Program

Dr. Thomas E. Serena MD FACS FACHM MAPWCA, Founder and Medical Director of The SerenaGroup®, a family of wound, hyperbaric and research companies, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The College of William and Mary and Penn State Medical School. He completed his residency in Surgery at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with additional year of training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Southern Illinois University. To date he has opened and operates wound care centers across the United Sates and globally. Dr. Serena has been the lead or Principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials, including gene therapy for critical limb ischemia, antimicrobial dressings, growth factors, topical and parenteral antibiotics and CTP therapy. He founded the first wound healing cooperative research group that produced more than 12 manuscripts in 2016 alone. In 2011 he developed a diagnostic technique that now bears his name (The Serena Technique©). He holds numerous patents on wound care devices and dressings. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the field of wound healing: He has more than 200 published papers and has given more than 1000 invited lectures throughout the world. He has published three medical textbooks and authored numerous book chapters. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Wound Healing Society and served two terms on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) and is now the President-Elect. He has also been Vice-President of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine and President of the American Professional Wound Care Association. Dr. Serena has done extensive medical relief work with Health Volunteers Overseas and served as chairman of the AAWC Global Volunteers/HVO Steering Committee until 2016. In 2016 in partnership with HEAL Foundation he opened a wound clinic in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Outside of wound healing, he consulted for the government of Rwanda on AIDS prevention research.

Dr. Garth James received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1990 and completed his PhD at the University of Calgary in 1996, under the supervision of Dr. JW (Bill) Costerton. For the past 15 years, he has managed the Medical Biofilm Laboratory (MBL) at the Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE), Montana State University. His research has focused on microbial biofilms and has involved general and molecular microbiology as well as a variety of advanced microscopy techniques. He has used in-vitro models to evaluate a wide-variety of traditional and novel antimicrobial treatments against biofilms. He has also been involved in chronic wound research for the past fifteen years, which has included the characterization of biofilms from human wound specimens, development of single-species and polymicrobial in-vitro wound biofilm models, development of biofilm/cell culture and murine models, and measurement of oxygen gradients within biofilms.

Dr. Thomas E. Serena MD FACS FACHM MAPWCA, Founder and Medical Director of The SerenaGroup®, a family of wound, hyperbaric and research companies, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The College of William and Mary and Penn State Medical School. He completed his residency in Surgery at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with additional year of training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Southern Illinois University. To date he has opened and operates wound care centers across the United Sates and globally. Dr. Serena has been the lead or Principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials, including gene therapy for critical limb ischemia, antimicrobial dressings, growth factors, topical and parenteral antibiotics and CTP therapy. He founded the first wound healing cooperative research group that produced more than 12 manuscripts in 2016 alone. In 2011 he developed a diagnostic technique that now bears his name (The Serena Technique©). He holds numerous patents on wound care devices and dressings. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the field of wound healing: He has more than 200 published papers and has given more than 1000 invited lectures throughout the world. He has published three medical textbooks and authored numerous book chapters. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Wound Healing Society and served two terms on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) and is now the President-Elect. He has also been Vice-President of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine and President of the American Professional Wound Care Association. Dr. Serena has done extensive medical relief work with Health Volunteers Overseas and served as chairman of the AAWC Global Volunteers/HVO Steering Committee until 2016. In 2016 in partnership with HEAL Foundation he opened a wound clinic in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Outside of wound healing, he consulted for the government of Rwanda on AIDS prevention research.

Dr. Claudiu Georgescu is an infectious disease specialist in Toledo, Ohio and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including ProMedica Toledo Hospital and University of Toledo Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy and spend his residency in Internal Medicine at the State University of New York (SUNY) Brooklyn. Special interested include Antimicrobial Stewardship and Outcomes of Patients treated with Antibiotics; Management of HIV/AIDS.

Barbara Pieper, PhD, RN is a Professor and Interim Associate Dean Faculty Affairs, College of Nursing, Wayne State University. For 26 years, she had a clinical practice providing wound care to persons who inject drugs. She has many publications. She was recently selected as a Fulbright Scholar to Trinidad-Tobago 2020.

Jennifer Hurlow is a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner and Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse who has dedicated the past 20 years to the management of wounds. Her experience includes all care venues including Nursing Homes, Home Health, Hospital and Outpatient settings. She has authored and co-authored a number of papers on wound, skin, and continence issues and has a special interest in clinical identification and management of wound biofilm. Jennifer has most recently been in the UK where she has studied biofilm from a microbiological perspective. She has now returned to clinical practice in the US where she works with Infectious Disease specialists and consults in local long-term care.

Dr. Lindsay Kalan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the School of Medicine and Public Health. She obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from McMaster University where she the studied evolution of antibiotic resistance in the environment and clinic. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania where she developed methods to employ whole genome shotgun (WGS) metagenomic sequencing and analysis to decipher the functional and pathogenic potential of microbial communities in diabetic foot ulcers. She was awarded the Wound Healing Societies Young Investigator Award for this work. Dr. Kalan’s current research is aimed at investigating the ecology of the skin and interactions with microbes that maintain a health or promote pathogenesis in the context of wound healing. This is accomplished using a highly inter-disciplinary approach, spanning the fields of genomics, microbiology, chemistry, and computation biology. She utilizes human clinical specimens, in vitro experiments, and animal models to probe microbial community dynamics, resistance to treatment, and host immune responses. Combined, her work has led to publications in high-end peer reviewed journals such as Nature, mBio, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Chemistry and Biology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), and Advances in Wound Care.

Dr Wolcott is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and has been in full time wound care since 1998. In 2005 in conjunction with Bill Costerton PhD and Center for Biofilm Engineering, Dr Wolcott was a co principle investigator in an NIH grant looking specifically at wound biofilm. The research has evolved into developing diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for chronic infections in general but with a specific interest in wound microbiota mainly in biofilm phenotype. Dr Wolcott still is active day to day in wound care which allows the participation in multiple clinical studies. Dr Wolcott’s main area of research is the development of a biobank to store up to 70,000 samples of patient’s DNA along with samples of their wounds each visit until healing. The primary focus is to develop diagnostic tests that define a chronic infection and can document changes which will assist the clinician in management.

Dr. Nazzal is a graduate of University of Kuwait School of Medicine, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (UK), Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Fellow of the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists. Board certified in General, Vascular and Wound Surgery, Dr. Nazzal also obtained an MBA degree from the University of Toledo, and Certified Physician Executive (CPE). Heavily involved in surgical education and Program director of Surgery for 7 years. Dr. Nazzal is currently Vice Chair of Education, research, and Chief Division of Surgery Education in the University of Toledo. He is involved in creating Simulation courses, cadaver workshops and other educational programs. He is co-director of a regional meeting in wound, international wound and diabetic limb Salvage meeting and co-director of the Middle East Venous Forum to start in October. Dr. Nazzal won the University of Toledo President ward as Top 25 best researchers in 2018, multiple teaching awards and has been chosen as the Teacher of the year by senior residents multiple times.

Dr. Claudiu Georgescu is an infectious disease specialist in Toledo, Ohio and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including ProMedica Toledo Hospital and University of Toledo Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy and spend his residency in Internal Medicine at the State University of New York (SUNY) Brooklyn. Special interested include Antimicrobial Stewardship and Outcomes of Patients treated with Antibiotics; Management of HIV/AIDS.

Karen Bauer is a Wound Certified Nurse Practitioner. She graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Toledo and an M.S. from the Ohio State University. She has been practicing as a nurse practitioner for 12 years, with 10 of those years being in the field of wound management and vascular medicine. She currently practices at the University of Toledo Medical Center as well as multiple outreach sites encompassing ambulatory clinics, long-term care, and acute care centers. She is certified as a wound specialist through the American Board of Wound Management and currently serves as both the Director of Wound Services at the University of Toledo in the Division of Vascular, Endovascular, and Wound Surgery, and the Program Director at the Fulton County Wound and Hyperbaric Center. She served as the Consumer Board Member for the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care from 2016-2018, engaging in multiple committees and initiatives. She is a current nurse board member for the AAWC. She is also an Editorial Board Member forwound Management and Prevention. Karen lectures locally to medical and nursing students, regionally, nationally, and has spoken on an international level. She is a published researcher and is currently projected to graduate with her Doctorate of Nursing Practice in the Spring of 2019. She loves dogs, yoga, and watching her daughter play soccer in her free time.

Dr. Thomas E. Serena MD FACS FACHM MAPWCA, Founder and Medical Director of The SerenaGroup®, a family of wound, hyperbaric and research companies, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The College of William and Mary and Penn State Medical School. He completed his residency in Surgery at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with additional year of training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Southern Illinois University. To date he has opened and operates wound care centers across the United Sates and globally. Dr. Serena has been the lead or Principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials, including gene therapy for critical limb ischemia, antimicrobial dressings, growth factors, topical and parenteral antibiotics and CTP therapy. He founded the first wound healing cooperative research group that produced more than 12 manuscripts in 2016 alone. In 2011 he developed a diagnostic technique that now bears his name (The Serena Technique©). He holds numerous patents on wound care devices and dressings. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the field of wound healing: He has more than 200 published papers and has given more than 1000 invited lectures throughout the world. He has published three medical textbooks and authored numerous book chapters. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Wound Healing Society and served two terms on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) and is now the President-Elect. He has also been Vice-President of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine and President of the American Professional Wound Care Association. Dr. Serena has done extensive medical relief work with Health Volunteers Overseas and served as chairman of the AAWC Global Volunteers/HVO Steering Committee until 2016. In 2016 in partnership with HEAL Foundation he opened a wound clinic in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Outside of wound healing, he consulted for the government of Rwanda on AIDS prevention research.

Ms. Couch graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing (FNP) from Georgetown University in 2002. Since 2004, she has been credentialed as a Certified Wound Specialist by the American Board of Wound Management. She became a Certified Wound Care Nurse-Advanced Practice by the Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses Board in August 2018. Her primary wound interests are in amputee care, wound infection and venous ulcers. Currently she works as an NP in the Wound Healing and Limb Preservation Center at George Washington University Hospital. In 2018, Kara became the director of inpatient wound care at George Washington University Hospital. She is an assistant research professor of surgery at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University and Clinical Associate at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Ms. Couch is the current nurse board member of the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders and the Secretary of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC). She is an editorial board member of Ostomy-Wound Management, Today’s Wound Clinic and WoundSource 2019. Kara is the liaison for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners to the Alliance. In 2017, she was voted onto the Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee of the Amputee Coalition. She became Chair in 2019.

Karen Bauer is a Wound Certified Nurse Practitioner. She graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Toledo and an M.S. from the Ohio State University. She has been practicing as a nurse practitioner for 12 years, with 10 of those years being in the field of wound management and vascular medicine. She currently practices at the University of Toledo Medical Center as well as multiple outreach sites encompassing ambulatory clinics, long-term care, and acute care centers. She is certified as a wound specialist through the American Board of Wound Management and currently serves as both the Director of Wound Services at the University of Toledo in the Division of Vascular, Endovascular, and Wound Surgery, and the Program Director at the Fulton County Wound and Hyperbaric Center. She served as the Consumer Board Member for the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care from 2016-2018, engaging in multiple committees and initiatives. She is a current nurse board member for the AAWC. She is also an Editorial Board Member forwound Management and Prevention. Karen lectures locally to medical and nursing students, regionally, nationally, and has spoken on an international level. She is a published researcher and is currently projected to graduate with her Doctorate of Nursing Practice in the Spring of 2019. She loves dogs, yoga, and watching her daughter play soccer in her free time.

Dr. Thomas E. Serena MD FACS FACHM MAPWCA, Founder and Medical Director of The SerenaGroup®, a family of wound, hyperbaric and research companies, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The College of William and Mary and Penn State Medical School. He completed his residency in Surgery at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with additional year of training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Southern Illinois University. To date he has opened and operates wound care centers across the United Sates and globally. Dr. Serena has been the lead or Principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials, including gene therapy for critical limb ischemia, antimicrobial dressings, growth factors, topical and parenteral antibiotics and CTP therapy. He founded the first wound healing cooperative research group that produced more than 12 manuscripts in 2016 alone. In 2011 he developed a diagnostic technique that now bears his name (The Serena Technique©). He holds numerous patents on wound care devices and dressings. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the field of wound healing: He has more than 200 published papers and has given more than 1000 invited lectures throughout the world. He has published three medical textbooks and authored numerous book chapters. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Wound Healing Society and served two terms on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) and is now the President-Elect. He has also been Vice-President of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine and President of the American Professional Wound Care Association. Dr. Serena has done extensive medical relief work with Health Volunteers Overseas and served as chairman of the AAWC Global Volunteers/HVO Steering Committee until 2016. In 2016 in partnership with HEAL Foundation he opened a wound clinic in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Outside of wound healing, he consulted for the government of Rwanda on AIDS prevention research.

Dr Wolcott is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and has been in full time wound care since 1998. In 2005 in conjunction with Bill Costerton PhD and Center for Biofilm Engineering, Dr Wolcott was a co principle investigator in an NIH grant looking specifically at wound biofilm. The research has evolved into developing diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for chronic infections in general but with a specific interest in wound microbiota mainly in biofilm phenotype. Dr Wolcott still is active day to day in wound care which allows the participation in multiple clinical studies. Dr Wolcott’s main area of research is the development of a biobank to store up to 70,000 samples of patient’s DNA along with samples of their wounds each visit until healing. The primary focus is to develop diagnostic tests that define a chronic infection and can document changes which will assist the clinician in management.

Dr. Thomas E. Serena MD FACS FACHM MAPWCA, Founder and Medical Director of The SerenaGroup®, a family of wound, hyperbaric and research companies, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The College of William and Mary and Penn State Medical School. He completed his residency in Surgery at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with additional year of training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Southern Illinois University. To date he has opened and operates wound care centers across the United Sates and globally. Dr. Serena has been the lead or Principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials, including gene therapy for critical limb ischemia, antimicrobial dressings, growth factors, topical and parenteral antibiotics and CTP therapy. He founded the first wound healing cooperative research group that produced more than 12 manuscripts in 2016 alone. In 2011 he developed a diagnostic technique that now bears his name (The Serena Technique©). He holds numerous patents on wound care devices and dressings. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the field of wound healing: He has more than 200 published papers and has given more than 1000 invited lectures throughout the world. He has published three medical textbooks and authored numerous book chapters. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Wound Healing Society and served two terms on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) and is now the President-Elect. He has also been Vice-President of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine and President of the American Professional Wound Care Association. Dr. Serena has done extensive medical relief work with Health Volunteers Overseas and served as chairman of the AAWC Global Volunteers/HVO Steering Committee until 2016. In 2016 in partnership with HEAL Foundation he opened a wound clinic in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Outside of wound healing, he consulted for the government of Rwanda on AIDS prevention research.

Dr. Nazzal is a graduate of University of Kuwait School of Medicine, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (UK), Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Fellow of the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists. Board certified in General, Vascular and Wound Surgery, Dr. Nazzal also obtained an MBA degree from the University of Toledo, and Certified Physician Executive (CPE). Heavily involved in surgical education and Program director of Surgery for 7 years. Dr. Nazzal is currently Vice Chair of Education, research, and Chief Division of Surgery Education in the University of Toledo. He is involved in creating Simulation courses, cadaver workshops and other educational programs. He is co-director of a regional meeting in wound, international wound and diabetic limb Salvage meeting and co-director of the Middle East Venous Forum to start in October. Dr. Nazzal won the University of Toledo President ward as Top 25 best researchers in 2018, multiple teaching awards and has been chosen as the Teacher of the year by senior residents multiple times.

Monique received her doctorate in medical biophysics (University of Toronto) and postdoctoral training in physiology (Oregon Health and Science University, Portland) and in medical imaging (The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto) before joining the MolecuLight team. She managed the company’s clinical trials before moving into her current position, where she oversees MolecuLight’s scientific affairs and evidence communication.

Jennifer Hurlow is a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner and Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse who has dedicated the past 20 years to the management of wounds. Her experience includes all care venues including Nursing Homes, Home Health, Hospital and Outpatient settings. She has authored and co-authored a number of papers on wound, skin, and continence issues and has a special interest in clinical identification and management of wound biofilm. Jennifer has most recently been in the UK where she has studied biofilm from a microbiological perspective. She has now returned to clinical practice in the US where she works with Infectious Disease specialists and consults in local long-term care.

Ms. Couch graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing (FNP) from Georgetown University in 2002. Since 2004, she has been credentialed as a Certified Wound Specialist by the American Board of Wound Management. She became a Certified Wound Care Nurse-Advanced Practice by the Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses Board in August 2018. Her primary wound interests are in amputee care, wound infection and venous ulcers. Currently she works as an NP in the Wound Healing and Limb Preservation Center at George Washington University Hospital. In 2018, Kara became the director of inpatient wound care at George Washington University Hospital. She is an assistant research professor of surgery at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University and Clinical Associate at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Ms. Couch is the current nurse board member of the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders and the Secretary of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC). She is an editorial board member of Ostomy-Wound Management, Today’s Wound Clinic and WoundSource 2019. Kara is the liaison for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners to the Alliance. In 2017, she was voted onto the Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee of the Amputee Coalition. She became Chair in 2019.

Dr. Claudiu Georgescu is an infectious disease specialist in Toledo, Ohio and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including ProMedica Toledo Hospital and University of Toledo Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy and spend his residency in Internal Medicine at the State University of New York (SUNY) Brooklyn. Special interested include Antimicrobial Stewardship and Outcomes of Patients treated with Antibiotics; Management of HIV/AIDS.

Ronald E. Kendall, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP is the antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital in Wyandotte, MI. He received a neuroscience degree from the University of Michigan in 2010, his PharmD Degree from Wayne State University in 2013 and finished his antimicrobial stewardship training at the University of Wisconsin in 2015. Ron is a passionate advocate for the more judicious use of antimicrobial therapy in order to prevent antimicrobial resistance, Clostridium diffcile infections, and other patient harm. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, biking, boating, brewing home-made beer, volunteering at the animal shelter and playing with his 2 rescue dogs.

Dr. Lindsay Kalan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the School of Medicine and Public Health. She obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from McMaster University where she the studied evolution of antibiotic resistance in the environment and clinic. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania where she developed methods to employ whole genome shotgun (WGS) metagenomic sequencing and analysis to decipher the functional and pathogenic potential of microbial communities in diabetic foot ulcers. She was awarded the Wound Healing Societies Young Investigator Award for this work. Dr. Kalan’s current research is aimed at investigating the ecology of the skin and interactions with microbes that maintain a health or promote pathogenesis in the context of wound healing. This is accomplished using a highly inter-disciplinary approach, spanning the fields of genomics, microbiology, chemistry, and computation biology. She utilizes human clinical specimens, in vitro experiments, and animal models to probe microbial community dynamics, resistance to treatment, and host immune responses. Combined, her work has led to publications in high-end peer reviewed journals such as Nature, mBio, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Chemistry and Biology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), and Advances in Wound Care.

Ronald E. Kendall, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP is the antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital in Wyandotte, MI. He received a neuroscience degree from the University of Michigan in 2010, his PharmD Degree from Wayne State University in 2013 and finished his antimicrobial stewardship training at the University of Wisconsin in 2015. Ron is a passionate advocate for the more judicious use of antimicrobial therapy in order to prevent antimicrobial resistance, Clostridium diffcile infections, and other patient harm. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, biking, boating, brewing home-made beer, volunteering at the animal shelter and playing with his 2 rescue dogs.

Dr. Thomas E. Serena MD FACS FACHM MAPWCA, Founder and Medical Director of The SerenaGroup®, a family of wound, hyperbaric and research companies, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The College of William and Mary and Penn State Medical School. He completed his residency in Surgery at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with additional year of training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Southern Illinois University. To date he has opened and operates wound care centers across the United Sates and globally. Dr. Serena has been the lead or Principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials, including gene therapy for critical limb ischemia, antimicrobial dressings, growth factors, topical and parenteral antibiotics and CTP therapy. He founded the first wound healing cooperative research group that produced more than 12 manuscripts in 2016 alone. In 2011 he developed a diagnostic technique that now bears his name (The Serena Technique©). He holds numerous patents on wound care devices and dressings. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the field of wound healing: He has more than 200 published papers and has given more than 1000 invited lectures throughout the world. He has published three medical textbooks and authored numerous book chapters. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Wound Healing Society and served two terms on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) and is now the President-Elect. He has also been Vice-President of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine and President of the American Professional Wound Care Association. Dr. Serena has done extensive medical relief work with Health Volunteers Overseas and served as chairman of the AAWC Global Volunteers/HVO Steering Committee until 2016. In 2016 in partnership with HEAL Foundation he opened a wound clinic in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Outside of wound healing, he consulted for the government of Rwanda on AIDS prevention research.

Jennifer Hurlow is a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner and Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse who has dedicated the past 20 years to the management of wounds. Her experience includes all care venues including Nursing Homes, Home Health, Hospital and Outpatient settings. She has authored and co-authored a number of papers on wound, skin, and continence issues and has a special interest in clinical identification and management of wound biofilm. Jennifer has most recently been in the UK where she has studied biofilm from a microbiological perspective. She has now returned to clinical practice in the US where she works with Infectious Disease specialists and consults in local long-term care.

Dr. Claudiu Georgescu is an infectious disease specialist in Toledo, Ohio and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including ProMedica Toledo Hospital and University of Toledo Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy and spend his residency in Internal Medicine at the State University of New York (SUNY) Brooklyn. Special interested include Antimicrobial Stewardship and Outcomes of Patients treated with Antibiotics; Management of HIV/AIDS.

Ms. Couch graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing (FNP) from Georgetown University in 2002. Since 2004, she has been credentialed as a Certified Wound Specialist by the American Board of Wound Management. She became a Certified Wound Care Nurse-Advanced Practice by the Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses Board in August 2018. Her primary wound interests are in amputee care, wound infection and venous ulcers. Currently she works as an NP in the Wound Healing and Limb Preservation Center at George Washington University Hospital. In 2018, Kara became the director of inpatient wound care at George Washington University Hospital. She is an assistant research professor of surgery at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University and Clinical Associate at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Ms. Couch is the current nurse board member of the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders and the Secretary of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC). She is an editorial board member of Ostomy-Wound Management, Today’s Wound Clinic and WoundSource 2019. Kara is the liaison for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners to the Alliance. In 2017, she was voted onto the Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee of the Amputee Coalition. She became Chair in 2019.

Dr. Nazzal is a graduate of University of Kuwait School of Medicine, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (UK), Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Fellow of the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists. Board certified in General, Vascular and Wound Surgery, Dr. Nazzal also obtained an MBA degree from the University of Toledo, and Certified Physician Executive (CPE). Heavily involved in surgical education and Program director of Surgery for 7 years. Dr. Nazzal is currently Vice Chair of Education, research, and Chief Division of Surgery Education in the University of Toledo. He is involved in creating Simulation courses, cadaver workshops and other educational programs. He is co-director of a regional meeting in wound, international wound and diabetic limb Salvage meeting and co-director of the Middle East Venous Forum to start in October. Dr. Nazzal won the University of Toledo President ward as Top 25 best researchers in 2018, multiple teaching awards and has been chosen as the Teacher of the year by senior residents multiple times.

Dr. Thomas E. Serena MD FACS FACHM MAPWCA, Founder and Medical Director of The SerenaGroup®, a family of wound, hyperbaric and research companies, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The College of William and Mary and Penn State Medical School. He completed his residency in Surgery at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with additional year of training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Southern Illinois University. To date he has opened and operates wound care centers across the United Sates and globally. Dr. Serena has been the lead or Principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials, including gene therapy for critical limb ischemia, antimicrobial dressings, growth factors, topical and parenteral antibiotics and CTP therapy. He founded the first wound healing cooperative research group that produced more than 12 manuscripts in 2016 alone. In 2011 he developed a diagnostic technique that now bears his name (The Serena Technique©). He holds numerous patents on wound care devices and dressings. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the field of wound healing: He has more than 200 published papers and has given more than 1000 invited lectures throughout the world. He has published three medical textbooks and authored numerous book chapters. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Wound Healing Society and served two terms on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) and is now the President-Elect. He has also been Vice-President of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine and President of the American Professional Wound Care Association. Dr. Serena has done extensive medical relief work with Health Volunteers Overseas and served as chairman of the AAWC Global Volunteers/HVO Steering Committee until 2016. In 2016 in partnership with HEAL Foundation he opened a wound clinic in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Outside of wound healing, he consulted for the government of Rwanda on AIDS prevention research.