GLOBAL EMERGENCY MEDICS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Professional EMS Instructor
Ann is a professional EMS instructor who holds a BS degree in education and professional certifications in emergency medicine. She teaches emergency medicine for Nicolet College and wilderness medicine for WMA. Between classes she works for an ambulance service and emergency room in northern Wisconsin where she responds to and treats "northwoods" injuries. Her EMS experience began in 1980, and her education career in 1979. Ann provides a high-energy and well-focused teaching style. She has taught for WMA in settings as diverse as weekend adventure clubs, summer camps, outdoor companies, military bases to an Ivy League university. In her spare time she enjoys kayaking, cross-country skiing, hiking or simply relaxing in her century old Northwood's farmhouse. Her favorite place is the northwoods shoreline of Lake Superior.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Certified Physician Assistant
April has been a nationally certified Physician Assistant since 2006, has taught with WMA since 2009 and is an actively practicing urgent care clinician in Port Townsend, WA. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine through the Wilderness Medical Society. She also volunteers with Portland Street Medicine and with Team Rubicon doing disaster and humanitarian relief, the last deployments being to Great Abaco (Bahamas), southern Texas and Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Dorian, Harvey and Maria. Prior to this she previously held her practice in Portland, OR, and before that spent many years practicing primary and urgent care medicine in Santa Fe, NM where she also managed patients in the Aid Room for Santa Fe Ski Patrol and volunteered for many years with Search and Rescue before moving to the Pacific NW in 2013. Her extracurricular passions include hiking, yoga and various water and snow sports.
Born and bred in Kentucky, Ben became an EMT in 2003, a paramedic in 2007, and graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2009 with a B.S. in Emergency Medical Care. He set to work as a paramedic in urban, suburban, and rural EMS systems while also volunteering as a SAR technician and team medic in eastern Kentucky. A short "summer vacation" to the Idaho Panhandle in 2014 turned into permanent residence, where he now lives and works.
A WMA instructor since 2009, Ben has taught courses at all levels across the United States and abroad, and presented topics in wilderness medicine and wilderness EMS at state Search and Rescue conferences. His work in EMS has included field paramedic, tactical paramedic, wilderness paramedic for both SAR teams and the National Parks Service, EMS educator in academic settings, and flight/critical care paramedicine. Although he doesn't log as many outdoor days as he used to, he is still the ultralight gram weenie who religiously checks his pack base weight; when at home he passes the time reading, cooking, shooting, and finding new ways to annoy his roommate's cats.
Brigitte has lived in the Eastern Sierra (Mammoth Lakes, CA) since 2007 moving from Southern California where she grew up with the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other. She has a Bachelor of Science degree and teaching credential in Biological Sciences. Prior to moving to the Sierra, she spent 18 years as a Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard and EMT protecting the lives of beachgoers. She also spent 7 years teaching middle school integrated science. In 2003 she became a Wilderness EMT and later left traditional K-12 teaching to pursue outdoor education.
Since 2007 Brigitte has guided and instructed courses in mountaineering, backpacking, and sea kayaking disciplines exploring areas of Alaska, the continental U.S., and Europe. She continues to keep her clinical skills up to date by working part time for Mono County EMS on an ALS ambulance. Brigitte also runs her own business, Beyond Limits Education (BLE), a WMAI Licensed Training Company.
One of Brigitte's strengths is her ability to customize and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of an array of learners.
Having worked for years in the outdoor industry as a river and snowmobile guide and ski patroller, Chris changed gears and has been a registered nurse since 2010, focusing on critical care, specifically trauma. With Wilderness Medical Associates International, Chris has found a confluence of his love of medicine and the outdoors. He can be found playing in the mountains of Colorado year round, usually on water, whether in its liquid or powdered state.
Danielle Ryan, CCH, CN is a Certified Clinical Herbalist and Holistic Nutritionist based in Boulder, CO. After graduating from Whitman College with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, she went on to study yoga, Ayurveda, and natural medicine across Asia before moving to Colorado where she graduated with Honors from the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism. She now runs her own clinical practice, Danielle Ryan Wellness LLC, where she works with clients both locally and across the country. Along with her one-on-one clinical practice, she is an instructor at the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism teaching courses on medicinal mushrooms, works in conjunction with M.D.'s in a primary care clinic providing herbal alternatives to conventional medications, and is an avid outdoors woman with a deep passion for connecting people to the Earth. When not with clients or students, you can find her hiking in the Rocky Mountains, tending to her organic garden, or cooking some vegetarian delicacies.
Darren has been a professional Outdoor Guide and Instructor for over 30 years and holds a Masters Degree in Outdoor Recreation. He lives in Buena Vista, Colorado at the base of the Collegiate Peaks and on the banks of the Arkansas River. Darren is a WEMT and volunteers for Chaffee County Search and Rescue where he has served as Training Officer, Board Member and member of the Swiftwater Rescue Team. Darren teaches throughout the US, Alaska, and Internationally for WMA.
In addition to his writing, teaching, and business responsibilities with Wilderness Medical Associates, David (DJ) also works as an Emergency Physician at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine. His outdoor pursuits have included wilderness canoeing in Canada, climbing and hiking in North and South America, coastal kayaking in Georgia and Maine, and sailing around the Atlantic Ocean. DJ is passionate about curriculum development and teaching. His biggest challenge is to try and make apparently complicated concepts accessible and usable for people regardless of where they have to deliver care. DJ states that it is "…often more important to have clarity about the urgency and severity of a problem than it is to have a precise diagnosis. We need to understand what a patient does or does not have and whether or not it is a big deal." His reward is the light bulb going on in students' minds; for instance, when a student says: "I've got it; I didn't realize it would be so simple!"
Erin Jamroz, who often goes by Jamroz, is an EMT-B working on Zion National Park's search and rescue team and a technical guide in the Zion area. He has been teaching and guiding outdoor activities since 2011. Since then, he has worked with advanced recreationalists, never-evers, families, and military groups. Wilderness medicine brings together an overlap of so many of his passions: helping people, self sufficiency, and being outside. When he is not working he can be found on the rock faces or deep in a canyon.
Gary is a professional educator with a BS in Education, currently pursuing his MS in Educational Leadership. He has nine plus years teaching and coaching in public education. Gary has spent the last few years working as a guide for a wilderness therapy group in North Idaho. He has worked as a volunteer WEMT for the local ambulance for the past nine years. In his free time you will find Gary hiking, four-wheeling, hunting or spending time with his many nieces and nephews.
Gavin grew up immersed in the Rocky Mountains- hiking, skiing, climbing, and embracing all the outdoor adventure Colorado has to offer. His deep love for education and the sciences led him to obtain his B.A. in Physiology, Neuroscience, and Philosophy from the University of Colorado. For over a decade Gavin has merged his passions for medicine and the outdoors working as a WEMT throughout the world, in a variety of settings including rural primary care clinics in Thailand and the Dominican Republic and in the Emergency Department as a Trauma Technician in Boulder, CO. Gavin now works as a Physician Assistant in numerous roles including emergency medicine, hospital medicine, and in behavioral health as a ketamine assisted psychotherapy provider. As a lead instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates Gavin can be found traveling around the world, from Nepal to Finland to Belize, teaching wilderness medicine courses to people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill sets. He has a unique ability to educate his diverse range of students from teenagers, to those who speak English as their third language, to guides and medics who have spent their lifetime in the outdoors. Regardless of who shows up to class, Gavin is guaranteed to find a connection to that individual and teach in a way that is understandable, exciting, and personally relatable. Gavin is also the founder of Global Emergency Medics, which was started as a way to bring wilderness medicine training courses to those in need throughout all corners of the world. When not teaching, Gavin continues to travel to new lands, exploring the world with his skis, climbing gear, surfboards, and friends nearby.
Josh Jackson has fervor for both outdoor recreation and teaching, and he has spent over a decade trying to marry his passions. Josh has worked as a climbing, river and mountain guide throughout the West and Alaska. He has his Bachelor's degree in Adventure Education and Wilderness Leadership from Prescott College and a Master's in Outdoor Experiential Education from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Josh is a Wilderness EMT who has been active in Search & Rescue. In addition to working as an Outward Bound instructor, climbing gym manager, wilderness therapy facilitator, field program manager and a Wilderness Medical Associates®' instructor, he has served as adjunct faculty at colleges and universities, teaching such courses as expeditionary sea kayaking, white water rafting, rock climbing, back country skiing, ice climbing, surfing, map & compass, winter camping, wilderness leadership and wilderness first responder.
Katie's first introduction to wilderness medicine began in 2006 as a ski patroller at Massanutten Resort in Virginia. She graduated from James Madison University with a BS in Athletic Training in 2008 and went on to complete her Master's Degree in Exercise and Sport Science/Sports Medicine from the University of Utah in 2011. Originally from ‘Almost Heaven', Katie summers in Fayetteville WV, working as a white water raft guide, independent contractor ATC, and overall outdoor enthusiast. In her free time, she enjoys making jewelry and hanging out with her dog Moonshine (aka, Shiner). Katie is passionate about sharing the world of wilderness medicine with others and can't wait to continue traveling around this great country.
Mark Whitaker is a WEMT, working as a volunteer for his two local, rural fire departments in Southwest Washington state.
He has been leading sea kayaking trips and coaching kayaking and canoeing skills since 2004, and was a part owner and operations manager for Columbia River Kayaking for 11 years.
In other prior lives he was an Eagle Scout, a punk rock dishwasher, a foreign car mechanic and a hippie logger and portable sawmill operator. He fishes and hunts, takes pictures, and walks in the woods with his dog whenever possible. He lives on 15 acres of temperate coastal rainforest near the Columbia River estuary, and also spends as much time as possible at a remote, off-grid cabin in the Okanogan Highlands, near the other end of the Columbia River.
He owns and operates Cascadia Wilderness Medicine, bringing WMA courses to the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Michelle is a full-time firefighter for the city of Pawtucket, RI (the first and only female in the city's history). She currently is an EMT-C, working for both the RI fire academy as a technical rescue instructor and the Barnstable County, MA fire academy. Michelle likes to keep busy and never stops craving new adventures and opportunities for learning. Over the past 20+ years she has been a USAR FEMA instructor, USAR K9 handler (deployments include the Atlanta Olympics, WTC, and Hurricane Katrina), wilderness SAR K9 team member, dive rescue team member and wildland firefighter. For fun she loves hiking, mountain biking, camping, kayaking, horseback riding, and traveling. Michelle lives on Cape Cod with the world's greatest family: her awesome husband "Murph", her daughter Scout, 5 dogs, 3 horses, and 1 pony (for Scout of course). Michelle also has a son Zach, who is a Captain for his fire department, chemistry major, and about to enter Marine OCS.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Expert
- Natalie Brechtel Wilderness Medicine Corporate Instructor
Natalie has been using her wilderness medical skills since 2002 when she took her first WFA. Since then, she has been on all seven continents, applying her skills in the most austere environments. Originally a San Diego native she spent her youth camping and backpacking in the southwest. She currently travels all over the world guiding and teaching wilderness medical courses but considers Bishop California to be home.
Experience
Natalie has been working in the field of education and the human body since her days at University, where she eventually taught undergraduate classes and ran the university outdoor program. She took a particular fascination with physiology, kinesiology and nutrition. Her guiding and remote field work inspired her pursuit of further emergency medical training. Over the years she has been able to apply her WFR & EMT in the most extreme jobs. This has included guiding all over the US and abroad. She has provided patient care and rescue support as a National Park Service Ranger and as part of Yosemite Search and Rescue. Chasing adventure, Natalie began an obsession with exploring in Antarctica. Since 2011 she has worked and contributed to the medical auxiliary & SAR team for US Antarctic Field Stations. She continues to return to Antarctica as a Field Safety Coordinator, specializing in supporting scientist on the sea ice.
Education & Certifications
Natalie holds her B.A. from U.C. Santa Barbara, in Physical Anthropology, Exercise Health Science & Personal Training. She is a Licensed Instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates and the American Heart Association.
Natalie has taken the American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) Rock Guide program and holds her Single Pitch Instructor Certification. She holds a certification from the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) and is a Leave No Trace Trainer.
Natalie holds her B.A. from U.C. Santa Barbara, in Physical Anthropology, Exercise Health Science & Personal Training. She is a Licensed Instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates and the American Heart Association.
Natalie has taken the American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) Rock Guide program and holds her Single Pitch Instructor Certification. She holds a certification from the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) and is a Leave No Trace Trainer.
In 2017, Natalie went back to school to study Nutritional Therapy with an emphasis on gut health for athletes.
Natalie has served as a hypothermia expert for a program featured on YouTube and provided safety and logistics for other film industry field work. She contributes regularly to the US Antarctic Program documents and policies as they relate to cold related injuries and patient care in the deep field.
Since 1989 Rocco has been a professional ski patroller, worked on big city and rural ambulances, a search and rescue coordinator, an avalanche rescue dog handler, a raft guide, a firefighter and an EMS and wilderness medicine instructor. When he's not teaching he can be found mountain biking, backcountry skiing, or canoeing with his family and dogs. Rocco pays the bills working as a flight paramedic servicing Northern Idaho, Montana and Washington State.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Lead Instructor With Wilderness Medical Associates
Susan Purvis is a Lead Instructor with Wilderness Medical Associates, American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), an American Avalanche Association (AAA) Professional Member, and Author of her new memoir, GO FIND: A Journey to Find the Lost-And Myself.
Susan's love for adventure and medicine has taken her to the hottest, coldest, and highest places on earth: Ethiopia, Antarctica, and Nepal. As a wilderness medicine expert and extraordinary speaker, Susan has worked on film sets for National Geographic Channel, truTV, appeared on the science documentary, The Hottest Place on Earth, aired on the BBC and Discovery. She's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian, on CNN, television, numerous magazines, and newspaper articles.
An explorer by passion, Susan combines wilderness medicine, desert survival, exploration geology, and K-9 search and rescue to land jobs on all seven continents. She teaches high altitude medicine for the local Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Everest Guides. Susan has served as a medic at a remote field camp and ice breaker in Antarctica, explored for gold in the Dominican Republic and produced a documentary in the Amazon jungle. Susan also spent a decade working at an urgent care ski clinic in Crested Butte where she also worked as a professional ski patroller, K-9 avalanche expert and SAR member. Susan received Congressional Recognition for her role in avalanche search and rescue.
Tim Graham retired from Miami Dade Fire Rescue in 2008 after 32 years as a firefighter/paramedic, diver, hazmat tech, etc. He is a native Floridian. The ocean has always been a part of his life. Wave Skis, biking occupy his spare moments between teaching, volunteering, managing Flwildmed.com and consulting for TechnicalRescue.com.
Tony is a physician's assistant and practices in western Maine. Tony has worked all over the world including a stint in Antarctica. He has led sea kayaking trips there as well as off the coast of Alaska. His penchant for northern zones carries over to the winter with mushing. He and his wife have nearly two dozen mushing dogs and are out running dog sleds much of the winter.