Our Team
Our team at the the Compress and Shock Foundation is deeply passionate about providing
free CPR and AED education to everyone with a specific focus on those communities that
have barriers to this education. All Board members serve in a volunteer capacity and are happy
to donate their time and expertise to increase neurologically intact survival.
JACK PERKINS, MD
Founder and Executive Director
(2017 - current)
Dr. Jack Perkins is board-certified in both Emergency and Internal Medicine and has spent the better part of two decades working as an educator. He most recently served as part of the faculty for the Virginia Tech Carilion Emergency Medicine Residency. Currently, he is working as an Emergency Medicine physician in New Plymouth, New Zealand, with plans to return to Virginia in the summer of 2024. Dr. Perkins is deeply passionate about healthcare inequities and spearheaded the introduction of a curriculum on 'Social Disparities in Healthcare' during his time in Virginia. He also established a unique educational platform, "Patients as Educators" that is a yearly offering at the Scientific Assembly of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. He is proud to lead the Foundation in its pursuit of providing every victim of cardiac arrest an equal chance to return to their family.
KAREN PERKINS, MD
Vice-Director and Director of Fundraising
(2017 - current)
Dr. Karen Perkins is board-certified in Family Medicine and currently is a physician with Moturoa Medical Centre in New Plymouth, New Zealand. In August of 2024, she plans to rejoin the Virginia Tech Carilion Emergency Medicine Department. She is a clinician and educator, and has spent most of her professional life teaching and seeing patients of all ages, including delivering babies. In addition to her clinical duties, she and Jack enjoy advancing the mission of the Compress and Shock Foundation and raising their three kids, ages 10, 12, and 14.
ANDREW BOULAND, MD
Director of Education
(2017 - current)
Dr. Andrew Bouland is the medical director for Wilson County EMS and associate medical director for Pitt County EMS in North Carolina. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University. He completed an EMS fellowship at Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical Center and Mecklenburg EMS agency in Charlotte, NC. He completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at Virginia Tech Carilion. Dr. Bouland has extensive background in EMS including 13+ years as an EMS provider. He has a particular interest in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and bystander CPR.
SEAGER WILSON
Director of Finance
(2020 - current)
Seager Wilson has spent his professional career as a CPA in public accounting and is currently an Accounting Manager with Brown Edwards with a focus in the healthcare industry. Seager holds a Master’s in Accountancy from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and previously attained his bachelor’s from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri where he was a Pole Vaulter and All-American athlete. He and his wife moved to Roanoke three years ago and regularly enjoy trail running, cycling and hiking in the area. As an advocate for health and wellness, Seager is happy for the opportunity to volunteer with the Compress and Shock Foundation.
FAITH QUENZER, DO
Board Member
(2023 - current)
Faith Quenzer, DO MPH obtained her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Cellular Biology and graduated from the Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in 2015. Dr. Quenzer did her Emergency Medicine residency at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California. After residency, Dr. Quenzer became a clinical research fellow for UC San Diego, Department of Emergency Medicine while she earned her MPH in Epidemiology through San Diego State University. Dr. Quenzer is involved in the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and is Committee Chair of Social Emergency Medicine and Population Health, Resources Subcommittee Chair of the Collaborative Steering Committee for the Border Health Collaborative. In her leadership positions, she is actively working in conjunction with nonprofits, businesses, and academic institutions on both sides of the US-Mexico border in producing research and promoting quality health care and health education for the US-Mexico border population. Dr. Faith Quenzer is also an adjunct professor at the SDSU School of Public Health where she lectures on Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Border Health.
BOB ZEMPLE, MD
Board Member
(2019 - current)
Bob Zemple is currently practicing as both an Emergency Medicine (EM) and local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) physician with Aurora BayCare in Green Bay, WI. He is an avid sports enthusiast, enjoys running, and is both a member of and works with the area's YMCAs. He completed medical school in Madison, WI at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He then went on to Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA for EM residency followed by an EMS Fellowship while concurrently earning his Professional MBA from Virginia Tech. Bob then returned back home with his family to the greater Green Bay area in the summer of 2017.
JENNIFER HERRIOTT-TREJO
Director of Spanish Language Education
(2023 - current)
Jennifer Herriot-Trejo was born and raised in Spotsylvania, Virginia and moved to Roanoke, Virginia in 2002 after receiving her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from VA Tech, She later studied Spanish and became a certified English as a Second Language teacher in 2007 in Costa Rica. This is when and where she began to develop her passion for teaching and working with the Hispanic community. Jennifer Holds a M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Liberty University. She became an EMT in the spring of 2022 and am currently a career EMT in Covington, Virginia and a BLS instructor for Code One Training Solutions. She is a volunteer fire fighter/EMT with Read Mountain Fire and Rescue in Botetourt, Virginia. She is active in her church Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana serving as the financial director. She has been married to her wonderful husband, Alejandro Trejo-Soto for over 10 years, They have two cats, Porkchop and Oscar. In her free time, she enjoy playing guitar and fishing
MICHAEL ABRAHAM, MD
Board Member
(2018 - current)
Dr. Abraham completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center in 2008. He is a Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and serves as the Chairman of Emergency Medicine at University of MD - Upper Chesapeake Health System. In his spare time he enjoys outdoor pursuits including running and hiking. Dr. Abraham and Dr. Perkins spent two years together as residents in Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland.
SAMMY ZAKARIA, MD
Board Member
(2018 - current)
Dr. Sammy Zakaria specializes in critical care cardiology, and has cared for many patients that have had cardiac arrest. He is the Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (JHBMC), and also works in the Cardiac Care Unit at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Zakaria earned his undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University, his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, and his master of public health degree from the University of Maryland. He trained at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Internal Medicine and also practiced there as a faculty attending for one year. He then spent three years with Dr. Perkins at the University of Maryland while he was a fellow in Cardiovascular Disease and Dr. Perkins was a resident in Emergency Medicine. He then moved on to a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco before joining the Johns Hopkins faculty in 2008. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Critical Care Medicine. He is also the incoming Governor for the Maryland Chapter of the American College of Cardiology and is also heavily involved in the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
ALEX FISHER
Director of Undergraduate Student Engagement
(2024 - current)
Alex Fisher is an undergraduate student in the Honors College at East Carolina University. Currently, he is studying Biochemistry with the hopes of attending medical school in the near future. Alex has grown up in the first responder field, with both of his parents having over 25 years of experience in EMS and Law Enforcement. Continuing the efforts of his parents, Alex has spent his undergraduate career working as an EMT for Wilson County EMS, Eastern Pines EMS, and Ayden EMS. He has also spent significant time working for the Pitt County Community Paramedicine Program to reduce non-emergency 911 calls. Alex has a particular interest in using his platform as an undergraduate student to create university partnerships with the Compress and Shock Foundation.
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PETER O'BRIEN, MD
Board Member
(2021 - current)
Dr. O’Brien received his undergraduate degree from Bucknell University. He attended the University of Virginia for Medical school, Internship, and Residency training. Dr. O’Brien performed his Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology fellowships at Wake Forest University. Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Vascular and Endovascular Medicine, his interests include peripheral artery disease, coronary and peripheral arterial intervention, and the treatment of acute myocardial infarction.
Dr. O’Brien served on the American Heart Association’s National Guideline Writing Committee for Systems of Care Development for Myocardial Infarction and on the American College of Cardiology’s Door to Balloon (D2B) initiative. He was one of the regional leads and authors of Duke University and the AHA’s Mission: Lifeline STEMI Accelerator-2 project. Dr. O’Brien is the Director of the Acute MI Program at Centra and is the Chief Quality Officer of the Heart and Vascular Institute. In 2008 he co-founded the Virginia Heart Attack Coalition and serves as its current leader. He also serves on the Board of the Virginia Cardiac Services Quality Initiative.
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JON BLANK
Director of Website Development and EMS Engagement
(2023 -current)
Jon Blank has been in Fire and EMS for the last 30 Years. Jon is currently a Fire Captain with the Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Department, and owner of The CPR Guy, a small local business that teaches CPR and AED instruction. Jon has witnessed firsthand the poor outcomes associated with no CPR and AED intervention prior to EMS arrival. He has a strong desire to see them improved. Jon holds an A.S. in Emergency Health Sciences – Paramedic and a B.S. in Health Services Management from Radford University Carilion. Jon has been heavily involved in EMS Education since the mid 1990’s teaching at Radford University Carilion and The Roanoke Valley Regional Recruit School. In Jon’s spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife, 6 kids and 2 grandchildren.
RICHARD LOVEGROVE
HEATHER LIFFERT
Board Member
(2023 - current)
Project Manager
Bio Coming Soon
Richard Lovegrove is a former newspaper and wire service reporter who retired as a university editor and writer at Virginia Tech. His wife, Lisa is a retired RN and son Spencer is an Emergency Medicine Physician, but his desire to expand free and equitable access to CPR and AEDs started with the death of his 18 years old daughter in 2005. Grace Lovegrove was running on the Newport News, VA streets with her college track team when she went into cardiac arrest. Nobody nearby knew CPR and no AED was available. Rick has helped with a few efforts to make AEDs more available over the years, but never felt at home until becoming involved with the Compress and Shock Foundation.