Shad Deering, MD

Topic: Maternal Cardiac Arrest
Bio: COL Shad Deering, MD, CHSE-A, COL(ret) USA:  Dr. Deering is a double board certified Maternal Fetal Medicine physician who recently retired after serving 26 years in the US Army.  He currently serves as the Medical Director of the Inova Center for Advanced Medical Simulation, where he helps lead systemwide simulation strategy supporting the training of more than 6,500 healthcare providers annually and remains clinically active in high-acuity obstetric care in one of the busiest OB units in the country.

Following OB/GYN residency at Walter Reed/Bethesda Naval and MFM fellowship at Georgetown University, Dr. Deering completed 26 years of active-duty Army service. His leadership roles included deployment to Iraq as leader of the Deployed Combat Casualty Research Team, for which he received the Bronze Star, and Chair of OB/GYN at the Uniformed Services University. He subsequently joined Baylor College of Medicine and CHRISTUS Health, serving as Simulation Institute Director, COVID-19 Chief Medical Incident Commander, and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs. His leadership improved faculty retention, engagement, productivity, and compensation performance. Nationally, he serves on the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Executive Board and is an investigator on a $3.6 million NIH R01 grant developing simulation-based training to improve operative management of postpartum hemorrhage.

Over his career, he Dr. Deering has delivered babies in 10 different States and a combat zone, was awarded the Bronze Star, holds two patents for an obstetric birthing simulator system, has over 100 publications and two TED talks about obstetric simulation and has managed over 30 million dollars in grants and external funding.  The programs he has created and developed have trained over 900,000 participants, his simulation videos have over 21 million views on YouTube, and his running gear from the 2013 Boston Marathon is currently on display in an exhibit at the National Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington DC.

Amber Pocrnich

Topic: Communication and Teamwork in Emergencies
Bio: Amber Pocrnich is an accomplished healthcare executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience in maternal and neonatal quality, patient safety, nursing operations, and clinical performance improvement.

She currently serves as System Program Director for Perinatal Services at CHRISTUS Health, providing enterprise-level leadership for perinatal programs across a multi-hospital system. Her work includes clinical standardization, quality improvement, regulatory readiness, competency alignment, and nursing practice governance. Her leadership has supported maternal and NICU designations, obstetric emergency services, OB Hospitalist programs, and systemwide quality initiatives.

Before joining CHRISTUS Health, Amber retired from the United States Army Nurse Corps, where she held leadership roles in maternal-child health, quality management, ambulatory care, professional development, and combat casualty operations, including deployment to Iraq.

Amber is a TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer, TexasAIM Faculty member, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and published author. She holds certifications in Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety and Electronic Fetal Monitoring and is a graduate of the CHRISTUS Chief Nursing Officer and Leadership & Ethics Academies.

Gary Dildy, MD, FACOG, CPHQ, CPPS

Topic: Amniotic Fluid Embolism
Bio: Dr. Dildy earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed his Obstetrics & Gynecology residency and Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He is board certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Dr. Dildy currently is appointed Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at St. Louis University School of Medicine and Clinical Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine.

Dr. Dildy is an editorial consultant for numerous peer reviewed journals, including Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), as well as an active member of professional societies including the ACOG and SMFM, having served on a number of national committees.

During the course of work in quality and patient safety, he has achieved the Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) and Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) designations.

Dr. Dildy has served as Co-Editor of the textbook Critical Care Obstetrics (4th, 5th and 6th Edition) and has presented and authored numerous abstracts, chapters, and original research papers on intrapartum fetal assessment, high-risk obstetrics, critical care obstetrics and obstetric emergencies.

A primary research interest is amniotic fluid embolism (AFE). He serves as a founding board member and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee for the AFE Foundation, and created the international AFE Registry at Baylor College of Medicine.

Torre Halscott, MD, MS

Topic: Respiratory Failure
Bio: Torre Halscott, MD, MS is an internationally recognized leader in Obstetric Critical Care, combining his experience in both Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine to promote evidence-based care for the most challenging situations in pregnancy. He has contributed to numerous guidelines and educational projects for many organizations, including co-authoring the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's COVID management guidelines, presenting this information nationally as well as internationally.

He is a current or past member of editorial boards for prominent journals, as well as an award-winning reviewer in both obstetrics and critical care. He has also contributed numerous chapters to several textbooks, as well as currently being an editor for the leading texts on Obstetric Critical Care. His clinical focus is on maternal medical complications in pregnancy, obstetric critical care, labor and delivery management, medical education, healthcare logistics, and promotion of collaborative care.

Amir A. Shamshirsaz, MD

Topic: Point of Care Ultrasound
Bio: Dr. Amir A. Shamshirsaz is a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist with specialties in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Surgical Critical Care and certification in Critical Care Echo Examination. He currently serves as the Co-director of Maternal Critical Care and Co-Director of the Placenta Accreta Spectrum Care Team Program at Texas Children’s Hospital/Pavilion for Women.

He completed his medical school at the National University in Tehran, Iran, and then went on to join the obstetrics and gynecology residency program at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Afterward, he attended Baylor College of Medicine, where he finished fellowships in both maternal fetal medicine and surgical critical care. He now serves as an assistant professor specializing in maternal fetal medicine and critical care medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

His main interests are Critical Care, Point of Care ultrasound, Cardiac Disease in Pregnancy, ECMO in Pregnancy and Placenta Accreta Spectrum. He served on the Expert Panel for Obstetric Life Support (OBLS): Development of a Simulation-based Maternal Cardiac Arrest Program for Credentialing Specialists and First Responders. He also serves as steering and publication committee on National COVID-19 ECMO in Pregnancy Registry. 

Stephanie Martin, DO, FACOG

Topic: Cardiomyopathy and Cardiac Disease
Bio: Dr. Stephanie Martin is a board-certified Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist and the Medical Director and co-owner of Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics (CCOB). She partners with hospitals nationwide to improve care for high-risk and critically ill pregnant and postpartum patients through systems assessment, interdisciplinary team training, and simulation-based education. Her work focuses on translating complex obstetric issues into practical bedside action and strengthening team performance.

Dr. Martin co-developed the Critical Care Obstetrics Academy, an advanced educational platform designed to prepare clinicians in any setting to recognize and respond to obstetric emergencies with confidence. She also co-hosts the globally recognized Critical Care Obstetrics Podcast, reaching listeners in more than 180 countries.

In addition to her extensive clinical experience, Dr. Martin has led and developed Maternal-Fetal Medicine practices across multiple states and serves as Course Director for America’s Board Review MFM Oral Board Examination Review Course, mentoring the next generation of specialists. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in maternal critical care, systems-based safety, and obstetric emergency preparedness.

Benjamin Cordy, MD

Topic: Pulmonary Embolism
Bio: Dr. Benjamin Cordy is an Intensivist with a training background in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Surgical Critical Care. He practices in the Division of Critical Care Medicine at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix and holds faculty appointment at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix.

He has a special interest in shock physiology, ultrasonography, medical education, and obstetric critical care. He currently serves on the Bioethics Committee and has research interests that revolve around physician communication, patient autonomy, medical decision-making, and end-of-life care. Outside the hospital he spends all his time outdoors: Running, cycling, climbing, backpacking, and camping.

Michael R. Foley, MD

Topic: Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
Bio: Dr. Michael R. Foley is a nationally recognized leader in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Critical Care Obstetrics. Following more than 20 years in private practice and a decade as Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix and Banner University Medicine, he retired from clinical practice and academic leadership. He currently serves as Senior Medical Consultant for Sera Prognostics.

A past President of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (2008), Dr. Foley received the Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. He earned his medical degree from Chicago Medical School and completed residency and fellowship training at The Ohio State University.

An award-winning educator, author, and mentor, Dr. Foley is the founder and original course director of this nationally recognized Critical Care Obstetrics Course and a founding faculty member of the DOK/SMFM Academy for Leadership and Development. He is past Lead Editor of Obstetric Intensive Care: A Practical Manual (eds 1-5)and Co-Editor of Critical Care Obstetrics, reflecting his enduring commitment to advancing maternal healthcare, education, and physician leadership.

Loralei L. Thornburg, MD

Topic: Neurologic Disease
Bio: Dr. Loralei L. Thornburg, MD, serves as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She specializes in maternal-fetal medicine and high-risk obstetrics and provides care through UR Medicine, including Strong Memorial Hospital.

Loralei L.  Thornburg MD (she/her) is the James R. Woods, Jr. Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and division director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of  Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, NY where she completed residency & fellowship.   

She is passionate about the care of people with complex disease in pregnancy, most notability focused on neurologic and cardiac disease in pregnancy.  She works with a number of organizations around the country to help birthing people have access to the care they need to have safe and healthy reproductive lives, including during labor and delivery. 

Kelsey Hoidal, MD, FACS

Topic: Trauma in Pregnancy
Bio: Kelsey Hoidal, MD, FACS, is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and a Trauma and Acute Care Surgeon and Surgical Intensivist at Banner – University Medical Center in Phoenix (BUMC-P). She completed her general surgery residency at BUMC-P and fellowship training in Surgical Critical Care at Northwestern University.

Dr. Hoidal is actively involved in undergraduate and graduate medical education, including curriculum development, simulation-based education, and educational leadership. Her professional interests center on surgical education, clinical quality, patient safety, and physician wellness, with a particular commitment to fostering a supportive and collaborative culture within surgery.

Dr. Niraj R. Chavan, MD, MPH, FACOG, FASAM

Topic: Overdose and Toxidromes
Bio: Dr. Niraj R. Chavan, MD, MPH, FACOG, FASAM, serves as Professor and Division Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Obstetric Services in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and Banner – University Medical Group. He also serves as Program Director of the Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship at the University of Arizona Phoenix.

Dr. Chavan is board certified in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Addiction Medicine, with expertise in complex pregnancies, perinatal substance use disorders, maternal mental health, and obstetric quality and safety. He has developed and led multidisciplinary clinical programs focused on improving outcomes for high-risk and vulnerable maternal populations.

His scholarly work includes maternal medical complications, perinatal addiction, health equity, and implementation science. He has published extensively, contributed as a reviewer for national funding agencies and academic journals, and received support from organizations including the NIH, CDC, and PCORI.

Nationally, Dr. Chavan has served on the Board of Directors of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and participated in committees focused on clinical guidelines, quality, and safety. At the University of Arizona and Banner Health, he leads efforts to expand and integrate maternal-fetal medicine services, innovative care models, and programs designed to improve maternal and infant health outcomes across Arizona.

Sarah E. Kellerhals, MD

Topic: Thyroid Emergencies and Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Bio: Dr. Sarah Kellerhals is an Assistant Professor at Creighton University School of Medicine in Phoenix and practices Maternal-Fetal Medicine with Dignity Health Medical Group. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Emory University and her Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.

Her clinical and academic interests include severe maternal morbidity, maternal mortality, maternal mental health, and the impact of adverse childhood experiences and childhood trauma on maternal and reproductive health. She serves as Co-Chair of the Arizona Maternal Mortality Review Committee, where she works to identify opportunities to prevent pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths and improve maternal health outcomes across the state.  Outside of medicine, she enjoys hiking and spending time with her husband and daughter.