West Coast Regional Coordinator

Zach Smith is a Firefighter/Paramedic for the City of Rocklin, California.   His experience includes search and rescue, vertical technical rescue, and ocean lifeguarding with the Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Zach has also served as a helicopter medic for the East Bay Regional Parks Police Department (CA.)  Zach is currently an Instructor for Peak Rescue Institute and is a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Valor and the California State Firefighter Association Medal of Valor.  Zach has a BS in Kinesiotherapy from CSU Long Beach.

West Coast Volunteers

Sam Chapetta served four years in the United States Marine Corps as a Forward Air Controller within the Marine Corps’ distinguished ANGLICO unit.  Sam, an honor graduate of the Marine Artillery Scout Observer Course, assisted with fire support coordination during the Basra, Iraq offensive in 2003.  Sam currently works in sales in the Los Angeles area while working towards finishing his degree in Accounting and Economics.  He has a son, Steven, and volunteers as a little league baseball coach.
Eduardo P. Dolhun, M.D. is a board-certified Family Physician practicing in San Francisco. He is founder and CEO of Doctors Outreach Clinics, Drip Drop Solutions, and co-director of Ethnicity and Medicine at Stanford University Medical School. He obtained his medical degree and completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Dolhun went on to complete fellowships in research, faculty development, and obstetrics at UCSF and Stanford University. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals and is a leading voice in cross-cultural medicine and oral rehydration therapy.
John Griswell, M.D. is currently a Board Certified Emergency Department Physician and EMS Medical Director with over 20 years of experience. He grew up in South America with his missionary parents, but currently resides in Ft. Worth, Texas with his wife Lynn and three grown children and three lovely grandaughters. His brother, David, is also an ER doctor and an original member of Team Rubicon.
Robin Houghton, R.N.,is currently the President of Dallas Hospice Inc. He worked for eight years as a trauma nurse in Ft. Worth Texas. He has spent the last several years operating a hospice in the Ft. Worth area. He holds a bachelors degree in Theology and Biblical Languages as well as a Nursing degree.
Clay Hunt is currently pursuing his B.S. in Physical/Occupational Therapy at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, with plans to purse a graduate degree. Clay was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 2009 after 4 years of service. He served in an infantry squad in Iraq in 2007 where he was wounded in action, receiving the Purple Heart Medal. He was then deployed to Afghanistan in 2008 as a Scout-Sniper, serving as a radio operator/shooter. Clay is actively involved in multiple veteran's causes, including Ride to Recovery and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Kaj Larsen is an award winning Correspondent and Producer for Current TV.  He covers conflict zones and international policy issues around the world reporting frequently from the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.  He spent five years as a US Navy SEAL Lieutenant at SEAL Team One.  Kaj continues his service as a reserve officer at USSOCOM.  A former ocean lifeguard in his hometown of Santa Cruz, California; he has been a certified EMT and volunteer rescue swimmer since 2000.  Kaj holds a BA in Political Science from the University of California and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University.
Gregg LaVeau, RN, WCC has been working at a hospice for the past 9 years.  Prior to that, he had 8 years of ER nursing and 1 year of ICU experience.  He is a Basic Life Support instructor and is Wound Care certified with an additional certificate in Advanced Sharp Debridement.  He currently resides in North-Central Texas.
Sandi O'Neill MS, MA, LP, has been a licensed paramedic in the Dallas, TX, metroplex since 2002. Along with her field experience, Sandi has 5 years experience working in ERs – a pediatric Level 1 Trauma center, and the Level 1 Trauma center at the local county hospital in Dallas. Over the past 12 years, Sandi has been on multiple mission trips that have included humanitarian and medical trips to places in Haiti, Russia, Venezuela, Brazil, and in the US. Sandi holds several degrees and is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Health with a focus on Biosecurity and Disaster Preparedness.
Glenn Pinson is a Fireman/Paramedic for the City of Beverly Hills, CA. He has been a practicing field medic since 1995. He is also a Mountain Guide with experience in mountain ranges all over the world. Glenn is the Operations Director for Peak Rescue Institute which is a non-profit organization that teaches rope rescue and related disciplines to Fire, Law Enforcement, Mountain Rescue and Military teams from across the United States and Internationally. He has a BA in Geography from CSU Fullerton.

Midwest Volunteers

Zak Beck served as an Army medic from 1996-2002. He was honorably discharged from the military as a service-connected disabled veteran. He attained a B.S./B.A. with honors focusing in Health Science, Fine Arts, and Chemistry. Upon completing his studies he opened a medical distribution company, Chasing Lions, where he currently serves as President. Chasing Lions primarily provides Dermafill (used extensively by TR) to the government.
Brother Jim Boynton, SJ, is a Jesuit from St. Ignace, MI. As a Jesuit, Jim has taught high school in India, Nepal, Cleveland and Detroit and has served as vocation director for the Detroit Province. Jim has organized and led numerous medical mission trips to Guatemala and Honduras and traveled with groups of Jesuit novices to Peru for their introduction to the culture and immersion in the language. He is currently assigned to work with the Jesuit Refugee and Migrant Services and is serving as principal of St. Ignace school of Foi et Joie in Quanaminthe, Haiti.
Mauricio Consalter, M.D. is currently the President and Chief Medical Officer of Medici Health Care Providers, a medical corporation specializing in home bound senior care in Cook County, Illinois. He graduated from the Universidade Catolica do Parana, Brazil. He has been practicing medicine in the city of Chicago for 10 years, with vast experience in internal medicine, geriatrics, intensive care and urgent care, as well as wound care. He is also a founder and shareholder of Biotrading Inc., a company that distributes microbial based biopolymer and cellulose, which includes in its portfolio Dermafill wound dressing.
Brad Farrell is a member of the Clinton Fire Protection District, where he serves on the Board of Directors for both fire and EMS. He was a firefighter for 10 years and is currently an EMT. He is trained in Fire and EMS command, NIMS, Wildland Firefighting, PEEPS, Advanced Search and Rescue and is currently attending classes to become an RN. In 2009, Brad was given a life saving award for saving a local man after a heart attack. He is married to Mary Ferrell and has two daughters Anna and Grace.

Dan Ivankovich, M.D. is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon in Chicago, IL. He completed his Residency in Orthopedics at RUSH University Medical Center, followed by Post-Graduate Fellowships in Adult Joint Reconstruction at RUSH University Medical Center and Spine Reconstruction & Traumatology at Northwestern University Medical Center/Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. He’s a bluesman, healer, shaman & philosopher, and, as Bo Diddley said about his blues alter ego, The ReverendDoctorD, he's “one of the craziest mother%*^#% I’ve ever met. He ain’t from this planet.” Learn more about at www.bonesquad.com.
Chelsea Kandel, RN currently works at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee on their Internal Medicine/Observation unit, where she also sits on the hospital's nursing research council. She earned her BSN in 2008 at Marian University in Fond du Lac, WI and has worked as a pharmacy technician for 10 years. Chelsea currently has her open water diving certification and is working towards her rescue certification. She credits her drive to help others to her family, husband and small town upbringing.
Robert Kaslick is currently serving as a Firefighter/EMT-IT with the Milwaukee County Fire Department as well as the Cedarburg Fire Department in Wisconsin, where he has logged thousands of hours of training and community service. Bobby has over 7 years of experience in the fire service and is currently certified as a Fire Instructor as well as a CPR/AED and First Aid Instructor. Following the devastating events of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Bobby spent nearly 3 months in Mississippi and Louisiana assisting FEMA with recovery efforts.
Jeff Lang, Co-Founder of Team Rubicon, currently serves in the Milwaukee Fire Department with Ladder Company 12, his first assignment out of the fire academy. Jeff is currently a member of the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team. Prior to joining the fire department, Jeff studied sociology at the University of Wisconsin, where he also played football. Following his time at Wisconsin, Jeff worked at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, where he worked with inner city youth and helped coach the football team to two Wisconsin State Championships.
Rosite Feteau Merentie, RN is a Haitian-born board-certified nurse who moved to Chicago at the age of 20. An Army wife with three children, she graduated from Lewis University and is experienced in Med Surg, Telemetry, CCU, GI, Ortho and ADON.  She currently works as a hospice nurse.  After returning from Haiti, she helped form the non-profit organization OHDEPRO, which is a Haitian organization for development and progress.
Russ Nockels, M.D. is a board-certified Neurosurgeon and Vice Chair of Neurological Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center Chicago with a joint appointment in Orthopedics. He graduated from the Loyola Stritch School of Medicine and completed Neurosurgery Residency at New York University Medical Center and Queen's Square London, England. He previously was Chief of Spine Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital where he was also Team Spine Surgeon for the Detroit Lions and Red Wings. Peer reviewed publications in stem cell transplantation in experimental spinal cord injury, surgical treatment of complex spinal disorders, and novel spinal implants.
Craig Parello currently serves on the Milwaukee Fire Department's Ladder 9, which he has been a member of since 2000. He has been a member of Milwaukee's Dive Rescue Team, and is currently serving on the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team. At the age of 17, Craig joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a Communications Field Wireman. He is married to Steffanie, and is the proud father of Dominic and Isabelle.
Brad Ratliff is currently working as an EMT in rural Iowa.  Brad obtained his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Mount Mercy College.  During his spare time, Brad also teaches EMS classes at a local community college and volunteers as a ski patroller at a local ski resort.
Thom Rosen is a Physician Assistant in Chicago who specializes in Orthopedic Surgery and Emergency Medicine with Metro Orthopedics and Mt Sinai Hospital. He is the President of Chicago Physician Assistant Staffing Services, LLC (ChiPASS), which is a staffing agency for PA's. Prior to his career as a PA, he worked as a Surgical Technologist on the open heart, spinal fusion, and liver transplant teams at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He studied Sports Science at Loras College in Dubuque, IA and Physician Assistant Studies at Malcolm X College in Chicago.
Bob Thomann is the Lead Physician Assistant in the emergency department at the Mt. Sinai Hospital, an inner city Chicago level one trauma center. Trauma Bob is a former Drill Sergeant with the US Army Reserve, has participated in 4 humanitarian trips to Guatemala and Honduras, and currently sits on the advisory board of Mission Honduras International. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Masters of Medical Science degree from St. Francis University in Pennsylvannia.
Jeff Wood is currently Vice President of Operations for Parr Instrument Company headquartered in Moline, Illinois,  a world wide leader in the design and manufacture of laboratory scale high pressure stirred reactors.  Prior to Parr, he worked for Valmont Industries in senior management at several manufacturing plants in the US and in Europe.  Jeff studied Industrial Management at Ohio State University and Ashland University. He is nationally recognized as an expert instructor and practitioner of Constraint Theory. Jeff and his wife Chris reside in Bettendorf, Iowa and are the parents of Sarah Wood Lenger, Jake Wood, Meghan Wood and Erin Wood Kick
Victor Zajac is a full time Firefighter / Paramedic for the Chicago Fire Department. He is trained to the Technician level in Hazardous Materials, Trench Operations, and Water / Ice Rescue. He has numerous certifications as a Paramedic. His part time job is an emergency room nurse at Mt. Sinai, a Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center on Chicago's West Side. In his spare time, he enjoys reading books, traveling, and scuba diving where he is at the Rescue Diver level.

East Coast Regional Coordinator

John P. Sutter, MD is a board certified family practitioner currently working in Washington, DC.  He received his B.A. in international relations from the University of Virginia, where he also served as a volunteer firefighter.  During medical school at George Washington University, and during residency at University of California, San Diego, he volunteered for medical relief trips to Tibet, Malawi, Southern Sudan, and the Philippines.  He has additional training in trauma and tropical medicine.

East Coast Volunteers

Glenn W. Geelhoed, M.D. received his BS and AB cum laude degrees from Calvin College and his MD cum laude from the University of Michigan. Following his Harvard surgical internship and residency at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, and the Boston Children's Hospital Medical Center, he served as clinical associate and senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. After completion of his chief surgical residency, he joined the full-time faculty at George Washington University as an Associate Professor of Surgery in Washington, DC in 1975. His major clinical interests are in endocrine surgery, surgical physiology, oncology and transplantation.
David Griswell, M.D. is a board-certified Emergency Physician and a member of Emergency Medicine Associates of Germantown, Maryland. Griz has been in practice in the Emergency Department of the Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington for the past 22 years. He is the son of Rev. John and Mrs Billie Griswell, former missionaries to South America. He is a brother of Dr. John Griswell, another member of TR, father of Jerry Griswell and partner of Sergio Jimenez Rios of Puebla, Mexico. He responded to Hurricanes Georges and Mitch and - as a member of both the Dominican and Honduran Red Cross - he deployed across the Dominican Republic and Mosquitia.
Mark Hayward is a physician assistant specializing in tactical and operational medicine. He is a member of Medical Emergency Professionals (MEP), an emergency medicine practice in southern Maryland.  Mark served sixteen years in the US Army, including four years as a Special Forces medic and five years as a combat-arms battalion physician assistant. He holds a BA in History from the College of William and Mary, and a BS in PA Studies from the University of Nebraska. He is married to the former Cammie Burger; they live in Virginia with their son Corwin (12) and daughter Peregrine (10).
Mark Plaster, M.D. is a board certified emergency medicine physician with 28 years experience. He is the founder and executive editor of Emergency Physicians Monthly, the largest and most widely read publication for emergency physicians. Dr. Plaster is a Commander in the US Navy Reserve with two combat tours in Iraq (2003 and 2008) as the Officer in Charge and Senior Medical Officer of a Marine Corps Shock Trauma Platoon. Dr. Plaster was awarded the Fleet Marine Force warfare qualification. As a civilian he has served on medical outreach trips to Peru, Brazil, Vietnam, Haiti (previoiusly), Sudan, Kenya, Ukraine, and the Republic of Georgia.
Deirdre Spina, RN Deirdre currently works as a Medical Surgeon RN in New York.  She earned a B.S. in Physical Education and an M.S. in Education from St. Bonaventure University, where she also played softball.  She managed the Partial Hospitalization Program in Bradford, PA for 8 years, and also coached Women's Soccer and Softball at Alfred State College for 7 years.  She most recently earned her A.A.S. from ASC in nursing.