Leadership and Staff

lnixon@wakehealth.edu
Administrative/Business Manager

Nixon’s position focuses on the day-to-day business operations of the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL) as well as overall financial management. Experience with purchasing many varieties of products on the market for simulation and procedure training ensures the team has the most appropriate type to better serve the CEAL stakeholders and learner groups. Understanding product functionality allows her to convey the needs through purchasing workflow for approval justification. Her management of CEAL’s equipment assurance program renewals among several vendors safeguards simulation operations for the center.

maria.crawford@wakehealth.edu
CEAL Department Project Manager

In her role as department project manager, Crawford utilizes her business skills from her marketing/merchandising background to focus on data analysis and educational research, as well as writing and editing of the annual reports, publications and accreditation materials for the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL). She is a CITI-certified Biomedical Investigator. She is involved in the administrative leadership of the whole-body donation program and ultrasound continuing medical education courses offered by Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Crawford is the administrative manager for all American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Emergencies in Clinical Obstetrics (ECO) courses/simulation events, which train all levels of providers to work together during obstetric emergencies. She also performs a variety of administrative duties, including return on investment (ROI) data collection and analytics, event scheduling and assisting the standardized patient program with evaluations and clinical skills events.

hchansen@wakehealth.edu
Body Donation Program Coordinator

Chansen is responsible for whole-body donation program planning, design and implementation, assisting in data collection, and establishing protocols for the program. She provides management oversight for documentation and financial reporting for the whole body donation program. She also is responsible for the operational execution and management of special projects within the department, including process management oversight, directing process improvement, and assisting leadership with strategic planning initiatives. Chansen serves as the primary forward-facing contact for the whole body donation program, assisting families who are encountering bereavement and loss and helping to navigate the sensitivities and logistical details surrounding donation. CEAL and the medical community at large owe an extraordinary debt to the individuals and families who have chosen to participate in the whole body donation program. Their generous gifts of human tissue help to save lives, support health care education and research, and improve patient care.

efallabr@wakehealth.edu
Graphic and Digital Designer

Knowledgeable in multimedia design, Fallabrino received 2 Bachelor's degrees from High Point University in graphic design and digital imaging, as well as communication, game and interactive media design and a master's degree in strategic communication, public relations. In her role as graphic and digital designer for the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL), Fallabrino utilizes her design skills to focus on the creation of engaging learning modules to fulfill CEAL’s educational projects, as well as other support service areas within Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Having lived in Europe, Africa and North America, she is inspired by communicating with others from across the globe with a mission to create a message understood equally by everyone. Projects prior to joining Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist include working with the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity to promote the COVID-19 vaccine to rural areas of North Carolina; SECCA Art Gallery on a pre-pandemic logo study; Habitat for Humanity of High Point, Archdale and Trinity on website redesign.

aveach@wakehealth.edu
Logistics Coordinator

Veach has been with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist for over 16 years, working in roles with steadily increasing levels of responsibility. Veach was an administrative coordinator with Teammate Health before joining the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL). From his time working in the Center for Applied Learning, which preceded CEAL, he uses his experience in anatomy, patient simulation and operational medicine to assist the entire CEAL team. He is an asset to the team, using his experience and abilities to manage logistics for multiple types of learning events.

isaunder@wakehealth.edu
Experiential Learning Manager

Saunders manages the day-to-day operations for the Experiential Learning teams at the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist campus, the School of Medicine Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education (BGCME), and the CEAL Mobile Education Unit. He supports both the academic and clinical Enterprises by facilitating, debriefing and operating simulation activities using a variety of simulation technologies ranging from anatomic models and task trainers to full body patient simulators. In addition, he manages the maintenance and service of manikins on a routine basis. As an expert simulationist, Saunders works closely with CEAL simulation education directors and the associate vice president of CEAL to establish the best method for integrating simulation into a curriculum. He is sought after throughout the institution for his expertise in designing and developing strategic simulation activities. He and experiential learning supervisor, Vernon Williams, maintain the simulation calendar while scheduling for different medical rotations and clinical departments.

verwilli@wakehealth.edu
Experiential Learning Supervisor

Williams leads the Simulation team and supports the academic and clinical enterprises by operating a variety of simulation technologies, ranging from anatomic models and task trainers to full-body patient simulators. In addition, he maintains and services manikins on a routine basis. As an experienced simulationist, Williams assists learners with orienting to the simulation environment. He plays a key role in the Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesia (MOCA) program and serves a critical simulation role in the American Heart Failure Advanced Life Support (AHFALS) course. He also proctors the Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES) and Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) exams for the Surgical Academy at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. Williams is integral to a large number of the over 1,000 training events scheduled by CEAL every year. He also contributes significantly to simulations for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Birth Center at AHWFBH. Additionally, he assists with teaching anesthesia medical student rotations and their simulation exams. Working closely with the experiential learning manager, Williams helps maintain the simulation calendar and schedule different medical rotations and clinical departments. As both an expert simulationist and a simulation educator for CEAL, he is responsible for onboarding new simulationists through role-modeling and mentoring. In this role, he demonstrates best practices, offers guidance and feedback and ensures new team members are effectively integrated into the organization. As a trained rater in Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in Healthcare (DASH), Williams functions as a master simulation educator, orienting new faculty champions to the simulation space and teaching them how to use best practices to facilitate and debrief.

tmcmilla@wakehealth.edu
Nurse Simulation Educator

As a registered nurse, McMillan worked in a number of nursing capacities including ICU, ophthalmology, as a surgical nurse and providing hospice care. As a simulationist for the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL), she supports the academic and clinical enterprises by operating a variety of simulation technologies ranging from anatomic models and task trainers to full body patient simulators. McMillan was the first person at Wake Forest University School of Medicine to achieve Certified Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist (CHSOS) and Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) as designated by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). In addition, she proctors Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) exams for the Surgical Academy. McMillan is an instrumental simulationist for the American Heart Failure Advanced Life Support (AHFALS) course. As a simulation educator, McMillan is focused on cross-functional labor and delivery simulation activities. As a key facilitator for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Emergencies in Clinical Obstetrics (ECO) course, McMillan has trained more than 850 multidisciplinary learners. She has carried out clinical scenarios for in-situ simulations conducted prior to, during and since the opening of the Birth Center at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

jferris@wakehealth.edu
Simulation Lab Coordinator

Ferris has been a dedicated member of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist since 1991, steadily advancing through roles of increasing responsibility. Starting as an anesthesia technician, he later joined the CEAL team during the crucial training phase for the opening of the Birth Center at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where he played a key role in running clinical scenarios for in-situ simulations. Ferris quickly became a vital team member, leveraging his experience and adaptability to thrive in the dynamic simulation environment. He currently serves a key role as a simulationist for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Emergencies in Clinical Obstetrics (ECO). Ferris supports the Academic and Clinical Enterprises by operating a wide array of simulation technologies ranging from anatomic models and task trainers, and full-body patient simulators. Additionally, Ferris serves as the lead simulationist for CAR-T Training, specializing in the simulation of adverse event management and anaphylaxis during CAR T-cell product infusion.

rwhutche@wakehealth.edu
Simulation Lab Coordinator

Hutchens has worked in multiple capacities as a Nationally Registered Paramedic since 1997. She began her career with Forsyth County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), transitioned to Yadkin County EMS and excelled through the ranks to become a lieutenant. There, she was ultimately responsible for daily shift operations along with Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) training for both county and volunteer departments. After departing county government, she began her employment with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Health. She has served in many roles within the health care system, including community paramedic and flight communicator within the AirCare department, and most recently as logistics coordinator for the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL). In transitioning to the simulation team, she brings a wide variety of clinical experience along with a strong background in education. She serves as Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) exam proctor for the Surgical Academy at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. Hutchens maintains both her North Carolina Paramedic and National Registry Paramedic along with multiple disciplines in instructor certifications.

thmock@wakehealth.edu
Project Manager I

Mock oversees the Standardized Patient program for the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL) at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where she manages approximately 80 men and women patient actors ranging in age from 18 to 80. She staffs events in both the academic and clinical enterprise. Her main focus is ensuring that SPs are well-trained and growing the program based on feedback from SPs and clinical staff while striving to achieve best-practice methods in SP performance. She drove the development and implementation of the Rise360 SP training modules used within the institution. She also manages contracted services including diagnostic imaging technicians and OB/GYN recruitment for regularly scheduled courses and events. Mock is an active member of the Association of SP Educators (ASPE) and the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). Prior to her role in CEAL, Mock served in the Cardiology, Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Program, working with medical students, advanced practice providers, residents and fellows in coordinating interactive simulations. In that capacity, she served as the administrative lead for the Advanced Heart Failure Advanced Life Support (AHFALS) course, helping bring it from conception to a continuing medical education (CME) granting course from Brazil. She is a graduate of Herzing University online with a medical coding and insurance billing diploma.

bfrancis@wakehealth.edu
Experiential Learning Ultrasound Supervisor

Francis has been with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist since 2009, where she began her career in the Radiology Department conducting abdominal ultrasound exams on pediatric and adult patients. Her experience in patient care has been a valuable asset in her role as an ultrasound educator for the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL). As a sonography educator, Francis expanded ultrasound curriculum offerings for a variety of learner groups including faculty, residents, fellows, nursing, School of Medicine students, allied health professionals, K-12 students and external learners. Francis has been instrumental in the education of ultrasound-guided IV placement used throughout the institution. She assists regularly with industry training in ultrasound that draws participants from around the world. Francis developed clinical protocols for abdominal scanning in underdeveloped areas of Africa and taught different techniques to improve quality of care through image acquisition. She also held point of care ultrasound (POCUS) hands-on training for emergency physicians to ensure continuity of care. Most recently, Francis trained researchers in the Hypertension and Vascular Research Center to accurately perform renal artery duplex ultrasounds on rodents and developed a scanning protocol to allow for more consistent studies.

jtagliaf@wakehealth.edu
Experiential Learning Ultrasound Instructor

Hadaway serves as an ultrasound instructor for the Center for Experiential Learning and Applied Learning (CEAL). She has been with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist since 2019, where she began her career in the radiology department performing ultrasound exams on pediatric and adult patients. It was in this role where she began teaching ultrasound to college students and radiology residents. Hadaway is licensed in the areas of abdominal, obstetrics and gynecology and vascular sonography, which has been a valued contribution to the ultrasound team. As a sonography educator, Hadaway supports the CEAL team's ever-expanding ultrasound curriculum offerings to a wide range of learner groups. She has also been instrumental in delivering ultrasound-guided IV placement training to allied health professionals across the clinical enterprise in Winston-Salem as well as traveling to network hospitals throughout the region. Hadaway's desire to continue expanding her ultrasound knowledge and skills has led her to concurrently completing her bachelor's degree in diagnostic medical sonography.

cglass@wakehealth.edu
Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine

Dr. Casey Glass is a board-certified emergency medicine physician at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. After completing a post-graduate fellowship in emergency ultrasound applications, he became closely involved with the development and implementation of a clinical education program centered around teaching clinical applications of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in emergency medicine. He has vast experience as the course director for a variety of ultrasound electives and courses and as member of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Ultrasound Section Subcommittee on Community Ultrasound. As the director of ultrasound education, Dr. Glass guides CEAL’s ultrasound training efforts and coordinates CME, GME and UGME educational programs. He shares responsibility for ultrasound equipment purchases in CEAL’s 2 teaching labs as well as associated ultrasound simulators and phantoms. In addition, Dr. Glass coordinates and develops teaching programs for the clinical enterprise including collaborations with critical care and neonatal critical care, pediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine, anesthesia, emergency medicine, surgery, nursing and with our community hospitals.

jejohn@wakehealth.edu
Associate Professor, General Surgery

Dr. James (Jim) Johnson is responsible for medical center industry collaborations required to enhance professional education, resident and hospital staff applied learning programs and initiatives designed to improve patient care outcomes. Dr. Johnson was the founding director of the Center for Applied Learning which was the predecessor of the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning (CEAL). He also founded the Operational Medicine Program which serves to enhance special operations medicine for the U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) and NATO allies. This program improves patient care outcomes during TCCC (Trauma Combat Casualty Care). Dr. Johnson also formed an applications and design company with expertise in hybrid materials fabrication technologies to simulate human tissue properties in novel prototypes required for procedure training. He has been the recipient of many awards for medical education, research, simulator innovation and medical device development. As associate professor of surgery, he designs specialized surgery simulators and develops capabilities for innovative surgical education required by faculty, fellows and residents. He works across all surgery subspecialties. Dr. Johnson also developed tabletop medical procedure simulators for prehospital trauma patient management, burn surgery, hydrocele surgical repair and eyelid surgery to prevent blindness. Some of these simulators are now routinely used in Africa and adopted by the WHO (World Health Organization) as a standard of global surgery education.

lmccorma@wakehealth.edu
Assistant Professor, Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Lauren McCormack is a board-certified general surgeon, specializing in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery. Dr. McCormack’s practice includes bariatric procedures, hernia repair, biliary disease and foregut disorders with a focus on laparoscopic and robotic surgery. She is originally from Washington state and attended college at Creighton University in Nebraska. She completed her medical degree and Masters of Public Health at Tulane University. Her residency was completed at Hahnemann University Hospital, Drexel College of Medicine and fellowship at Wake Forest University. During her career, Dr. McCormack has always been involved with graduate medical education and knows simulation is a vital component of training today. Dr. McCormack is an assistant professor of surgery, co-clerkship director of the third year Surgical Clerkship and incoming surgical education director for CEAL.

tperraul@wakehealth.edu
Assistant Professor, General Surgery

Thomas J. Perrault Jr. received his PhD in neurobiology and anatomy in 2003 from Wake Forest University where his research focused on multisensory processing in the superior colliculus. He was awarded a faculty position at Penn State following graduation and returned to Wake Forest in 2007 and now serves in the Department of General Surgery. He is currently the anatomical director for medical education within the school of medicine and currently serves as the course director for a number of anatomy-based courses throughout the institution. Perrault’s overarching responsibility to CEAL is focused on the Whole Body Donation Program. In partnership with CEAL leadership, he is tasked to ensure that the program continually supports Wake Forest Baptist Health’s mission to improve health care outcomes through the utilization of human tissue. In conjunction with the lead anatomical specialist, he determines the best use of human tissue to achieve the program’s mission prioritization, which is determined by the Center of Experiential and Applied Learning Steering Committee. Perrault develops all policies and procedures to safeguard accurate tracking of all donors associated with the Whole Body Donation Program and the proper use and care for all institutional facilities dedicated for Whole Body Donation Program use. He serves as a voting member on the NC Commission of Anatomy, an agency mandated by the state within the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) to generate the rules and guidelines used to manage anatomical gifts statewide. Perrault’s research interests include pedagogy in medical education, behavioral and systems neurobiology, development and plasticity and sensory neurobiology.

jtrauner@wakehealth.edu
Associate Professor, Anesthesiology

Dr. Justin Traunero attended the Wake Forest University School of Medicine before completing his residency at Wake Forest Baptist Health (WFBH) where he achieved mastery of anesthesia equipment including anesthesia delivery devices and ventilators and patient monitoring equipment. During his tenure with WFBH, he also acquired expertise in emergence-based anesthetic planning and opioid-based anesthetic techniques, with a special expertise in advanced airway management techniques including awake fiber optic intubation and other advanced alternative airway tools. As the residency program director for the Department of Anesthesiology, Dr. Traunero believes skills training should be developed in a stepwise fashion: manikin work, elective opportunities and cadaveric instruction – all with heavy repetition. This is the proven method for procedural mastery. Dr. Traunero leverages CEAL’s well-developed, high fidelity Mock OR Simulation Lab as an integral part of the residency education curriculum to guide residents on the path to adapting to and becoming more comfortable in any clinical scenario. As the medical director of simulation for CEAL and master simulation educator, Dr. Traunero is responsible for the implementation of multidisciplinary simulation activities (OR CRM & Birth Center CRM), the Part IV Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology simulation program and development of new strategic simulation initiatives. An experienced educator, Dr. Traunero acts as a role model for participants as they learn. His facilitation and debriefing of simulation events is learner-centered, structured in an easy-to-understand format and relatable.