People

Carl M. Preiksaitis, MD

Stanford University

"The Evaluation of Learning Resources (EvaLeR) in Emergency Medicine"

Dr. Preiksaitis is a medical education fellow and clinical instructor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stanford University. He completed his medical training at New York University School of Medicine and a residency in emergency medicine at Stanford. His scholarly interests include digital media and medical education, reproductive health care in the emergency department, and heath care innovation. Dr. Preiksaitis is currently pursuing a master's degree in medical education at the University of Cincinnati. His grant project, the Evaluation of Learning Resources (EvaLeR) in Emergency Medicine will develop a new method to rigorously compare the quality of emergency medicine textbooks and digital learning resources. The results of this work will help to inform selection and development of learning materials for future emergency medicine education.

Rebecca E. Cash, PhD

Massachusetts General Hospital

"An Evaluation of the Current State of Prehospital Routing Decisions for Stroke"

I am an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School, research staff at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a biostatistician/epidemiologist at the Emergency Medicine Network (EMNet). I provide statistical support and expertise for all EMNet projects. I am also a paramedic with expertise in emergency medical services (EMS) research. I began my career as an emergency medical technician and then paramedic, providing me with valuable first-hand insight into the prehospital care system and, specifically, stroke care in the prehospital setting.

My research has focused on the EMS workforce and systems of care. I have specific training and expertise in survey research, large dataset analyses, geospatial methods and analyses, as well as statistical methods such as mixed effects modeling and generalized estimating equations. During my doctoral training at The Ohio State University, I served as an EMS Research Fellow at the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, gaining valuable experience conducting EMS and emergency medicine research.

Michelle Nassal, MD, PhD

The Ohio State University

"Artificial Intelligence for Dynamic, Individualized CPR Guidance: AID CPR"

Dr. Nassal is an assistant professor of emergency medicine and physician-scientist at The Ohio State University. After completion of her bachelor’s degree at the University of California San Diego, she received an MD and a PhD in cardiac physiology at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Nassal completed her emergency medicine residency and emergency medicine research fellowship at The Ohio State University. She will use the SAEMF Research Training Grant to evaluate intra-arrest tools that can be harnessed to improve out of hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation.

Valerie Mika, MS

Administrative Director for Research

Wayne State University

Valerie Mika is the Director of Clinical Research Operations in the Department of Emergency Medicine Research at Wayne State University. She overlooks operations at Detroit Receiving Hospital, Sinai Grace Hospital, and Harper University Hospital.   She has been working in the Department for the past 16 years.  She received her B.S. in Biomedical Physics with University Honors and her M.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Wayne State University. Valerie has helped submit three large NIH funded consortium grants that have been funded in the department. She is currently finishing up her PhD in Biomedical Engineering.  Valerie’s passion is emergency research.

Julie A. Stilley, PhD

Director of EM Research

University of Missouri

Julie Stilley, PhD, is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Missouri and the Director of Emergency Medicine Research. Originally trained as a traditional bench scientist, she was invited to restructure the Research Division in the Department of Emergency Medicine in the School of Medicine. There she facilitates all aspects of research from state-wide EMS programs, grant-funded projects and collaborations, medical student and resident research mentorship, and investigator-initiated or sponsored clinical trials. She has experience in a wide variety of research activities, but finds mentorship most rewarding.

Rebecca Cash, PhD, MPH, NRP

Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Harvard Medical School

Rebecca Cash, PhD, MPH, NRP, is an assistant professor of emergency medicine (EM) at Harvard Medical School. She received her undergraduate degree from Boston University, her Master of Public Health from the University of Louisville, and her PhD in epidemiology from The Ohio State University. Dr. Cash completed an emergency medical services (EMS) research fellowship at the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians during her doctoral training.

Dr. Cash has over a decade of experience working in EMS, first working on an ambulance as an emergency medical technician and paramedic, and now as an EMS researcher. Her research focus is on describing and understanding the EMS workforce, occupational health and safety of EMS professionals, and prehospital care. She is particularly interested in the sleep health and cardiovascular disease risks of EMS professionals. Dr. Cash is currently a faculty member of the Emergency Medicine Network (EMNet), a multi-center collaboration that aims to improve public health through projects in emergency care.

Adam Blumenberg, MD

Emergency Toxicologist and Simulationist

NewYork-Presbyterian: Columbia

Christie Lech, MD

Emergency Medicine Medical Education Fellowship Director

NewYork-Presbyterian: Cornell

Manish Garg, MD

Senior Director of Learner Development and Academic Advising

New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell & Columbia

Manish Garg, MD, is a professor of emergency medicine and Senior Director of Learner Development and Academic Advising at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell and Columbia. A national leader in medical education and global health, he has published widely on teaching, resuscitation, and emerging infectious diseases. He has also acted as an expert witness in medicolegal cases and has been recognized for his outstanding mentorship of learners at all levels, including being named Residency Program Director of the Year by CORD in 2024 and AAEM in 2025.

Oriane Longerstaey, MD

The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Oriane Longerstaey is a first year fellow in global emergency medicine at Brown University, and she is working in mass casualty preparedness and development of emergency medicine education.

Naz Karim, MD, MHA, MPH

Associate Professor

Brown University

Dr. Naz Karim is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Director of the Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship at Brown University and adjunct professor at Bryant University. Dr. Karim is currently serving as the president of the SAEM Global Emergency Medicine Academy. She is a past member of the Brown Emergency Medicine Board of Directors. Naz completed her Global Emergency Medicine fellowship through the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and has received multiple Masters in Healthcare Administration, Biomedical Sciences, and Public Health. Globally, Dr. Karim has presented emergency medicine topics at international conferences in Nicaragua, Rwanda, Ecuador, Egypt, Ireland and South Africa. Additionally, she has contributed to both educational endeavors and global emergency medicine research in Rwanda. Her educational endeavors include the development of the first Emergency Medicine curriculum for residents in Rwanda.

Wendy Wesley

Global Emergency Medicine Coordinator