AdventureMed is an organization led by a team of passionate outdoor enthusiasts who recognize the importance of quality first response care for community safety. We are committed to making this type of care available to everyone, regardless of their environment or background.
Our faculty is comprised of highly experienced medical professionals who specialize in wilderness medicine. The majority of our staff have taught Advanced Wilderness Life Support courses and have significant experience in practicing wilderness medicine as both a passion and a profession. We prioritize hands-on experience and continued education for our staff to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest protocols and techniques in the field.
Our faculty members have affiliations with major teaching universities, the U.S. Army, search and rescue teams, the National Ski Patrol, and the Wilderness Medical Society, among others. Many of our instructors have been teaching our courses since the inception of AdventureMed, and they have been practicing wilderness medicine as both an avocation and an occupation.
Our experienced instructors and collaborators have contributed to the development of many of the currently accepted protocols for the treatment of injuries and illnesses in wilderness environments. At AdventureMed, we pride ourselves on having instructors who are at the forefront of the field and who can provide our students with the most up-to-date and accurate information.
Contributing Faculty
Listed faculty may not lecture at every conference. A final schedule will be provided prior to each course.
David Della-Giustina, MD, FAWM
David Della-Giustina is Professor of Emergency Medicine and Vice-Chairman for Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine. He is also the Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director and the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Director. His interest in Wilderness Medicine developed as an active duty Army emergency physician with the skills and experience needed in the deployed and combat setting. He deployed to both Iraq Afghanistan twice as a member of U.S. Special Operations Command, where he was awarded the Combat Medical Badge. He retired with over 29 years of active service and started his civilian career at Yale, where he initiated education and training in Wilderness Medicine and initiated the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship. He is the Medical Director for Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS), and has been a primary author and senior editor of the AWLS course. He also helped to develop the Basic Wilderness Life Support (BWLS) and Wilderness Life Support (WLS) courses. He is involved with the Wilderness Medical Society as a member of the Board of Directors and Education Council Chair.
Ian Wedmore, MD
Dr. Wedmore is board certified in Emergency Medicine and is a fellow of the American Collegeof Emergency Physicians, The Royal Irish College of Sports and Exercise Medicine and a National Fellow of the Explorers Club. He also holds the Fellowship of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM), as well as the International Diploma of Mountain Medicine. He is an Associate Professor at USUHS and an Assistant Professor at Medical College of Georgia. He is the Course Director of The International Diploma of Mountain Medicine program run in support of USUHS. He is an executive board member of the Wilderness Medical Society. He started climbing at age 14, and has completed rock, ice, alpine and high altitude climbs throughout the world. He teaches wilderness medicine internationally, is a peer reviewer for four medical journals, and has authored or co-authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles or book chapters. His medical interests also include: Altitude medicine, Austere medicine, Military Medicine and Tactical Combat Casualty care.
Jessica Duke, MD
Jessica Duke is a board certified Emergency Medicine and Wilderness Medicine Fellowship-trained physician. She completed her residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, serving as Chief Resident during her final year of residency. After residency, she stayed at Yale as the first Wilderness Medicine Fellow, working around the world with organizations such as National Geographic, AdventureMed, and the 4 Deserts race series. She now lives on the Big Island in Hawaii after finishing her time at Yale as the Associate Director of the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship. She is an instructor of Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS), author and editor of the Basic Wilderness Life Support (BWLS) course, certified in swiftwater rescue, and a master diver. She has earned her Diploma in Mountain Medicine and Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM). She is particularly interested in medical education, expedition medicine, sports medicine, dive medicine, and medicine in low-resource settings.
Katherine Couturier, MD, MPH
Katherine Couturier is board certified in Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services. She previously worked as a Dive and Undersea Medical Officer on active duty for the US Navy, with a special interest in the impact of circadian rhythm on performance. She has taught WLS:MP in Connecticut and Utah. She currently serves as the Education Medical Director for the Yale Center for EMS, training paramedics and EMTs. Her academic interests include medical education, prehospital care, and mobile integrated health. In her spare time, Kate enjoys hiking, swimming, and spending time outdoors with her husband and two boys.
Charles B Duke, MD, PhD, FAWM, DiMM
Charles Duke is a practicing board certified Emergency Medicine physician. After a first career as a research chemist, he started medical school intent on a career in Wilderness Medicine. He participated in altitude physiology research in Nepal as a medical student. During residency at Yale New Haven Hospital, he served as Chief Resident before staying at Yale for a Wilderness Medicine Fellowship. As Fellow, he underwent training in high angle rescue and served with the National Park Service Denali Rangers on North America’s highest peak. He is a past chair of the Emergency Medicine Residents Association Wilderness Medicine Interest Group and current chair of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Wilderness Medicine Interest Group. He has earned the Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine and Diploma in Mountain Medicine and is a Master Diver. He is an instructor and co-author of WLS:MP and WFR and has authored over 25 publications and several patents. Now on the Big Island of Hawaii, his practice includes wilderness and tropical medicine.
Ryan F. Coughlin M.D.
Ryan Coughlin is a board-certified Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services physician. He completed his residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, serving as Chief Resident during his final year of residency. After residency, he stayed at Yale, working with emergency medical services, fire, and law enforcement teams locally and regionally. He is an instructor for the Wilderness Life Support for Medical Professionals (WLS:MP) course and a member of the Connecticut Sponsor Hospital Area Response Physician (SHARP) Team. He has specific interests in independently directed practice improvement, austere emergency medical support, such as wilderness, tactical, and disaster preparedness.
Katey Della-Giustina Osborne, M.D.
Katey Osborne is currently finishing her Emergency Medicine residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA. She is serving as Chief Resident during her final year. After graduation, she will serve as an Emergency Physician for the US Army. Her interests include medical education, critical care medicine, and Tactical Combat Casualty Care.
Jason M. Tanner, MD, PhD
Jason is currently finishing his Emergency Medicine residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital and will be a Wilderness Medicine Fellow at Yale next year. He earned his undergraduate, graduate, and medical degrees at the University of Utah. During that time he was also a member of the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) team where he participated in numerous rescues and served as Medical Training Officer, Squad Leader, and Assistant Team Commander. He has experience in mountain rescue, swiftwater rescue, open water rescue, and rescue diver support, as well as missing-person searches in urban and wilderness settings. He continues to be involved with the SAR team as Medical Advisor and Assistant Medical Director. He previously served as Executive Director at Wilderness Medicine of Utah and has taught WLS:MP and WFR courses in Utah, Wyoming and Connecticut. Jason has continuing interests in medical education, the SAR-EMS interface, and medicine in austere settings.
William Oley, MD, FAWM, DiMM
Billy Oley practices rural emergency medicine in Red Lodge, MT. His areas of interest include wilderness medicine and rural trauma systems. In addition to his practice he remains active in education teaching WLS:MP, CALS, and ATLS. Working in rural Montana allows him to be active with medical direction and education of EMS, SAR, Ski Patrol and other backcountry professionals. His outdoor interests include hunting, horse packing, climbing, and other pursuits in the backcountry of Montana and coastal Alaska.
Leah Manchester, MD, FAWM, DiMM
Leah Manchester is a board certified emergency medicine and wilderness medicine fellowship-trained physician. She trained at Yale New Haven Hospital in a four-year emergency medicine residency followed by an additional year as a wilderness medicine fellow. She is now employed at Baystate Medical Center in western MA, and has an academic position at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. She also helps run the wilderness medicine fellowship located at Baystate and is a member of the Berkshire Mountain search and rescue team as well as a volunteer for local ski patrol. She is a certified instructor for Wilderness Life Support for Medical Professionals (WLS:MP), and has earned both her Diploma in Mountain Medicine (DiMM) and Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM). Her academic interests include wilderness toxicology, search and rescue, and medical education. While not working she enjoys rock climbing, scuba diving, skiing, and hiking.
Karen Della-Giustina, MD, FAAP
COL, MC, USAR
Senior Physician, 451st Med Det
Attending, Pediatric Emergency Center
Bridgeport Hospital
Bridgeport, CT
Seth C. Hawkins, MD, WEMT, MFAWM, FACEP, FAEMS
Dr. Seth Collings Hawkins is an anthropologist, writer, and physician, dual board certified in emergency medicine and EMS. He is the executive editor of Wilderness Medicine Magazine and serves as medical advisor for REI, the NC Outward Bound School, and the Student Conservation Association, as well as a Local Emergency Medical Advisor (LEMA) for the National Park Service and the US Forest Service. He is co-author of Vertical Aid: Essential Wilderness Medicine for Climbers, Trekkers, and Mountaineers, editor of the textbook Wilderness EMS, and founder of multiple wilderness medicine organizations, as well as medical director for multiple wilderness EMS teams and schools. He earned his Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) with the inaugural class in 2007, and also became the first physician designated a Master Fellow by the Academy of Wilderness Medicine in 2014, with specialization in wilderness EMS. He earned his Fellowship in the Academy of EMS with the inaugural class in 2014. He serves as Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Wake Forest University as well as Associate Director of the Wake Forest University Wilderness Medicine Fellowship. He has published widely in the wilderness medicine literature, including several Wilderness Medical Society clinical practice guidelines.
Anthony J. Tomassoni, MD, MS, FACEP, FACMT, FAACT
Anthony J. Tomassoni is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology. He completed his EM residency and fellowship in Toxicology and Hyperbaric Medicine in Cincinnati, OH. He holds degrees in Science Education and Human Biochemistry and is an Associate Professor at the Yale School of Medicine where he serves as the Toxicology Director at the Yale Center for Medical Simulation in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Tony is a Master Maine Guide and has enjoyed backpacking, climbing, canoeing, boating, fishing, field dog training, snorkeling and occasional diving. He has had opportunities to hone his medical and outdoor skills in a wide range of environments including as Medical Director of the Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response. Serving with FEMA Urban Search and Rescue MA Task Force 1 he deployed to the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 and has also deployed with NDMS CT 1. Tony is always eager to share his knowledge of toxinology, medicine and outdoor skills.
Katja Goldflam, MD
Katja Goldflam is a board-certified emergency physician trained in emergency ultrasound. She completed her residency at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency in 2010. She is the Associate Residency Director for the Yale Emergency Medicine Residency and has an interest in medical education, competency assessment, feedback and leadership development. She has taught various ultrasound and wilderness medicine courses regionally and nationally and was awarded the 2017 ACEP National Emergency Medicine Faculty Teaching Award.
Anne Fox, MD
Anne Fox is an Emergency Medicine physician and is currently completing a Wilderness Medicine Fellowship at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She also did her residency training at Yale, and was a Chief Resident in her final year. She is an instructor and co-author for WLS:MP. Her academic interests include medical education, altitude illness, and expedition medicine.
Geoffrey B. Comp, DO, FACEP, FAWM
Dr. Geoff Comp is currently an Associate Program Director for the Creighton University School of Medicine Emergency Medicine Residency at the Valleywise Health Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Geoff participates as a leader, mentor, and advocate for wilderness medicine and EM medical education with experience lecturing and teaching locally, regionally, and nationally. His professional and research focus includes wilderness medicine, physician wellness, mentorship, as well as innovation in medical education. He constantly seeks opportunities to combine his interests through collaboration with others and outdoor exploration. Outside of medicine, Geoff can be found running or road biking, trying to find the best Mexican food in Arizona, or chasing his two-year-old twin boys (Austin and Carter) with his wife, Mackenzie.
Andrea Ferrari, MD
Dr. Ferrari is board-certified in Emergency Medicine. She is currently faculty with the Creighton University School of Medicine Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Valleywise Health in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to becoming a physician Dr. Ferrari was certified as a Wilderness First Responder, EMT and Outdoor Emergency Care Technician. She put these skills to use in the backcountry as a guide, ski patroller and volunteer for an alpine search and rescue team. Dr. Ferrari completed residency in Emergency Medicine at Kings County/SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, New York in 2017 and continued her training through a Wilderness & Expedition Medicine Fellowship at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, New York in 2018. She has extensive experience in endurance sports medicine participating as a medical team member and medical director for multistage ultramarathons. In addition to being a WLS:MP instructor, she has particular interest in desert medicine, high altitude medicine, endurance medicine and medical education for all levels of learners. When not working, Dr. Ferrari also enjoys trail running, hiking, skiing, reading, cooking, travel and training her cattle dog not to herd cars.
AdventureMed Staff
Cedar Coleman, President
W-EMT, BSN
AdventureMed, Wilderness Medicine of Utah, University of Utah
Cedar is an avid mountain biker and river runner, skier, motorcycle rider, and is fascinated by glaciers. He believes in being a dynamic and charismatic educator, ensuring learning objectives are met by all students regardless of learning style, and that a knowledge of wilderness medicine is a responsibility as a member of the outdoor community.
Sarah Sarfaty, Logistics Manager and Instructor
B.S. Biological Sciences, A-EMT, ACLS, PALS, AIARE lvl 2, PADI
Sarah has been a Ski Patroller, Medical Coordinator and Wilderness Therapy Guide, as well as guided backpacking, skiing, biking, climbing, canyoneering, mountaineering, and SCUBA. She enjoys skiing, canyoneering, mountain biking, mountaineering, and climbing, as much of it with her dog as possible.
Sophie Zhang, WMU Brand Manager
B.S. Neuroscience, Minor in Spanish, W-EMT
Sophie started in medicine by helping to run a free clinic in Tijuana. She has since served as a medical coordinator, and been an EMT in a neurosurgery clinic. She has also worked as a whitewater guide around California and Costa Rica before coming to Utah to serve as a wilderness therapy guide. She loves to climb, ski, fly fish, hike, and camp but remains most loyal to the water. She also enjoys pottery, making jewelry, and photography.