| About Us |
 | | News |
| | Why Choose Remote Medical International? |
| | Staff Profiles |
| | Lise Armstrong, Remote Site Paramedic |
| | Melissa Arnot, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Christine Avakian, Director of Operations |
| | Chris Berryman, Instructor |
| | Rich Chatman, NREMT-P, Instructor |
| | Hugh Clark, Remote Site Paramedic |
| | Ernie Colflesh, NREMT-P, Remote Site Paramedic/Instructor |
| | Andrew Cull, Chief Executive Officer |
| | Michael Cull, MD, Medical Advisor/Instructor |
| | Lisanne Dorian, Instructor |
| | Phong Duong, J.D. WEMT, Legal Counsel/Instructor |
| | Kate Earle, WEMT/MPIC, Instructor |
| | Sandy Fraser, NREMT-P, Remote Site Paramedic, Instructor |
| | Corey Goyman, Remote Site Paramedic |
| | Matthew "Griff" Griffin, Account Manager, Government & Law Enforcement |
| | Jordana Grussgott, NP, Instructor |
| | Steve Guthrie, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Daniel Hegg, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Thaddeus Josephson, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Mitch Kadlec, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Chris Kenney, WEMT , Director of Sales |
| | Jack M. Levine, DDS, Medical Advisor |
| | Mike Lindaas, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Sean Meade, Account Manager |
| | Tom Milne, WEMT, Account Manager |
| | Brent Molsberry, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Melina Moran, RN, Instructor |
| | Dave Mull, EMT-P, Remote Site Medic/Instructor |
| | Tyler Neilsen, Instructor/Medical Support |
| | Amber Pickren, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Emily Petersen, Assistant Project Manager, Medical Support Group |
| | Janet Peterson, DrPH, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Nick Rathbone, NREMT-P, Remote Site Paramedic |
| | Don Slack, MD, Instructor/Advisor |
| | Debi Solberg, RN,MSN, Medical Advisor/Instructor |
| | David Svobodny, EMT-II, Instructor |
| | Kevin Thompson, Director, Training Group |
| | David Townes, MD, Chief Medical Advisor/Instructor |
| | Loreen Vasel, WEMT, Instructor |
| | John Vonk, WEMT, Instructor |
| | Employment |
| | Knowledge Base |
|
|
|
|
| Staff Profiles
|
| |
Welcome. You have reached the core of Remote Medical International. With backgrounds in tactical medicine, disaster medicine, emergency medical services, and Search and Rescue operations across the globe, you'll find us to be among the most highly trained remote medicine specialists in the field.
We know first hand what it is like to be 300 miles out at sea, perched mountain ridge with an ill or injured patient, or working in a flood or earthquake zone.
Seasoned professionals and those new to the outdoors will find that our courses and products advance their knowledge and ability to offer care far beyond what they thought possible. On behalf of the instructor and sales corps at Remote Medical International, thank you for considering us to fulfill your remote medicine needs. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Melissa Arnot, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| Melissa has been teaching wilderness medicine since 2002, and working as a professional mountain guide for Rainier Mountaineering Inc. since 2004. Currently certified as a Wilderness EMT, she regularly works with our medical support group as well as in search and rescue, she also works part-time with a rural ambulance service. You will find Melissa teaching our WEMT and Wilderness First Responder courses. When not teaching, Melissa is rock climbing, ice climbing, or thinking about climbing. |
|
|
|
|
| Christine Avakian, Director of Operations
|
| |
| Christine came to work at Remote Medical International to help suppport people in safely enjoying the outdoors. Her initial love of playing outside was piqued in a 30 ft. sailboat at the tender age of 3. She remains an avid sailor, enjoys backpacking, mountain biking and was a backcountry guide in Yellowstone and in the Tetons. She received her BA in Recreation from Western Washington University and has worked in the outdoor industry ever since, most formerly as a Resident Camp Director. She has been WFR certified since 2000, and is an accomplished soccer player/coach and triathlete. |
|
|
|
|
| Chris Berryman, Instructor
|
| |
| Chris started climbing in the Cascades in 1979. He has been involved with mountain rescue since the 1980s and is currently Operations Leader with Tacoma Mountain Rescue. Chris is a gifted teacher who enjoys sharing his vast rope rescue expertise with his students. Chris is also a talented carpenter, an all-around-nice-guy, and lives in Tacoma, WA. |
|
|
|
|
| Rich Chatman, NREMT-P, Instructor
|
| |
| Rich is a Paramedic Firefighter for Portland Fire and Rescue. He also works on a Heavy Rescue in downtown Portland, Oregon and is a member of the Technical Rescue Team (rope, tunnel, trench, heavy machinery, confined space, building collapse, and water rescue) for Portland and for the Oregon Urban Search and Rescue team (USAR). In 2005, he was deployed to New Orleans, Louisiana as part of Oregon's Disaster Medical Team (DMAT), to assist with rescue effort for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Rich is also an active instructor for ACLS, PALS, PHTLS, Portland Community College, and OHSU Paramedic Program. He is an outdoor enthusiast, whose interests include snowboarding, wakeboarding, hiking, and rock climbing. |
|
|
|
|
| Hugh Clark, Remote Site Paramedic
|
| |
| Hugh Clark is a remote site paramedic in our Medical & Rescue Support Division. Hugh Spent many years of his life in Public Service, including the Fire Service, E.M.S., Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Occupational Health and Workers Comp Case Management, Aerospace Medicine Rescue and Evac, Medical Instructor, and Chief of Medical Operations for an International Air Ambulance Corporation. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ernie Colflesh, NREMT-P, Remote Site Paramedic/Instructor
|
| |
| Ernie has been involved in EMS since 2001, and draws experience from his years operating as an emergency department technician at a Level 1 trauma center, paramedic in a bustling capitol city, and search and rescue medic for a major national park. A recreational climber, Ernie can occasionally be found puttering on Earth’s smaller stones. |
|
|
|
|
| Andrew Cull, Chief Executive Officer
|
| |
| Andrew is passionate about remote medical care and rescue. He is an active tactical/remote site paramedic who is routinely deployed on Search and Rescue and medical support operations. He founded Remote Medical International in 2001 to provide the finest and most advanced wilderness/remote medicine training, equipment, and direct medical and rescue support based on real and continued experience in remote settings. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Michael Cull, MD, Medical Advisor/Instructor
|
| |
| Dr. Cull has been practicing medicine for over 30 years in Primary Care, Psychiatry and Anesthesiology all over the world. His experience in refugee health care, expedition medicine and open-ocean sailing is highly valued. Dr. Cull can also be found teaching our ACLS and Open Ocean Medicine courses. Board certificed in Anesthesiology & Psychiatry, his long resume includes working as Expedition physician on Kilamanjaro, setting up clinics for refugee health care in the Middle East, multiple open ocean sailing expeditions including multiple Sydney-Hobart sail races. Dr. Cull lives in Tacoma, Washington though he is commonly sighted flyfishing around the Pacific Northwest. |
|
|
|
|
| Lisanne Dorian, Instructor
|
| |
| Lisanne's enthusiasm for remote landscapes ranges from racing across the great deserts of the world on foot to competitive trail riding on horseback. If Lisanne is not traversing inhospitable terrain she can be seen piloting helicopters, coaching lacrosse, lecturing on legal and medical issues, or perfecting her latest knitting endeavor. |
|
|
|
|
| Phong Duong, J.D. WEMT, Legal Counsel/Instructor
|
| |
| Phong is Legal Counsel for Remote Medical International and joined the company to, "escape the suit and tie lifestyle (or lack of) of the law firm and corporate world". He now enjoys providing legal advise, facilitating government contracts, and assisting in risk management while sitting on a chair lift or weaving his bike in and out of traffic with cell phone in hand. Prior to joining Remote Medical International, Phong was an WEMT, kayak guide in the San Juan Islands and ski and mountain bike patrolling in Park City, Utah while working as a lawyer in various capacities including business, immigration, and contract law. |
|
|
|
|
| Kate Earle, WEMT/MPIC, Instructor
|
| |
| Originally from Northern California, Kate has spent the majority of her life traveling, living, and working in remote environments from the Indian Himalayas to the Sahara Desert. She most recently returned from her Peace Corps assignment on an isolated coral atoll in the Central Pacific, the Repulbic of Kiribati, where she served a Health and Community Development Volunteer. She has worked as an EMT for Tulane University EMS and the New Orleans Health Department and has worked in medical clinics in the Pacific and West Africa. When not teaching, Kate works as a Case Manager and Coordinator resettling refugees in Seattle. She can also be found kayaking, hiking, camping, and scuba diving. |
|
|
|
|
| Sandy Fraser, NREMT-P, Remote Site Paramedic, Instructor
|
| |
| Sandy is a skilled remote paramedic, providing emergency medical services in a variety of civilian and military environments. He has served as a US Navy Search and Rescue Swimmer and as a Naval Coastal Warfare Corpsman. Sandy has continued to work as an independent contract medic in remote and hostile locations such as Bosnia, Iraq and offshore. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Matthew "Griff" Griffin, Account Manager, Government & Law Enforcement
|
| |
| Griff came to Remote Medical International following several years in military special operations. A graduate of West Point, his love for the wilderness and commitment to those who serve our country make him a strong asset to the RMI team. When not skiing, Griff is out meeting with different military units, law enforcement, and Federal Agencies supporting medical assets who protect and serve. Griff lives in Seattle, WA with his wife and two daughters and may be found in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest on slopes and trails. |
|
|
|
|
| Jordana Grussgott, NP, Instructor
|
| |
| Jordana is a nurse practitioner at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Washington, and works as an Instructor in Remote Medical's Training Group. |
|
|
|
|
| Steve Guthrie, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| Born in Eugene Oregon, Steve started climbing in 1971 and began a career in guiding in 1978. Steve has thirteen years of Mountain Rescue and SAR experience and has been teaching wilderness medicine since 2001. |
|
|
|
|
| Daniel Hegg, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| Dan brings to Remote Medical his commitment to the service of others and a diverse background in field operations with difficult operating conditions and considerations. |
|
|
|
|
| Thaddeus Josephson, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| Thaddeus has been working in the EMS field since 2003 in a variety of settings, including Gallatin County Search and Rescue, American Medical Response in Bozeman, Montana, and Ski Patrol at Yellowstone Mountain Club in Big Sky, Montana. Thaddeus is an EMT, and an avid outdoorsman. |
|
|
|
|
| Mitch Kadlec, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| Mitch Kadlec lives in Winthrop, Washington, and works as a firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service, on the Okanogan/Wenatchee National Forest. Through his career he has traveled to many parts of the country, and many regions in the backcountry working on interagency hotshot crews, initial attack fire crews, and also as a helicopter rappeller, specializing in suppression of fires in remote or inaccessible regions requiring aerial delivery of firefighters. |
|
|
|
|
| Chris Kenney, WEMT , Director of Sales
|
| |
| You will also see Chris on medical and rescue support operations doing rope rescue and excercising his WEMT skills. His technical expertise, experience as an EMT, degree in biochemistry, and experience in remote care has allowed us to become a premier source for the remote medical and rescue community. |
|
|
|
|
| Jack M. Levine, DDS, Medical Advisor
|
| |
| Jack M. Levine, DDS is a member of Remote Medical International’s Medical Advisory Board. In addition to his private practice in New Haven, Connecticut, Dr. Levine has traveled the globe as a volunteer dentist and guest lecturer, serving in such places as Tipling, Ilam, and Mustang, Nepal; the Republic of China; Iquitos, Peru; Jeremie, Haiti; and Hanover, Jamaica. In the U.S. he currently volunteers for Tibetan Resettlement of Connecticut; Doctors with a Heart, Operation Smile, the Special Olympics, and is on the board for Himalayan HealthCare. He consults and teaches with public school dental health programs, plans and directs a patient education program, and leads specialty training programs for dentists. |
|
|
|
|
| Mike Lindaas, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| When not climbing the world's highest peaks, Mike can be found on our technical rescue coures as well as teaching wilderness medicine. As mountain guide for over a decade, he has led or participated on climbs on Everest, Aconcagua, Cotopaxi, Dhulagiri, Chimborazo, Illiniza, Huayna Potosi, Illimani, Huascaran, Orizaba, Ixta, Denali, Hunter, Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus and the Italian Dolomites. In 2003, he climbed Denali's Cassin Ridge alpine style in 45 hours. He currently works for Mountain Link and in the summers, he leads youth in the Cascades with Northwest Mountain School. Mike lives in Bend, OR where he enjoys trail running and backcountry skiing. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Sean Meade, Account Manager
|
| |
| Sean Meade is the primary point of contact for our research, exploration, mineral, oil, and gas customers. Sean comes to us possessing an extensive medical sales and fire service background. This provides him with a solid foundation in sales, while giving him the required technical knowledge to ensure that our clients receive the highest level of service possible. Outside of work, Sean and his young family can be found enjoying the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest. A Seattle area native, Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington. |
|
|
|
|
| Tom Milne, WEMT, Account Manager
|
| |
| Tom has been a professional mountain guide since 1999 and has extensive AMGA training, is avalanche level II certified and has instructed and guided rock, alpine, backcountry skiing and high altitude peak climbs all around the world. His professional guiding experience includes leading almost 30 international expeditions. He holds a degree in Russian Language from the University of Colorado, and speaks fluent Russian. He brings his extensive industry experience and commitment to authentic and personal care to his work at Remote Medical International. |
|
|
|
|
| Brent Molsberry, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| As a licensed USCG Captain and professional sea kayaking guide, Brent has worked in a variety of outdoor industries including guiding, ski patrol, and firefighting. |
|
|
|
|
| Melina Moran, RN, Instructor
|
| |
| Melina is a Registered Nurse at a Level 1 Trauma Center Emergency Department (OHSU) in Portland,OR and an passionate instructor as well as remote medical provider. She is certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Trauma Nursing. Melina is also a member of the National Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) and the Remote Medical International Medical Support Team. Most recently she responded to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita setting up and running field hospitals in New Orleans and Lake Charles. In Melina’s spare time she practices Ashtanga yoga, surfing in warm water, distance running, snowboarding, and traveling. |
|
|
|
|
| Dave Mull, EMT-P, Remote Site Medic/Instructor
|
| |
| Dave is an experienced Paramedic with over 15 years of urban, rural, and wilderness medicine. David previously worked as a paramedic in Portland, Oregon, for over 14 years in both urban and rural settings. He currently works as a Remote Area Paramedic with Remote Medical International. Dave is proficient in rope rescue, alpine rescue, cave rescue, and swiftwater rescue, and has experience teaching rescue courses throughout the NW. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Tyler Neilsen, Instructor/Medical Support
|
| |
| Tyler Neilsen is a King-County Paramedic with Vashon Island Fire & Rescue. As a firefighter since 2001, Tyler has extensive experience providing emergency medical care and rescue in rural setting (where the ambulance has to take a ferry to the hospital). |
|
|
|
|
| Amber Pickren, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| Amber’s passion for exploring remote places, practicing wilderness medicine, and teaching students brought her to Remote Medical International. At any given moment you may find her trekking, rock climbing, sea kayaking, sailing, scuba diving, backcountry skiing, guiding whitewater trips, whitewater kayaking, or teaching a wilderness medicine course. |
|
|
|
|
| Emily Petersen, Assistant Project Manager, Medical Support Group
|
| |
| Emily hails from Calistoga, CA. and joined Remote Medical in 2008 as our Assistant Project Manager, Medical Support Group. She graduated from Sonoma State University in Northern California with a B.A in Communications. Emily brings strong management and organizational skills to Remote Medical and is very passionate about providing great service to our remote staff. When not in the office, Emily loves fishing, camping, hiking and tennis. She is proud of her latest catch, a 7lb Pike and 24" Salmon. |
|
|
|
|
| Janet Peterson, DrPH, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| Janet is a professor of health and human performance at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. She has been invoiced in the medical field for many years, and developed an interest in wilderness medicine wile training for Mt. Waterman nordic ski patrol. |
|
|
|
|
| Nick Rathbone, NREMT-P, Remote Site Paramedic
|
| |
| Nick Rathbone is a remote site paramedic in our Medical & Rescue Support Division. Nick has been involved in wilderness medicine since 1989 when he first took a WEMT course. He has held a variety of positions in experiential education, guiding, and EMS. He now deploys regularly with our medical support group. Nick's teaching, climbing, and paramedic assignments have taken him around the world; but his passion is Latin America. He divides his time between living in Seattle and voyaging on his sailboat, currently in Mexico. |
|
|
|
|
| Don Slack, MD, Instructor/Advisor
|
| |
| A practicing emergency medicine physician and EMS medical director for Skagit County, WA, Dr. Slack has been active in mountaineering and mountain-rescue since 1976. |
|
|
|
|
| Debi Solberg, RN,MSN, Medical Advisor/Instructor
|
| |
Debi is an ER nurse at the University of Washington Emergency Department and maintains her position as a flight nurse with Airlift Northwest, all while doing research for the Resuscitation Outcome Consortium at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington. She is a member of the WA-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team with deployments to New York City in 2001; WTO Seattle in 1999; International Olympics in 1996; Northridge, California Earthquake in 1994; Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005; and others. She also acts as Administrative and Financial Officer for the WA-1 DMAT.
Debi did volunteer work in Biratnagar, Nepal developing continuing education programs for nurses and set up a clinic in the Himalayas overseeing over 800 patients in 10 days. She is a former Trauma ICU Nurse in Level I Trauma Center and a former Burn Intensive Care Nurse. Debi lives in Seattle. |
|
|
|
|
| David Svobodny, EMT-II, Instructor
|
| |
| David’s love for the outdoors and adventure has lead him to a career has a professional sea kayaking, rafting, and glacier guide in Alaska. David has been active in wilderness medicine as long as he has guided. |
|
|
|
|
| Kevin Thompson, Director, Training Group
|
| |
| Kevin began working at Remote Medical in 2007 after five years of prior experience in the industry. He grew up in upstate New York camping, canoeing, and cross-country skiing with his family in the Adirondack Mountains and Finger Lakes regions. After graduating with a B.S. in Business Administration from Nazareth College, Kevin moved west to Montana where he spent most of his time mountain biking and backcountry skiing. Now living in Seattle he plans on pursuing those passions in slightly moister conditions in the Cascades and surrounding areas. |
|
|
|
|
| David Townes, MD, Chief Medical Advisor/Instructor
|
| |
| Dr. Townes joined Remote Medical as our Chief Medical Advisor and instructor. You will meet Dr. Townes as an instructor on our advanced courses, as a guest lecturer on the Wilderness EMT, risk management consulting and on medical support operations. His extensive contributions to the fields of wilderness and emergency medicine make him an exceptional asset to our team. |
|
|
|
|
| Loreen Vasel, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| Loreen directed her career path away from environmental research and toward emergency medicine for the new millennium. While continuing to work for the good of the planet, she now also works for the good of her patients. She can be found working at remote research sites, for Eldora Ski Patrol, and in the emergency department at The Children's Hospital and at Boulder Community Hospital. When her schedule allows, Loreen enjoys snowboarding, telemark skiing, trail running and mountain biking the endless slopes and trails in her backyard, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. |
|
|
|
|
| John Vonk, WEMT, Instructor
|
| |
| John Vonk has a diverse background which includes professional experience in the outdoor and marine industries as well as in the military. He most recently served on active duty as a deck watch officer with the U.S. Coast Guard as well as deployed as a logistics officer during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. |
|
|
|
|
|
