Jonathan St George, MD

Founder & Executive Director

Jonathan St. George, MD, is the founder of The Protected Airway Collaborative and an emergency physician dedicated to transforming how clinicians learn airway management. His career spans urban academic centers, rural hospitals, disaster response, and international medicine, experiences that shape his vision for innovative, practice-driven education. Through PAC, he combines immersive simulation, digital platforms, and creative design to create learning spaces where clinicians at every level can refine skills, stay inspired, and deliver safer care. His mission is to turn the complex into the engaging, and the critical into the unforgettable—improving patient outcomes worldwide.

Sara Murphy DO – EM/CC

Director of the Physiologically Difficult Airway

Dr. Sara Murphy is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, with a dual focus in Critical Care Medicine & Emergency Medicine. Dr. Murphy is the creator and director of the Physiologically Difficult Airway learning space, an innovative educational initiative that integrates physiology, airway management, and critical care decision-making. A passionate educator, she is deeply committed to advancing the next generation of emergency and critical care physicians through immersive, physiology-driven training.

Chris Root MD – EM/EMS

Director of the Situationally Difficult Airway

Chris Root is an emergency medicine resident and flight physician in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He first became passionate about airway management while working as a New York City paramedic for nearly a decade. His interests include prehospital airway management, airway management during cardiac arrest, team dynamics during resuscitation, and, most importantly, breakfast burritos.

Wojciech Piechowski PA-C

Director of Own the Head of the Bed & Creative Director

Program Director for the PA Emergency Medicine residency program, and commited educator. He has been a core faculty member at the Protected Airway Collaborative since its inception. He plays a crucial role in developing, planning, and producing educational content for the Airway Course. He also enjoys playing guitar, recording, and mixing sound.

Stephen Meigher MD – EM

Director of the Join the OxygeNATION Learning Space

Dr. Meigher is a graduate of Jacobi and Montefiore Emergency Medicine, where he served as chief resident.  He is an attending physician with the Columbia Department of Emergency Medicine and is passionate about skill development education, particularly in nuanced airway management.  He is most interested in studying and teaching the intersection of skill proficiency and risk-mitigation decision-making.  When not on shift or teaching, he often travels the world rock climbing, ice climbing, and mountaineering, where he finds inspiration and insight in managing risk and training intense decision making.  

Rohan Panchamia MD – Anesthesiology

Director of the Anatomically Difficult Airway

Dr. Rohan Panchamia is a board-certified Anesthesiologist specializing in critical care medicine and transplant anesthesiology. He graduated from the Seven-Year Dual B.A./M.D. program at The George Washington University. Dr. Panchamia completed his anesthesia residency at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College. He then pursued a fellowship in critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His clinical interests include critical care ultrasound, liver anesthesia, trauma anesthesia, advanced airway education, and resuscitative transesophageal echocardiography. 

Jim DuCanto MD – Anesthesiology

Creator & Director the SALAD Learning Space

Dr. Jim DuCanto is a tireless educator and innovator. He has collaborated worldwide with Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Prehospital and Retrieval Medical educators. Through his collaborations with colleagues in these diverse specialties, he has produced innovations related to Prehospital, Emergency Medicine and Critical Care airway management with the invention of a specialized rigid suction catheter (the “SSCOR DuCanto Suction Catheter”) as well as techniques to manage the massively soiled airway (the “SALAD” Technique), and a simulator to demonstrate and practice the SALAD technique (the Nasco Life/form® S.A.L.A.D. Simulator).

Oscar Mitchell – PCCM

Bronchoscopy & HALO Procedures Faculty Lead

Oscar is a Pulmonary and Critical Care attending at Penn Medicine and the Center for Resuscitation Science in Philadelphia. He is passionate about improving the care for patients during cardiac arrest and in the peri-arrest period. He is currently exploring the best ways to deliver education around high acuity, low occurrence (HALO) procedures and immersing himself in the world of in-situ simulations in the MICU. His educational conference, REVIVE, focusses on resuscitation, cardiac arrest, and post-arrest care. 

Sean Runnels MD – Anesthesiology

Airway Geometry Bougie & Tube Introducer Lead

Dr. Runnels is the founder, inventor, and driving force behind Through The Cords. He is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Utah. He was fellowship-trained as a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist at Cambridge University in the UK and has extensive experience in difficult airway management in both high-resource and low-resource settings. In 2015, he returned to his practice at the University of Utah after a three-year sabbatical teaching in Africa. He spent one year in Guinea on the surgical hospital ship Africa Mercy and two years as faculty at the National University of Rwanda. He is focused on decreasing the costs of and simplifying difficult airway management with the long term goal of increasing access to surgical care in developing countries. 

Oliver Panzer MD (critical care)

Physiologically Difficult Airway Ultrasound Lead Faculty

An Anesthesia and Critical Care Physician. Early on, I was drawn to the enormous potential of ultrasound in the perioperative setting. As part of my passion for using POCUS in complex patients, I developed an interest in teaching the management of difficult airways, especially the management of the physiologically difficult airway, and using POCUS to evaluate critically ill physiology before intubation and preparing for Front-of-neck-airway (FONA). I joined the Protected Airway Collaborative in 2019 as faculty and am the director of the “Airway Leads” project at my home institution, the Hospital for Special Surgery. 

Jess Boyle FP-C, CCP-C – EMS

Director & Creative Lead for the Airway Stress Lab

Jess Boyle—proud New Yorker, husband, and father—is an accomplished EMS leader and educator. A board‑certified paramedic (adult, pediatric, neonatal) and flight paramedic turned educator, he is an expert in mobile medical simulation training critical care transport. Jess has shared insights at academic and industry conferences on difficult airway management and medical responses to chemical and biological threats, and continues to train physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and allied professionals across the New York metro area.

Emilio Del Busto – EMS

Co-Director of Join the OxygeNATION Learning Space

Joined the PAC in 2016. I’m an NYC 911 and Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit paramedic for New York Presbyterian Hospital with over 15 years of EMS experience. I am passionate about airway and moving forward with the PAC philosophy of OxygeNATION. One of my specialties is using Supraglottic Airways (SGAs) effectively and how they can be used as the middle way with a difficult airway.

Michael Defillipo – EM/EMS

Expert Lead Physiologically Difficult Airway Learning Space

Dr. Michael DeFilippo is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. Before medicine, he dedicated over a decade to paramedicine and critical care transport, laying a foundation that vividly informs his high‑stakes airway expertise.

An educator and researcher at heart, Dr. DeFilippo focuses on airway management, resuscitation science, ultrasound, and EMS innovation.

Passionate about precision and impact, he enriches PAC with a blend of operational expertise, educational innovation, and a genuine love for both science and clarity.

Ralph Slepian MD – Anesthesiology

Creator & Expert Lead Fiberoptic Learning Space

Dr. Slepian is nationally recognized for his expertise in managing difficult airways, including advanced fiberoptic intubation, and anesthetizing complex cardiothoracic and pediatric patients. He frequently teaches residents these airway techniques and has contributed to research in this critical area. His knowledge was sought out by the ASA Task Force for expert review and commentary during the development of the ASA Difficult Airway Practice Guidelines.

Michael Aboodi MD – PCCM

Emergency Tracheostomy Care Curriculum Lead

Dr. Aboodi is the faculty lead for a cutting‑edge curriculum focused on emergency tracheostomy care. Including critical airway management, tracheostomy tube assessment, decannulation processes, and managing tracheostomy-related emergencies like obstruction or hemorrhage. Dr. Aboodi has co‑authored significant research examining the impact of critical care specialist intervention on first-pass success in emergency airway management outside the ICU, underscoring his investigational interest in optimizing procedural outcomes

Kelly Crane MD – PCCM

Emergency Tracheostomy Care Curriculum Lead

Kelly Crane is a critical care physician and educator who designs and develops simulation programs to help teach airway skills. Notably she was instrumental in developing the tracheostomy emergencies learning space for the Protected Airway.

Luca Ünlu, MD – EM

Co-Director The Protected Airway Collaborative (Germany)

Luca Ünlü is a physician and researcher from Germany, currently working at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland. With a background as a paramedic, he has a strong interest in emergency airway management, resuscitation, and prehospital care. Passionate about medical education, he is working with Christian Hohenstein to bring the Protected Airway Collaborative to Europe. 

Maria Lame MD – PEM

Co-Director The Pediatric Airway Learning Space

Dr. Maria Lame is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Dr. Lame is recognized for her leadership in medical education, simulation, and telemedicine, and is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her scholarly contributions include pioneering pediatric studies aimed at enhancing airway and emergency readiness through simulation-informed training

Susan Fraymovich MD – PEM

Co-Director The Pediatric Airway Learning Space

Dr. Susan Fraymovich is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine, and serves as Director of Education for Pediatric Emergency Medicine. She is the co-director of the Pediatric Airway Learning Space, bringing innovative, emotionally resonant curriculum to life at PAC events. Dr. Fraymovich blends clinical expertise with educational creativity.

Andrew Merelman DO – EM/EMS

Dr. Andrew Merelman is an Emergency Medicine resident at the University of New Mexico with a strong academic and clinical focus on airway management, procedural safety, and simulation-based training. He has published widely on topics such as bougie-first intubation, alternatives to RSI, and performance under stress in airway emergencies. Dr. Merelman brings a modern, evidence-informed approach to airway education, emphasizing innovation, safety, and adaptability in high-stakes environments.

Chris Reisig MD – EM

Co-Director The Protected Airway Collaborative Simulation Program

Neel Naik MD – EM

Co-Director The Protected Airway Collaborative Simulation Program

Sagar Nakrani MD – EM

Cardiac Arrest Airway Program Lead

Christian Hohenstein MD

Co-Director The Protected Airway Collaborative (Germany)

Ahmed Shaik – EM/CC

Dr. Ahmed Shaikh, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Critical Care Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, caring for patients across multiple New York hospitals. Board-certified in both Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Medicine,

A passionate educator, Dr. Shaikh leads surgical airway education at PAC, bringing his expertise in high-acuity airway management to this critical domain of practice. His academic interests extend to innovation in critical care, including AI-driven decision support and public health initiatives aimed at improving systems of care.

Biren Bhatt MD – EM

Dr. Biren A. Bhatt, MD is an Emergency Medicine physician at Hackensack University Medical Center and Clinical Faculty with Hackensack Meridian Medical Group, where he brings over a decade of frontline experience to his clinical and teaching endeavors. In his role as a leading educator at PAC he is a seasoned clinician and educator who enriches his airway training with practical wisdom grounded in high-stakes emergency care.

Frank Lovaglio MD – EM/IM

Dr. Frank H. Lovaglio, MD is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Columbia University. He is double board-certified in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine,. With decades of clinical experience in high-acuity emergency settings, Dr. Lovaglio brings seasoned expertise and educational depth to advanced airway management training—anchoring content in real-world medicine and patient-centered care.

Anju Wagh MD – PEM

James Horowitz MD – Cardiology/CC

Dr. James M. Horowitz, MD, FACC is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone Health and the Medical Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, focusing on cardiology and critical care cardiology. He is an acclaimed expert in the management of high-risk pulmonary embolism, blending hemodynamic and respiratory strategies to improve outcomes in critically ill patients. Notably, he co-authored pivotal works on emergency respiratory management in acute PE—including “Intensive Care Management of the Patient With Hemodynamically Significant Pulmonary Embolism” and contributions to Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) protocols.

Christina Massaro – CRNA

Christina Massaro, is a co-founder of Confident Care Academy, where she teaches advanced critical care and anesthesia skills—including airway management—through workshops and simulation-based conferences aimed at ICU nurses and aspiring CRNAs. Active in educational innovation, Christina brings engaging, accessible training to high-stakes scenarios, including airway maneuvers demonstrated on social media and immersive skill-building events in New York City.

Robert Finklestein MD – PEM/CC

Dr. Robert A. Finkelstein, MD is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Associate Pediatric Trauma Medical Director at NewYork Presbyterian Weill Cornell, he brings dual fellowship expertise in Pediatric Critical Care and Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Finkelstein leads Weill Cornell’s multidisciplinary pediatric trauma simulation curriculum, co-leads the Trauma In Kids (TRIK) course, and serves on national committees shaping pediatric trauma and transfusion guidelines. A committed educator, he is deeply engaged in teaching pediatric critical airway management and ventilation strategies, bringing evidence-based rigor and simulation realism to his learners.

Jess LaPadula FP-C – EMS

Jesse LaPadula, FP-C is a seasoned flight paramedic and educator specializing in advanced airway interventions. He is best known for his work with Dr. Jim DuCanto teaching the SALAD (Suction-Assisted Laryngoscopy Airway Decontamination) technique, preparing clinicians to manage massively contaminated airways in high-pressure environments. His teaching combines hands-on realism with a practical, prehospital perspective, making complex airway techniques accessible and memorable. When he’s not teaching or flying, Jesse channels his creativity into building custom guitars.

Jace Mullen – FP-C

Jace Mullen, FP-C is a critical care flight paramedic and dedicated airway educator based in Denver. He specializes in surgical airway decision-making, human factors, and the mental readiness required for emergency cricothyrotomy.

A featured guest on Prodigy EMS’s The EMS Educator podcast, Jace shares insights on enhancing instructional delivery and fostering engaging, self-directed learning environments in airway education. He has contributed to critical care literature—co-authoring a review on managing hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome during transport—a testament to his clinical and scholarly reach in high-acuity medicine.

Guadalupe Jimenez MD – EM

Dr. Guadalupe Jimenez is an attending Emergency Medicine physician at Lincoln Hospital (NYC Health + Hospitals). A former U.S. Navy hospital corpsman with multiple combat deployments—including serving in trauma evacuation roles—she brings unmatched composure and clinical acumen to high-stakes environments. A 2020 Tillman Scholar, she is committed to serving underserved and veteran communities

Thomas Yang MD – EM

Dr. Thomas Yang, MD, MEdHP, MS is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he serves as Director of Simulation and Medical Director of the Froedtert Hospital Simulation Center. A Yale-trained simulation fellow, he is a prolific educator and curriculum innovator, with published work in telesimulation and scenario design. Dr. Yang brings his emergency medicine and simulation expertise to PAC, enhancing hands-on training and immersive airway education.

Lucy Willis MD – EM