2021-2022 Guides

Shilpi Ganguly, MS - Founder

MS3 University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Shilpi has a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a second major in Spanish and minor in Aerospace Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, and an M.S. in Modern Human Anatomy from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Currently she sits on the executive boards for the University of Miami Emergency Medicine Student Association and Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group. Her personal interests in wilderness medicine lay within the fields of polar, mountain, tactical, and space medicine. Shilpi is extremely passionate about wilderness medicine and is the master-mind behind this multi-week multi-speaker wilderness extravaganza! Full Bio

Alex Lupi - Chair

MS3 Vanderbilt University

Alex grew up in Stafford, VA spending most weekends playing soccer and living for yearly trips to Boulder, CO to visit his Grandma and go skiing. He did his undergraduate at the University of Virginia where he became a die-hard UVA basketball fan and volunteered as an EMT. Alex also competed on the ski and snowboard team, and specialized in riding through mud, rocks, and ice in the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. At Vanderbilt he is involved in premed mentorship, health policy advocacy, and has interests in emergency medicine and oncology. Full Bio

Sam Masyr- Lead Coordinator

PA-S1 Yale School of Medicine

Samantha (Sam) Masyr grew up in southern California where she has spent the last decade enjoying the outdoors through rock climbing, hiking, camping, and backpacking. She got her B.S. in Biology and minor in Chemistry from Westmont College in 2018. While in college, she worked for the Montecito Fire Department and was recognized with an official commendation for her role in historical responses to both the Thomas Fire and the Montecito Mudslide. Full Bio

Seth Lisle - Co-Vice Coordinator

OMS2 Harlem Branch of Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine

Seth has always had many academic interests– In 2017 he earned a B.A in Biology and a B.M in Music Performance, with minors in Microbiology & Cellular Biology, Human Development & Family Studies, and Evolutionary Biology & Ecology. But, from setting up camera traps in his home state of CT to climbing AB mountain in Skagway, AK, Seth has always held a particular passion for nature and adventure. He is an avid hiker and backpacker, national park enthusiast and verifiable bird nerd. Wilderness medicine is a broad and varied topic, and Seth is very excited to be part of the team making this lecture series happen!

Catherine Lawton - Co-Vice Coordinator

MS3 University of Queensland Ochsner School of Medicine

Catherine completed a Bachelor of Science at The University of Michigan majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience and minoring in Biochemistry. Her specific interest in wilderness medicine lies in ultra-endurance, space, and rescue medicine. She has run a variety of full and half marathons including the Detroit International Marathon and will be training soon for her first ultra. Catherine finds the physiological changes in endurance sports such as ultra running or Iron Mans fascinating and loves the detailed work that goes into competing at such distances. Full Bio

Nathan Mercado - Communications Coordinator

MS2 UC Riverside School of Medicine

Like many here, Nathan loves the outdoors where he spends his free time either climbing, surfing, or snowboarding. Prior to starting medical school he worked as a beach lifeguard at the busiest beach in California and was part of a ski team where he visited the various mountains on the West Coast. Nathan would love to incorporate these hobbies with his passion for wilderness/emergency medicine. He is excited to dive deeper into the abyss of wilderness medicine and hopefully meet some of the many fellow healthcare adventurers on the way.

Ian Brodka - Finance & Resource Coordinator

MS3 University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Ian received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of Rochester. During that time, he also earned his EMT-B certification and has been working county EMS since then. He co-started an EMS Journal Club for his region where he dissects recent research articles with local first responders to ensure evidence based practices. Outside of school and work, you can commonly find Ian outside either in the warm becoming an Adirondack 46er or in the cold skiing and ice skating. His interests in wilderness medicine surround cold climates, expedition medicine, and altitude (looking at you Himalayan Range).

Kelsey Ellis - Social Media Coordinator

OMS2 Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine

Hello! My name is Kelsey Ellis and I am a current OMS2 at Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. I have a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology with minors in Chemistry and Animal Science, as well as a M.S. in Biomedicine. While obtaining my undergraduate degree, I rode for the MSU Equestrian Team and MSU Ranch Horse Team, and also worked in a level 1 trauma center. Now at ARCOM, I am involved in several clubs and I spend as much time as I can volunteering at the Good Samaritan Clinic which serves the underserved population in Fort Smith, AR. Full Bio

MOrgan Braswell - CO-Outreach/PR Coordinator

MS3 George Washington University

Growing up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and along the shores of the Great Lakes, Morgan's passion for the outdoors preceded her interest in medicine. She attended Oregon State for her BS in Biology where she was involved in the Adventure Leadership Institute as an operations staff member, a teaching assistant for wilderness first-aid, a trip leader, and a raft guide. She ultimately went on to receive her Wilderness EMT, Swift Water Rescue, and climbing wall instructor certifications. Full Bio

Nate Barott - CO-Outreach/PR Coordinator

MS1 SUNY Upstate Medical University

Nate attended Cornell University for his undergraduate years where he majored in biology and did a lot of running and cross country skiing. Before starting medical school, Nate spent a few years leading backpacking trips, ski patrolling, working at an apple orchard, living in Nepal, and riding his gravel bike a lot. He is very interested in everything wilderness medicine-related and has especially strong interests in disaster medicine, expedition medicine, tactical medicine and aerospace medicine. When he’s not exploring the wonderful world of wilderness medicine, Nate enjoys spending his free time running, skiing, bikepacking, and baking.

Katrina STevens - Webmaster

MS2 SUNY Upstate Medical University

Katrina obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology from Clarkson University. After, she went on to serve in the AmeriCorps for West Mountain Regional Health Alliance in Colorado. While volunteering she served as project coordinator, with a focus on improving social determinants of health in the community, specifically food and housing insecurity. Currently, she is an active member of the Adirondack Mountain Rescue team and is pursuing research in wilderness medicine. In her free time she enjoys whitewater rafting, snowboarding, and knitting. Full Bio

Leo Diamond - Lead Undergraduate Coordinator

University of Chicago

Leo is a pre-med undergraduate at the University of Chicago majoring in geophysical sciences and English literature. He started his wilderness medicine journey when he got his WFR in high school and instantly fell in love with it. Since then he has upgraded to a WEMT, worked as a ski patroller during his gap year, and attended the National Conference on Wilderness Medicine. In his free time he is an avid triathlete. Leo is excited to help grow the project and help bring wilderness medicine to a wider audience.