career paths, as the world of EM steps into a post-COVID era. Additionally, I hope to use my education and training opportunities to build connections for members with the wilderness and austere medicine community.

  • Eileen Williams, MD

    Member-at-Large

    University of Texas Southwestern

    My name is Eileen Williams, and I am currently a second-year emergency medicine resident at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and completed my undergraduate education at Stanford University, where I worked in a research lab exploring the functional neurological correlates of anxiety and depression. I also worked as a residential counselor for adolescents with eating disorders and helped manage a team of podcast editors, writers, and engineers as a lead producer at the Stanford Storytelling Project. After college, I spent two years completing my final pre-med classes, as well as preparing for and taking the MCAT. During this time, I also worked as a medical scribe and trainer, fell in love with emergency medicine, and developed my own bustling tutoring business.

    I moved to Houston for medical school at Baylor College of Medicine, where I was lucky enough to meet an incredible role model and inspiration within the field of academic emergency medicine. Together, we designed and completed a literature review on existing adolescent medicine curricula targeted to emergency medicine residents. Finding very little, we then moved on to conduct a national Delphi study to identify key competencies in this space.

    During medical school, I also leveraged my undergraduate experience in the media sphere to help develop and produce our new official school podcast, Resonance. I did everything I could to invest in academics, including the creation of a pre-clinical EKG course that I later went on to facilitate as a TA. As a member of the Curriculum Renewal Workgroup (CREW) at Baylor College of Medicine, I collaborated with a team composed primarily of faculty to redesign the entire structure of the Baylor experience, including succeeding in expanding the graduation requirement to include four rather than merely two weeks of emergency medicine experience.

    Now in residency, I am helping to spearhead the new academic medicine track that I helped to develop. Additionally, I initiated a working group now in the process of developing a new medical Spanish curriculum for the program. I also co-chair our monthly podcast club, which necessitates both logistical skill and the ability to facilitate complex educational discussions. When I’m not working, sleeping, or studying, you can find me watching football, writing crossword puzzles and reading twisty murder mysteries.

    My passion for emergency medicine colors my perspective on the world, shaping me as a clinician and as a person. I am incredibly fortunate to be completing an emergency medicine residency and pursuing this career. Still, I recognize that the specialty is far from perfect. As much as I love – and will always love – emergency medicine, I appreciate that we are facing many challenges. I believe trainees and residents must step up to take action and be part of the solution: we are the future of the field. RAMS enables us to work together within the academic space and do just that. As a member-at-large, I would strive ceaselessly to serve as an effective advocate and liaison for the ideas and concerns of my co-residents.

  • James Colletti, MD

    Member-at-Large

    Mayo Clinic Rochester

    I am James E. Colletti, MD, Chair of the Mayo Clinic Rochester Emergency Department and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine. I earned my medical degree from The Chicago Medical School and completed residency in the combined Pediatrics/Emergency Medicine program at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. I have held several leadership roles throughout my career, including Mayo EM Program Director and Mayo Emergency Medicine Department Academic Development Chair. I have also contributed to national efforts, serving on the ACEP Pediatric Committee, the AAEM Education Committee, and the SAEM Faculty Development Committee. Additionally, I have spoken nationally on Pediatric Emergency Medicine and education topics and have served as course director for CORD Navigating the Academic Waters and the Mayo Clinic Emergency Medicine CME Conference.

    I am proud to have received multiple awards, including induction into the Mayo Fellows Association Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame, the AAEM Young Educator Award, the AAEM Written Board Speaker of the Year Award, the Council of Residency Directors/Society of Academic Emergency Medicine Faculty Teaching Award, the AAEM Joe Lex Educator of the Year Award, the Program Director Recognition Award from the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, and the Distinguished Emergency Department Clinician Award from the Mayo Clinic Rochester Department of Emergency Medicine. I have also authored numerous articles and served as an editor for Clinics of North America and Pediatric Emergency Medicine Reports.

    With a deep passion for academic emergency medicine, I am seeking office to help address key issues in our specialty, particularly workforce shortages, the evolving landscape of emergency care, and the future of medical education. If elected, I will work to foster collaboration across institutions, create more opportunities for research funding, and advance mentorship and faculty development. By building on our strengths, I believe we can continue to grow and improve emergency medicine for the benefit of our patients and colleagues.

  • Benjamin Sun, MD, MPP

    Member-at-Large

    University of Pennsylvania

    Dear friends and colleagues, 

    I am excited to submit my candidacy for Member-at-Large on the AACEM executive team! I am passionate about the transformation of our specialty to thrive and adapt to environmental challenges driven by healthcare policy, demographic and social changes, and new technologies.  

    I am the Chair and Perelman Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. During my six-year tenure, our department has grown by more than twofold in managed EDs, faculty and APP count, and budget.  Our faculty lead health system delivery transformation and innovation efforts, and we have grown clinical services in multiple domains, including EM, observation medicine, hyperbaric and wound care, critical care, addiction medicine, and home health. EM has become the leading department in UME impact at our medical school, and we have expanded our GME program while creating six new fellowships. EM is the institutional leader in DEI efforts; for example, we increased URM representation in our residency program from under 2% to over 35%. Finally, our department doubled federal research funding with a sharp focus on health delivery and public health science.

    I serve on the Executive Committee of our faculty practice plan, lead our health system malpractice risk reduction efforts, and am a Trustee of the Board of Directors for our Level 1 trauma center. I have served on the AACEM/ AAAEM Research, Benchmarking, and Leader Development workgroups. I am a federally funded health services researcher, and my discovery portfolio has focused on improving quality, value, and efficiency of healthcare delivery in acute care settings. I have served on advisory committees to CMS and AHRQ. I completed my undergraduate, public policy (MPP), medical, and EM residency training at Harvard University, and I trained as a RWJ Clinical Scholar at UCLA. 

    I would be honored to serve you and the AACEM at this unique inflection point for our specialty. If elected, I would focus on pipeline initiatives. The future of our specialty requires that we recruit, develop, and retain the best possible talent to lead efforts in care delivery, education, diversity, and research. Thank you for your consideration!

  • Nancy Kwon, MD, MPA

    SAEM Nominating Committee Member

    Long Island Jewish Medical Center/Northwell Health

    I believe that SAEM is the most important and formative organization for Emergency Medicine. I have been an active member of SAEM since residency, and am currently the Chair of the SAEM Faculty Development Committee, and an active member of the Equity and Inclusion, and Research Committees, and was elected in the past to be a member of the Nominating Committee. I was also selected previously to take part in the AACEM Chair Development Program.

    In my prior term on the Nominating Committee, and my current application, I recognize the great importance and responsibility this position holds in identifying and vetting future leaders for SAEM.

    I am currently the Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a Professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Most recently, I became the Central Region Medical Director of Diversity and Health Equity for Northwell Health under Northwell's Center for Equity of Care.

    I have many years of experience in academics and have served in the past as the Associate Chair of Academics and Research in Emergency Medicine. I have been a member of the Appointments and Promotions Committee for the Zucker School of Medicine, and have been chosen to take part in multiple Chair and Vice Chair search committees. I have been a recipient of Northwell's President’s Award for Teamwork in 2014., the Emergency Medicine Service Line Guttenberg Award in 2017 for my work in Emergency Medicine, and was one of five finalists for Northwell Health System's Truly Leadership award, and was awarded the Truly Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award in 2024. I have a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Population Health, developing and implementing programs for vulnerable and underrepresented patient populations, faculty development, and mentorship.

    I received a Bachelor of Science from Brown University, and a Doctorate of Medicine from The University of Rochester. I completed my Residency in Emergency Medicine at NYU Langone School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital Center, and stayed on as faculty until 2013. I received a Masters in Public Administration from The NYU Wagner School of Public Service.

    I would be honored to serve in this role, would use my prior experience in SAEM as a Nominating Committee Member, and my years of academic experience to assist in supporting the efforts of SAEM.

  • Sara M. Hock, MD

    SAEM Nominating Committee Member

    Rush University Medical Center

    Dr. Hock is seeking to build the team of leaders that will serve our SAEM membership through opportunities, collaborations and career advancement. As part of the nominating committee, she hopes to help select qualified candidates to lead our academic organization to continue as the preeminent organization for academic emergency physicians. Dr. Hock recognizes the incredible strength that a national network of collaborators and mentors can offer to junior faculty and trainees, and hopes to continue her work that began as a leader in the Simulation Academy by serving the broader SAEM community as part of the nominating committee.

    Dr. Hock's previous experience with SAEM includes service as a member of the Simulation Academy board. Dr. Hock has served as a member at large, contributor to Education Subcommittee, Treasurer for two one-year terms, and subsequently served as the president-elect, president (2023-2024), and past president (2024-2025) of SAEM Simulation Academy. Her initiatives during that time included a continued development of virtual mentoring opportunities for members, in person mixer events at various national conferences, and advocating to encourage residency leaders to incorporate high quality simulation into resident didactic experiences through recruitment of fellowship trained faculty. Dr. Hock has also presented as faculty at SAEM and the International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare, in workshops and didactics focusing on simulation facilitation, debriefing, faculty continuing education and diversity, equity and inclusion in simulation.

  • Christopher Thom, MD, RDMS

    Bylaws Committee Member

    University of Virginia

    My educational background includes undergraduate and medical school studies at the University of Virginia, followed by emergency medicine residency at Virginia Commonwealth University. I then completed a one year clinical ultrasound fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University. Following this, I returned back to University of Virginia as a faculty member in the Department of Emergency Medicine. I have served on the Academy of Emergency Ultrasound Executive Committee within SAEM since 2020. This includes a 2-year term as Treasurer, 2020-2022, followed by a one-year term as President-Elect (2022-2023), one year as President (2023-2024), and the current year as Immediate Past-President (2024-2025). Notable roles I have held at the University of Virginia include associate residency director (2019-2024), Director of Emergency Ultrasound (2019-current), Director of Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship (2019-current), departmental Diversity Facilitator (2017-2023), coding/billing liaison to the University Physicians Group (2021-current), School of Medicine Admissions member (2018-2021), and School of Medicine Curriculum Committee member (2021-current).

    Contributing to SAEM through AEUS has been a highly instructive and rewarding component of my academic work. Over time, I’ve come to learn that our membership is quite often our greatest asset. When we have properly oriented ourselves to effectively harnessing members’ interests and talents, we have been able to develop quality content and programming for our Academy. It is with this sense that I hope to serve on the Bylaws Committee. Engaging with membership at all levels is critical for the health and vitality of SAEM and this extends to the Bylaws Committee as well. Previous webinars focusing on the Bylaws Committee have been a tangible example of demonstrating the scope of the committee to membership at large. My goal would be to find additional avenues for member communication and involvement within the scope of the Bylaws Committee’s work. This would include direct communication with SAEM members about our work, including entries in the SAEM Pulse. This would also include updating members on our efforts and our determinations as we work through the SAEM bylaws and make recommendations to the SAEM board. As bylaws can often seem nebulous to the outsider, it would be interesting to create a quick guide for members to easily get a sense of what the key bylaws are and how they support SAEM’s work. One could also envision occasional ‘bylaw highlight’ communications to members, wherein we seek to highlight a particular bylaw’s scope and importance. 

    In addition to the above, I certainly appreciate that the Bylaws Committee is one that requires a critical eye and close attention to detail. This is work to be undertaken in a serious and scrutinizing fashion, as the wording and content of the bylaws will undoubtedly have ongoing effects on SAEM’s missions and functions. My goal would be to provide clarity and visibility of the SAEM bylaws, particularly those that might be subject to introduction or amendment. All potential impacts of a bylaw addition or amendment should be thoroughly considered. Ensuring clarity of communication of these impacts to the Board of Directors and other relevant parties would be an ongoing focus of these efforts. Through this work, I would hope to assist the committee in working through each individual bylaw to assess its history, current status, relevance, and appropriateness into the future. The objective would be to not rest on the assumption that the current bylaws are the correct ones into the future, but rather to assess each one for current applicability and long term viability.

  • Edgardo Ordonez, MD, MPH

    Bylaws Committee Member

    Baylor College of Medicine

    I am humbled and honored to be considered as a candidate for the SAEM Bylaws Committee. As an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), where I serve as Director of Health Equity and Community Engagement in the Henry JN Taub Department of Emergency Medicine, I have developed a deep appreciation for the importance of organizational governance, transparency, and alignment with strategic goals.

    My longstanding engagement with SAEM has demonstrated my commitment to the welfare and advancement of our organization. As a past President of the Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM), I worked closely with SAEM leadership to champion mentorship programs, collaborative research and educational initiatives, and policies that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. These roles required a critical, detail-oriented approach and a deep understanding of SAEM’s mission and organizational values.

    If selected as a Bylaws Committee Member, I will approach this role with a collaborative spirit, working closely with the SAEM Board of Directors, staff, and other committees to ensure that our bylaws, policies, and position statements align with SAEM’s goals and reflect our commitment to shaping the future of science, education, and practice of emergency medicine. As with everything I do, I will apply a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility to every aspect of the committee’s work.

    Thank you for considering my candidacy. I am excited about the opportunity to continue my service to SAEM as part of the Bylaws Committee and contributing to the organization’s continued growth and success.

  • Kelli O'Laughlin, MD, MPH

    Member-at-Large

    University of Washington

    My name is Kelli O’Laughlin and I would like your vote for the SAEM Board of Directors Member-at-Large position. As academic emergency physicians, we pay a lot of attention to what is going on in the USA. This is of course important and appropriate. However, at this critical point in time, with rapidly warming climate, conflict and humanitarian crises, and gaps in essential health services globally, it is essential that we broaden our focus and look worldwide. We must consider how to best develop and support academic emergency medicine leaders around the world and how to best shape science, education, and the practice of emergency medicine and acute care globally. I am a physician scientist with an expertise in public health and research in humanitarian settings with more than 15 years of experience working in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. If elected as Member-at-Large of the SAEM Board of Directors, I will learn from other leaders within SAEM and broaden my own perspective to better understand the potential role of SAEM in global health. I will then use this knowledge to help guide SAEM to be more effective globally, with a focus on reaching underserved areas of our specialty worldwide. My goal is to expand SAEM’s reach so that we are developing and supporting academic leaders and shaping the future science, education and practice of emergency and acute care globally.

    From 2020-2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I served as the President of the Global Emergency Medicine Academy (GEMA) of SAEM. While many GEMA members worked to support colleagues around the world as we all tried to optimize medical resources and care during the pandemic, within GEMA we became acutely aware of the lack of representation of our global colleagues within SAEM. Those of us based in the USA were supported by robust domestic institutions including SAEM. We were able to collaborate and share the resources needed during a time when many others were left with less opportunity to do so. Since that time, leaders within GEMA worked to ensure that access to the SAEM membership and annual conference for colleagues from low and middle-income countries were more affordable. We also began the Committee on Global Engagement to ensure we had focused attention on extending opportunities to our global emergency medicine colleagues. Additionally, GEMA leadership continued to partner with representatives from the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) to provide scholarships for colleagues from low- and middle-income countries to attend the SAEM annual conference.

    I believe my education, qualifications and experiences to date support my candidacy for this position. I am an Associate Professor at the University of Washington. I received a medical degree from Oregon Health and Science University, training in emergency medicine at UCLA (Ronald Reagan/Olive View), an MPH from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, and I completed a research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. I am board certified in emergency medicine and appointed to both the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Global Health at the University of Washington. I work in the emergency departments at Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington Montlake. I am a physician scientist with expertise in global public health. My recent research has included work to improve the health of refugees in sub-Saharan Africa, to monitor and evaluate the health impacts of COVID-19 in the USA, to promote COVID-19 vaccination among vulnerable populations accessing care in the emergency department, and to use a telephone surveillance system to collect COVID-19 symptom and exposure data and disseminate public health information in refugee settlements across Uganda. In addition to being a leader in GEMA, I have been an active member of the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) and the Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM). Thank you for considering voting for me for Member-at-Large of the SAEM Board of Directors.

  • Julianna Jung, MD, MEd

    Member-at-Large

    Johns Hopkins University

    I am currently an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and am the Director of Innovation in Medical Education for the institution. I completed EM residency at Johns Hopkins in 2002 and joined the faculty soon after. I hold a Masters in Education, also from Johns Hopkins, and have more than two decades of experience as an educational leader and program builder. Having structured my own academic career around medical education, I am a staunch advocate for my fellow educators in EM. I'm proud to support and advance my education colleagues in SAEM as we seek to build our skills, disseminate our work, and prove our immense worth to our departments and institutions, thereby securing recognition and promotion. I'm also a great believer in the value of mentorship, and it is my honor to help support SAEM programs that open doors for my more junior colleagues, and support lifelong learning and growth for one and all. I am a former CDEM president, and I've served on the SAEM board for the past three years. I hope to continue a strong track record of service to the organization that I consider to be my academic home!

  • Cassandra Bradby, MD

    Member-at-Large

    East Carolina University

    I am excited to announce my candidacy for Member-At-Large on the SAEM Board of Directors. I proudly graduated from Meharry Medical College and completed my EM residency at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Hospital, where I served as the Education Chief Resident. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor and the Residency Program Director at ECU Health Medical Center and East Carolina University, where I have been involved in residency leadership for nine years. My roles at ECU have included serving on the Curriculum and Executive Academic Committees for the School of Medicine, appointed member of the Graduate Medical Education Committee, Vice Chair of Diversity & Inclusion (2015-2024), and as Course Director for the Foundations of Medicine Course (2015-2017).

    Since joining SAEM in 2014, I have dedicated myself to advancing our mission through various leadership roles, particularly within the Academy of Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM). As a member of the ADIEM executive board since 2019, I have served as Member-At-Large, Secretary-Treasurer, President-Elect, President, and now Immediate Past President. I have actively participated in the ADIEM Social Media and Education Committees, developing initiatives like the Leadership, Engagement, and Academic Pathway Program (LEAP), which supports URiM students pursuing academic emergency medicine.

    Additionally, I am an inaugural member of the Equity & Inclusion Committee, where I have contributed to strategic planning and the development of DEI curricula. My work on the Faculty Development, Membership, and Awards Committees further demonstrates my commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusivity within our field while honoring the hard work of our members. I am also involved with the Academy of Geriatric Emergency Medicine (AGEM), focusing on diversity in geriatrics research.

    I am running for the SAEM Board of Directors to give back to an organization that has profoundly influenced my career. My vision aligns with SAEM's strategic goals of optimizing personal and professional development and enhancing the impact of emergency care research. I aim to strengthen connections between junior faculty and seasoned leaders, promoting mentorship and collaboration. By increasing the visibility of our journals and enhancing educational initiatives, we can ensure our members have access to valuable resources that foster innovation and inclusivity.

    Through my leadership roles and volunteer contributions, I have consistently worked to shape the future of emergency medicine, and I am committed to continuing this vital work on the Board. I believe my experiences and dedication to service will help drive our community forward, creating an environment where all members can thrive. Thank you for considering my candidacy.

  • Shannon Hughen-Giger, MHA

    Secretary

    University of Virginia

    I am submitting my application for serving on the executive leadership committee. In the past I have served AAAEM leading the communications committee while also serving on the education committee simultaneously. I had taken a brief pause the past two years due to my workload increasing from the loss of our chair and my recent relocation and job change, now working in Charlottesville, VA at UVA in a new position. I am ready to get back serving and would very much appreciate your consideration!

  • Jerome P. Kerwin, MBA, MHA

    Member-at-large

    WVU School of Medicine

    I'm interested in serving as a Member-at-Large for the AAAEM Executive Committee as an opportunity to give back and to serve this group that has been a longstanding and excellent resource for Administrators in our field. There is a long history of collegiality, information and idea sharing and support for the profession. I have always found the network eager to help and rich in ideas. I've been in my position for 18+ years and benefited greatly from being able to learn from others. I also feel that the AAAEM has established a strong working relationship with the Chairs group - which builds on the key working relationship for all of us at the institutional level.

  • Cali Myers, MHA
    Cali Myers, MHA

    Member-at-large

    University of Alabama at Birmingham

    As a dedicated healthcare executive with extensive experience in managing an academic emergency medicine department, I am excited to submit my candidacy for the AAAEM Member-at-Large Board position. I currently serve as the Executive Administrator for the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, I oversee a $20+ million annual budget, support over 60 faculty members, and lead efforts across financial, operational, and human resources functions. I also serve my institution as a member of both the Health System Financial Stewardship Committee and the My role is deeply aligned with AAAEM's mission, as I collaborate with institutional partners to advance research, education, and clinical care, and ensure the department’s financial sustainability.

    Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the administrative operations of academic medicine. From optimizing provider productivity at Haven Hospice to implementing faculty compensation models at UAB, I bring a strong track record of leadership and innovation. I am passionate about fostering excellence in emergency medicine education and am actively involved in residency program administration and faculty development initiatives.

    My leadership experience extends beyond my professional roles, as I currently serve as the Communications Committee Chair for AAAEM and contribute to community service through the Junior League of Birmingham. If elected to the Board, I will bring my collaborative approach, financial acumen, and strategic vision to help AAAEM members advance their departments' patient care, education, and research missions. I look forward to continuing to support the professional growth of our field and its leaders.

  • Rachel Wilson

    Medical Student

    WVSOM

    Rachel Wilson holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Arizona State University and a Master of Science in pathology from CWRU. She is in her last year of medical school at WVSOM and a current emergency medicine residency applicant. Prior to medical school, Ms. Wilson worked in media relations and professional writing as well as conducted research on human parturition, publishing multiple studies in this area.

  • David Basile, MD

    Chief Resident

    Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center

    David Basile, MD, is a graduate of Penn State College of Medicine. He is one of the current chief residents and a third-year resident at Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center. He has an interest in medical education and health systems science. Upon completion of residency, he will begin his active-duty service with the United States Air Force.

  • Kinda Sweiden, MD

    Resident, Emergency Medicine

    MetroHealth/Cleveland Clinic Foundation

    Kinda Sweiden, MD, is currently a PGY-2 resident in emergency medicine at MetroHealth/Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, OH. Originally from Lebanon, Dr. Sweiden completed her residency in emergency medicine in 2023 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, a pivotal experience that laid the foundation for her medical practice. Driven by a commitment to advancing her medical expertise and seeking new opportunities, she relocated to the US to pursue additional training. This decision was profoundly influenced by the desire for a promising future amidst the challenges faced in Lebanon, including the financial crisis and civil insecurity.

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