University of Virginia Health System

Chistopher Holstege, MD; Mark Kirk, MD; Kevin Wallace, MD; Andy Baer, MD;  David Lawrence, DO; Steve Dobmeier, BSN, CSPI; Sue Kell, PhD, M Ed, CSPI; Kristin Wenger, M Ed; Nathan Charlton, MD; Jennifer Boyle, MD; Laura Bechtel, PhD, MS; Andre Berkin, BSN, SPI; Ginny Boylan, RN, CSPI; Joyce Brown, RN, CSPI; Jennifer Horn, BSN, CSPI;  Holly Kilmer, BSN, CSPI; Kathy Mayo, BSN, CSPI; Scott Wiley, BSN, CSPI ; Brigid Wonderly, MSN; Robert Walters; Heather Collier

Chistopher Holstege, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, FACMT
Director of the Division of Medical Toxicology, Medical Director of the Blue Ridge Poison Center (BRPC), Co-Director of the Medical Toxicology Fellowship  

is the Director of the Division of Medical Toxicology at the University of Virginia and the Medical-Managing Director of the BRPC.  He has strived for excellence in education and clinical service as he has guided the growth of the BRPC by recruiting a team of committed faculty and staff.  He has been recognized for this work with numerous awards, including the American College of Emergency Physicians National Faculty Teaching Award in 2002, the University of Virginia Dean's Award for Clinical Excellence in 2003, and the Attending Teacher of the Year Award from the University of Virginia Department of Emergency Medicine in 2001 and in 2002. 

Nathan Charlton, MD
Associate Director BRPC, Assistant Director Medical Toxicology Fellowship, Assistant Professor Department of Emergency Medicine
  
Dr. Charlton is a graduate of the Medical Toxicology Fellowship at the University of Virginia Health System.  He joined the BRPC staff as Associate Director in July 2009.  We all wish him the best of luck on his upcoming Toxicology Boards! Dr. Charlton received his M.D. from The University of South Florida in Tampa, and completed his residency in emergency medicine at The University of South Carolina/Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia, S.C. 

Mark Kirk , MD, FACMT
Co-Director of the Medical Toxicology Fellowship, Assistant Medical Director BRPC

is a Medical Toxicology Fellowship Co-Director and an Associate Medical Director of the Blue Ridge Poison Center.  His focus is on providing the best care possible to poisoned patients through the clinical consultative services at the University of Virginia Health System, being a passionate teacher about toxicology topics and taking an active role in community emergency response planning.   In Virginia, his focus has been on improving communications during chemical emergencies between hospitals and fire department incident command, local and state health departments, industry and others.  In addition to his local involvement, he has served on numerous state and national planning groups.  His specific research interests are related to using newer technologies to provide more effective teaching to students.  Specifically he is pursuing projects using human patient simulation and web-based learning.

Kevin Wallace, MD, FACMT
Director of Occupational and Environmental Toxicology
Assistant  Medical Director BRPC, Assistant Director Medical Toxicology Fellowship

is the Director of Occupational and Environmental Toxicology andAssociate Medical Director of the BRPC.  Having recently joined our team, he has over 10 years of full-time experience in medical toxicology, including service as an attending physician and academic faculty member at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.  In addition to treating patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting, he has provided educational and consulting services to a large number and variety of groups and organizations, with a primary focus on toxicologic risk assessment and communication.  Dr. Wallace regularly conducts independent medical examinations and serves as a forensic consultant and named expert in cases involving alcohol, drugs, industrial chemicals, and environmental toxins.  

Alexander Baer, MD
Assistant  Medical Director of the BRPC, Assistant Director Medical Toxicology Fellowship 

graduated from the University of Virginia Medical Toxicology Fellowship in 2004.  He has since become boarded in the subspecialty of Medical Toxicology, has become a part-time assistant clinical professor at UVa, and works as an attending at the BRPC assisting with clinical services.  He also holds a full-time emergency medicine position at Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg.  Dr. Baer's interest and expertise in medical toxicology pertains to the visual diagnosis of toxicological diseases. 

David Lawrence, DO
Assistant  Medical Director of the BRPC, Assistant Director Medical Toxicology Fellowship, Assistant Professor Department of Emergency Medicine 

Dr. Lawrence completed his fellowship at the Blue Ridge Poison Center in July, 2008.  Previously he worked 2 years as a community emergency medicine physician in Connecticut and Long Island, NY. He received his D.O. degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed his residency in emergency medicine at SUNY-Stony Brook University Hospital.

Steve Dobmeier, BSN, CSPI
Manager of the BRPC

has 30 tears of nursing experience the majority of which has been spent in Critical and Emergency care. Steve joined the BRPC team in 2000, became a certified specialist, and has since moved into the position of BRPC Manager.  Steve brings expertise in the area of communications and has advanced the BRPC to include capabilities such as telemedicine and center directed HAM radio service. In 2007, Steve was awarded an 'Outstanding Contributor' awards from the University of Virginia.

Sue Kell, PhD, M Ed, CSPI
Education Director of the BRPC 

has a 30 year career at the Blue Ridge Poison Center. Sue states, "Watching and experiencing the growth and change of the Center over the years has been exciting and rewarding."  Sue has served the center in numerous capacities, most recently as Education Director.  Sue earned her PhD in Education in May 2007.  Sue also serves on many national committees of the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), including the Public Education Committee, and was a member of the AAPCC Board of Directors from 2004-2008.

Kristin  Wenger, MT
Education Coordinator BRPC, Lead-Safe Educator

Kristin Wenger joined the BRPC staff in May, 2005, bringing prior experience in hospital volunteer management and museum education. Kristin has a B.S. in Biology from Mary Washington College and a Master of Teaching Science degree from the University of Virginia. She is also a swing dance instructor. 
 

Jennifer Boyle, MD
Toxicology Fellow BRPC 
    
Dr. Boyle is in the second year of her toxicology fellowship. Her previous experience includes completing an emergency medicine residency at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Me. Prior to residency her education background includes an MD degree from Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, NH as well as a Pharm-D from the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, RI.

Laura Bechtel, Ph.D, M.S.
Assistant Professor Division of Medical Toxicology-Emergency Medicine

Dr. Bechtel is helping to expand the research arm of the division as a translational scientist.  Through her interests in teaching and research she will help turn basic discoveries into treatments for patients.   Her research efforts have focused on developing pharmaceutical and biotechnologies for improving human and animal health.  Laura received her Ph.D. from the University of Utah and her Masters of Microbiology from Colorado State University. 

has degrees in Biology and Nursing from the University of Virginia, and has worked at the UVa Health Sciences Center for 30 years.  His experiences include Surgical and Medical Nursing care of adults and children, in acute- and critical-care settings, most recently in the Burn & Wound Care Center.  He moved to the Blue Ridge Poison Center in 2002, and is a Certified Specialist in Poison Information.

Ginny Boylan, RN, CSPI

Ginny has worked at the BRPC since 2002. Previously, she worked in Neuro ICU and has experience in cardiology and ICU. Ginny's nursing career spans 40 years and includes hospitals in New York and Virginia.

Joyce Brown, RN, CSPI

is a Certified Specialist in Poison Information and has worked at BRPC for ten years.  She came to the poison center from a career as a Realtor, looking for new challenges and learning experiences, both of which she has found.

Jennifer Horn, BSN, CSPI

graduated from University of Virginia in 1995 with a BSN.  Her background includes several years of working in the Emergency Department and General Medicine at UVA. She has been at the Blue Ridge Poison Center since July 2000 and became a CSPI in June 2002.

Holly Kilmer, BSN, CSPI

has 30 years ED and critical care nursing, with experience throughout the U.S, U.S. Virgin Islands, Englandand Hawaii.  Has special expertise with marine envenomations, fish poisonings and plant toxicity.  Special interest in plants and animals. 

Kathy Mayo, RN, CSPI

brings more than 20 years nursing experience to the Poison Center.  She has experience in:  trauma, neurology, orthopedics, oncology, and served as Nurse Manager/ BLS instructor for Angio- Interventional Radiology.  She designed and taught "Nursing for Radiology Technicians."  She serves the Poison Center as Magnet Champion and assists with public education and the SPI Committee. 

Scott Wiley, BSN, CSPI

Scott has accumulated 30 years experience managing poison exposures at the BRPC. He has served the poison center in many roles, including management. Scott is in charge of the Blue Ridge Poison Center's Nursing Student Rotation.

Brigid Wonderly, MSN, MPH, CSPI

Brigid became a certified poison specialist in 2008.  Brigid's past nursing experience is both clinical and research oriented, most recently in Digestive Health.  Brigid is a part-time UVA graduate student working towards a Master's in Public Health.

Robert Walters
Administrative Specialist

Robert has been working at the University of Virginia Health System since 2003 and is new to our Poison Center since March of 2008.  Robert has an ecclectic background, having served in the US Navy, worked Civil Service for the US Air Force, various dot.com's in the Charlottesville area, and was also as a Correctional Officer for the Virginia Department of Corrections. His love for computers is already proving to be a valuable skill as we welcome him on the poison center team!


Heather Collier
Fellowship Coordinator/Administrative Assistant

is the Fellowship Coordinator and Administrative Assistant to Dr. Chris Holstege and Dr. Mark Kirk. She has worked at the University since 1992 in Medical Center Purchasing and Pediatric Cardiology, and in 1998 moved to Emergency Medicine. Heather has worked exclusively with Medical Toxicology since 2002.