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LIFT Faculty

René Borghese, MSN, RN, CMTE, LIFT-C
 Faculty Co-Chair
Assistant VP of Medical Transport for HCA’s TriStar and MidAmerica Divisions

René Borghese, , MSN, RN, CMTE, LIFT-C, is the Assistant Vice President of Medical Transport for HCA’s TriStar and MidAmerica Divisions, a role she has held since December 2024. Prior to relocating to Nashville, René served as the Administrative Director for Duke Life Flight, in Durham, NC.  In September of 2017, tragedy struck Duke when a fatal helicopter crash claimed the lives of the entire flight crew and patient. René, then serving as the Life Flight Program Manager, was profoundly affected by this event, which has since influenced both her professional and personal life. Her mission now is to equip other leaders with the necessary tools to navigate such impactful events effectively.

René's Flight Nurse career began in 1993 at Duke, providing critical medical care to patients of all ages during air and ground transport. Her commitment to excellence led her to Carolina Air Care at the University of North Carolina in 1999, where she served for nine years. During this time, she demonstrated her leadership abilities as Chief Flight Nurse.

Throughout her healthcare journey, René has held roles in Intensive Care Units and Emergency Departments, focusing on patient care, education, and leadership.  Her educational background includes Associate, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees in Nursing, with a concentration in Leadership from East Carolina University. She is also a Certified Medical Transport Executive (CMTE) and actively participates in industry organizations dedicated to advancing air medical services.

 

Jared Sherman, CMTE
 Faculty Co-Chair
 Chief Operations Officer and President, Guardian Flight LLC

Jared is currently the Chief Operations Officer and President of Guardian Flight LLC.  Prior roles include serving as the Vice President of Operations Northwest for Global Medical Response, Executive Director of Guardian Flight, CFO & COO of LifeMed Alaska, a Medevac program located in Anchorage, AK. LifeMed was a joint venture established in late 2008, merging two competing hospital based programs and soon after the acquisition of two ground ambulance programs.  Sherman joined LifeMed in late 2010. This was his first position both in EMS and the Medical Transport Field.  Sherman received his B.B.A from Baylor University, majoring in Risk Management Finance & Business Management.  

Prior to entering the Medical Transport field Sherman served in a variety of roles within Risk Management.  He was the Health, Safety, Environmental & Training Manager for UIC, an Alaska Native Corporation from 2008-2010.  UIC experienced a tragic workplace injury resulting in the death of an employee. Sherman was the first employee hired into the Department of Safety and tasked with development and implementation of the HSE & Training Program.  The bedrock of the initiative was to create a culture change within the organization.  Once the culture took root and the system was producing results, Sherman looked for his next challenge; accepting an opportunity with LifeMed Alaska. 

Sherman has worked for in all aspects of administration within the Medevac Industry.  Starting as a Director of HR & Compliance and spending the majority of his tenure as Chief Operating Officer. Sherman has applied his business and financial background to create effective systems & processes within the organization he has led.

 

James Boomhower, LMHC-A, MS, FP-C, C-NPT, CCISM
Critical Care Transport Specialist-Paramedic and Peer Support Director, Boston Medflight

James is a veteran Paramedic, crisis worker, and mental health professional with over twenty years of experience in emergency and critical care. He currently serves as a Critical Care Transport Specialist-Paramedic and Peer Support Director at Boston MedFlight, where he leads a multidisciplinary team supporting both patient care and provider wellness.

As the founder of Stay Fit 4 Duty, James combines his background in psychology and emergency medicine to educate first responders and healthcare professionals on resilience, peer support, and mental health. A practicing mental health professional and national speaker, he draws on his experience on both sides of crisis—providing care in the field and in the therapy room—to help build a healthier, more sustainable responder community.

 

Scott Davis, NRP
Vice President of Operations and Logistics, AAMS

Scott is currently the VP of Operations and Logistics for the Association of Air Medical Services.  As a career EMS provider, Scott began as a rescue squad volunteer in high school and now has a career spanning over 30 years in EMS.  Scott has extensive experience in primary 911 response as well as critical care ground and operations.  Scott has held positions including Captain for multiple ground bases as well as Director of Operations for larger regional areas.  In addition to the operations, he has held positions in education and organizational development and human resources with instructorships in many disciplines, including both tactical and advanced life support.


Scott also brings extensive knowledge in association management in addition to his clinical experience.  He is a Past President and Life Member of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads (VAVRS) and has held nearly every office and position in the association.  Currently, Scott serves on the Board of Directors as well as the Strategic Planning committee for the VAVRS.

In his spare time Scott enjoys time with his wife and 5 children playing golf and being outdoors.

 

Krista Haugen, MN, RN, CMTE
 National Director of Patient Safety, GMR

Krista currently serves as the National Director of Patient Safety for Global Medical Response and has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She cared for patients during her twenty-five years of clinical nursing in emergency departments, critical care units, and as a flight nurse. She survived a helicopter crash while on duty in 2005 and subsequently co-founded the Survivors Network for the Air Medical Community, an innovative resource to help educate and support industry survivors, families, and team members.

Krista served as a voting member of the Rotorcraft Occupant Protection Working Group which studied rotorcraft crash-resistant fuel systems, seats, and structure to maximize survival and decrease injuries in crashes. Recommendations from this group were presented to the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, positively influencing factors contributing to crash survivability in the helicopter air ambulance industry.

Krista is a nationally recognized public speaker and has been featured at local and regional safety events as well as national conferences such as AMTC.   She has written for numerous industry publications and has been a guest on several podcasts.  Krista’s work in the air medical safety realm earned her the prestigious Jim Charlson Safety Award (2017). 

Between her current position and serving as part of incident management teams for numerous industry crashes, both rotor and fixed wing, she has accumulated significant experience in managing the complexities of high-impact events.  Her professional interests include High Reliability, system design, human performance, Crew Resource Management, Just Culture, and medical transport risk mitigation. She is also passionate about and committed to supporting wellbeing and resilience in healthcare professionals and emergency responders.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Washington (Tacoma) with an emphasis on population-based nursing and is a Certified Medical Transport Executive (CMTE).

  

Donna Itzoe, MA
 Senior Vice President and Chief Communications and Events Officer, UMGC

Donna joined UMGC as senior vice president and Chief Communications and Events Officer in January 2024. In that role, she leads the university’s internal and external communications, events, and commencement teams, working to align global communications strategies to better tell the UMGC story.

As a crisis communications expert, Donna is regularly sought out to counsel, present, and author publications about how teams and organizations respond to weather-related, man-made, reputational, and organizational crises. 

An award-winning communications and marketing executive with more than 20 years of senior leadership experience, Donna served most recently as senior vice president of Marketing and Communications for Global Medical Response, a world leader in emergency and medical relocation services with some 37,000 employees. 

Prior to her role at GMR, she served as senior communications head of Digital and Social Media, Intelligence, Information, and Services for Raytheon, and before that as director of Public Affairs and Corporate Communications for Verizon.

A Forbes Communications Council Member since 2021 and the 2023–2024 International Professional Development Chair for the International Association of Business Communicators, Donna holds an MA in public Relations and communications from Georgia State University and a BS in communications, magna cum laude, from Mercer University.

 

Jenn Killeen, MHA, RN, NRP, FACHE, CMTE
 Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer, Careflite

With over three decades of experience in emergency medical services, Jenn currently serves as the Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at CareFlite in Texas, where her focus is on enhancing clinical and operational efficiencies as well as safety protocols. Jenn's initial entry into healthcare was as an ER technician, with an original plan to attend medical school. However, her career trajectory shifted toward nursing after being inspired by the operational challenges and the dynamic environment of medical transport teams. After earning her nursing degree and gaining experience as an ER nurse, Jenn joined an air medical crew, quickly advancing to become Chief Flight Nurse. This early leadership role honed her skills in managing complex healthcare operations. Jenn's learning and experience was notably impacted in 2008 during a critical leadership role at Classic following a mid-air collision of medical helicopters in Flagstaff, Arizona, leading efforts in crisis management and operational recovery.

In 2014, Jenn rejoined Classic to spearhead the launch of a new region and assumed the role of Executive Director of Clinical Operations. She is excited about her involvement with LIFT to learn and invigorate her dedication to operational leadership, particularly in risk management, crisis response, and strategic recovery processes. Jenn's career reflects a profound commitment to operational and clinical excellence, leadership in emergency medical services, and a passion for improving outcomes and safety standards.

Jenn holds a Master’s Degree in Health Administration and she is progressing toward a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in Organizational Leadership. She also contributes to the industry as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association (ASTNA), where she advocates for operational best practices and evidence-based improvements among other passions.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Jenn volunteers with Pipeline International, supporting the enhancement of community care and neonatal services in underserved areas, particularly in Uganda. Jenn really appreciates family time, enjoying hiking and the outdoors, which provide a grounding contrast to her professional life.

 

Edward Marasco, MPM, CMTE, EMT-P (Ret.)
 Executive Vice President for External Affairs, QMC

Ed is currently the Executive Vice President for External Affairs for Quick Med Claims.  Quick Med Claims provides revenue cycle management and consulting services for medical transportation organizations nationwide.

Previously, Mr. Marasco was a Regional Vice President of Hospital Based Services for Air Methods Corporation (AMC).  Prior to the acquisition of CJ Systems, Mr. Marasco served as the Senior Vice President for Air Medical Services at CJ Systems Aviation Group (CJ).

Mr. Marasco spent thirteen years at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in various administrative positions.  He also served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Emergency Resource Management, Inc. (ERMI), a subsidiary providing emergency medicine services.  In addition, he served as a member of the Board of Directors for the STAT MedEvac Program. 

Mr. Marasco received a BS degree in Secondary Education from the University of Pittsburgh and an MPM degree from the H.J. Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University.  In addition, he was certified as an Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Marasco has been actively involved with various health care industry professional organizations for more than forty (40) years.  He served as a member of the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) Fixed Wing Committee, the Finance & Reimbursement Committee and member of the Board of Directors.  Mr. Marasco represented the Association of Air Medical Services in the Negotiated Rulemaking Process to establish a new Ambulance Reimbursement Fee Schedule for the Medicare Program.

Mr. Marasco also served on the Boards of several health care organizations, including his role as Chairman of the Board at Jefferson Hospital, a subsidiary of the Allegheny Health Network (AHN), the West Penn Allegheny Health System, the MedEvac Foundation International and the Jefferson Regional Foundation.  He is one of the founding members of the Cures for KIDS Foundation.  Mr. Marasco served as an Instructor and member of the Council of Regents of the Medical Transport Leadership Institute (MTLI) for twenty (20) years including serving as the Chair. He is also Adjunct Instructor of Emergency Medicine in School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh.

 

Matthew Philbrick, MSML, MBA, NRP
 Manager, GMR Life

Matt is currently the Manager for GMR Life where he provides resources, education, crisis intervention, and outreach for the nation's largest EMS Provider - Global Medical Response. As a career emergency responder, he has served the EMS industry for almost two decades, working in many clinical roles: EMT, paramedic, and flight paramedic. As an EMS Leader, Matt worked as the Medical Operations Manager for Mercy Flights, Inc. – the nation’s oldest non-profit air ambulance organization. In this role, he led dynamic teams such as clinical flight teams on both fixed and rotor platforms as well as a 9-1-1 ground ambulance system providing service in urban and rural environments working at the top end of the clinical scope. 

Philbrick is active in advocacy on both the national level and within his home state of Oregon. He has sat as Chair of the Oregon EMS for Children Committee, Vice Chair of the Oregon Senior EMS Advisory Council, and Vice Chair of the NAEMT Workforce Committee. He is an accomplished public speaker and group facilitator having been featured at EMS Today and the EMS World Expo (among others).  Matt has been on the Incident Management Teams for small- and large-scale disasters including aircraft incidents, large scale fire events, and in 2021, served as the Branch Chief for an Oregon-requested FEMA deployment. In 2020, Matt was named as one of the "Top 40 under 40" EMS Leaders by the American Ambulance Association.

Matt's post-graduate work includes a focus on Leadership Development, and he holds two master’s degrees - a Master of Management and Leadership and a traditional MBA.  In addition to his responsibilities with GMR, Matt is an EMS Leadership consultant for SafeTech Solutions and works nationally with teams developing front line leaders. Matt has taken his expertise related to leading teams and responder wellness to develop a unique and innovative Mental Fitness Protocol (MFP-R) designed specifically for responders.

 

Wesley Semple, M.S., NRP, CMTE
 Manager of Prehospital Operations, Allegheny Health Network

Mr. Semple is is responsible for managing and operating 7 paramedic response units, 2 physician response units, and overseeing the Medical Special Operations Group, which handles mass gathering and special event medicine. He is a Nationally Registered Paramedic and has been affiliated with Ross/West View EMSA since 2001. He is also a Master Tactical Paramedic for the North Hills Response Team, serving since 2010.
 
Wesley started his public safety career in 2000 with the Berkeley Hills Fire Company, where he rose to the rank of Fire Chief and served in that role for 5 years.
 
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters of Science in Legal Studies focusing in Homeland Security and Law and Public Policy from California University of Pennsylvania. He is a certified Critical Care Paramedic, Fire Officer, Certified Medical Transport Executive, and holds numerous Tactical and Instructor Certifications. Mr. Semple serves on various councils and committees in Western PA for both EMS and Fire organizations and is a member of the Board of Directors for the National EMS Memorial Service as well as their Moving Honors Route Coordinator, and the Safety and Security Officer.
 
 

Jana Williams, RN, BSN, CMTE
 President & CEO, AAMS

Jana is the President & CEO of the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) and the MedEvac Foundation International (MFI), the air medical trade organization and its charitable arm respectively.  These organizations and their global members seek to make high-quality transport medicine accessible to all. Jana has more than 35 years’ experience in the EMS, healthcare, incident management, and air medical communities and likes championing its people and programs while gathering perspectives from many vantage points.  She is proud of the dynamic AAMS team and relishes the renewed collaboration amongst members and across the medical transport community.  She believes we are better together.  

Jana began her professional journey as a volunteer EMT outside of Chicago, IL in 1984.  She has held positions in EMS, Transport, Trauma & Disaster Administration in both for-profit and not-for profit settings.  She calls herself a “purveyor of talent” as she enjoys spotlighting other leaders.  She began her flight nursing career in 1990, at the young age of 24 at Lifeline in Rockford, Illinois where she also served as the Public Information Officer (PIO).  

Jana formerly led AIRLIFE Denver a busy emergency and critical care air and ground transport service, serving Denver and an 8-state Rocky Mountain region.  AIRLIFE Denver had over 130 team members covering 4 helicopters, 2 Lear jets and 2 Critical Care Transport (CCT) ground ambulances, which completed over 2400 transports a year.  It is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) and was recognized for several best practices, including becoming the nation’s first dedicated stroke transport team and receiving the prestigious Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) Program of the Year award in 2010—all accomplishments driven by the team.

Jana previously was VP of Strategic Operations & Partner Development for Med-Trans Corporation with a focus on program enhancement and viability.  There she oversaw a vibrant leadership team managing the business, educational, communications, regulatory, and clinical aspects of more than 1000 crew members at roughly 100 bases.  

Jana enjoys collaborating and helping others shine.  She developed Westwire Evolutions, a coaching and consulting firm focusing on program enhancement and the sharing of best practices.  

Jana enjoys writing and has been published in Wheels, Wings and Rotors, JEMS, and Nursing Management magazines. She has conducted original and foremost research on ADD in EMS which awaits publication.  She is passionate about EMS safety and coined the phrase “Safety is not Proprietary” to harness the power of sharing lessons even across typically competitive lines. She has created and fostered many safety stand-down programs in the industry. Jana is the immediate past president of the National EMS Memorial Service, an organization congressionally selected to honor EMS providers who die in the line-of-duty.  She enjoys teaching and is a Regent Emeritus at the AAMS Medical Transport Leadership Institute (MTLI) where she shares insights on topics such as Project Management and Responder Support.  Jana was most humbled to be a Nightingale Award Finalist, a 2012 AAMS President’s Awardee, and a 2022 NAEMT Leadership Awardee.  

Jana led a team that created the first 911-to-cath lab Cardiac Alert program, a pre-hospital activation which relied solely on the paramedics’ read of the 12-lead EKG. Her vision created the air medical transport industry’s first dedicated patient safety role.  She has coordinated multiple successful business plans for Trauma Center advancement, external safety audits, vehicle acquisitions, out-basing and base expansions, helicopter/CCT/fixed-wing fleet upgrades, communications and patient flow center expansions and numerous capital purchases and enjoys helping others across those realms.   Her favorite presentation was pitching 2 national television commercials for Duracell featuring AIRLIFE Denver.  Jana held leadership positions during such events as Columbine, 9-11, Aurora Theatre shootings, hurricanes Matthew, Harvey, Irma, and Maria, including leadership within NATCOM, the national command center contracted with FEMA. She has responded to numerous line-of-duty deaths and critical incidents employing the Incident Command System including as Incident Commander and has over 25 years’ experience in the Post Accident and Incident Management space.  

Jana has been a persistent purveyor of bells at past MTLI appearances, is addicted to Starbucks, loves Legos, and in her spare time enjoys family activities, particularly maintaining the title of “favorite Aunt Jana” to the many children in her life.