Member Spotlights

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Jennifer Axelband, DO, FACOEP, FCCM, is a physician at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. She has been actively involved with the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) since 2005 and with the Osteopathic Medicine Section, serving as the 2023 and 2024 chair. In her free time, you will find her gardening, and providing care for rescue animals. Her clinical interests include neurology, sepsis, and organ donation and education. She reflects on the current challenges in critical care and her career. Why do you love being in critical care? Critical care challenges you to push harder, investigate more, and engage in the practice ...
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Cristin A. Mount, MD, FCCM, is an associate professor of medicine at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Tacoma, Washington, USA. She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2007 and is currently chair of the Uniformed Services Section. You can find her gardening, practicing photography, or riding her Peloton when she is not busy with critical care. Learn more about Dr. Mount’s love for critical care and her career journey. How did you get into critical care? As a resident, I volunteered to cover holes in the ICU schedule. I really enjoyed being in the ICU; it was interesting and challenging. When I discovered there ...
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Brandon Oto, PA-C, FCCM, is a physician assistant at Bridgeport Hospital, which is a member of Yale New Haven Health in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2017 and is currently the chair of the Accreditation and Learning Strategies Committee and a member of the ICU Liberation Committee. You can find him practicing photography, woodworking, or podcasting when he is not busy with critical care. Learn more about Mr. Oto’s love for critical care and his viewpoints about the future of the field. How did you get into critical care? After a career in emergency medical services, I transitioned to physician ...
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Elizabeth H. Mack, MD, MS, FCCM , is a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina, USA, and she is a principal of high reliability at Vizient Inc . She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2005, and you can listen as she hosts the SCCM podcast. You can find her working out, traveling, and spending time with her husband and fur babies when she is not working. Her clinical interests include pediatrics, ethics and end of life, and quality and patient safety. Learn more about Dr. Mack and her love for pediatric critical care. How did you get into critical care? I did acting internships in the ...
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Member Spotlight: Deanna Behrens, MD Deanna Behrens, MD , is a physician at the Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, USA . She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2014 and is active as a member of the Pediatric Critical Care Medicine ( PCCM ) editorial board and social media committee. In her free time, you will find her reading, traveling, and practicing yoga. Her clinical interests include patient and family support, pediatrics, ICU mobility, advocacy, and firearm injury prevention. Get to know Dr. Behrens and her love for critical care. How did you get into critical care? I worked on fluid and blood ...
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Fanny Li, BCCCP, PharmD, is the critical care pharmacy supervisor at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco, California, USA . She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2006 and stays active in the Society by regularly submitting and reviewing abstracts for Critical Care Congress. In her free time, you will find her gardening and painting. Her clinical interests include cardiovascular, pharmacology, and quality and patient safety. Dr. Li shares her love for critical care and her achievements in the field. How did you get into critical care? My initial goal post pharmacy school was to be a cardiology pharmacist. ...
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Javier Amador-Castaneda, BS, RRT, is a respiratory therapist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2018 and is a member of the Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) Program Committee; Anesthesiology, Internal Medicine, and Respiratory Care sections; and the Global Outreach knowledge education group. You can find Mr. Amador-Castaneda working out and traveling when he is not busy with critical care. Read more about his love of critical care. How did you get into critical care? I served in the U.S. Army National Guard, enlisting at 17. My first deployment to ...
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Kristie A. Hertel , MSN, CCRN, ACNP-BC, FCCM, is an advanced practice provider at Eastern Carolina University Health Medical Center in Greenville, North Carolina, USA. She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2007 and currently serves as the vice-chair of the Fundamental Critical Care Support Program Committee and chair of the Nursing Section. You can find Mrs. Hertel reading and traveling when she is not busy with critical care. Read more about her love for critical care. How did you get into critical care? My nursing career began as a bedside nurse on a medical/surgical [AK1] [EE2] ward. After a year, I ...
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Wendy Walker, PhD, is an assistant professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, Texas, USA. She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2017. She has presented at several Critical Care Congresses and is an active member of the Texas Chapter. You can find Dr. Walker running and enjoying the outdoors when she isn’t busy with critical care. Read more about her story below. What advice do you have for those starting their critical care careers? My advice for people starting a career in critical care research is to find a great mentor and strong collaborators. Why do you love being in critical care? Bacterial ...
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Jaspal Singh, MD, MS, FCCM, is a pulmonary and critical care specialist at Atrium Health and Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2003 and is currently involved with SCCM’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the Tele-Critical Care Collaborative Network. You can find him traveling and working out when he is not busy with critical care. Learn more about Dr. Singh’s love for critical care and his viewpoints about the future of the field. How did you get into critical care? I loved critical care as a medical student, from procedural elements to caring for some ...
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Mahmoud A. Ammar, PharmD, BCCCP, BCPS, FCCM, is a clinical pharmacy specialist at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2014 and is currently involved with the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Research, and Surgery sections. Additionally, Dr. Anmar volunteers as a member of the Discovery Steering Committee and Discovery Datathon workgroup. You can find him playing music and working out when he is not busy with critical care. Learn more about Dr. Ammar’s professional journey and why he values SCCM membership. How did you get into critical care? I spent a month in the medical ...
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Jennifer L. LeTourneau, DO, MCR, FACP, FCCM, is a physician at Legacy Health in Portland, Oregon, USA. She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2006 and is vice-chair of the Graduate and Resident Education Committee. During her free time, she enjoys fishing and hiking. You can chat with her about her interests, including administration, professional development, and sepsis. Learn more about Dr. LeTourneau and her perspective on critical care. Why do you love being in critical care? I love critical care for the fast pace, pragmatic research, team-based practice, and interinstitutional collaboration on best practices. How did you get ...
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Rishikesan Kamaleswaran, PhD, is an associate professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2018 and is involved on several committees. He is a co-vice-chair of the Data, Outcomes, and Definitions Work Group of Discovery, the Critical Care Research Network. In his free time, he enjoys photography, playing music, and traveling. His professional interests include research, sepsis, and shock. Learn more about what Dr. Kamaleswarn loves about critical care and what he views as the most challenging issue facing critical care. Why do you love being in critical care? Having witnessed my father ...
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Samuel M. Galvagno, Jr, DO, MS, PhD, is a physician at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2005 and is currently involved on several committees and is one of the authors of SCCM's Fundamentals of Critical Care Support: Obstetrics , 2nd edition. He enjoys flying planes, martial arts, and welding in his free time. His professional interests include research, resuscitation, and trauma. Learn more about Dr. Galvagno's journey into critical care and his advice for those just starting their careers. Why do you love being in critical care? My primary specialty, anesthesiology, was ...
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Charlotte Thomas, DNP-DNES, RN, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, is the chief of advanced practice and critical care medicine at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, California, USA. She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2016 and has since actively participated by serving on several committees. Most recently, her committee involvement includes FCCS: Crisis Management, Quality and Safety Committee, and Patient Management During Disasters Program Task Force. In her free time, you will find her reading and working out. Her clinical interests include disaster preparedness and management, quality and patient safety, and professional development. Dr. Thomas ...
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Alexander O. Sy, MD, MBA, MSL, FCCM, is a staff pulmonary and critical care physician at the Loma Linda VA Medical Center and a professor at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Loma Linda, California, USA. He is a member of the Subspecialty Board of Critical Care Medicine for the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is a past president of the NC Chapter of the American Thoracic Society. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 1991 and has participated in many committees, most recently the Membership Committee. He was also a contributing author to both editions of the SCCM book Integrating Advanced Practice Providers Into the ICU ...
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Carrie L. Griffiths, PharmD, BCCCP, FCCM, is an associate professor at Wingate University School of Pharmacy in Wingate, North Carolina, USA, and has a practice site with Atrium Health as a tele-critical care pharmacist. She joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2011 and has been actively involved as secretary of the Chapters Alliance Executive Committee, member of the Tele-Critical Care Committee, and immediate past president of SCCM’s Carolinas/Virginias Chapter. She is an author of SCCM’s Fundamental Critical Care Support , 7th Edition. Her clinical interests include tele-critical care, infectious diseases, and pharmacology. During her free ...
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Tina L. Palmieri, MD, MCCM, is the assistant chief of burns at Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California in Sacramento, California, USA, and p rofessor and division chief, burn surgery, at the University of California in Davis, California, USA . She has been actively involved with the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) since 1995, serving on several committees, m ost recently the Membership Committee and Critical Care as Specialty Task Force. Her clinical interests include disaster, resuscitation, and trauma. During her free time, you can find her traveling and hiking. Get to know Dr. Palmieri as she reflects on her journey in critical care. ...
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Keith Lamb, RRT, RRT-ACCS, FAARC, FCCM, is a respiratory therapist (RT) at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2010 and has been an active member. He is past chair of the Respiratory Care Section Steering Committee and is a member of the ACCM Fellowship Services Committee. His clinical interests include cardiovascular and pulmonary medicine and resuscitation. You can find him gardening, fishing, and reading during his free time. Mr. Lamb opens up about his path to critical care and some advances and trends in the field. Why do you love being in critical care? I love being ...
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Matt McKenzie, PharmD, BCCCP, is a pharmacist at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, USA. He joined the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2018 and is a member of the Social Media Committee. His clinical interests include infection, shock, immunocompromised hosts, and professional development. During his free time, you can find him playing golf and traveling. Dr. McKenzie shares his thoughts about critical care. Why do you love being in critical care? From student to resident to critical care clinical pharmacy specialist, I've enjoyed the mentorship, rapid dynamics, and the unknown associated with practicing ...
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