VALLEY VIEW - Key Persons
Dan Greene - PA-C, is a physician assistant at ValleyOrtho at Valley View who works closely with orthopedic surgeons Dr. Purnell and Dr. Pevny, caring for patients in surgery and clinic. Dan has broad experience with hip, knee, and shoulder reconstruction, orthopedic trauma and sports medicine.
Dan is a US Navy veteran, and prior to his medical career he served 20 years as a Special Warfare Operator/Navy SEAL. He deployed to Afghanistan, and also instructed SEAL team platoons to ready them for overseas deployments. He earned his bachelor's in physician assistant studies in 2004 from Kettering College of Medical Arts in Ohio, then his master's in 2015, from the University of Texas Pan American.
"I started my PA career in Level I trauma treating severe orthopedic injuries," says Dan. "I have a strong sense of empathy and enjoy taking care of people when they're in these difficult situations, then helping them return to their normal lifestyle and activities."
Dan is originally from Cincinnati and resided in California during his naval service. He has been visiting the Roaring Fork Valley since the early 70s with his parents, and then later with his own wife and children.
In his leisure time Dan enjoys skiing, mountain biking and fly fishing. Other hobbies include playing guitar and a newfound love of astrophysics. Dan and wife Cara, who is a manager at Bristlecone Mountain Sports, are parents to two young adult children who have also made their home in the Roaring Fork Valley.
Dawn Hershberger, MMS, PA-C, is a board-certified physician assistant who cares for patients at Valley Ortho, working closely with Dr. Daniel O'Connor in the operating room and the clinic. Prior to joining Valley Ortho, she worked with Dr. Wade Ceola in Valley View's Neurosurgery department, Aspen Valley Hospital's ER and the Colorado Bariatric Surgery Institute in Denver.
An Aspen native and a lifelong learner, Dawn's career as a certified physician assistant is her second one. A series of her own knee surgeries piqued her interest in medicine and led her to pursue a double bachelor's degree in psychology and biology from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, where she graduated with honors. She then earned her master's in medical science from Midwestern University.
Immediately after high school, she studied fine arts at the University of North Carolina and danced professionally for several years with both the Berlin State Ballet, and as a founding member of the acclaimed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. She finds that her intrinsic focus and dedication, both required in the discipline of dance, have naturally transitioned to her medical practice and aptitude for surgery.
Dawn not only loves her work, but the Valley View organization itself. "Valley View Hospital provides such a supportive environment for practice and learning while maintaining a sense of community, which I very much appreciate." Her main goal is to get patients back to the activities that bring them joy.
When she isn't in the clinic or operating room, she is likely traveling and cycling with her husband Jonathan and their dogs.
Dr. Christopher George has been providing orthopedic care to patients in the Roaring Fork Valley since 2013. He specializes in sports medicine, hip arthroscopy, anterior muscle sparing total hip replacement, and knee reconstruction and replacement. With minimally invasive and arthroscopic treatment options, Dr. George strives to return patients to the lifestyle and activities they desire. Dr. George specializes in Mako robotic arm surgery.
Dr. George grew up in Iowa and attended college at the University of Iowa. He attended medical school at the University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he served as Chief Resident in his final year. He then continued his training and specialization in orthopedic sports medicine with the Aspen Sports Medicine Foundation.
When he is out of the office, Dr. George spends time with his wife Marni and their children, Ryder and Avelyn.
Experience
Training
Dr. Ferdinand "Tito" Liotta has served patients in the Roaring Fork Valley since 1996. Specializing in reconstruction of the shoulder, he appreciates the complexity and challenges of the rotator cuff. His practice is on the cutting edge of shoulder orthopedics, using minimally invasive treatment options to restore patients to their former activity levels.
Dr. Liotta completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Methodist Sports Medicine Center in Indianapolis. He also served as an orthopedic surgeon for the United States Navy. Fluent in Spanish, Dr. Liotta has been a distinguished speaker at a variety of international orthopedic sports medicine conferences and has authored a number of peer-reviewed articles. He also participates in a the Aspen Bariloche Medical Exchange, bringing equipment and clinicians to support Hospital Ramon Carillo in Bariloche, Argentina. In his spare time, Dr. Liotta enjoys telemark skiing Richmond Ridge in Aspen, surfing in Hawaii and spending time with his wife, Robyn and his seven children, Mikaela, Joe, Ben, Sam, Hayden, John and Camille.
Experience
Training
Job Titles:
- Surgeon
- Chairman of the Board of WHH Foundation
Dr. Mark Purnell is a longstanding orthopedic surgeon in the Roaring Fork Valley and specializes in reconstruction and repair of chronic and acute knee injuries, lower extremity trauma and sports medicine. His training and education have included a fellowship in sports orthopedics in Aspen, residency and research at University of Wisconsin Hospitals in Madison, medical school at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, and a bachelor's in biology earned at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash.
Dr. Purnell has also served as faculty for Aspen Sports Medicine Foundation Fellowship and Clinical Faculty for the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. His published research has centered on knee reconstruction and ski-related trauma. He is a member of numerous state, regional, national and international professional orthopedic organizations.
In other roles, Dr. Purnell serves as chairman of the board of WHH Foundation, which upholds a mission to help improve human capital. He is the father to five athletic adult daughters. Dr. Purnell served as a physician for the US Nordic Ski Team and was the first team physician for the US Cycling Mountain Biking Team. In his rare leisure time, you will likely find him enjoying the active mountain lifestyle on the singletrack or the trail, mountain biking, running, or spending time with his family.
Dr. Michael Potter is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgeon serving the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. He provides expert care of all conditions of the hand, wrist, and elbow including sports injuries and trauma. He has extensive experience with arthroscopy and minimally invasive surgical techniques. As a member of the ValleyOrtho team, he also provides on-call care for lower extremity trauma and general orthopedic issues.
Dr. Potter was recruited to join the ValleyOrtho group in 2020 after five years in practice in Charlottesville, VA. He completed fellowship training in hand, upper extremity, and microvascular surgery at Stanford University. His orthopedic residency at the University of Utah included broad exposure to orthopedic trauma surgery at their nationally recognized Level 1 trauma center. He graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in molecular biology and graduated with honors from Duke University Medical School. He has great knowledge and familiarity with pediatric orthopedic care from his time at the Lucille Packard Children's Hospital of Stanford and Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City.
He was drawn to orthopedics because of his own athletic background and because of his interest in caring for athletes and other active individuals. He identified hand surgery as his particular calling because the discipline requires a diversity of skills to restore patients to full function and activity. In his free time, Dr. Potter enjoys a range of outdoor activities including skiing, biking, and hiking. He lives in the valley with his wife and two children.
Job Titles:
- Certified Physician Assistant at Valley View 's ValleyOrtho
Eric Haskell is a certified physician assistant at Valley View's ValleyOrtho center. He earned a Master of Science in physician assistant studies at Rocky Vista University, after attending the University of Montana during his undergraduate years. In addition, Eric worked for years as backcountry ski and mountain guide in Colorado, Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, and New Mexico.
Originally from Englewood, Eric grew up skiing Colorado's mountains. "I'll never forget the weekends hitting Aspen, Buttermilk, Highlands and Snowmass," he says. "I lived in Steamboat for a while, Estes Park for a while, and they were great, but I'll never forget those weekends coming to the Roaring Fork Valley. I'm grateful to be back permanently and looking forward to building relationships with my community."
Rachael Wymer - PA-C, is a certified physician assistant working with Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Pevny at ValleyOrtho at Valley View. Rachael's medical training and education have focused on additional, specific orthopedics practice and she maintains membership in the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
Rachael got her master's in physician assistant studies from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. and completed an orthopedic-specific residency in Chicago at the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. She attended Boise State University in Idaho as a scholar-athlete in the gymnastics program, where she earned her bachelor's in biology then a master's in exercise and sports studies.
"Gymnastics gave me exposure to orthopedics and it's where I've always wanted to be," says Rachael. "I love getting to know patients one on one and being a part of the patient care team. My passion is to help the weekend warrior and recreational athlete through their injury to restore function."
Rachel Mazza is a physician assistant in orthopedic surgery. She has specialized in orthopedic joint replacement and sports medicine since 2016. Rachel completed her undergraduate degree in microbiology at Colorado State University, then continued on to a master's degree in biomedical science with a focus in human anatomy. She then went on to complete a Master of Science degree in physician assistant studies at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Rachel works with Dr. Christopher George, focusing on injuries of the knee and hip. Rachel's goal with all patients is to help them to return to their active lifestyles quickly after an injury. She has long standing ties to the Roaring Fork Valley, with many family members calling the region home.
In her time away from work she enjoys skiing, hiking, outdoor activities, and has a rescue dog named Trout that joins her on her adventures.
Dr. Susan Inscore oversees the Bone Health and Fracture Prevention Service at ValleyOrtho. Dr. Inscore is a board-certified internal medicine physician and certified clinical densitometrist, specializing in the treatment and diagnosis of osteoporosis. Dr. Inscore joins ValleyOrtho from Valley View's Internal Medicine practice, where she provided primary care and bone health services to adults in the community for over 30 years. In her new role at ValleyOrtho, she leads the Bone Health & Fracture Prevention Service, providing comprehensive treatment of osteoporosis as well as other metabolic bone conditions.
In addition to leading the Bone Health & Fracture Prevention Service at ValleyOrtho, Dr. Inscore also works as a hospitalist at Valley View.
Originally from Arizona, she completed medical school at the University of Arizona and residency at the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, tele skiing and spending time with her family and 2 dogs.