People

Ravi V. Chacko, MD, PhD

Advocate Health Care Network

"Improving Antibiotic Stewardship for Urinary Tract Infections Using Machine Learning"

Dr. Chacko is an emergency physician and the co-director of research and publication for the department of emergency medicine at Advocate Christ Medical Center. Dr. Chacko draws on a background in biomedical engineering to develop innovations in emergency medicine. Dr. Chacko completed the Medical Scientist Training Program at Washington University School of Medicine where he developed novel approaches to brain computer interfaces.

Torben K. Becker, MD, PhD, MBA

University of Florida Board of Trustees

"MotoMeds: Preventing Child Morbidity and Mortality from Infectious Diseases in Ghana"

Dr. Becker is an associate professor at the University of Florida. He is board-certified in emergency medicine, critical care medicine, and emergency medical services. After obtaining his MD and PhD at the University of Heidelberg Medical School in Germany, Dr. Becker completed his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Michigan, followed by fellowships in critical care medicine and emergency medical services at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Florida, respectively. He is the executive director – emergency medicine of the University of Florida Health Critical Care Organization. In the department of emergency medicine, he serves as chief of the division of critical care medicine and director of the section of global health.

Lauren K. Stewart, MD, MS

Trustees of Indiana University

"Targeting Metabolic Syndrome from the Emergency Department through Mixed-Methods"

Dr. Stewart is an assistant professor of emergency medicine and physician-scientist at Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed both her medical school training and her emergency medicine residency at Indiana University. Following residency, Dr. Stewart joined the faculty, where she has since completed a master’s degree in clinical research and a graduate certificate in innovation and implementation science. Her research focuses on the role of obesity and the related metabolic syndrome in venous thromboembolism, specifically its impact on outcomes affecting patient quality of life. As the recipient of the SAEMF Large Project Grant, Dr. Stewart will pilot a multifaceted intervention aimed at targeting metabolic syndrome risk factors from the emergency department setting.

Evangelia Murray, MD

Denver Health

"Comprehensive Emergency Department-based Social Needs Screening"

Dr. Murray is a clinical research fellow in the department of emergency medicine at Denver Health and the University of Colorado. After completion of her bachelor’s degree at Tufts University, she received her medical degree at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. Dr. Murray completed her emergency medicine residency at Denver Health. She will complete her Clinical Research Fellowship at Denver Health and Master of Public Health at the Colorado School of Public Health in the Spring of 2024. She will use the SAEMF Research Training Grant to evaluate the implementation of an ED-based digital self-administered social needs screening tool workflow that optimizes opportunity for screening, reduces bias, and ultimately allows staff to focus on interventions for those in need.

Nicholas Harrison, MD

Ashleigh Omorogbe, MD

PGY3

George Washington University Hospital

Ashleigh Omorogbe is a PGY3 emergency medicine resident at George Washington University Hospital. She received a BS in biological sciences and a BA in health administration policy at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and then spent a year working in Baltimore conducting violence prevention research and helping develop programs to serve Baltimore city youth. She completed her medical education at Indiana University, where she served as president of the Indiana State Medical Association, Medical Student Section.

Onyeka Otugo, MD, MPH, MPA

Attending Physician

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Dr. Onyeka Otugo completed a Health Policy Research and Translation fellowship in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where she currently serves as faculty. Additionally, she holds a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a Master of Public Health from Northwestern University. Her journey into emergency medicine was driven by her interests in policy and medicine, recognizing it as an avenue to advocate for underrepresented populations within our healthcare system. Throughout her career, Dr. Otugo has dedicated herself to dismantling barriers in healthcare access.

In addition, Dr. Otugo is also about addressing obstacles in medical education through teaching and mentorship. She piloted "Lift and Elevate," aimed at providing mentorship to junior Black women physicians and equipping them with skill development trainings such as negotiations. Her commitment to equity and education is further evidenced by her contributions to publications such as the New England Journal of Medicine, Stat News, USA Today, New York Times, Lancet, and BMJ, where she sheds light on the systemic disparities present in both healthcare and medical education.

Nancy Jacobson, MD

Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals

Nancy Jacobson received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009 and her Doctor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2014. She went on to complete an emergency medicine residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin, graduating in 2017. She splits her clinical practice between Froedtert Hospital and the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. She is committed to improving patient quality safety and experience in the Department of Emergency Medicine, as well as being dedicated to resident education and wellbeing. Since 2017, she has served as the faculty co-chair of the Medical College of Wisconsin Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Committee, and has published on workplace motivators and operational factors supporting physician wellness. She currently serves and the Medical College of Wisconsin System Director for Quality, Safety, and Experience; a Froedtert Hospital Emergency Department Medical Director, and a course co-director for the Medical College of Wisconsin Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Pathway. She is Department of Emergency Medicine Core Faculty and involved in resident teaching. Her research interests include patient safety, diagnostic error, system of care, quality improvement, physician wellness, and qualitative research.

Martin Huecker, MD

Associate Professor & Research Director, Department of Emergency Medicine

University of Louisville

Dr. Martin Huecker, MD, is co-editor in chief of the free, open access Journal of Wellness. He is an Associate Professor and the Research Director and Wellness Director in the Emergency Medicine department at the University of Louisville. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha honor societies. Dr. Huecker graduated from U of L's EM residency program (Chief Resident) in 2011. He works full-time seeing patients and teaching residents in the emergency department. His diverse research interests include substance use, accidental hypothermia, and healthcare professional wellness. Dr. Huecker is also a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician (DipABLM). He loves books, trail runs, dogs, and coffee. His wife is an OB/GYN and they have 4 children with cool names.

Susan Wojcik, PhD, ATC

Associate Professor & Director of Research, Department of Emergency Medicine

SUNY Upstate Medical University

Dr. Susan Wojcik is an Associate Professor in the Emergency Medicine Department at SUNY Upstate Medical University with over 23 years of emergency medicine research and education experience. She holds a PhD in Health Sciences from Trident University, a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Kentucky, a Bachelor of Science in Ceramic Engineering from Alfred University, and was a certified athletic trainer for 32 years. As the Director of Research since 2017, she provides oversight, leadership, and mentorship in all aspects of research and scholarly activities for the department. Dr. Wojcik is also the director of many educational programs including a fellow research seminar series, the residency research requirement, and a medical student research elective. When she is not conducting research and teaching, Dr. Wojcik enjoys doing home improvement projects and horseback riding and puzzles.

Megan Rybarczyk, MD, MPH, FACEP

University of Pennsylvania

Megan Rybarczyk, MD, MPH, FACEP is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and is the Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship Director. Her experiences in the field of Global Health have involved clinical work, research, and/or education all over the world in countries such as Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Uganda. Her research and academic interests are currently focused on EM education and training and emergency care systems development, particularly in low resource settings. 

Megan Rybarczyk, MD, MPH, FACEP

PGEM Program Director; GEMFC Past-Chair

University of Pennsylvania

Megan Rybarczyk, MD is from Muncie, Indiana and graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a major in the Biological Sciences and a minor in Anthropology. She received her medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed her residency training in emergency medicine at Boston Medical Center, serving her final year as a chief resident. She completed the Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship at the Harvard/Brigham and Women's Hospital Program, with a focus on education/curriculum development, EM program development, and emergency care systems development. Her experiences in the field of global health have involved clinical work, research, and/or education all over the world, and her research and academic interests are currently focused on EM education and training, particularly in low resource settings. She is currently the Academic Lead for the Certification Program in Emergency Medicine (CPEM) running in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Now at Penn, she is the Global EM Fellowship Director, and she is working to develop Global EM programming within the Department of Emergency Medicine and across the institution.

She has been an active member of GEMA for many years and she most recently served on the GEMA Global Engagement Committee, the WHO/ICRC BEC Course Workshop Task Force, the Fellowship Committee, and the GEMA Global EM Resources Handout Task Force. She has also been on the Business Meeting Planning Committee in the past. Additionally, she has served as Secretary to the Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship Consortium (GEMFC) for the last two years. Finally, she is also a member of AWAEM.

Rmaah Memon

Fellow (2024-2026

Rmaah Memon,MD obtained both her undergraduate and medical degree through the Six-Year BA/MD Program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and completed her residency training at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency at MGH/BWH. Her interests include emergency medicine capacity building and curriculum development in low- and middle-income countries, and she has worked on capacity building projects in Pakistan and Iraq during residency. Her prior work has also focused on improving access to refugee care through the implementation of health screening fairs. She has an interest in digital education and telehealth, and is currently leading a telemedicine initiative in Pakistan, primarily aiming to connect physicians in larger urban areas in Pakistan to patients who live in more rural areas. Through this project, she plans to create the first open-source educational curriculum for urgent care telemedicine for a global audience.

David W. Wright, MD

Member-at-Large

Emory University School of Medicine

As Chair of Emergency Medicine at Emory University, I have dedicated my career to strengthening the foundation of our specialty through scholarship, innovation, and the creation of systems that connect academic vision to real-world impact. My focus has been on developing sustainable, patient-centered models of care that improve access, quality, and equity, while empowering faculty and trainees to thrive as scholars and leaders.

Emergency Medicine now stands at an inflection point. We face existential threats—from workforce instability and financial pressure to the erosion of our research pipeline and academic foundation. Without a strong, coordinated commitment to research and innovation, we risk losing the very identity that distinguishes us as an academic discipline. Yet, these challenges also create extraordinary opportunities to reimagine how we deliver and study emergency care.

We must invest in building the next generation of physician-scientists, expand collaboration across departments, and leverage data, digital health, and AI to transform both patient outcomes and our scientific reach. Our departments must not simply adapt to disruption—they must define it through scholarship, discovery, and leadership.

Within AACEM, I have contributed to the Leadership Development and Research Workgroups, helping to advance cross-institutional collaboration and faculty development. If elected, I will work to strengthen our collective academic voice, accelerate innovation, and secure a sustainable research infrastructure that ensures Emergency Medicine’s relevance and influence for decades to come.

Our future depends on vision, unity, and courage—the willingness to confront challenges directly and to lead with purpose, scholarship, and conviction.

Stephen J. Wolf, MD

Member-at-Large

Denver Health Medical Center

It would be an honor to represent you as a Member-at-Large on the AACEM Executive Committee. For the past seven years, I have served as Chair of Emergency Medicine at Denver Health and significantly participated in our Academy. I currently co-direct the SAEM/AACEM Emerging Leaders Development (eLEAD) Program and lead the AACEM Leadership Development Working Group.

My background prioritizes service and commitment to our patients, learners, providers, and specialty. I am passionate about developing and aligning effective individuals, teams, and communities to multiply their impact and achieve outcomes. Each of my past and current roles has helped me develop the skills needed to advance that work. Locally, I have served as Program Director, Director of Education, Assistant then Associate Dean of UME, Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, and an appointed member on our Board’s Finance and Academic Committees. Nationally, I have served as an ACEP state chapter president, chair of CORD’s Academy for Scholarship, and Chair of ACEP’s Clinical Policy Committee. I continue to serve as an ABEM oral examiner and a member of ABEM’s Key Advanced Practice Committee.

AACEM is a remarkable community with a profound commitment to supporting and developing our academic departments and specialty. We are unique in the power of our collective voice, and we must use that voice to influence the issues that matter most to our learners, faculty, and departments. Learners must feel drawn to an inclusive and vibrant specialty; faculty need wellness, safety, and developmental resources; and departments must have the tools necessary to address challenges and meaningfully serve their communities.

If elected, I would focus on strengthening our internal developmental opportunities and amplifying our external impact. These two aims are linked: growing our members strengthens our collective voice.

Ralph Riviello, MD, MS

Member-at-Large

UT Health San Antonio

I have had over 26 years of academic emergency medicine experience. After graduating from Hahnemann University SOM, I completed my EM residency at Allegheny General Hospital in 1997 and served as Chief Resident in my final year of residency. I received a Master's Degree in Clinical Forensic Medicine in 2006, and have applied that experience in building my academic niche. During my career, I have held various roles in several spheres including, Director of Clinical Research, Associate Program Director, Vice Chair of Clinical Operations, and now Chair of Emergency Medicine. My experience as Chair as been in both the community academic and university settings. I am currently the Chair of EM at UT Health San Antonio. I have been a long-standing member of SAEM and AACEM. I currently serve on the AACEM Leader Development Workgroup and DEI Workgroup. I did complete the Chair Development Program and found it invaluable in the transition to Chair, and feel it is one of the most important aspects of what AACEM does. Though I have not served in an SAEM leadership role, I am Past-President and former board member of the Pennsylvania ACEP chapter, and have been a ACEP Section Leader. I am running for office as I feel that giving back to our organizations and my colleagues is an important role. I have benefited from the mentorship, wisdom, and counsel of many past and current members of this organization, that I feel it is my time to pay it forward and help shape the future of the organization. I hope to continue the good work AACEM has done and to move us even further. For me, priorities include increasing DEI across the specialty, especially in the face of hostile state environments and enhancing leader development through the CDP and our newest, eLEAD program. Creating, building, and sustaining a leader pipeline is so crucial for our organization and specialty, that is why I feel the eLEAD program is so important for the continued success of EM. As Chairs, with our various experiences and backgrounds, I think we are crucial in analyzing and responding to what happened in the last match and developing a comprehensive plan, with our other EM organizations, to analyze it, temporize it, and prevent it from ever happening again. Also, with the many other threats to and attacks on Academic EM, I feel the organization needs to be nimble and facile at responding to them, and arming chairs with the tools to help advance their departments at their own institutions. Additionally, my experience on community-based, Board of Directors, and leadership roles in these agencies will provide me a unique perspective in serving in this role.

Andra L. Blomkalns, MD, MBA

Member-at-Large

Stanford University School of Medicine

Ambrose H. Wong, MD, MSEd, MHS

SAEM Nominating Committee Member

Yale School of Medicine

My name is Ambrose Wong, MD, MSEd, MHS, and I am an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and an academic physician-scientist at Yale School of Medicine. I have been active with SAEM and have been involved in leadership positions consecutively since senior year of residency in 2014. I was on the executive board for the SAEM’s Simulation Academy for the past seven years, including President for 2022-23. My focus has been to support national simulation-based research collaborations, which has led to multiple academy-based publications on topics ranging from virtual mentoring to assessment of models for procedural competency training. I was the recipient of the inaugural Simulation Academy Change Agent Award in 2021, which recognizes transformational leadership in the service of SAEM and the Simulation Academy. I also serve on the SAEM Research Committee, focusing on increasing the pipeline for career development awards in academic emergency medicine and chairing the objective for submitting high-quality research didactics during the Annual Meeting.

My research focuses on teamwork, patient safety, behavioral health, and healthcare disparities. As the Research Director and Fellowship Director at Yale Center for Medical Simulation, I use healthcare simulation technology to improve teamwork and patient safety. I am the recipient of a career development (K23) award from the National Institute of Mental Health to use informatics for preventing symptoms of psychomotor agitation in patients with behavioral crises. I also received an R21 exploratory research award from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to address disproportionate use of physical restraints on historically marginalized populations in the emergency department. This year, I received approval for funding from PCORI for a $6.9 million, five-year broad pragmatic study to implement peer support enhanced behavioral crisis response teams in the emergency department.

I attended Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. I obtained my Emergency Medicine residency training at NYU & Bellevue Hospitals Center in New York City, serving as chief resident physician in my final year. I subsequently completed a medical simulation fellowship at NYU School of Medicine & New York Simulation Center for the Health Sciences. I received a Master of Science in Health Professions Education at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions and a Master of Health Sciences from Yale School of Medicine.

I am honored to be considered for a position on the SAEM Nominating Committee. As an elected member of the Nominating Committee, I hope to help ensure that candidates from a wide spectrum of expertise and interests across the society are represented in candidates running for leadership positions. This is especially important for groups with smaller memberships or are otherwise underrepresented within SAEM. In addition, I will aim to objectively represent the broad interests of general membership when assisting in selecting nominees for the Board and elected positions of standing committees.

Leon D. Sanchez, MD, MPH

SAEM Nominating Committee Member

Brigham & Womens Hospital/Harvard Medical School

I am currently the Chief of Emergency Medicine at the MGB Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. Prior to that I was the Vice Chair for Network Operations at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. I am an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School with expertise in the field of Emergency Medicine Operations.  I have  over 20 years of healthcare administration experience. Areas of recent focus include operational improvement, patient flow and throughput optimization, queuing, and schedule optimization.

I am interested in continuing my leadership and service contributions to SAEM. I have been a member of several SAEM committees and currently serve as the Chair of the operations committee. I have also contributed to didactic presentations at SAEM and strive to develop and mentor more junior faculty. If elected I hope to help advance the SAEM mission and help develop the future leaders of Emergency Medicine.

Angela Jarman, MD, MPH

Vice-President of Career Development

University of California, Davis

I am running for Vice-President of Career Development of AWAEM. I am currently an Associate Professor and the Director of Sex & Gender in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis.

I have served in various leadership positions within SAEM, and my past organizational leadership experiences make me well-qualified for this position on the executive committee of AWAEM. I chaired the Chair of the Sex & Gender Interest Group (SGIG) from 2020-2023 and we had some of the most successful years since the group’s inception. Each year under my leadership, the SGIG sponsored a record number of well attended and collaborative didactics at the annual meeting and published multiple peer reviewed articles focused on sex and gender specific topics. I am an active member of the AWAEM research committee and have previously held leadership positions with the AWAEM; I was the pre-conference workshop chair in 2020 and 2021. I am an active member of both AWAEM and ADIEM and have been a featured speaker on national webinars sponsored by each group. Finally, I have served on many committees through my years on faculty.

I have experience building curricula, designing research studies, supporting professional development, particularly for underrepresented groups. I believe these experiences and broad professional network will help me to serve in this role. Further, the majority of my service roles both locally and national focus on equity, with attention to intersectionality.
I have always sought to be a leader in academic medicine, and serving on the AWAEM EC would allow me to have a significant impact within AWAEM and continue to support the mission of advancing academic EM through education, research, and professional development. My experience across all domains of this mission makes me an excellent candidate to serve in this capacity and I would appreciate your support.