CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS

Jayesh Shah, MD, MHA

President, South Texas Wound Associates, PA;
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Family Medicine, UT
Health; Associate Professor, University of the Incarnate
Word Osteopathic School, San Antonio, Texas

SPEAKERS

Suzie Ehmann, DPT, PhD(c), CWS, CLT-LANA

Suzie Ehmann, PT DPT, CWS, CLT-LANA, is clinical specialist currently working with the Wound Care Team at Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. Over the last 21 years, she has dedicated her practice to the evaluation and comprehensive treatment of patients with lymphatic disorders and chronic non-healing wounds. Dr. Ehmann has a focused interest on the science of compression and impact of edema management on functional ability and mobility. She is currently pursing a PhD Physical Therapy focused on the biophysical impact of an alternating compression profile. She has spoken nationally and internationally on this topic. Dr. Ehmann is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist through the Lymphology Association of North American; a Certified Wound Specialist through the American Board of Wound Management. She is a proud member of the Lymphology Association of North America and the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care. She has been a featured speaker at national and international conferences, such as the Symposium for Advance Wound Care, Wild On Wounds, National Lymphedema Network International Conference, European Wound Management Association, International Compression Club and numerous regional lymphedema and wound conferences. In addition, she has authored several articles published in peer reviewed journals.

Maria S. Goddard, MD, CWS, FAPWCA

Dr. Maria Goddard is a board-certified wound care specialist in the Midwest. She received training in general surgery at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and completed fellowship training in burn surgery at both the University of Tennessee-Memphis and the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. She is board certified in wound care by both the American Board of Wound Management and the American Board of Wound Healing. She is an instructor for Advanced Burn Life Support and a member of the Global Health Committee of the American Burn Association. Dr. Goddard also currently serves on both the Communication and Education Steering Committees of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care. In 2021, she joined the WoundSource Editorial Advisory Board. She has practiced in multiple settings, including long-term care, and her wide training, research, and clinical experiences provide a unique perspective of wound management. Her mission is to bridge the gaps that exist between care settings related to differences in regulations and resource availability. Her interests include burn care, geriatrics, global health, telemedicine, and education.

Warren S. Joseph, DPM

Dr. Warren S. Joseph is a specialist in the treatment of lower extremity infectious diseases. He received his podiatric degree from the Wm. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago. Dr Joseph completed his postgraduate training in podiatric medicine/surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital, and a fellowship in infectious diseases at Hahnemann University School of Medicine, both in Philadelphia. He is currently an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Arizona College of Podiatric Medicine at Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ. Dr Joseph is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and sits on the IDSA Diabetic Foot Infection Guidelines Committee and the International Working Group for the Diabetic Foot. He is also certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine, and currently serves as Editor of the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. Dr Joseph lectures extensively and his presentations have focused on the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections of the lower extremity. He has authored close to 100 publications in the field of lower extremity infections.

Ravi K. Kamepalli, MD, FIDSA, CWSP

Ravi K. Kamepalli MD, FIDSA, FAPWCA, CWSP, Dipl. ABOM. Regional Infectious Diseases and Infusion Center, Inc. With over 20 years of experience as a Physician, Dr. Ravi K. Kamepalli a Board-Certified Infectious Disease physician, Certified Wound Specialist physician, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine is starting clinical services in Georgia at LaGrange & Newnan locations and is looking forward to serving the community by removing barriers to healing for infectious diseases, wound care, and obesity medicine. He is currently an Associate Professor for the Clinical Preceptor track – Department of Internal Medicine at Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA. Dr. Kamepalli has a deep understanding, passion, and emphasis on population health, care delivery, and transitions of care using people, processes, and technologies including telemedicine to personalize treatment with a patient-centric and team-based approach. Dr. Kamepalli received his medical degree from Guntur Medical College, Guntur, AP, India. Residency at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, and Infectious Diseases Fellowship at Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center, New York. Fellow of Infectious Disease Society of America (FIDSA) for achieving professional excellence in Infectious Diseases. He was a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease, at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences Past Medical Director of Hyperbaric Clinic, and Chief of Division of Infectious Diseases at St. Rita’s Medical Center and Lima Memorial Hospital. He has Multiple publications and is a reputed National and International speaker on infectious disease, wound care, and obesity medicine with significant clinical research experience.

Karen Lou Kennedy, RN, FNP, APRN-BC

Karen Lou Kennedy-Evans has been a nurse for 50 years, a Nurse Practitioner for 46 and has worked in Long Term Care for 45. In 1974 she became the very first Family Nurse Practitioner in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1983 while working at the Byron Health Center, a 500 bed long term care facility, she started one of the first Wound Care Teams in Long Term Care. During this time, she identified a particular phenomenon developing before death known as the “Kennedy Terminal Ulcer.” Karen served on the Board of Directors of the NPUPA, now known as the NPIAP, from 2012-2018 serving as secretary from 2016-2018. Karen has been on numerous founding boards such as the Association of Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC), For the Recognition of the Adult Immobilized Life (FRAIL) Skin Changes At Life’s End, (SCALE). Karen has published numerous articles, chapters and has lectured extensively. In 2016 Karen spoke at the French Wound Healing Society Annual Conference in Paris, France on the “Kennedy Terminal Ulcer.”

Leslie Ritter, PhD, RN

Dr. Leslie Ritter is a Professor Emerita in the College of Nursing at the University of Arizona. She brings over 25 years of expertise in microvascular pathophysiology to the study of terminal skin injuries. The focus of her research was to identify inflammatory mechanisms of reperfusion injury after a period of myocardial or cerebral ischemia (stroke). Over her career she received funding for her research from the National Institutes of Health, American Heart/Stroke Association and other agencies and published widely in interprofessional journals.

Hadar A. Lev-Tov, MD, MAS

Hadar Lev-Tov is an Associate Professor at the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami Miller school of Medicine. He is a Board-certified dermatologist with significant interest in wound healing and medical dermatology. His work is supported in part by the Dermatology Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and industry. Dr. Lev-Tov completed his residency in Dermatology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City after completing a research post-doctoral training at UC Davis where he also earned his Master’s in clinical research. Dr. Lev-Tov is the director of the wound healing fellowship at the University of Miami, serves as the Vice President for the HS Foundation board of directors (https://www.hs-foundation.org/), is the founding program chair for the Integrative Dermatology Symposium (https://integrativedermatologysymposium.com/), cohost of the popular “Learnskin podcast” (https://learnskin.libsyn.com/) and is the cofounder of the dermatology-focused educational service Learnskin (https://www.learnskin.com/).

Kelly McFee, DNP, FNP-C, CWS, CWCN-AP

Kelly McFee, DNP is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Wound Specialist and Advanced Practice Certified Wound Care Nurse who has been practicing Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine in Northwest Missouri. She received a BSN from Missouri Western State University, MSN from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, and DNP from the University of South Alabama. Kelly serves as the Director of Wound Care for Mosaic Life Care and practices wound care both in the acute care and outpatient settings. She is an active member of the American Professional Wound Care Association, Association of Advancement of Wound Care, and the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society. She serves on the Board of Directors for the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists and is currently serving the college as the Chair-elect for 2022. She is also a member of the Prophylactic Dressing Standards Initiative, a joint collaboration between the NPIAP and EPUAP.

Harikrishna Ragavan Nair, MD, FRCPI, FRCPEDIN, FCWCS, FMSWCP, CMIA, ICW, OHD, OSH, PGD, IN WHTR (Cardiff)

Rick Pope, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, CPAAPA

Rick is a PA teacher, professor, author, workshop leader and advocate for patients with rheumatic diseases for the last 33+ years. He recently retired clinically from the Department of Rheumatology at Danbury Hospital in CT. Rick continues to share his knowledge as he serves as a clinical professor at several PA programs in CT and has taught for the last two years at the DNP program at the University of California Irvine. He is the founder and past president of the Society of PAs in Rheumatology (SPAR). He presently serves as an editor for the Bone Health and National Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) and has written on rheumatic subjects for many educational and professional organizations. He is the lead author of PA clinics publication on Osteoporosis Diagnosis and Management which was published in January 2021. He was chosen as PA of the year in 2020 by the CT PA Association. He is married with three adult children and lives with his wife of 38 years in Oxford, CT.

Lee C. Rogers, DPM, FFPM, RCPS

Dr. Lee Rogers is a fellowship-trained podiatrist in diabetic limb salvage. Dr. Rogers is the Chief of Podiatry and Associate Professor/Clinical of Orthopaedics at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He has authored over 150 published papers, books, and book chapters on limb salvage and policy and practice and he has delivered more than 500 lectures around the world. Dr. Rogers is currently the President of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine where he led the effort to create the certificate of added qualification program and authored the Board’s guidance on hospital and surgical privileges for podiatrists. Dr. Rogers is the Associate Editor (Diabetic Foot Section) for the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. He received the Rising Star Award from the American Podiatric Medical Association for outstanding national accomplishments in 2011 and has been selected multiple times one of the most influential podiatrists in America by Podiatry Management Magazine. He was the chair of the American Diabetes Association’s Foot Care Council. Dr. Rogers is one of a select few American podiatrists to be honored as Fellow Faculty of Podiatric Medicine by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Previously, Dr. Rogers served as the medical director of the Amputation Prevention Centers of America, a division of RestorixHealth, managing 230 wound centers in 35 states.

Jayesh Shah, MD, UHM (ABPM), CWSP, FAPWCA, FCCWS, FUHM, FACP, FACHM

Dr. Jayesh B. Shah is the President of South Texas Wound Associates, where he provides clinical wound care services in San Antonio since the past 20 years; President of TIMEO2 Healing Concepts, LLC, which provides consulting and education services in wound care and hyperbaric medicine; Medical Director of Wound Healing Center at Northeast Baptist Hospital and Mission Trail Baptist Wound Healing Center in San Antonio, Texas; Past President of American College of Hyperbaric Medicine; current Board of Trustees Member of Texas Medical Association. He is current Co- Chair of WoundCON and Current Board Member of ISTAP. He has published “Wound Care Certification Study Guide” in 2011, its second edition in 2016, Its third edition in 2021; Textbook of Chronic Wound Care: An Evidence-Based Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment in 2018, and created “WoundDoctor” Free App, a comprehensive wound care resource tool for physicians, nurses and physical therapists for iPhone, Android and iPad. He has authored over 40 chapters on wound topics in 4 books and 30+ scientific articles in wound care and hyperbaric medicine. He is past Assistant Editor of Journal of ACCWS and present editorial board member of Today’s Wound Clinic. To his credit, Dr. Shah is the recipient of the Gold Award for Wound Hygiene Implementation issued by JWC WUWHS Awards (2022), Lifetime Achievement Award (2020) Diabetes Research Award (2019) Paul James Sheffield Education Award for Lifetime Dedication to Education in the field of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine (2014); Jefferson C. Davis Memorial Award for Excellence in Clinical Hyperbaric Medicine (2007 and 2011); Carolyn Sue Award (2009); Young Scientist/Medical Doctor Award (2008).

Rob Snyder, DPM, MSc, MBA, CWSP

Dr. Robert Snyder is Dean at Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine. He also serves as Director of Clinical Research at the University. He is certified in foot and ankle surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and is also a board certified wound specialist physician. Dr Snyder is past-president of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care and past-president of the American Board of Wound Management, the certifying body for Wound Care Specialists. In addition to his doctorate, he holds an MSc in Wound Healing and Tissue Science from Cardiff University School of Medicine. His expertise at Cardiff, Wales, was further acknowledged by appointment as Honorary Visiting Professor. Dr. Snyder has completed an MBA in Health Management. He is a key opinion leader and sought after speaker, lecturing extensively throughout the United States and abroad. He has been recognized with many awards for his contribution to the profession. Dr. Snyder has published several book chapters and over 165 papers in peer reviewed and trade journals on wound care. He serves as Associate Editor for JAPMA and is on the editorial advisory boards of Wound Management & Prevention, Wounds and Podiatry Management. He is also a periodic reviewer for the Lancet and NEJM. He has been a Principal Investigator on more than 50 randomized controlled trials for innovative wound healing modalities and therapies. In 2018, Dr. Snyder was inducted as a Faculty Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons (Glasgow).

Sharon Sonenblum, ScB, ScM, PhD

Sharon Sonenblum, PhD is a Principal Research Scientist in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech where she studies wheelchair seating and mobility. Her work focuses on two primary areas: the use of assistive technology in everyday life, and tissue health and pressure injury prevention. Dr. Sonenblum’s work on tissue health uses imaging to investigate the tissue’s response to loading and positioning. She also uses instrumentation to monitor how people move in their seats and use technology such as power tilt-in-space wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, and power adjustable seat height wheelchairs in their everyday lives. Dr. Sonenblum serves on the board of directors of the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel.

Charles M. Zelen, DPM