DVCIPM - Key Persons
Alexandra Kane is a Research Coordinator at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). She assists in several ongoing protocols at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center through the orthopedics clinic and anesthesia department.
She has been with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) since March 2018. Before that, she worked as a Medical Assistant at the Orthopedic Associates of Central Maryland.
Alexandra holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with honors from Loyola University of Maryland and volunteers as an EMT in her community. She hopes to one day further her medical knowledge and skills as a Physician Assistant in the Air Force.
Job Titles:
- Captain, Navy / Department of Anesthesiology Chair
In 1999, CDR Hudson reentered the navy as a USU medical student.She completed her residency in Anesthesiology in 2006 at the National Capital Consortium. She completed subspecialty training in cardiothoracic anesthesia at the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C. and earned board certification in Advanced Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography in 2007.
In her first year following residency, she deployed in support of the Global War on Terror to Djibouti, Africa 2007-2008. Following this deployment, she returned to NNMC Bethesda/Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's, where in addition to her clinical work and teaching, she chaired the MEDCEN's Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee for six years, served on the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff, and was core faculty for the NCC residency in Anesthesiology.
In 2012, CDR Hudson was posted to USU Department of Anesthesiology. She also led the Department's Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesia (MOCA) program, which provides required training for military anesthesiologists around the globe.
Betsy Viramontes is a Research Coordinator at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). She assists research staff to enact research protocols at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
She joined the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) in 2022.
Betsy obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California of Los Angeles in 2021.
Billal Kamara is a Research Assistant at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). He assists in ongoing protocols at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
He has been with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation since August 2022. Prior to that, he worked as a Clinic Assistant at MedStar Health Physical Therapy.
Billal obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences Science from Marymount University in 2021.
Job Titles:
- Appointed Executive Director and Principal Investigator
- Executive Program Director & Principal Investigator
CAPT Harold Gelfand is the newly appointed Executive Director and Principal Investigator (PI) of the Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM) within the Department of Anesthesiology at the Uniformed School of Health Sciences and has been the Director of the Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship since 2017. Previously he was Director of Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Bethesda served as Managing Director of the Surgical Services Product Line (3SL) and Director of at Walter Reed. Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland he received his commission via the Health Professions Scholarship Program in 1998.
CAPT Gelfand earned his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Philosophy from the University of Virginia (Class of 1997) and Doctor of Medicine Degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School (Class of 2001). He completed his Internship in Pediatrics at Naval Medical Center San Diego in 2002 and his Residency in Anesthesiology at National Capitol Consortium in 2009. He has a dual Fellowship in Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine and Obstetrical Anesthesia from Johns Hopkins University (2010). He received his board certification in Anesthesiology in 2010, was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 2012, Associate Master Clinician at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2015 and Fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in 2018.
CAPT Gelfand served as the 12 th Marines Regimental Surgeon from 2002-2005 where he supported deployments to Thailand and South East Asia and as the Naval Coastal Warfare Group Two Surgeon from 2005-2006 where mobilized on missions related to the Global War of Terrorism. He deployed with 2 nd Medical Battalion to Forward Operating Base Edinburgh in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Jan-Sep 2011).
In addition to his service, above CAPT Gelfand has been Junior Editor for the American Board of Anesthesiology Joint Council on Anesthesiology Examinations Written Board Exam since 2012, Anesthesia Representative to BUMED Women's Health Continuum of Care Advisory Board since 2013 until it transitioned to the Defense Health Agency Woman and Infant Clinical Community where he continues to serve, DoD/VA Health Executive Committee Clinical Care Business Line Pain Management Work Group, , Chronic Pain Management Program Panel (CPMPP) of the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC), and Reviewer for the journals Pain Medicine and Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. His awards include the Navy Commendation Medal and Joint Service Achievement Medal.
CAPT Gelfand is married with three children.
CAPT Hudson is an Associate Professor and serves as Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology in the Uniformed Services University. She received her bachelor and master's degrees at Boston University. After completing her master's degree, she worked at the Department of Public Health in Augusta, Maine. In 1994, she received a direct commission with the Navy and entered active duty as a Naval Environmental Health Officer. After a brief assignment to the Philadelphia Shipyard as Department Head of Preventive Medicine, she transferred to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs to work in the Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses as an epidemiologist. After separating from the Navy, CDR Hudson worked as a consultant for the RAND Corporation in Washington, D.C.
Diane Papay is a Research Nurse Manager for the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). She works with a team of Research Assistants to execute research protocols. She joined the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) in 2003 and has been a registered nurse for over 20 years with a background in oncology research, intensive care and post-anesthesia care.
Diane attended the University of Pittsburgh on a Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Administration of Justice. She later attended Marymount University receiving a degree in nursing. She is a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP), and a US Army Veteran.
Dr. Peter Bedocs is a Senior Scientist at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM).
Peter earned an MD and a PhD degree from Semmelweis University, Hungary. He joined the Henry M Jackson Foundation in 2009 and he has more than 15 years of experience designing and implementing basic science and animal research projects.
He is also a member of the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP), the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, and the Department of Anesthesiology at the Uniformed Services University.
Dr. Tracy Rupp is the Scientific Manager at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM).
Tracy earned her BA in Psychology from Duke University (1999) and PhD in Experimental Psychology from Brown University (2006). She completed her Post-Doctoral training as a National Research Council (NRC) Fellow at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in the Behavioral Biology Branch studying sleep and cognitive performance. She continued at WRAIR as a Research Psychologist and Research Statistician until 2012.
Dr. Rupp is a licensed acupuncturist and received her Masters degree in Acupuncture from the Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH; 2015). She also served as adjunct faculty at MUIH teaching Research Design and Statistics. Tracy was in private practice for acupuncture until joining the Henry Jackson Foundation (HJF) in 2023.
Job Titles:
- Co - Investigator / Naval Medical Center San Diego
Job Titles:
- Research Manager
- Research Manager for the Uniformed Services University
Germaine Herrera is a Research Manager for the Uniformed Services University (USU), Department of Anesthesiology, and the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM).
She has been with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) since 2017. Before working for DVCIPM she was working with the Orthopaedic Department at San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) as a Research Assistant; working primarily on the Military Orthopaedics Tracking Injuries and Outcomes Network (MOTION) and the Surgical Timing and Rehabilitation for Multiple Knee Injuries: A Multicenter Integrated Clinical Trial (STaR Trial).
Germaine holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics with honors from Texas State University- San Marcos and a Master's Degree in Nutrition from Texas Woman's University. She is currently working towards an accelerated NP program. In the future she hopes to complete a Ph.D. and continue working in research.
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance & Operations
- Director, Finance & Operations
Kelly Kiser is the Director of Finance & Operations at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). In her role she is responsible for overseeing administrative and financial operations.
She joined the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) in 1998 after working 8 years for the federal government. She has supported a number of HJF programs to include the Defense & Veterans Brain Injury Center (1998-2001); the Post-Polio Syndrome Program (2001-2002); the Comprehensive Neuroscience Program (2003-2005); and joined DVCIPM in 2005.
Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Commercial Art / Advertising from Concord University and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from New York Institute of Technology.
Kevin Florimon is a Research Assistant at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). He assists in ongoing protocols at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
He has been with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation since October 2022.
Kevin obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Computational and Systems Neuroscience from Virginia Tech in 2022.
Job Titles:
- Director, Strategic Communications and Policy
Kevin Galloway is currently the Director, Strategic Communications and Policy at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM), the pain management advisory organization for the Military Health System.
Prior to joining DVCIPM in 2014, Kevin completed a 27-year career in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps where he retired at the rank of Colonel. His last assignment was in the Office of the Army Surgeon General where he served as the Director of the Army Pain Management Program and Chief of Staff for the Department of Defense's Pain Management Task Force. He graduated from The Catholic University of America with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, and later from Baylor University with Masters in Health Care Administration.
His military career included a variety of clinical and administrative assignments in both fixed facility and military field hospitals. His military deployments include Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia, Operation Provide Promise in Zagreb, Croatia, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad, Iraq. His military awards included the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, six Army Commendation Medals, the Joint Service Achievement Medal and six Army Achievement Medals. He is a recipient of the Order of Military Merit and the Army Surgeon General's "A" Proficiency designator, an award used to recognize the accomplishments of senior medical leaders who have made significant contributions to the Army Medical Department.
He was a recipient of the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 2011 Presidential Commendation and 2017 Presidential Excellence in Education Award.
Latoya McGlorthan is a Research Coordinator at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). She assists in ongoing protocols at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
She has been with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation since 2019 and joined DVCIPM in August 2020. Prior to that, she worked as a Pathology Support Technician at Shady Grove Medical Center.
Latoya obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Environmental Science from Mount St. Mary's University in 2017.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, Research Administration
Mary McDuffie is the Deputy Director, Research Administration for the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). In her role she is responsible for supervising the research staff and overseeing research protocol development, implementation, and execution in the National Capital Area and outlying sites.
She joined the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) in 2011 and has been a registered nurse for many years with a background in Burn ICU, Case Management, and Hospice.
Mary holds a Bachelor Degree in Nursing from the Catholic University of America, a Masters Degree in Research Administration and Complicance from City University of New York (CUNY), and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau.
Maxwell Amoako is a Data Analyst at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). He assists with research projects from the Uniformed Services University through the Department of Anesthesiology.
Before joining the Henry M Jackson Foundation in 2022, Maxwell was a student researcher while enrolled in higher education.
At Virginia Tech, Maxwell researched with the Economics Laboratory and earned his Bachelors of Science (B.S.) degree with honors in Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience.
At Georgetown University, Maxwell researched with the Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory and earned his Masters of Science (M.S.) degree in Integrative Neuroscience.
He hopes to further utilize his skillset in the workplace or in a PhD program.
Megan O'Connell is a Research Data Analyst at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM).
Prior to joining Henry M Jackson Foundation (HJF), she worked as a physical therapist in sports medicine and in utilization review.
Megan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from University of Maryland and Doctor of Physical Therapy from University of Pittsburgh. She is pursuing her Master's in Analytics.
Job Titles:
- Co - Investigator / Brooke Army Medical Center
Job Titles:
- Research Assistant / Naval Medical Center San Diego
Winifred Rojas is a Research Nurse Manager at the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM). She works with a team of Research Assistants to implement research protocols.
She joined the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) in 2003 and worked for the Clinical Breast Care Project (CBCP) for 5 years prior to pursuing a career in nursing. She worked at Psychiatric Emergency Services at the University of Maryland Medical Center before returning to HJF and joining DVCIPM in 2012.
Winifred has a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, is a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP), and a US Army Veteran.