John A. Boswick was born and educated in Illinois. He received his medical education at Loyola University in Chicago, and graduated with both a Master of Arts Degree in Anatomy and M.D. degree. After his residency at Cook County Hospital, Dr. Boswick advanced academically to Professor of Surgery at Northwestern University, Director of Surgical Services, and Director of the Sumner Koch Burn Center, and Hand Surgery Service at Cook County Hospital.

In 1972, Dr. Boswick and his family moved to Denver Colorado, where he became Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado. Aside from his academic responsibilities, Dr. Boswick served the American Burn Association as its seventh President, and was also an officer of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. He was a consultant for the United States Army, the World Health Organization, and served as Secretary General of the International Society for Burn Injuries. He authored more than 100 articles and chapters in surgical journals and edited several books on the art and science of burn care.

Dr. Boswick will be missed but not forgotten, as his name and legacy to the care of the sick and injured are memorialized through the Tanner-Boswick-Vandeput prize of the International Society for Burn Injuries.

Dr. Paul M. Glat was born in New York City, Paul grew up in White Plains, NY, and later settled in the Philadelphia area, where he built a life rich with love, joy, and countless cherished memories. His passion for learning led him to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Princeton University and an MD from New York University. Paul completed extensive postgraduate training, including a craniofacial fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and went on to become the Chief of Plastic Surgery and Director of the Burn Unit at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. His remarkable career has left an indelible mark on his colleagues, students, and patients.

Outside of his professional life, Paul had a zest for living and a wide array of interests. He enjoyed traveling for both leisure and work, and successful directed the organization of the annual John A. Boswick Burn and Wound Care Symposium in Maui, Hawaii for over 10 years.

Dr. Glat passed away on May 22, 2024, after a brief battle with leukemia.

Paul’s kindness, wit, grace, and unwavering love touched the lives of many. His memory will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

Paul Silverstein, M.D., earned his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude. After completing his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Silverstein returned to Boston where he completed a general surgery residency at the Boston City Hospital. From 1969 to 1972, Dr. Silverstein served as a Major in the U.S. Army Medical Corp at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, where he treated soldiers who had been injured in the Vietnam War. Following his military service, Dr. Silverstein decided to pursue a career in plastic and reconstructive surgery. He completed a residency in plastic surgery at Emory University in Atlanta and has been working as a plastic and reconstructive surgeon ever since. In 1975, Dr. Silverstein moved to Oklahoma City and now with over 34 years of experience, he has successfully helped thousands of patients enhance their image and self-confidence.

In 1975, shortly after his arrival in Oklahoma City, he founded the burn center at the Integris Baptist Medical Center that now bears his name. The Paul Silverstein Burn Center was the first of its kind in Oklahoma City, and its physicians, nurses, and staff have a history of providing compassionate, comprehensive care. Dr. Silverstein passed away in 2022.

Dr. Carlos Blanco earned his medical degree from Seville Medical School in Sevilla Spain in 1961.  He completed his surgical residency in 1965 at Lebanon Hospital in Bronx New York. He has more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry which include involvement in Product Development, Clinical Research, Medical Marketing, Medical/Professional Education, Global Commercial Development, and International Marketing.

His professional achievements include serving on the Board of Directors for the Wound Healing Society from 1997-2000; Vice President  for the International Society of Burn Injuries from 1998-2004; Board of Trustees for the American Burn Association 1990-1991; Chairman of Wound Burn Facilities of ISBI from 1986-1991; in addition to numerous awards and industry recognitions. Dr. Blanco has given more than 400 presentations across the globe related to wound healing and skin substitutes and has authored more than 50 publications. Dr. Blanco passed away in 2024.

Planning Committee Chair

Roselle Crombie, MD/MPH, FACS, FABA is a surgeon specializing in general surgery, burn surgery and surgical critical care at several of the Yale New Haven Health Systems flagship hospitals in Southern Connecticut. Her particular passion is a mix of burns, burn/ trauma reconstruction, wounds and general surgery. Her days include her busy practice constantly pushing for change and awareness in how we can improve care delivery locally and nationally. Education of the next generation of physicians and surgeons has remained an imperative part of her career as she is highly involved as faculty in the Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine over the course of her career and mentors the younger pre-health generation. She enjoys giving a variety of lectures to further the fields of her expertise.

Dr. Crombie holds a B.S. in Biology-Chemistry with Honors from Union College in Schenectady, NY. Her medical degree includes both an M.D. and M.P.H. from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and residency training in general surgery at Tufts University-New England Medical Center. Her post-graduate fellowships were in Burn Surgery and Surgical Critical Care at the Yale University School of Medicine where she currently remains on faculty.

Outside of her job nationally, she has served as the 32nd President of the North American Burn Society(NABS) 2014, served on the Ethics Committee, Epidemiology for the American Burn Association(ABA). She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Burn Association, and is actively serving as the Physician SIG Chair (ABA). She was recently appointed to be the Director at Large for the Board of the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery (ABWMS) and is currently the VP Program Chair for the CT American College of Surgeon’s Chapter, Executive Board, Chair of the Women’s Surgery group for the CTACS and involved in the Women’s Surgeon Groups within several national societies. She’s serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Burn Care and Research, Journal of Wound Care and has served on MRBP-CDRMP (Military Review for Burn Grants). She is a member of the Consensus Committee on Tissue Regeneration for the Journal of Wound Care setting standards for CAMPs. With a team of other burn colleagues have a non-for profit REACH Burn Foundation to support the needs of adult burn survivors. Additionally, she serves on the Board of the Burn Research Foundation. Her CV includes numerous publications, book chapters, lectures, recently an invitation for a DOD Grant formal submission.

Dr. Crombie is married to Mr. Brian Crombie and they each have another full-time job raising their three active children. They all enjoy family time on the water and are avid skiers.

Planning Committee Member

Dr. Davenport is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon with New York Plastic Surgical Group, the largest and longest running private academic plastic surgery practice in North America. Dr. Davenport specializes in burn and complex wound management and hand reconstruction surgery. Thomas Davenport, MD, FACS, also offers a full range of cosmetic surgery procedures designed to help patients achieve their aesthetic enhancement goals. His cosmetic specialties include surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation, as well as body and breast procedures such as tummy tuck, liposuction, post-weight loss surgery, breast augmentation, breast lift, and breast reduction.

Dr. Davenport has been trained and educated in some of the most respected medical institutions and programs in the world, including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Harvard University, and Yale University. Currently, Dr. Davenport is the Director of Microsurgery and the Director of Surgical Wound Care at NYU Langone Hospital Long Island, where he is also the Chief of Plastic Surgery. Throughout his career, Dr. Davenport has traveled the world to deliver much needed medical care to patients in poor countries with limited access to medical care. He continues his philanthropic work with ReSurge International, having served as a board member and chairman of the Surgery Committee.

Since 2014, Dr. Davenport has consistently been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and has been featured multiple times as a Top Doctor in New York Magazine and Newsday.

Planning Committee Member

Michael N. Desvigne, MD, FACS, CWS, FACCWS, is a true plastic and reconstructive surgeon who has chosen to dedicate much of his expertise to reconstructive surgery, specifically wound reconstruction. Dr, Desvigne believes performing reconstructive surgery has made him a better wound healing clinician and managing complex wounds has made him a better reconstructive surgeon. Dr. Desvigne brings a wealth of experience from a variety of disciplines. He is board certified in plastic surgery, general surgery, wound care and hyperbaric medicine. With this quadruple certification he approaches each wound problem with a staircase approach including surgical and nonsurgical solutions. In 2018 Dr. Desvigne brought his cosmetic expertise to the wound reconstructive world where he would perform most cosmetic procedures under local anesthesia and or “twilight” to minimize the risks of general anesthesia. He has now added this approach to his wound reconstructive surgery practice, a term he coined as “Outpatient Wound Reconstruction” (OWR) optimizing outcomes while minimizing risk.

Dr. Desvigne is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS), the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and the Arizona Society of Plastic Surgeons. He is also a member of the American Academy of Wound Specialists, Wound Healing Society and the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. He is a world-renowned lecturer and consultant in wound healing technologies. He has created multiple programs for inpatient and outpatient centers of excellence in wound care, with a focus on the continuum of care.

Originally from New York City, after graduating with honors with a BS in psychology, Dr. Desvigne attended the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), the Department of Defense Medical School. He served 12 years in the U.S. Air Force as a medical student, flight surgeon and general surgeon. He performed his general surgery training at David Grant USAF Medical Center in Northern California and completed two additional years as a research fellow in wound care and hyperbaric medicine. He then served at Osan Air Force Base in Korea as a general surgeon and flight surgeon, earning Pacific Air Force Flight Surgeon of the Year. There, he met his wife who shares his love of animals, outdoor activities, fitness and travel.

After Korea, Dr. Desvigne completed his three-year residency training in plastic surgery at the University of Texas at San Antonio, followed by additional fellowship training in cosmetic surgery in Maui, Hawaii.

In his spare time, Dr. Desvigne refuels by running, swimming, boating, cooking, reading, and writing, and social entrepreneurism. He enjoys giving back to the community by performing humanitarian missions alongside his wife.

Planning Committee Member

Having been a general surgeon for several years he developed an interest in burns, at that time considered to be an “orphan illness”. Believing that a plastic surgeon was the consummate burns surgeon he spent several years retraining in England including 18 months at the McIndoe Centre in East Grinstead.

Dr. Haertsch was responsible for setting up the NSW Severe Burn Injury service (8 million people), as well as the University Chair in Burns and Reconstructive Surgery. He was also the chair of the Burns Foundation.

He introduced the concept of multidisciplinary care to Australia in 1983 and has been able to secure the appropriate Government funding for burns care. He has been an active contributor of the Boswick meeting for over 20 years.

Planning Committee Member

Judy holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing and a Post-Master’s Certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner, both obtained from Clarkson College in 1999. She has been a dedicated employee at Nebraska Medicine since 1996, where she has spent over 25 years specializing in Burn and Plastic Surgery. Her roles have included providing comprehensive intraoperative, inpatient, and outpatient care for patients undergoing acute and reconstructive burn and plastic surgery.

In 2024, Judy earned her Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) certification,
underscoring her expertise in the field. Her professional interests also extend to burn disaster preparedness. She served as the Midwest Region Burn Disaster Coordinator for seven years and has worked closely with the American Burn Association as a consultant. Her expertise has been recognized through presentations on burn care and disaster preparedness at local, national, and international levels. Judy continues to contribute to this field as a member of the ABA Disaster Committee.

Judy’s commitment to global health is evident in her participation in numerous burn and reconstructive plastic surgery medical missions across China, Haiti, India, Bangladesh, and Africa. In October 2019, she joined the Nebraska Medicine Regional Disaster Health Response Ecosystem Grant Team, where she currently serves as the Burn Specialty Team Lead.

Planning Committee Member

Caroline Westwood is the National Sales Manager for Humeca Inc., a leading manufacturer of skin-grafting devices focused on advancing the quality of treatment in burn surgery. Prior to joining Humeca, Caroline was the Regional Burn Care Manager at AlloSource, and spent eight years in the non-profit Organ and Tissue banking field.

Caroline’s experience at AlloSource and Humeca spans two distinct areas of burn and wound care, including a particular focus on skin substitute products, acellular dermal matrices, and amnionic membranes, as well as the cutting-edge devices required for treatment in severe burns and advanced wound care. She is skilled in cross-functional team leadership, patient-centered care, sales and marketing management, sales strategy development and execution, corporate event planning, budgeting and ROI analysis. Caroline is a unique and highly experienced professional with a keen focus on delivering impactful solutions and driving business success. Caroline is a current member of the North American Burn Society, a member of the American Association of Tissue Banks, and a Certified Tissue Bank Specialist.

In her spare time, Caroline can be found restoring classic cars with her husband, spending time outdoors in Wyoming with her two greyhounds, and teaching Reformer Pilates.

Derek Bell, MD
Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein, MD
Abigail E. Chaffin, MD, FACS, CWSP, MAPWCA
Scott Hultman, MD, MBA, FACS
Carrie McGroarty, PA-C
Mary Anne Obst RN, BSN, CCRN, CWON, CWS
Ingrid Parry, MS, PT, BT-C
Tracee Short, MD
Raj Sood, MD, FACS
Ram Velamuri, MD, FACS, MS, DNB, MRCS-Ed

Conference Director

Jacqueline McBride is Executive Director of The Gathering of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists (SimGHOSTS). SimGHOSTS is a healthcare education community that empowers users of simulation technology to improve learning and patient care outcomes. Prior to joining SimGHOSTS, Jacqueline was the Director of Operations for the Academy of Physicians in Wound Healing (APWH) and the Council for Medical Education and Testing (CMET).

Over the course of her career, Jacqueline has led a number of marketing, communications and event initiatives as Director of Communications at Salem Academy and College, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Berkshire Hathaway and Director of Public Relations at Long Haymes Carr Advertising, working with clients such as HanesBrands, TJ Maxx and Sara Lee Corporation. Jacqueline graduated from Florida State University with a BA in Communications. She has a Master’s of Communications and a Master’s in Business Administration from Wake Forest University.