People

Mark Silverberg, MD

Clinical Professor, Emergency Medicine

SUNY Downstate School of Medicine

Mark Silverberg, MD, is an attending physician at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. He has spent more than two decades in that prestigious institution starting with medical school in 1993. After completing his emergency medicine (EM) residency at Kings County Hospital, he stayed on to join the faculty as well. He then began his academic career at SUNY Downstate as the Director of Student Education, but soon became the Assistant Residency Director and then the Associate Residency Director. With COVID-19 looming in the background, he held the title of Director of Disaster Preparedness for the Emergency Department. Dr. Silverberg has also joined the EM lecture circuit and combines his love of scuba diving and underwater photography with EM. Dr. Silverberg also heads the wilderness medicine division of the Emergency Medicine Department at Kings County Hospital.

James Thomas, MD

President, Board of Directors

American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM)

James Thomas, MD, is the current President of the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) Board of Directors. Dr. Thomas is an ABEM-certified physician and practices emergency medicine (EM) at St. Anne's Hospital in Fall River, MA. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, completed residency training at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo OH, and has been an ABEM oral examiner for over 20 years.

Kim M. Feldhaus, MD

Chair, Certifying Exam Committee

American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM)

Kim M. Feldhaus, MD, was elected to the Board of Directors for the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) in July 2021. She is a community emergency physician practicing in Boulder, CO. Dr. Feldhaus is originally from South Dakota and graduated from Baylor College of Medicine prior to completing an emergency medicine (EM) residency at Denver Health Medical Center. She then remained in academic medicine at Denver Health for 10 years following graduation. In 2003, she transitioned to community medicine, joining the independent EM group at Boulder Community Health.

Dr. Feldhaus has been actively involved with ABEM for over 25 years. She is currently the Chair of the Certifying Exam Committee and an At-large Member of the Executive Committee. Despite many years in EM, and many changes in the practice of medicine, she is still passionate about providing exceptional care to her patients.

Jason Rotoli, MD

President-Elect

University of Rochester

I am thrilled to contribute to an organization whose professional mission and values so closely align with my own. The development of inclusive future EM physicians is crucial to elevating the quality of care we deliver. I also believe in the development of allies and strong mentorship in order to provide guidance and inspiration to junior faculty and learners. I have been fortunate to have other leadership positions in ADIEM which have not only fostered my own professional growth but have allowed me to contribute to the development of junior academic faculty through collaborative scholarly opportunities, inclusive academic work, and mentorship. I would like to continue this trend and pay I forward to young emerging leaders in our field.

At this stage in my career, I recognize that it is time to give back to an organization that continues to advocate for equity in the face of adversity and I want to serve as the members of such an organization.

Sara Engel, MBA

Member-at-Large

Medical College of Wisconsin

I am thrilled and honored to be nominated to the AAAEM leadership. I have been an active member of SAEM/AAAEM since 2022, and I have found the academy and the friends I have made and continue to make, one of the highlights of my career so far. I currently sit on both the Benchmark committee and the Strategic Planning committee, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the mission and vision of the academy and what we are trying to accomplish. I believe I can be a useful member in leadership, helping push forward the academy's goals for the next year.

Benton Baker, MBA

Member-at-Large

Loma Linda University Faculty Medical Group

In the two years I've been in my role as an EM group administrator there has been one constant source of pertinent information, AAAEM. My predecessor recommended it wholeheartedly and pushed me to join as soon as I could. Since then, I've joined many AAAEM committees including the strategic planning committee, the membership committee, the education committee and the benchmark committee. With the committee involvement as well as being a part of MIPS, I have found a network of colleagues to bounce ideas off of, as well as request and provide input as needed.

Being a member at large on the executive committee would allow me to be more involved and further help shape the great resource that is AAAEM. I understand that AAAEM is nothing without it's members and the framework that supports the collaboration between them. I think I bring a newer/greener perspective to the table that might help tailor that framework to be a greater resource to newer administrators like myself.

My background might not be typical for a group administrator. I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare, I just didn't know where. After getting my MBA, I joined the management residency/administrative fellowship program here at Loma Linda, and was ultimately stationed within the physician billing office. There, I spent my time as fellow being an analyst and special project manager until the completion of my fellowship where I fully joined the ranks as an office manager. I managed the self-pay team, the internal float pool that I had developed during my fellowship, and our report writers/analysts.

Lauren Tanzer, MBA

Secretary

Penn Medicine

Thank you for the opportunity to be considered for the Executive Committee position of Secretary. When I joined AAAEM in 2022, I left my first retreat inspired and determined to one day serve in a leadership role. AAAEM is an incredible organization that brings together Emergency Medicine administrators committed to sharing innovative ideas and strengthening our departments nationwide. I am deeply committed to advancing AAAEM’s mission through initiatives that expand educational opportunities, enhance professional development, promote EM research, while ensuring responsible financial stewardship.

I currently serve as Chief Operating Officer for the Department of Emergency Medicine at Penn Medicine, overseeing operations across four EDs and an observation unit. I hold an MBA, a masters in Healthcare Quality and Safety, a PMP certification, and the Academic Emergency Medicine Administration (CAEMA) credential. My work frequently leverages AAAEM benchmark data to advocate for system-level improvements and to strengthen our departmental strategy.

As current Chair of the Membership Committee and an active member of the Education and Professional Development Committee, I have worked to enhance onboarding and elevate the Academy’s focus on professional growth. I value mentorship, collaboration, and helping others succeed, within AAAEM and across my institution.

If elected as Secretary, I will work to ensure that member voices remain front and center, foster meaningful engagement, and help drive innovation within the Academy. I see this role as an opportunity to connect people, ideas, and resources to strengthen our EM community and its broader impact.

Outside of work, I enjoy reading, being outdoors, and am frequently found running to my kids’ activities (usually calling my husband to determine pickup logistics with a minute to spare). I would be honored to serve on the Executive Committee and continue giving back to the community that has impacted my professional journey as an Emergency Medicine Administrator.

Alex Sirney

Sarayna McGuire, MD

Samuel Nesemann, MD

Samuel Parnell, MD

Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

UT Southwestern

Samuel Parnell, MD, is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at UT Southwestern. A former Chief Resident at Vanderbilt, his work focuses on medical education, patient safety, and quality improvement, with a passion for improving both learning environments and clinical care.

Jennifer (Schwieger) Graham

Ayman Yassa

Amanda Stratton

Rebecca Ryan, MD

Emergency Medicine Resident

Medical College of Wisconsin

Rebecca Ryan, MD, received her Doctor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) in 2023. She is currently an emergency medicine (EM) resident at MCW and serves as Chief Resident of Wellbeing and Engagement. Her interests include quality improvement with a focus on wellbeing and provider satisfaction, as well as medical student education.

Joel Hines, DO, MS

Emergency Medicine Resident

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Joel Hines, DO, MS, is a PGY-2 emergency medicine (EM) resident at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. A first-generation college graduate from rural mid-Michigan, he completed both a Master's in Biomedical Science and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine. During his undergraduate years, he discovered a passion for teaching and mentoring, which he carried through medical school where he was actively involved in peer tutoring, anatomy prosection, and board review for COMLEX and USMLE. As a resident, Dr. Hines continues to pursue his passion for medical education through teaching, lecturing, FOAMed, simulation development, and committee leadership roles.

Thomas Fetherston, MD

Emergency Medicine Resident

Yale School of Medicine

Thomas Fetherston, MD, received his Doctor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2022. He is currently a PGY-3 emergency medicine resident at the Yale School of Medicine, where he is a member of various committees and research focused on improving emergency department operations, veteran health, and traumatic brain injury.

Emily Burkes, MD

Emergency Medicine Resident

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Emily Burkes, MD, is a PGY-2 emergency medicine (EM) resident at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. She discovered her passion for EM while working as an emergency room technician during the COVID-19 pandemic. She later attended medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS, where she was actively involved in mentorship, community outreach, and tutoring. She has continued to pursue these interests throughout her residency by participating in the Resident Council, EM Interest Group (EMIG), and the Resident Wellness Committee.

Shannon Burke, MD

Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Medical College of Wisconsin

Shannon Burke, MD, is an assistant professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) in Milwaukee. She runs the Foundation of Emergency Medicine (FoEM) curriculum in the resident conference and is also a Co-Director of the Medical Education Scholarship Fellowship. Currently, she is also working as a developer for the new Preparing for Residency Course at MCW. Nationally, she serves as an associate director for the FoEM Foundations II course, Co-Chair for the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) Regional Meetings Committee, and member of the SAEM Education Committee.

Meryll Bouldin, MD

Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Meryll Bouldin, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). She graduated from the University of Missouri - Kansas City six-year medical program in 2016 and completed her emergency medicine (EM) residency at UAMS in 2019. In her final year of training, she was recognized nationally with the American Association of Women Emergency Physicians' "Resident Rocks It" award and the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine's (AWAEM) "Outstanding Resident Award and Travel Grant."

Dr. Bouldin is deeply committed to both graduate and undergraduate medical education. She served as core faculty for the UAMS EM residency program from 2020-2024 before becoming Associate Program Director. In this role, she works closely with residents on curriculum design, professional development, and mentorship. As Co-Chair of the Clinical Competency Committee, she plays a key role in resident assessment and feedback, helping ensure trainees' growth and readiness for independent practice. Her dedication to teaching also extends to medical students. She directs the Clinical Skills course for second-year students at the UAMS College of Medicine, guiding learners through their first structured experiences with patient care. Her enthusiasm for mentorship and her ability to connect with students and residents alike highlight her passion for developing future physicians.

Dr. Bouldin's academic interests include leadership development, equity and inclusion, feedback, and mentorship. She has presented nationally at CORD and SAEM, and locally at UAMS on topics ranging from leadership and mentorship to emotional intelligence, gender bias, and imposter syndrome. She is active in CORD, SAEM, and the AAMC's Group on Educational Affairs.