SPEAKERS
Sign-ups close October 10th!
Sign-ups close October 10th!
Hillary Irons, MD, PHd
Hillary Irons, MD, PhD, FACEP, is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Massachusetts. She completed a Wilderness Medicine Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, during which she worked with the Himalayan Rescue Association in the Everest Region of Nepal, served as a trip physician to the Siberian Arctic, and conducted multiple research projects on altitude illness.
Hillary has taught wilderness medicine for many years, delivering lectures, hands-on courses, including AWLS, and leading simulation-based instruction. She is also the Expansion Race Coordinator for MedWAR (Medical Wilderness Adventure Races), which has been teaching and testing wilderness medicine through scenario-based adventure races since 2003. She has held national leadership roles in the wilderness medicine interest groups of SAEM and ACEP.
Her current research focuses on cognitive deficits in hypoxic brain states, particularly acute mountain illness and traumatic brain injury.
Brian Drury, MD, MEd, FAWM
Brian grew up in New England in a family of outdoor enthusiasts, where he developed a passion for backpacking, surfing, skiing, and long-distance running. After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa, he moved to the Pacific Northwest and spent nearly a decade as a wildland firefighter, serving in leadership roles such as lead chainsaw operator and squad boss. His work involved fire suppression, firefighter training, and wildlife restoration.
Brian’s interest in medicine grew when he obtained an AEMT license to support his crew in remote environments, eventually leading him to medical school at Penn State College of Medicine. Now an emergency medicine resident at Brown University, he serves as an assistant medical director for a rural/urban EMS system and contributes to Rhode Island’s tactical EMS. A Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine and holder of a master’s degree in medical education, Brian teaches wilderness medicine and aims to deliver healthcare in low-resource settings. In his free time, he enjoys backpacking, playing the banjo, and rock climbing.
Camille Audette, DO
Camille completed her Pediatric Residency and served as Chief Resident at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA. She is currently a second-year Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow at UMass Chan Medical School. Her clinical interests include medical education, toxicology, and ultrasound, and she is passionate about sharing her love for the Pediatric Emergency Department. This year, she will be leading an exciting session on Pediatric Wilderness Medicine at the New England Wilderness Medicine Conference. Outside of work, Camille enjoys spending as much time as possible outdoors with friends and family.
John Broach, MD, MPH, MBA
John Broach is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at UMass Memorial Medical Center. He earned his MD and MPH from Northwestern University, followed by a residency in Emergency Medicine and a fellowship in Disaster Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School, during which he also completed an MBA.
John is currently the Director of the Division of EMS and Disaster Medicine at UMass. He is a member of the MA-2 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), led the UMass COVID Field Hospital in 2020 and 2021, and served as medical director for both the COVID community testing initiative and the mobile vaccine program.
Andrew Milsten, MD
Dr. Milsten received his MD from George Washington University and completed his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical Center in New York City. He also completed an EMS Fellowship and earned a Master of Science in Emergency Health Services from the University of Maryland. Since 2000, he has been an active clinician and researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine at Baltimore Washington Medical Center, focusing primarily on mass casualty medicine. During this time, he served as director of special events and Ravens stadium fan operations.
In 2009, Dr. Milsten joined the UMass Emergency Medicine Program as a faculty member and is now the fellowship director of Disaster Medicine and Emergency Management. He coordinates and leads the NDLSF training programs at UMass, including BDLS and ADLS. Additionally, he played a key role in founding the New England Society of Disaster Medicine (NESDM).
mEGAN EUBANK, MD
I’m Megan, a PGY-2 from UConn EM, planning to apply for a wilderness medicine fellowship post residency. I’ve always loved the outdoors, but really fell in love with wilderness medicine during medical school at UVM. When I’m not running around the ED, I’m probably rock climbing, skiing, hiking, rock hounding, or sampling all the Trader Joe’s snacks.
sarah uhranowsky, md
Sarah is an Emergency Medicine Resident at Brown University. She is passionate about combining her interests in the outdoors with her career in emergency medicine and was one of the founding members and former race director of the Massachusetts Medical Wilderness Adventure Race. When she isn’t working you can find her on the ski slopes, biking, hiking, and trying to locate the best farmer’s market in town.
She’s excited to be joining you as a simulation leader this year and is always happy to connect with others interested in wilderness medicine!
Natalie Moore, md
My name is Natalie Moore. I am currently the disaster medicine fellowship director at UConn and head of the Wilderness and Adventure Medicine Club at UConn. I graduated from Baystate Emergency Medicine Residency and I love all things disaster and wilderness medicine!
Bridget Lee, MD
I am an ER physician, working on sustainability and medicine. I am specifically looking the climate crisis, and plastics, and how we need to reduce in healthcare. Right now, healthcare is a large producer of greenhouse, gases, and plastic waste and its ensuing toxicity. We need to be leading the movement.
Ryan boasi, pharmd
Ryan Boasi, PharmD, is a specialist in poison information with the MA/RI Poison Control Center. He is a recent graduate from the BIDMC Disaster Medicine Fellowship and is passionate about exploring the roles pharmacy can play in austere environments.
KARISHMA PATEL, MS4
Karishma is a fourth-year medical student at UMass, applying to Emergency Medicine. An outdoor enthusiast, she spends her free time hiking, biking, and scrambling through national parks. Karishma combines her love for medicine and the wilderness as a student race director for the annual Massachusetts Medical Wilderness Adventure Race (MA MedWAR).
Corey Costanzo, DO
Corey is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School and a core faculty member at the UMass Family Medicine Residency Program. She earned her medical degree from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Colorado and completed her residency at Boston Medical Center. Currently, she practices at Barre Family Health Center and serves as a ski patroller at Wachusett Mountain.
Corey recently expanded her expertise by obtaining Advanced Wilderness Expedition Provider (AWEP) certification in Montana. She is passionate about delivering care in remote and austere environments. In her free time, she enjoys paddleboarding, camping, and hiking. Corey is excited to be leading the splinting skills session at this year’s conference!
Joshua Strayer, MD
Growing up, Josh loved going barefoot wherever he could. While this often led to stubbed toes and encounters with sharp objects, it also sparked his fascination with the outdoors. After several backpacking trips, he got his first exposure to wilderness medicine in the summer of 2012 through an advanced first aid course. He later became certified as a Wilderness First Responder, EMT, and eventually a paramedic—though none of those certifications are currently active.
Josh recently completed a transitional year residency at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, PA, and is taking a gap year before starting his anesthesiology residency at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Gregory banner, aspr/rspns
My first career was in the Army, where I spent a significant amount of time in the field, often with a rucksack on my back. I served in both hot and cold environments and completed a tour as an instructor at the Army Northern Warfare Training Center in Alaska. While there, I was the officer-in-charge of the Army’s High Altitude Rescue Team and began my journey into expedition mountaineering, including a climb of Mt. McKinley (Denali).
For over 30 years, I’ve been a member of the National Ski Patrol, specializing in the Avalanche, Mountain Travel, and Rescue programs, which focus on the backcountry aspects of ski patrol. I have been teaching in these areas for many years and typically participate in one or two courses each year in New England. I am also an instructor in the Ski Patrol’s first aid program, equivalent to an EMT-B (Wilderness) certification.
Colton conrad, md
Dr. Colton Conrad is a native of Southern Appalachia and attended the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he was introduced to prehospital medicine by Baystate Associate Regional EMS Medical Director Ken Knowles through a hands-only CPR initiative. While he has never been an EMT or Paramedic himself, he believes that EMS is the gateway to the community and looks forward to learning from and working with all the local emergency responders in our region. Colton currently serves as a Chief Resident for the Baystate Health emergency medicine residency program and is also a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve. Outside of community prevention and intervention, Colton is interested in medical education, rural EMS, search and rescue, tactical medicine, and wilderness medicine.
anna cichon, ms3
Co-DirectoR
I am a third-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School with a strong interest in emergency medicine and critical care. Last year, I attended the Mid-Atlantic Wilderness Conference, which was an incredible experience! Now, Avery and I are thrilled to launch a similar conference for the New England region, bringing together like-minded individuals who share a passion for practicing medicine beyond the hospital setting.
One of my key medical interests is disaster preparedness, especially learning how to handle medical situations in austere environments with limited resources. When I’m not deep in my studies, I’m an avid skier (Ice Coast!) and hiker, always seeking my next adventure. I can’t wait to meet everyone at the conference! Feel free to reach out with any questions!
AVERY PULLMAN, MS3
Co-DirectoR
I’m a third-year medical student and, alongside Anna, co-director of the New England Wilderness Medicine Conference. From the start of medical school, I was drawn to Emergency and Wilderness Medicine. Early in my first year, I joined a team at UMass to help launch the first Wilderness Medicine Adventure Race (MedWAR) in Massachusetts, with special thanks to fellow speakers Karishma and Sarah.
After that event, I was hooked and began brainstorming more ways to unite people who share a passion for both medicine and the outdoors. Attending a Wilderness Medicine conference hosted by Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia further inspired Anna and me to bring that same energy to the Northeast. We’re excited about this event and can’t wait to connect with others who are passionate about this unique field!