Conference Speakers

Kristin Fisher is a seasoned healthcare professional with a wealth of experience in emergency medicine. With a background as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department of a Level I Trauma Centre, Kristin’s career highlights a commitment to fostering innovative approaches to healthcare delivery. Currently acting as a Clinical Care Leader in the Emergency Department at The Ottawa Hospital, Kristin’s clinical experience is instrumental in ensuring a high standard of care for patients in critical situations. Through her previous role as Injury Prevention Coordinator with Trauma Services, she spearheaded various initiatives such as the P.A.R.T.Y Program and Stop the Bleed program, working collaboratively with community partners to promote trauma prevention. Kristin’s passion for education and professional development led her to current pursuit of a MSc in Health Science Education. Her interests focus on optimizing team communication and performance through in-situ simulation, reflecting her commitment to enhancing healthcare outcomes through innovative learning methodologies.

Benoit Jolicoeur is a Superintendent currently assigned to Special Operations and has been a Paramedic for 24 years in Ottawa.  He has served on multiple specialty units including the Paramedic Bike Unit and Paramedic Support Unit.  Ben is a 16-year member of the Paramedic Tactical Unit where he currently serves as unit Superintendent and was involved in the creation, development, implementation, and program maintenance of the Rescue Task Force in Ottawa. Ben has had multiple deployments with municipal, provincial, and federal partners, fulfilling many roles. His most dynamic activation to date was assuming command within Parliament Hill during the October 22^nd terrorist attack where he led paramedic tactical assets, internal CCP and was integral to the unified command structure.

Dr Jacinthe Lampron graduated Medical School and General Surgery at Université Laval. She completed a Critical Care and Trauma fellowship at University of Ottawa. She holds a Masters degree in Public Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She has been deployed to Kandahar Airfield at Multinational Medical Unit Role 3 with the Canadian Armed Forces. She is currently a Medical Officer in the Reserve of 1st Field Hospital, Detachment Ottawa. She currently works as a general surgeon and trauma surgeon at The Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus where she is the Trauma Medical Director. She has interest in simulation, transfusion, and trauma system. Outside hospital, she likes to cycle and run.

Jonathan Lee is a Critical Care Paramedic with experience in 911, critical care, aeromedical and paediatric critical care transport and is currently part the Special Operations Team at Ornge based in Toronto.  In addition to his clinical practice, Jonathan’s teaching experience includes classroom, clinical and field education as well as curriculum development and design across a number of health professions and he is currently teaching in the Paramedic Program at Georgian College.  He enjoys freelance writing and is a frequent contributor to EMS1.com, where his ‘Front Line Pharm’ column can be found.  He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Critical Care from Cardiff University.  He has been fortunate enough to travel North America, Europe and Asia as an invited speaker presenting his interest in paediatrics, especially the confidence and competence of prehospital providers caring for acutely ill children.  Jonathan can be contacted via Twitter and LinkedIn.

Dr. Dylan Pannell is an attending trauma surgeon at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto.  He is also a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces.  He served overseas during the War in Afghanistan and was decorated for his actions.  After returning he completed his General Surgery residency at the University of Toronto, followed by a Fellowship in Trauma at Sunnybrook Hospital.  He established Canada’s first Trauma Video Review program at SHSC to improve performance and education in trauma resuscitation and patient-centered care. His academic focus is on combat casualty care and surgical education.  Dr Pannell’s military areas of expertise are in austere and forward-deployed trauma care as well as Prolonged Field Care.

Jordan Searle Internationally renowned prehospital care specialist. From his beginnings in the British Army serving in the RAMC across the Middle East and beyond, to civilian practice in the UK Ambulance Services holding roles from Paramedic, Paramedic Specialist, to an Operational Officer specialized in CBRNe and Counter Terrorism working with both the national health service and Ministry of Defence. Jordan has been in Canada for the last few years working as an Air Ambulance Paramedic. (Critical Care) During the recent Ukraine conflict, he set up a grass roots ambulance service and training unit from the open stages of the invasion to allow urgent evacuation of complex and specialized cases from Ukraine to EU medical facilities in collaboration with a multinational and multidisciplinary clinical approach utilizing both civilian and military medical personnel. Jordan is a keen traveler and speaks several languages with an interest in austere pre-hospital medicine along with ambulances service improvements. His stress relief is crochet and playing piano.

Matthew Smith is a critical care flight paramedic working for British Columbia Emergency Health Services specializing in paediatric and neonatal critical care. He is currently working as a Paramedic Practice educator for BCEHS.  He is a professional ski patroller at Whistler/Blackcomb, and the director of Canadian Outdoor Medical Consulting, a company that provides training, risk management and event medical care to high-risk action sports events in remote areas. He is on the board of directors for the Canadian Association of Wilderness Medicine. He has been a paramedic for 20 years and has lived and worked across Canada including spending 2 years on the Ottawa Paramedic Service Paramedic Tactical Unit. He lives with his family in Squamish.

Dr. Erik N. Vu S/Cst MSM, MD, FRCPC is a specialist in Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine for Vancouver Coastal and the Provincial Health Service’s Authorities and is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia, where he completed Fellowship training in Prehospital Emergency Care, and has sub-specialty training in Special Operations Medicine, including CBRNE, Disaster and Tactical Medicine. Dr. Vu has completed postgraduate studies in Aviation Medicine and works for British Columbia Emergency Health Service’s Provincial AirEvac and Critical Care Operations as both a Flight Paramedic and Physician as part of his portfolio in private and public sectors of Aeromedical Evacuation.   He has formal academic and operational training in Tactical Medicine from the US Department of Health and Human Services Centre via their Counter Narcotics and Terrorism Operations Medical Certification, as well as acting as the Canadian representation on the Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care and the International Public Safety Association Committee for Tactical EMS.  Dr. Vu currently acts as the Medical Director for Vancouver and Abbotsford Police Departments’ Emergency Response Teams Tactical EMS Programs, as well as a consultant with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, providing training and operational support for E-Division’s Critical Incident Program, the National Tactical Medicine Program, and the National Tactical Training Section.