Chair

Michael J. Brenner, MD, FACS

Dr Brenner is an Associate Professor and Co- Director of Branch Science at University of Michigan Medical School. A clinicianscientist with dual appointment in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the Kresge Research Institute, he has a longstanding interest in diversity and medical education including mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship. He chairs the Outcomes Research & Evidence-Based Medicine Committee and Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts (CORE) Study Section, of the AAOHNS. He also serves as president of the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative, whose learning community spans over 200 institutions across over 25 countries. He has mentored dozens of interprofessional learners at doctoral and postgraduate level in Otolaryngology, Neuroscience, Nursing, and Speech Language Pathology. 

Dr. Brenner’s research program has garnered NIH funding, foundation grants, and resulted in over 200 publications. He is the AAFPRS representative to the AAO-HNS Guidelines Task Force and has spearheaded proposals and international guideline/ consensus statement development, dissemination, and implementation. His translational research projects investigate nerve regeneration, axonal guidance, nanoparticle delivery, biomedical engineering, and mechanisms of oxidative stress.  

President

Vinciya Pandian, PhD, MBA, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN

Vinciya Pandian is an acute care nurse practitioner who has clinical expertise in managing individuals with a tracheostomy. She completed her undergraduate degree in nursing at the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India, Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Nursing at the Johns Hopkins University, and Masters of Business and Administration degree at the University of Baltimore. She works as an Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and serves as the Associate Director of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)- Executive and DNP-MBA programs. 

The focus of her scholarship has been in advancing the management of mechanically ventilated patients with a tracheostomy, integrating biological and behavioral science for better health, with an emphasis on improving quality of life and eliminating health disparities. Her primary research focuses on identifying signs and symptoms of laryngeal injury post-extubation in intensive care units. Her other interests surround developing, implementing, and evaluating airway products and multidisciplinary programs. She has been highly productive academically, publishing over 60 scientific articles and presenting over 100 abstracts nationally or globally. 

Vinciya Pandian is currently the Vice President of Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Nurses and the President of Sigma Theta Tau International Nu Beta-at Large chapter. She has been involved with global tracheostomy collaborative since 2014 and now, also serves a chair for the Educational committee of the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative.

Vice President

 Amy Freeman-Sanderson, PhD, B.App.Sc (Speech Path), CPSP, FEA

Secretary 

Darrin French, MAM, RRT-NPS

Treasurer

Charissa Zaga, PhD, MPH, BSpPath, CPSP

A/Prof Charissa Zaga is a post-doctoral clinician-researcher in speech pathology and implementation science. A/Prof Zaga is a senior clinician and acute stream leader in the Department of Speech Pathology at the Austin Hospital, and post-doctoral researcher in the Implementation Science Unit at the Institute of Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health. Following A/Prof Zaga's undergraduate degree in speech pathology and master of public health, her PhD (University of Melbourne, 2024) investigated the feasibility, utility and safety of communication interventions for critically ill patients with an artificial airway, and led the development and pilot feasibility testing of a novel outcome measure for communicative effectiveness. A/Prof Zaga recently completed the Melbourne Academic Centre for Health's Health Service Research Future Leaders Fellowship 2024-2026, and holds a number of leadership roles including Treasurer and Board Member of the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative, and immediate-past Chair of the GTC Database Committee. A/Prof Zaga's research interests include the early facilitation of communication and swallowing rehabilitation in critically ill patients, examining the impact of multi-disciplinary interventions and implementation science. 

Erynne Azalea Faucett, MD, FACS

 David Feller-Kopman, MD

James Lynch, MSc, ACCP

James Lynch BSc MSc James is an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner in Manchester. Brought up in the North York Moors he worked as a Health Care Assistant in Scarborough before qualifying as a nurse in Lancashire. He spent a decade as an ICU nurse in Blackburn and Manchester before qualifying as an ACCP at Salford University. His interest in tracheostomy care and quality improvement led to seconded positions as Project Manager for the NTSP's collaboration with the GTC and Health Foundation. The subsequent "Improving Tracheostomy Care Projects" demonstrated that delivering key GTC priniciples into NHS sites made significant improvements in safety, efficacy and patient experience- against just about every metric we measured. In his spare time he juggles his family with the near impossible hobby of trying to photograph the aurora borealis from 53 degrees North and continues to play "soccer" in spite of his age and fitness. 

Kylie McElroy, BA