Our Leaders

Dr. David Notrica is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated Cum Laude from Duke University in 1988 and Emory University School of Medicine in 1992 where he was class president and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. He completed his General Surgery residency training at Emory University in 1997 where he was awarded the Joseph Whitehead Award for outstanding Resident. He completed his Pediatric Surgery Fellowship training at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston in 1999.

He is a Professor of Child Health and Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, Associate Professor of Surgery at Mayo Clinic, Trauma Medical Director at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and Fellowship Program Director for the Pediatric Surgery Fellowship at Mayo Clinic/ Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He was also one of the founding members of the ATOMAC pediatric research network.

Dr. Notrica was Chairman of Surgery at Phoenix Children’s Hospital before becoming Chief of Staff in 2006. He has been identified more than 10 times as a Top Doc by Phoenix Magazine, and was named a Healthcare Hero by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2014. He Cofounded and co-chairs the Western Pediatric Trauma Conference and the Southwest Trauma and Acute Care Symposium.

Dr. Notrica developed and continues to direct the Level 1 Trauma Center for Phoenix Children’s Hospital. This program is the only ACS-Verified Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in the state of Arizona. He has recently completed an NIH-funded subaward with UT-Houston using bone marrow stem cells to mitigate traumatic brain injury.

Graham Cosper, MD is the Co-Medical Director of Pediatric Trauma at Atrium Health Levine Children’s in Charlotte, NC. Dr. Cosper received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his General Surgery Residency at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he received numerous awards for research, professionalism, and academics. Following his General Surgery Residency, Dr. Cosper completed his subspecialty training for Pediatric Surgery at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. Clinical interests include minimally invasive surgery (MIS), thoracic surgery, congenital anomalies, surgical education, and global health. Dr. Cosper has traveled to Kijabe, Kenya where he helped train General Surgery residents and Pediatric Surgery fellows.

Alice Kim, MS, is a Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Research Coordinator at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Andrews University and her Master of Science in Physiology from North Carolina State University. Before joining Atrium Health, Alice contributed to research efforts in both the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Department of Nephrology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Alice is deeply passionate about research, driven by its potential to leverage innovation and scientific discovery to advance patient care and enhance human health. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys spending time with her dog, playing golf, running, and working out.

Richard A. Falcone, Jr, MD, MPH, MMM graduated from New York University School of Medicine, did his general surgical training at the University of Cincinnati and then his pediatric surgical fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He subsequently went on to receive his Masters of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health and also completed his Masters of Medical Management from Carnegie Mellon.

Dr. Falcone is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and joined the faculty at Cincinnati Children’s in 2004. He served as the Director of Trauma Services from 2009-2021. In 2015 he was named the Associate Chief of Staff of Surgical Services and then Vice President of Perioperative Operations in 2020. Most recently in July 2023 he was named the Chief of Staff of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. In this institutional leadership role he is responsible for all medical operations including access, safety, experience, quality and outcomes.

He has focused his career on understanding and eliminating disparities in childhood injuries, improving pediatric injury care through research and continuous quality improvement, and fostering a team of talented individuals with the goal of improving child health and eliminating injury as the leading killer of children. He has published over100 peer review articles and chaired numerous regional and national Pediatric Trauma Committees including for the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Trauma Center Association of America, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. He is also a Past-President of the Pediatric Trauma Society. Most recently he has focused on access, safety and efficiency as well as ensuring equity for all patients to ensure timely access and improved outcomes. In addition to supporting patient and family experience he is also a strong supporter of clinician experience and wellness.

Suzanne Moody, MPA, CCRP is currently the Clinical Research Coordinator for Trauma Services at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and has extensive experience in trauma data management, data analysis, project management as well as interacting with our IRB and maintaining regulatory documentation.

Meera Kotagal, MD, MPH is a pediatric surgeon at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), where she serves as the Director of Trauma Services for the level I pediatric trauma center. She earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 2009, completed her general surgery residency at the University of Washington in 2016, and did her pediatric surgery fellowship at CCHMC. During her residency she completed a two-year T32 research fellowship in surgical outcomes at the Surgical Outcomes Research Center in Seattle, as well as a Masters in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She joined the faculty at CCHMC in 2018. She was named a Future Trauma Leader of the American College of Surgeon’ Committee on Trauma (COT) in 2019. Within the COT, Dr. Kotagal serves as the Lead for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council and is a member of the iSAVE (improving social determinants to attenuate violence) committee. In addition to leading Trauma Services at CCHMC, she serves as Vice Chair for Pathway Innovation and Inclusive Excellence for the University of Cincinnati Department of Surgery.

Dr. Kotagal’s career focus is on equity and access to care. Her goal is to ensure that all children have access to the care they need to live full, healthy lives — here in the US and abroad. Dr. Kotagal’s research focuses on understanding inequities in care and outcomes, particularly for child injury. She is the recipient of a K Scholar Award focused on community-engaged approaches to reducing child injury and is the co-Principal Investigator on a recent grant from the City of Cincinnati to UCMC and CCHMC to develop a hospital-based violence intervention program. Dr. Kotagal’s primary clinical and research goal is to ensure that we close the gaps between people with and without resources — both in Cincinnati and worldwide — so that where children are born does not determine their health outcome.

Lori A. Gurien, MD, MPH, FACS is a Pediatric General Surgeon at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida and Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville. She is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.  She serves on the Pediatric Trauma Society Research Committee and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons Pediatrics Committee and Guidelines Committee. Dr. Gurien is a member of the Pediatric Trauma Society, the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons, and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Victoria Tardiff, MPH is the Data Science Research Coordinator for Nemours Children’s Health in Jacksonville, Florida. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Jacksonville University in 2019 and her Master of Public Health degree from the University of North Florida in 2024. Victoria actively supports research initiatives within the Department of Surgery, with a particular focus on pediatric trauma research.

Lisa Nichols is the Trauma Program Manager of the Wolfson Children’s Hospital, a Florida designated and American College of Surgeons verified level 1 pediatric trauma center in Jacksonville, Florida. Lisa has been involved in pediatric nursing care for over 36 years–~20 years of PICU and Pediatric ED and the past 16 years in pediatric trauma program management serving as TPM at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Dell Children’s Medical Center and Children’s Nebraska. Lisa is an American College of Surgeons Nurse Reviewer for the Verification Review Committee, a member of the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) Pediatric Sub-committee and serves on the (STN) Pediatric Trauma Across the Care Continuum Operations committee (a newly developed course for pediatric bedside trauma nurses), the Pediatric Trauma Society’s (PTS) Nursing Leadership Steering Committee, PTS Program Committee and Mentorship Committees having served formally as a mentor for 2 different TPMs. Lisa has also served on the PTS Board since 2018 and is a past President of the Pediatric Trauma Society.

John M. Draus, Jr., MD, FACS, FAAP is the Trauma Medical Director at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida and the Division Chief of General Surgery at Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville. He is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. Draus serves as the Vice Chair, Pediatrics for the Florida Committee on Trauma. He is an active member of the Pediatric Trauma Society, the American Pediatric Surgical Association, and the American College of Surgeons.

Robert W Letton, Jr, MD, FACS, FAAP assumed the Albert H. Wilkinson, Jr., MD Endowed Professor in Pediatric Surgery at Nemours Children’s Healthcare Jacksonville, as well as Surgeon in Chief at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in May 2019. He graduated from Davidson College where he also played varsity football. He received a Dean’s Scholarship for four years to the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and completed his general surgery training at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He then completed his residency in pediatric surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City in 1999. Dr. Bob has dedicated his career to the care of the injured child, serving as Trauma Medical Director at Wake Forest University, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, and Wolfson Children’s Hospital. While working as Trauma Medical Director in OK he was a member of the original ATOMAC research consortium. He served as Chair of the OK Committee on Trauma prior to moving to Jacksonville. He served in the US Army Reserve as a surgeon in the Medical Corp for 20 years and achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, deploying for multiple tours of duty overseas with Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. He has been a reviewer for the ACS COT Verification and Review Committee for over 20 years and is currently a member of the VRC. Currently he is chair of the ACS COT Pediatric Subcommittee and with his military experience, as well as growing up an avid hunter on a farm in KY, has been a member of the ACS COT Firearm Safety Team since its inception, a committee tasked with developing realistic and feasible objectives to reduce the burden of injury from firearms. In addition, he served as President of the Pediatric Trauma Society (PTS) from 2015 to 2016, and Chair of the PTS Publications Committee from 2020 to 2022 and the PTS Program Committee from 2022 to 2023. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Western Trauma Association.

Dr. Maxson received his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, his M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and completed a surgical residency at UAMS in 1996. He went on to complete fellowships in Pediatric Surgery from Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Maxson was instrumental in building the Level I pediatric trauma centers at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin and then Arkansas Children’s Hospital, working as a consultant in the development of the Arkansas Trauma System from 2009 to 2016.

Dr. Maxson has co-authored over 70 articles and four book chapters and has received multiple awards for research and teaching. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Trauma Society, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has served as the Chair of the Verification Review Committee for the ACS Committee on Trauma. He is Board certified in General Surgery and Pediatric Surgery.

Dr. Naiditch was born and raised outside of Pittsburgh, PA. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Carnegie-Mellon University in 2003. She completed her general surgery residency at Northwestern University in Chicago in 2014 before moving to Dallas to complete a fellowship in pediatric general surgery at the University of Texas-Southwestern in 2016. She joined the Austin Pediatric Surgery group in 2016 and soon thereafter became the Trauma Medical Director of the only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in Austin, TX, at Dell Children’s Medical Center.

Dr. Naiditch is an Assistant Professor for the Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care and Assistant Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery. Dr. Naiditch is a member of the American Pediatric Surgery Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Pediatric Trauma Society, and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. She is a site reviewer for the American College of Surgeons Verification Review Committee. She is board-certified in General Surgery and Pediatric Surgery.

Allison Frederick, MD is a general surgery resident and the current Pediatric Surgery Research Fellow at the Medical University of South Carolina. She received her undergraduate degree from Emory University and her medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville. She recently completed her third year of residency and started 2 years of clinical research in pediatric surgery. Her research interests include pediatric trauma and critical care, ECMO and public health. Outside the hospital, she loves to travel, hike, go to the beach and spend time with her family and golden retriever.

Christian J. Streck Jr., MD, FACS is a Professor of Surgery and the H. Biemann Othersen Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. He currently serves as the MUSC Pediatric Trauma Medical Director and the Vice Chair for Education. He is a member of the ACS Central Committee on Trauma and the co-chair of the Pediatric Trauma Society Guidelines Committee. Dr. Streck received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his medical degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He then completed General Surgery Residency at the University of Tennessee-Memphis in 2006. During this time, he spent two years performing basic science research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the Davidoff lab. Dr. Streck completed fellowship training in Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery at the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in 2008. Dr. Streck is board certified in General Surgery and Pediatric Surgery. When not at the Hospital, Dr. Streck can be found spending time with his wife Maria, an Allergist at MUSC. They have four children, Allie (21), Christian (19), Grant (16) and Chase (12). They spend most of their free time running, riding the Peloton or watching their kids play sports.

Dr. Karla A. Lawson, PhD, MPH is the Director of the Dell Children’s Trauma and Injury Research Center and an Associate Professor of Surgery and Perioperative Care at the University of Texas-Austin Dell Medical School. She received her doctoral degree from the University of Texas in 2003 and was awarded the Cancer Prevention Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health for 2003-2006. She received a Master in Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2004, where she concentrated in epidemiology and biostatistics. Her current research interests include the prevention and clinical decision making of non-accidental trauma injury, injury surveillance, risky alcohol and drug use in adolescents, and pediatric trauma clinical practice.

Dr. Lawson has authored over 90 peer reviewed publications, invited reports and book chapters. She is a member of the Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) and has acted at the chairs of the Scientific Committee and Council of National Injury Research Centers, and as a member of the SAVIR Board of Directors.

Dr. Duron received his undergraduate degree at Stanford University. He obtained his medical degree at the University of Rochester where he graduated with Distinction in Community Service. He completed residency in general surgery at Brown University Medical School/Rhode Island Hospital, fellowship in pediatric surgical critical care at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and fellowship in pediatric surgery at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School.

At Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Dr. Duron serves as Trauma Medical Director and Surgical Director of the Pediatric ICU. He places an emphasis on developing protocols and evidence-driven measures to treat our sickest surgical patients. In particular he is interested in the study of fluid resuscitation and respiratory failure in the pediatric surgical and trauma patient. He has been involved in multiple global health projects in Russia, Cameroon, Malawi, Kenya, and was integral in developing a trauma registry in Iquitos, Peru. His research has led to the publication of multiple articles in pediatric trauma and global health issues.

Barbara Gaines, M.D., is a Professor in the Department of Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Division Chief of Pediatric Surgery. Dr. Gaines earned her medical degree at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. She completed a residency in general surgery, trauma, and critical care at Vanderbilt University, a research fellowship in cellular therapeutics at the University of Pittsburgh, and a residency in pediatric surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she served as Chief Resident. She also holds certificates in clinical research and business from the University of Pittsburgh. Board certified in general surgery, pediatric surgery, and surgical critical care, she joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2023.

Dr. Gaines is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Specialty Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a member of several other professional organizations, including the American Surgical Association, the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Pediatric Trauma Society, and the Society of University Surgeons. Her interests include translational research in pediatric trauma, particularly in abnormal bleeding and blood clotting after injury, the use of whole blood for resuscitation of injured children, primary pediatric injury prevention, and surgical education. She has delivered scores of presentations, contributed to nine books, and published more than 130 academic articles related to her areas of expertise.

When she is not at work, Dr. Gaines enjoys traveling, watching her kids’ activities, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

Jeremy Johnson, MD, FACS, FAAP, is an Associate Professor in the Pediatric Surgery section of the Department of Surgery at the University of Oklahoma. He is the Pediatric Trauma Medical Director of the ACS-verified Level 1 pediatric trauma program at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital at OU Health.

I have served as a Research Associate for the division of Pediatric Surgery for almost 10 years. I have a master’s degree in Epidemiology and Public Health from University of Alabama at Birmingham and an undergraduate degree in Chemistry. My research interests include intestinal failure, pediatric trauma and quality improvement.

Dr. Dixon is originally from Rochester, NY and raised in Tampa, Florida. She received her Bachelors in Biological Science, Master’s in Biomedical Science, and her Medical Doctorate from Florida State University. She is completing her General Surgery residency in Jackson, Mississippi at University of Mississippi Medical Center. She is a current Pediatric Surgery Research Fellow at University of Alabama-Birmingham in Dr. Robert Russell’s lab and pursuing a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Health Behaviors. Her research interest includes pediatric trauma and surgical outcomes as well as health care disparities.

John K. Petty, M.D. is a Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. He grew up Portland, Oregon and left to attend college at Duke University. He proceeded to the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, where he completed an additional year of scholarship in medical ethics, graduating with highest honors. He returned to Portland to enter a residency in general surgery at Oregon Health and Science University. During that time, he conducted a year of research in tumor immunology. He then moved to Denver, Colorado for his fellowship in pediatric surgery at The Children’s Hospital Denver. He came to Brenner Children’s Hospital following fellowship in 2005 to join the Section of Pediatric Surgery. He helped start the first Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in the state of North Carolina. He served as the pediatric trauma medical director until early 2024. He has held leadership positions in the Pediatric Trauma Society, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, and the American Pediatric Surgical Association. He has served as chair of the committee on trauma for the American Pediatric Surgical Association and as a member of the executive board of the Pediatric Trauma Society. He is a member of the ACS Committee on Trauma. He has numerous publications and presentations in pediatric trauma, with a special interest in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. He currently serves as the director of the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma (CIPT). The mission of this research center is to discover and share the best ways to prevent and treat severe injuries in children. He is excited to lead CIPT to accelerate pediatric trauma multicenter research and to enhance the discovery of novel pediatric trauma solutions. He has also served in international medical missions in Haiti, Ecuador, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, and Mongolia. He serves as the project director for the Mongolia project of Medical Education International. As project director, he recruits and leads teams to collaborate with the Mongolia National University of Medical Sciences to advance medical education there. At Brenner Children’s Hospital, he practices the full spectrum of pediatric surgery alongside five fantastic partners. Although he does not have the same energy on call that he once did, he finds great joy in being a pediatric surgeon. His practice of pediatric surgery is animated by the love of his children and the patience of his wife.

Dr. Russell stands at the forefront of pediatric surgery, specializing in neonatal and pediatric conditions treated with minimally invasive techniques. As a leading figure at Primary Children’s Hospital, she holds the positions of Trauma Medical Director and Director of the Utah Pectus Program. Dr. Russell is pioneering a multidisciplinary clinic focused on treating pulmonary hypoplasia stemming from congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital lung lesions, and giant omphalocele, showcasing her commitment to advancing care in complex pediatric conditions.

Her leadership extends beyond clinical practice into telehealth, where she spearheads initiatives aimed at reducing travel-related costs for families, ensuring both outpatient and inpatient care are more accessible. Dr. Russell’s passion for research is evident through her active involvement in the Western Pediatric Research Consortium, where she collaborates on cutting-edge studies to enhance pediatric surgical care.

Dr. Russell’s dedication to global surgery has taken her to some of the world’s most challenging environments. From spending two months in South Sudan with Médecins Sans Frontières to participating in surgical missions across Haiti, Guatemala, Tanzania, and responding to the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, she is committed to improving surgical care worldwide. Her global efforts are a testament to her vision of extending high-quality medical care to underserved populations.

Educationally, Dr. Russell’s journey began with a B.A. in Visual Art from Brown University, followed by an M.D. from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, where she was elected to AOA. Her general surgery residency at the University of Utah included a research fellowship under Dr. Eric Scaife, culminating in a groundbreaking randomized controlled trial on cost containment in pediatric appendectomy. Notably, her contributions to wilderness medicine and her dedication to teaching at the Alaska Mountaineering School and the National Park Service highlight her diverse skill set and commitment to community service.

Outside the hospital, Dr. Russell finds joy in the mountains with her husband Dave and their daughter Wild. Whether skiing, snowboarding, or embarking on outdoor adventures, she embraces the balance between her professional endeavors and personal passions.

Dr. Russell’s career is a testament to her unwavering commitment to pediatric surgery, global health, and research. Her contributions to medicine are not just in her surgical achievements but in her holistic approach to healthcare, teaching, and family life.

Dr. Russell received his undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee University. Subsequently, he received his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed his general surgery residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2010. During his research years in residency, he obtained a Master’s in Public Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and was awarded a F32 National Research Service Award by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He then completed his pediatric surgery fellowship training in Indianapolis at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University in 2012. He specializes in surgical care for children, is the Trauma Director at Children’s of Alabama, and has an active clinical research interest in traumatic coagulopathy and pediatric trauma resuscitation. Most recently, he completed a NIH-funded Consensus Conference involving national experts evaluating the existing literature and research gaps pertaining to Guidelines for the care of Pediatric Trauma patients in Hemorrhagic Shock. He served as the guest editor the recently published supplement detailing the output of this conference for the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.

Mark L. Ryan, M.D., M.S.P.H., FACS, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery and the Assistant Director of Pediatric Trauma at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in pediatric trauma and surgical critical care.

Dr. Ryan earned his medical degree at Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he also earned a Master of Science in Public Health. He then received advanced training in pediatric surgical critical care and pediatric surgery through separate fellowships at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital/The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Arkansas Children’s Hospital/University of Arkansas for Medical Science, respectively.

Board certified in surgery, pediatric surgery, and surgical critical care, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2018. He is the Associate Medical Director of Trauma Services and the Surgical Medical Director for ECMO and Trauma Critical Care.

Dr. Ryan is a member of multiple medical societies relating to trauma and pediatric surgery. He serves on local and national committees on surgical critical care, trauma, and disaster management. He has contributed to two books and written dozens of articles.

Dylan Arkowitz is a clinical research coordinator for the Trauma and Burn Department at Children’s National Hospital, working under Dr. Randall Burd, M.D., Ph.D. He graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics while on the pre-med track. Dylan leverages his biostatistics coursework to contribute to the data-driven emergency care research done at Dr. Burd’s laboratory. Dylan’s passion for improving emergency care through research comes from his extensive background as a practicing Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at three different EMS agencies through the DMV.

I am a pediatric surgeon with a clinical and research focus on pediatric trauma. I have been the Trauma Medical Director at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital for 5 years. Le Bonheur is a ACS-verified level 1 trauma center in an urban community with approximately 2000 trauma admissions each year. My general surgery training occurred also in Memphis where I spent many months training at one of the busiest adult trauma centers in the country, the Elvis Presly Memorial Trauma Center, which treats over 1300 firearm injuries each year. The importance of decreasing firearm injuries was apparent then and was brought to the forefront in 2017 when we saw a spike in firearm injuries in children at my trauma center. A research approach at our institution found a large increase in 2017 in firearm injuries with much worse increase since the COVID 19 pandemic. Since that time, I have worked extensive both in and out of the hospital to support and prevent firearm injuries in children.

In 2019, we conducted a study which reported a two-fold increase in adverse childhood experiences in our trauma clinic. This data lead to funding to bring Mental Health Counselors into the hospital to provide integrated behavorial health to injured children and their families. Through this work, we identified an increase in acute stress scores in children that were victims of gunshot wounds. Concurrently, we received city government funding to start a hospital-based violence intervention program to support victims of violent injuries and prevent further injuries. I have been working extensively in the community to build partnerships to prevent community violence and treat our families after violence has occurred. We have partnerships with the city and county government, the school system, community interrupters and juvenile court. The last partnership has grown with federal funding to extend the wraparound services we provide to victims of violent injuries into juvenile court utilizing a primary prevention model to support children before injury occurs.

This study will assess school enrollment in pediatric trauma patients and compare violent vs non-violent injuries. In taking a public health approach to decreasing firearm injuries, we must identify risk factors for violent injuries (truancy) and build programs to modify those factors.

Dr. Randall Burd, M.D., Ph.D., is a pediatric surgeon and Chief of the Division of Trauma and Burn Surgery at Children’s National Hospital, where he leads the Level I pediatric trauma center and the Burn Program. He is a Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at George Washington University and specializes in neonatal surgery, minimally invasive surgery, pediatric burn care, and pediatric trauma. Dr. Burd’s research focuses on improving teamwork in trauma resuscitation, with current funding from the NIH. He is an active member of several professional organizations, including APSA, AAST, and ABA, and was a founding member and past president of the Pediatric Trauma Society.

Van Hoang, MS, is a Clinical Research Coordinator at CHOC.

David P. Mooney, MD, MPH is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and the Director of the Trauma Center at Children’s Hospital Boston. He obtained his medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and completed a general surgical residency at the University of Vermont, which was interrupted by a fellowship in burn immunology. He completed a pediatric surgery fellowship at the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri and returned to New England to found the Pediatric Trauma Program at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth and rose to be an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Surgery at Dartmouth Medical School. He was the Chair of the Committee on Trauma of the New Hampshire Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. He is the past-chair of the Trauma Committee of the American Pediatric Surgical Association and the pediatric representative on the Verification Review Committee of the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma, and was the founding President of the Pediatric Trauma Society.

Dr. Mooney served in the US Army Medical Reserves for 15 years and was honorably discharged as a Major. He has provided direct patient care and teaching in Haiti, Italy, Kenya, and Ukraine. He was a member of the MA-1 National Disaster Medical Team that spearheaded the US response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake. He directed the emergency department resuscitation of the children injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Dr. Mooney is a fellow of the Injury and Violence Prevention, Epidemiology, and Surgical Sections of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Surgeons and is a member of the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the New England Surgical Society and the Boston Surgical Society. He is a reviewer for 27 medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA Pediatrics, Lancet Global Health and the Journal of Trauma. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles and 13 book chapters and is the trauma section editor of a textbook on disaster surgery in austere environments. He has had continuous research funding for the past 25 years and has active clinical research projects directed toward improving pediatric injury care.

Dr. Ashley Stoeckel obtained her undergraduate degree in neurobiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is a general surgery resident at Baylor Scott & White in Texas and is currently at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she completed a surgical critical care fellowship. She is currently conducting a pediatric trauma research fellowship and is taking coursework to obtain her Master in Public Health degree from the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health.

Gheed Murtadi is a Clinical Research Manager at the Surgical Department at Boston Children’s Hospital. She received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Benghazi University, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in Libya in 2007, and a Master of Public Health degree, with Epidemiology and Biostatistics Certificate from Boston University School of Public Health in 2023.

Gheed has over 6 years of experience in designing research methodologies, driving data analysis and leading research teams. She joined the Humanitarian Response Service at Al-Jalah Hospital in Benghazi, Libya as a volunteer physician to work with kids who were exposed to trauma during the Libyan war in 2011. Her interests include research improving the quality of life of children with chronic illness and the study of child trauma specifically warfare, and emotional and physical abuse. She is a board member at MetroWest Legal Services to promote social and economic justice to low income families. When not working, Gheed finds pleasure performing art projects and enjoying stand up paddle boarding with her daughter.

Carmen Sabio Hernandez is a Clinical Studies Coordinator with Trauma Surgery Research. During the past twelve years, she’s implemented over fifty Phase II and III Drug and Device study protocols. She’s been active on the Institutional Review Board since 2013. She recognizes the Trauma patient’s innately altruistic nature, if their participation in a research study brings the prospect of future data that may benefit someone else, this population seems likely to see it. Prior to Trauma Research, she was the Clinical Research Nurse for Principal Investigator Dr. Richard Rauck, Anesthesiology department, for six years. During this time, she earned her Clinical Research Coordinator credentialing certification (CCRC) through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. She graduated from the Medical College of Georgia as a baccalaureate prepared Nurse, and quickly began her path that would take her through Acute care and Home Health Cardiopulmonary Pulmonary to the niche that won her heart: Research. Carmen enjoys reading, writing, nature, and living an active and joyful life with her family.

D’Ann Hershel, MSG, CKTP has been a Project Manager for Trauma Surgery Research since 2019. She previously worked as Assistant Project manager in same department, doing both regulatory and study coordinator duties beginning in 2017. Prior to moving to the Department of Surgery, she worked as a Physical Therapist Assistant, beginning in 1991, with majority of experience in academic medical centers. Her concentration has been in both adult and pediatric critical care, trauma and burns. She has also worked in outpatient settings doing Women’s health and lymphedema rehabilitation and is a Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner. She is an Air Force Veteran with background in Aerospace Control and Warning Systems and Disaster Preparedness.

Courtney Gruver, RN is a Clinical Studies RN III at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. She has worked at the Medical Center for 21 years, with 20 of those as a Research Nurse. She worked in Obstetrics and Gynecology research for 8 years before transferring to General Surgery Trauma. She has implemented protocols on numerous studies, which include Phase II and III Drug and Device studies.

Lucas P. Neff, MD is an Associate Professor of surgery and pediatrics at Atrium health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem North Carolina. He is passionate about resident education as well as surgical innovation. He has a particular interest in finding new methods to solve common problems and in pediatric trauma. He was a US Air Force staff surgeon in the 60th medical wing at Travis Air Force Base, California. During that time he was deployed to Afghanistan where he did did over 60 pediatric surgical operations in combination with US military urologists and rotating pediatric surgeons in Afghanistan. He has a passion for humanitarian medicine and for cross cultural medical work namely in the support and teaching roles. After graduating from fellowship at Emory University in 2018, he took a position on faculty at Wake Forest University. In addition to his clinical responsibilities, Dr. Neff is also the co-director of the perioperative and procedural-based patient safety program at Wake Forest, “Wake Wings”. This interest in crew resource management and patient safety was borne out of the near death of his wife during childbirth and postpartum hemorrhage right as he returned from Afghanistan. He is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications and multiple chapters, he holds 10 patents for various medical devices and technologies and is the cofounder of a medical device company that uses adaptive and intelligent catheters for precision hemodynamic control. In addition to his clinical roles, he is the co-director of a translational lab at Wake Forest University and has been able to secure over $10 million of Department of Defense funding for various resuscitation related research. He enjoys running and reading mostly history and biographies. Most importantly, he is the father of 3 girls.

Megan Waddell, MSN, RN, CPEN is the Pediatric Trauma Program Manager at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital. She has 19 years of pediatric and emergency nursing experience. She joined Atrium Health in April of 2009 working in the pediatric emergency department and transitioned to the pediatric trauma program manager in 2015, where she has helped the program successfully obtain and maintain their Pediatric Level I verification since 2016. Since becoming the pediatric trauma program manager, she has been actively involved in trauma system development at the local, state, and national level. She received her MSN in Leadership at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences.

Julia Brake received her Bachelor of Science from LSU and Masters of Science from NC State and has been in Clinical Research at Atrium Health for 11 years.

Danielka Da Cunha, MLS, graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2022 with a degree in Clinical Laboratory Science. She previously worked in pediatric oncology before coming to pediatric trauma research.

Samuel Wade Ross, MD, MPH, FACS is the Pediatric Trauma Medical Director and Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Acute Care Surgery, at the F.H. “Sammy” Ross, Jr. Trauma Center at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Wake Forest School of Medicine, in Charlotte, NC. Sam is also NSQIP Surgeon Champion at Carolinas Medical Center and EGS Outcomes and PI Director.  He is the winner of multiple international and National Research Awards including the Raymond Alexander and ORIENS awards from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma and recently completed the ACS Committee on Trauma Future Trauma Leader Program.

Linda Cherney Stafford, MPH is a Researcher III within the Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program (WiSOR). She has conducted clinical and health services research with the faculty of the Division of Pediatric Surgery for over 10 years. Linda serves as the lead contact for regulatory, IRB, and data questions for research within pediatric surgery at the UW-Madison/ American Family Children’s Hospital.

Laura K. Kalscheur, DNP, RN, CPN is the manager of the ACS Level 1 Pediatric Trauma and Injury Prevention Program at the American Family Children’s Hospital. She has 15 years of experience working in ACS Level I trauma centers in a variety of roles. Laura is the Chair of the State of Wisconsin’s Trauma Data Committee, Chair of the Education Committee for Wisconsin’s South Central Region Trauma Advisory Council, and a member of the Wisconsin Emergency Medical Services for Children Advisory Committee.

Adam Brinkman, MD, FACS, FAAP, is a UW Health Kids pediatric surgeon who provides surgical care to children. He treats a wide variety of cases, including abdominal conditions and cancer diagnoses. He has a special interest in treating children with intestinal failure, short gut syndrome and trauma injuries. He also performs complex surgery for newborns.

Dr. Brinkman also is an associate professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, is the clinical Medical Director for pediatric surgical critical care and is the pediatric trauma medical director for the American Family Children’s Hospital. In addition to working with patients, Dr. Brinkman trains the next generation of pediatric surgeons as the associate program director of the General Surgery Residency Program.

Shannon Castle is a pediatric surgeon and the Trauma Medical Director at Valley Children’s Hospital. After completing her surgical training at UC San Diego and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, she moved to California’s Central Valley to help provide care for a large underserved population. Board-certified in Surgical Critical Care as well as Pediatric Surgery, her research interests are in pediatric trauma and critical care, particularly trauma systems and quality improvement across institutions and referral centers.

Patrick C. Bonasso II, attended West Virginia University for undergraduate, medical school, and residency. He completed a clinical fellowship at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and returned home to WVU Medicine Children’s in 2022. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery and the Pediatric Trauma Medical Director.

Dr. Bonasso has co-authored over 40 peer reviewed publications and has delivered dozens of state, regional, and national presentations. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), Pediatric Trauma Society (PTS), West Virginia State Trauma Advisory Council, West Virginia Regional Medical Review Committee (Region 6/7), and the WVU School of Medicine Academy of Advisors.

Dr. Bonasso grew up in Fairmont, West Virginia, and currently resides in Morgantown with his wife and four children. He is committed to providing world-renowned care right here at WVU Medicine Children’s.

“As we’re working in our newly built hospital, my goal is to build protocols to elevate care for our patients. Pediatric surgery is my passion. In my role, I organize care for kids with trauma and congenital anomalies, and I am proud to play a part in giving kids the best, life-changing care.”
– Patrick C. Bonasso II, MD, MBA

Lindsay Kifer is the Trauma Program Manager at Valley Children’s Hospital. After an early career in Emergency Medicine, she transitioned into a leadership role and is active in national pediatric trauma initiatives.

Dr. Laura Goodman is a board-certified pediatric general and thoracic surgeon who joined CHOC in 2021. She grew up in rural Oregon, studied anthropology at The Colorado College, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mongolia before deciding to become a physician. She attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and went on to general surgery training at the University of California Davis. During residency, she was a Fulbright Scholar studying pediatric surgical capacity in Mongolia and completed a Master of Public Health at Harvard. Her fellowship training brought her to Southern California, at Loma Linda.

Since joining CHOC, Dr. Goodman has taken on leadership of the Level 1 Trauma program as the Trauma Medical Director. She leads trauma research as an Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at UCI and has received grant funding from the UCI Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences (NIH) and the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, as well as the CHOC Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Goodman is a Vice Chair of the Southern California Committee on Trauma. She is the incoming Chair of the Access to Surgery for Kids Committee of the American Pediatric Surgical Association (ASK APSA). In her free time, Dr. Goodman enjoys reading, nature walks, and gardening with her husband and young daughter.

CJ Rojas-Noto, RN is the Performance Improvement Specialist at Valley Children’s Hospital Trauma Program. She is active in national quality improvement efforts, most recently serving as a consultant for ACS TQIP.

Catherine VanMeter McGaughey, BS is the Trauma Research Coordinator for West Virginia University Hospitals and WVU Medicine Children’s. She received her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from West Virginia University in 2020 and is currently enrolled in the Clinical and Translational Science Master’s Program at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. With a background as an Emergency Medical Technician and years of research experience, she focuses her research interests on critical care and trauma.

Arman Shadian, BS is the Clinical Research Coordinator for Trauma at Valley Children’s Hospital. Prior to his time at VCH he worked in clinical studies for heart disease treatment, and used the skills he developed there when moving over to focus on pediatric clinical projects. He has been an integral part of the growth of the surgical and trauma research division prior to shifting full-time to the trauma division.

Amy Waunch is Trauma Program Manager at CHOC Children’s Hospital, a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in Orange, CA. During her 25 years in nursing, she has worked primarily in adult and pediatric emergency departments as a staff nurse, educator, advanced practice nurse, mobile intensive care nurse (MICN) and stroke program coordinator. Amy obtained a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles, and a Master of Science and Family Nurse Practitioner from California State University, Long Beach. She is an active member on many national trauma committees, including Trauma Center Association of America and Pediatric Trauma Society.

The research at the Le Bonheur Trauma Center is coordinated and facilitated by Dr. Elizabeth Seewer, a dedicated Research Associate. Dr. Seewer is a board-certified Physical Therapist with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences, which she completed at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. With seven years of experience in clinical research, Dr. Seewer’s clinical interests include musculoskeletal ultrasound, pediatric trauma, critical care, and regenerative and rehabilitative medicine. Her expertise and commitment to advancing medical knowledge make her a vital part of the Le Bonheur Trauma Center team.

Dr. Kevin Lang completed medical school at Creighton University and his residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), where he recently finished his second year as a general surgery resident. Dr. Lang is now a pediatric and adult clinical research fellow in a two-year program at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital focused on expanding his research efforts. His clinical interests include trauma and surgical critical care, epidemiology, population health, and public health. Dr. Lang’s dedication to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes through research and clinical practice makes him a valuable asset to the medical community.

Dr. Rachel Landisch is a distinguished faculty member at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN, and serves as an Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Additionally, she is the Associate Program Director for the Pediatric Surgery Critical Care Fellowship. Certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Landisch has also completed advanced fellowship training in surgical critical care. Dr. Landisch dedicates her clinical and research efforts to improving pediatric patient outcomes through comprehensive and innovative care approaches. Her clinical interests include pediatric trauma, critical care, colorectal surgery, and quality improvement. As the surgical champion for the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatrics (NSQIP-P) at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Dr. Landisch is deeply committed to ensuring quality and equity in healthcare. Her leadership and dedication make her an invaluable asset to both her patients and colleagues.

Tammi is a seasoned RN with over 30 years of experience. Tammi holds a Diploma of Nursing from Sheridan College in Canada, BSN from Chamberlain College, and a Master’s in Nursing from the University of Phoenix. For the past 10 years Tammi has managed the pediatric trauma program at Children’s Memorial Hermann as the pediatric Trauma program Manager. Tammi has extensive experience in critical care, emergency nursing and performance improvement. Through these roles she has support various research projects and initiatives. On personal time Tammi enjoys travel, reading and caring for her farm animals.

Charles S. Cox, Jr., M.D. is Professor and Clare A. Glassell Distinguished Chair of Pediatric Surgery, and the George and Cynthia Mitchell Distinguished Chair in Neuroscience, directing the Pediatric Surgical Translational Laboratories and Pediatric Program in Regenerative Medicine at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston. He directs the Center for Translational Injury Research and directs the Pediatric Trauma Program at the Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

A Texas native, Dr. Cox received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in the Plan II Liberal Arts Honors Program. Upon graduating from the University of Texas Medical Branch, he completed his Surgery residency at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston. Further post-graduate fellowships were completed in Pediatric Surgery at the University of Michigan, an NIH T32 sponsored clinical and research fellowship at the Shriner’s Burns Institute, and Surgical Critical Care/Trauma at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery in Surgery, with added qualifications in Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Critical Care. He served in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne in the 909th Forward Surgical Team in 2002.

The Center for Translational Injury Research CeTIR is a part of the Department of Surgery, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and works in partnership with Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (MH-TMC). CeTIR has designed and implemented as well as participated in a wide variety of studies in trauma, burn and traumatic brain injury.

The Pediatric Translational Laboratories and Pediatric Program in Regenerative Medicine represent a multi-disciplinary effort that addresses problems that originate with traumatic injury and the consequences of resuscitation and critical care. The Program focuses on cell based therapy for traumatic brain injury, and related neurological injuries, completing numerous clinical trials in this area. The program has been continuously funded since 1998 through the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, Texas Emerging Technology Funds, Industry Collaboration (Athersys, Inc.; Celgene Cellular Therapeutics; CBR, Inc; HopeBio, Inc.), and philanthropic contributions. The Program is housed in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, and includes three cGMP, Class 10,000 facilities for the production of clinical grade cell and tissue products: Hoffberger Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory and the Griffin Stem Cell Therapeutics Research Laboratory.

He is the author of over 250 scientific publications, 20 book chapters, and is the editor of texts entitled, Progenitor Cell Therapy for Neurological Injury and Cellular Therapy for Neurological Injury.

Dr. James “Trey” Eubanks, III serves as the Surgeon-in-Chief at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery. He’s a professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Eubanks is board certified in general and pediatric surgery by the American Board of Certification. His clinical interests include pediatric trauma, chest wall abnormalities, foregut anomalies, minimally invasive surgery, and surgical quality. In addition, he is a member of several committees and organizations locally, regionally, and nationally including the Board of Directors of the Trauma Center Association of America and the Tennessee Trauma Care Advisory Council.

Adam Alder, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in pediatric and neonatal surgery, including pediatric lung and esophageal surgery, surgical oncology, chest wall reconstruction, and minimally invasive and robotic surgery. 

Dr. Alder earned his medical degree at Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in general surgery at UT Southwestern and Parkland Memorial Hospital and received advanced training in pediatric surgery through a fellowship at Children’s Medical Center and UT Southwestern. He also holds a master’s degree in clinical science from UT Southwestern. 

Certified by the American Board of Surgery in general surgery and pediatric surgery, he joined UT Southwestern in 2005. 

Dr. Alder serves as Director of the Center for Chest Wall Anomalies and Pectus, a collaboration between UT Southwestern and Children’s Health that treats patients with chest wall anomalies using all available treatment modalities, including the Nuss procedure, the Ravitch procedure, and other bracing and surgical reconstruction techniques. The center is one of the few in the nation to provide the Dynamic Compression Bracing System, a state-of-the-art treatment for patients with pectus.

Dr. Alder is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Specialty Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He serves on several committees, including the education committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics section on surgery and the research committee for the International Pediatric Endosurgical Group.

Having completed the National Institutes of Health-funded Clinical and Translational Science Awards program, Dr. Alder remains active in research. He is developing the Center for Advanced Research in Surgery, which will focus on clinical research related to pediatric thoracic and general surgery. He is currently focused on identifying the underlying cause of and best treatment for acute appendicitis in children and on improving the care of children and young adults with chest wall anomalies such as pectus excavatum. He has delivered numerous national and regional lectures and has published several academic articles.

Click here for more information: https://utswmed.org/doctors/adam-alder/