Little Airways. Big Learning.

We are a group of Pediatric Emergency Medicine physicians and nurses dedicated to researching and improving the quality of pediatric airway management. Please see our bios below to learn more.

Katherine Edmunds, MD, MEd

As a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician, Dr. Edmunds’ clinical interest is to improve the care of critically ill pediatric patients, especially those undergoing endotracheal intubation. Her master’s degree in medical education has allowed her to couple her clinical and educational interests, and has allowed her to become one of the lead airway educators in my division. She teaches weekly airway courses to Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellows and faculty members, and has given local, regional and national airway conferences.

Notable Airway Publications:

  1. Edmunds KJ, Shah A, Geis GL, Kerrey BT, Klein G, DeBra R, Zhang Y, Ahaus K, Boyd S, Thomas P, Dean P. Rapid cycle deliberate practice to improve airway skills and performance of trainees in a pediatric emergency department. AEM Educ Train. 2024 Jan 16;8(1):10.1002/aet2.10928. doi: 10.1002/aet2.10928. PMID: 38235393; PMCID: PMC10790190.

  2. Edmunds K, Pierpoint S, Frey M, Ahaus K, Boyd S, Shah A, Zhang Y, Kerrey B. Fraction of Expired Oxygen as a Measure of Preoxygenation Prior to Rapid Sequence Intubation in the Pediatric Emergency Department. J Emerg Med. 2022 Jul;63(1):62-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2022.04.023. Epub 2022 Aug 4. PMID: 35933262.

  3. Edmunds KJ, Byczkowski T, Frey M, Boyd S, Caruso M, Zhang Y, Kerrey BT, Timm N. Risk factors for inadequate sedation after endotracheal intubation in the pediatric emergency department. Am J Emerg Med. 2022 Jun;56:15-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.03.002. Epub 2022 Mar 10. PMID: 35344822.

  4. Dean P, Edmunds K, Shah A, Frey M, Zhang Y, Thomas P, Boyd S, Geis G, Kerrey BT. The Importance of Median Glossoepiglottic Fold Engagement on Laryngeal View and Tracheal Intubation Success in Children. Ann Emerg Med. 2023 Jun;81(6):658-666. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.12.027. Epub 2023 Feb 15. PMID: 36797132.

  5. Dean P, Edmunds K, Shah A, Frey M, Zhang Y, Boyd S, Kerrey BT. Video Laryngoscope Screen Visualization and Tracheal Intubation Performance: A Video-Based Study in a Pediatric Emergency Department. Ann Emerg Med. 2022 Apr;79(4):323-332. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.11.019. Epub 2021 Dec 22. PMID: 34952729.

Gary Geis, MD

Dr. Geis serves in the role of Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician and Simulation Center Medical Director. He is also an experienced clinical researcher, having been funded for multiple clinical trials on a national level as a primary investigator and a co-investigator. His research interests include medical simulation, systems integration, patient safety and pediatric resuscitation, especially endotracheal intubation. With his research, he and his team attempting to find ways to strengthen airway management and team-based healthcare services for severely ill and/or injured children. He has received multiple teaching awards throughout his career.

Notable Airway Publications:

  1. Kerrey BT, Rinderknecht AS, Geis GL, Nigrovic LE, Mittiga MR. Rapid sequence intubation for pediatric emergency patients: higher frequency of failed attempts and adverse effects found by video review. Ann Emerg Med. 2012 Sep;60(3):251-9. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2012.02.013. Epub 2012 Mar 15. PMID: 22424653; PMCID: PMC3400706.

  2. Rinderknecht AS, Mittiga MR, Meinzen-Derr J, Geis GL, Kerrey BT. Factors associated with oxyhemoglobin desaturation during rapid sequence intubation in a pediatric emergency department: findings from multivariable analyses of video review data. Acad Emerg Med. 2015 Apr;22(4):431-40. doi: 10.1111/acem.12633. Epub 2015 Mar 16. PMID: 25779855; PMCID: PMC4465288.

  3. Kerrey BT, Mittiga MR, Rinderknecht AS, Varadarajan KR, Dyas JR, Geis GL, Luria JW, Frey ME, Jablonski TE, Iyer SB. Reducing the incidence of oxyhaemoglobin desaturation during rapid sequence intubation in a paediatric emergency department. BMJ Qual Saf. 2015 Nov;24(11):709-17. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2014-003713. Epub 2015 Jul 16. PMID: 26183713.

  4. Dean P, Geis G, Hoehn EF, Lautz AJ, Edmunds K, Shah A, Zhang Y, Frey M, Boyd S, Nagler J, Miller KA, Neubrand TL, Cabrera N, Kopp TM, Wadih E, Kannikeswaran N, VanDeWall A, Hewett Brumberg EK, Donoghue A, Palladino L, O'Connell KJ, Mazzawi M, Tam DCF, Murray M, Kerrey B. High-risk criteria for the physiologically difficult paediatric airway: A multicenter, observational study to generate validity evidence. Resuscitation. 2023 Sep;190:109875. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2023.109875. Epub 2023 Jun 14. PMID: 37327848.

  5. Edmunds KJ, Shah A, Geis GL, Kerrey BT, Klein G, DeBra R, Zhang Y, Ahaus K, Boyd S, Thomas P, Dean P. Rapid cycle deliberate practice to improve airway skills and performance of trainees in a pediatric emergency department. AEM Educ Train. 2024 Jan 16;8(1):10.1002/aet2.10928. doi: 10.1002/aet2.10928. PMID: 38235393; PMCID: PMC10790190.

Benjamin Kerrey, MD, MS

Dr. Kerrey is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician and Medical Director for a Pediatric Emergency Department. His research focuses on attempting to optimize care in the resuscitation area of the Pediatric Emergency Department. Research areas he is specifically interested in and pursue include pediatric airway management, improvement of care for high acuity but low-frequency pediatric emergencies, video review and continuous vital signs for data collection during pediatric resuscitation.

He and his colleagues are looking to enhance systems of care in pediatric emergency settings when medical knowledge or clinical experience by itself is inadequate. He first became interested in this research due to his clinical training and skills and his motivation to provide the best care possible. The group he works with, the Medical Resuscitation Committee, was created in 2007. It has become a nationally recognized leader in treating pediatric patients with high acuity and low-frequency conditions.

Notable Airway Publications:

  1. Kerrey BT, Rinderknecht AS, Geis GL, Nigrovic LE, Mittiga MR. Rapid sequence intubation for pediatric emergency patients: higher frequency of failed attempts and adverse effects found by video review. Ann Emerg Med. 2012 Sep;60(3):251-9. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2012.02.013. Epub 2012 Mar 15. PMID: 22424653; PMCID: PMC3400706.

  2. Rinderknecht AS, Mittiga MR, Meinzen-Derr J, Geis GL, Kerrey BT. Factors associated with oxyhemoglobin desaturation during rapid sequence intubation in a pediatric emergency department: findings from multivariable analyses of video review data. Acad Emerg Med. 2015 Apr;22(4):431-40. doi: 10.1111/acem.12633. Epub 2015 Mar 16. PMID: 25779855; PMCID: PMC4465288.

  3. Kerrey BT, Mittiga MR, Rinderknecht AS, Varadarajan KR, Dyas JR, Geis GL, Luria JW, Frey ME, Jablonski TE, Iyer SB. Reducing the incidence of oxyhaemoglobin desaturation during rapid sequence intubation in a paediatric emergency department. BMJ Qual Saf. 2015 Nov;24(11):709-17. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2014-003713. Epub 2015 Jul 16. PMID: 26183713.

  4. Kerrey BT, Rinderknecht A, Mittiga M. High Risk, Low Frequency: Optimizing Performance of Emergency Intubation for Children. Ann Emerg Med. 2017 Dec;70(6):783-786. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.06.015. Epub 2017 Jul 24. PMID: 28751086.

  5. Dean P, Geis G, Hoehn EF, Lautz AJ, Edmunds K, Shah A, Zhang Y, Frey M, Boyd S, Nagler J, Miller KA, Neubrand TL, Cabrera N, Kopp TM, Wadih E, Kannikeswaran N, VanDeWall A, Hewett Brumberg EK, Donoghue A, Palladino L, O'Connell KJ, Mazzawi M, Tam DCF, Murray M, Kerrey B. High-risk criteria for the physiologically difficult paediatric airway: A multicenter, observational study to generate validity evidence. Resuscitation. 2023 Sep;190:109875. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2023.109875. Epub 2023 Jun 14. PMID: 37327848.

Preston Dean, MD, MS

Dr. Dean is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician with a special clinical interest in resuscitation, especially critical procedures. In addition to a clinical interest in resuscitation and critical procedures, he also actively researches both topics, with a special focus on tracheal intubation. His current efforts, with the help of an amazing research team, are focused on video laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation in physiologically high-risk patients. This work has led to multiple improvement initiatives — all designed to improve proceduralist performance, and more importantly, increase safety for the highest risk patients. He has received multiple research awards and grants for these efforts. He also teaches weekly airway courses to Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellows and faculty members, and has given local, regional and national airway conferences.

Notable Airway Publications:

  1. Edmunds KJ, Shah A, Geis GL, Kerrey BT, Klein G, DeBra R, Zhang Y, Ahaus K, Boyd S, Thomas P, Dean P. Rapid cycle deliberate practice to improve airway skills and performance of trainees in a pediatric emergency department. AEM Educ Train. 2024 Jan 16;8(1):10.1002/aet2.10928. doi: 10.1002/aet2.10928. PMID: 38235393; PMCID: PMC10790190.

  2. Dean P, Geis G, Hoehn EF, Lautz AJ, Edmunds K, Shah A, Zhang Y, Frey M, Boyd S, Nagler J, Miller KA, Neubrand TL, Cabrera N, Kopp TM, Wadih E, Kannikeswaran N, VanDeWall A, Hewett Brumberg EK, Donoghue A, Palladino L, O'Connell KJ, Mazzawi M, Tam DCF, Murray M, Kerrey B. High-risk criteria for the physiologically difficult paediatric airway: A multicenter, observational study to generate validity evidence. Resuscitation. 2023 Sep;190:109875. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2023.109875. Epub 2023 Jun 14. PMID: 37327848.

  3. Dean P, Edmunds K, Shah A, Frey M, Zhang Y, Thomas P, Boyd S, Geis G, Kerrey BT. The Importance of Median Glossoepiglottic Fold Engagement on Laryngeal View and Tracheal Intubation Success in Children. Ann Emerg Med. 2023 Jun;81(6):658-666. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.12.027. Epub 2023 Feb 15. PMID: 36797132.

  4. Dean P, Edmunds K, Shah A, Frey M, Zhang Y, Boyd S, Kerrey BT. Video Laryngoscope Screen Visualization and Tracheal Intubation Performance: A Video-Based Study in a Pediatric Emergency Department. Ann Emerg Med. 2022 Apr;79(4):323-332. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.11.019. Epub 2021 Dec 22. PMID: 34952729.

  5. Dean P, Edmunds K, Shah A, Frey M, Zhang Y, Boyd S, Kerrey BT. Video Laryngoscope Screen Visualization and Tracheal Intubation Performance: A Video-Based Study in a Pediatric Emergency Department. Ann Emerg Med. 2022 Apr;79(4):323-332. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.11.019. Epub 2021 Dec 22. PMID: 34952729.

Mary Frey, MSN, RN, CNL, CPN, CPEN

Mary Frey is the Senior Program Specialist for the Medical Resuscitation Program in a Pediatric Emergency Department. As Program Specialist for the last 13 years, her work focuses on pediatric medical resuscitation including education, safety, QI/QA, and data management. Mary has spent the last 26 years working in the Pediatric Emergency Department, initially as a clinical nurse before moving into her current position. Resuscitation interests include pediatric airway management, cardiopulmonary arrest management, and pediatric stroke care.

Becca Neichter, BS, MSN, CPEN, CHSE

Becca is currently a simulation education specialist for a large pediatric institution with a passion for resuscitation education. She previously spent nine years working in a Pediatric Emergency Department as a registered nurse. Her focuses within the simulation center include training of emergency department residents and fellows, regular emergency department in situ simulation, and weekly airway training with Drs. Dean and Edmunds.