Jim Rinehart Jr., MPA, BS, EMT-P, CHSE
Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Director of Clinical Skills and Simulation
Meet GME & NGMC Director of Clinical Skills and Simulation, Jim Rinehart. Jim’s impressive work history first began with serving in the United States Marine Corps. After completing his term, Jim received his paramedic certificate from Davenport University in Grand Rapids, MI. Before then, Jim received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI. He then went on to pursue a variety of professional roles such as a field training officer, operations manager, educator and regional EMS manager – which has provided him with extensive experience in disaster preparedness.
Not only does Jim bring more than 15 years of simulation experience to this role, but he was also one of the first people in the nation to become a certified healthcare simulation educator through the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Jim’s passion for simulation-based learning has included in-depth research to better understand how to best use simulation-based learning using sound educational principles and evolving a new paradigm in simulation-based learning to a learner-focused holistic approach to simulation innovation.
Jim’s extensive knowledge about simulation education and system integration is the result of ample experience in a variety of healthcare fields including grant submissions, program/curriculum development, bioterrorism, disaster-preparedness, ACLS, ACLS-EP, BLS, PALS, ITLS, emergency medicine, patient safety and inter-professional training. Jim also worked as the operations manager and professor of practice at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix, AZ, where he designed and orchestrated the opening of their world-class simulation center.
Most recently, Jim worked at Midwestern University in Phoenix, AZ, serving as the assistant director of simulation and clinical skills and as medical school faculty. During his four years at Midwestern University, he helped to implement and lead a variety of important initiatives such as developing an American Heart Association training center for students, instituting a 4-year ultrasound program at the medical school, and coordinating more than 27,000 standardized patient encounters and high-fidelity simulations annually.
Jim has three children, Kalee, Jimmy (1993-2019), and Joshua. He enjoys spending time with his two amazing granddaughters, Pearl and Coral, and his wonderful partner, Peggy. Jim is also passionate about staying healthy physically, mentally and spiritually.
Nicole Beringson, MSN, RN, CNML
Clinical Simulation Manager and Educator
Nicole is a Clinical Simulation Manager with nearly two decades of leadership experience at Northeast Georgia Health System. Prior to joining NGHS, she held roles at Saint Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Arizona.
Nicole oversees the daily operations of the NGHS Center for Simulation & Innovation. Under her leadership, the Center has achieved accreditation by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. The Standardized Patient (SP) Program has earned accreditation through the Association of SP Educators. Through the Center’s Mobile Simulation Lab, she has expanded partnerships with academic institutions, EMS providers, and regional organizations, increasing access to experiential learning opportunities.
Nicole holds a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Leadership and Management from Western Governors University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Viterbo University, and associate degrees in Nursing and Arts from Rochester Community College. She is an AONL Certified Nurse Manager and Leader and serves as an instructor for the American Heart Association’s Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) courses.
Pamela Glasper, BA
Simulation Administrative Secretary
Pamela Glasper is the Administrative Secretary for Northeast Georgia Health System’s Center for Simulation and Innovation. Pamela comes to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of North Georgia. While at UNG, Pamela received a Human Resources Master Certificate of Leadership and Supervision and Franklin Covey’s Championing Diversity recognition. She brings over 15 years of Human Resources and Managerial experience.
Pamela provides system support, including classroom scheduling, managing customer interactions, and performing clerical work.
Rebecca R. Harkness, MSN, RN, PHRN
AHA Credentialing Educator
She brings over three decades of healthcare experience, with deep expertise in emergency medicine and trauma care across adult and pediatric populations. Her clinical background includes 28 years in emergency nursing, including 19 years in a high-volume trauma center where she served as a charge nurse. She also contributed seven years of specialized practice in interventional radiology at a cancer hospital in the Philadelphia region. Since 2008, she has been a certified ACLS and BLS instructor and previously owned and operated a community-based CPR training business.
Rebecca earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ohio University and her Master of Science in Leadership and Management from Western Governors University. She also obtained her Prehospital Registered Nurse (PHRN) certification through the George E. Moerkirk Emergency Medicine Institute.
After relocating to North Georgia in 2022, Rebecca joined Stephens County Hospital as Stroke Coordinator, where she led the development and successful implementation of an acute remote stroke system of care certification. coordinated performance improvement and completed ongoing staff education.
As the Training Center Coordinator for NGHS she oversees all AHA-accredited resuscitation training programs. She leads systemwide compliance, instructor development, and quality assurance to ensure alignment with AHA standards and organizational clinical priorities. She collaborates with executive nursing, medical leadership, and clinical education teams to strengthen resuscitation readiness, optimize competency pathways, and support high reliability care. As the primary liaison to the AHA, she translates national guidelines into operational practice to sustain a high-performing training infrastructure that advances patient safety and clinical outcomes.
Kyle Cantrell
Simulation Technology Engineer
Kyle Cantrell is the Simulation Technology Engineer at Northeast Georgia Health System’s Center for Simulation and Innovation. He holds a Bachelor of Computer Science from the University of North Georgia and brings more than 20 years of experience in software development, integrated hardware/software design, and technical leadership.
In his role, Kyle supports the operation, integration, and continuous advancement of medical simulation technologies and equipment across the simulation center. He also contributes to data analysis, reporting, and technology development efforts that support innovation, operational efficiency, and evidence-based decision-making within simulation and education programs.
Corey Hill, MSN-Ed, RN, CRRN, NPD-BC, CNEcl, CHSE
Standardized Patient Educator / Clinical Simulation Educator
Corey received her Associate Degree in Nursing from Gainesville State College in Oakwood, GA, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, GA. She received her Master of Nursing in Nursing Education from Western Governors University in Millcreek, UT. She has been a Registered Nurse since 2009 specializing in Orthopedics, Neurology, Trauma, and Inpatient Rehabilitation prior to working in nursing education. Corey is certified by the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses as a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse, by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification in Nursing Professional Development, by the National League for Nursing as a Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator, and by the Society of Simulation in Healthcare as a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator.
At NGHS, Corey has served as the RN Residency Program Coordinator and as a Clinical Competency Educator before becoming a Clinical Simulation Educator with the SIM Center. She serves as the Standardized Patient Educator and assists with accreditation writing. She is an instructor in Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support through the American Heart Association. Corey specializes in new graduate nurse curriculum development, education, and accreditation, with additional expertise in Graduate Medical Education curriculum design, particularly within surgical and psychiatry programs. She manages and collaborates with Public Relations on content marketing.
Reta Garner, MSN, RN, CCRN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Reta received her Associate Degree in Nursing from North Georgia College in Dahlonega, GA, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Nursing from the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, GA. Reta has been a Registered Nurse for forty-four years. Her nursing experiences include ICU and CVICU. She has also served in nursing leadership as a Neuro Intensive Care Unit Nurse Manager in Winchester, Virginia, and Charge Nurse and Interim Nurse Manager at NGHS.
Reta is certified by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses as a Certified Critical Care Nurse. Reta is an active member and simulation education representative at NGHS’s shared governance, PNGC. Reta specializes in critical care simulation scenario development and procedures for physician residents. She also supports the Cardiology Fellowship program and facilitates IM Advanced Critical Care simulations.
Nicole Drury, MSN-Ed, RN, CEN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Nicole received her Associate Degree in Nursing from Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Consumer Science from the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. She received her Master of Nursing in Nursing Education from Western Governors University in Millcreek, Utah. She started her nursing career in the Nurse Residency Program at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. She went on to become the Neuroscience Clinical Educator. She continued her nursing career in the Emergency Depart at Piedmont Athens Regional in Athens, Georgia. Nicole is certified by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nurses as a Certified Emergency Nurse Specialist.
Nicole previously served as the RN Residency Program Coordinator before transitioning into her current role with the Simulation Center. Nicole’s primary focus is delivering community-based education throughout Northeast Georgia. She works extensively with the mobile simulation unit to provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for EMS agencies and high school students, supporting workforce development and early exposure to healthcare careers across the region.
Katie Parrish, PhD, RN, CHSE
Clinical Simulation Educator
Katie earned her associate’s degree in nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Master of Nursing Education from the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, GA. She worked at Northeast Georgia Medical Center on both orthopedic/neurology and medical-surgical units before becoming an assistant professor of nursing and director of simulation for the College of Health Sciences and Professions at the University of North Georgia. During her tenure at UNG, she engaged in research, published book chapters and journal articles, and delivered both national and international presentations related to simulation.
Katie is a member of the 2015 cohort of the NLN’s Leadership Program for Simulation Educators and is a certified healthcare simulation educator (CHSE) through the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. She earned a PhD in health professions education, with an emphasis on simulation, from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Professions in Boston, MA. Her dissertation research focused on the psychological safety of simulated/standardized patients.
Katie specializes in simulation education, including simulation curriculum development, faculty/facilitator development, simulation program operational management, and research.
Yesica Castaneda White, BSN, RN, TCRN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Yesica received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Piedmont University in Demorest, Georgia. She has been a Registered Nurse since 2014, specializing in Emergency Medicine prior to transitioning into nursing education. Her clinical experience includes working at both pediatric and adult trauma centers. At Northeast Georgia Health System, Yesica served as the Emergency Department Educator for multiple campuses before becoming a Clinical Simulation Educator with the Simulation Center.
Yesica is certified by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing as a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN). She is an instructor in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) through the American Heart Association. She is also an instructor for Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses, an advanced trauma education course designed to provide nurses with a standardized approach to the care of trauma patients.
As a Clinical Simulation Educator, Yesica specializes in Graduate Medical Education curriculum development, with a focus on surgical and psychiatry education. Her expertise includes simulation scenario design, procedure development, immersive educational strategies, and the implementation of innovative curricula to enhance physician resident training and clinical competence.
Leah Everett, MHA, BSN, RN, TCRN, CHSE
Clinical Simulation Educator
Leah received her Associate of Science in Nursing from the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, GA, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama, and a Master of Health Administration from the University of Cincinnati. She has been a registered nurse since 2012, with clinical experience specializing in Medical-Surgical Nursing and Emergency Medicine prior to transitioning into nursing education. Her clinical background includes work at adult trauma centers.
At Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS), Leah has served in several leadership and educational roles within the Emergency Department, including emergency department educator and nurse manager. She is a member of the Northeast Georgia Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Chapter.
Leah is certified by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing as a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) and by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare as a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE).
As a clinical simulation educator, Leah specializes in Graduate Medical Education, working primarily with Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine residency programs. She is passionate about resident education and is known for incorporating highly interactive learning experiences, including mass casualty training and competitive simulation-based “Sim Wars,” to enhance engagement, teamwork, and clinical decision-making.
Tasha Murchison, MSN-Ed, RNC-OB, C-EFM
Clinical Simulation Educator
Tasha received her Licensed Practical Nurse diploma from North Georgia Technical College in Clarksville, GA, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Piedmont University in Demorest, GA. She later earned her Master of Education from Capella University.
Tasha has been a nurse with NGHS for 25 years, with extensive experience as both a mother-baby nurse and a labor and delivery nurse. She previously served as a labor and delivery nurse educator before transitioning into her current role as a clinical simulation educator.
Tasha holds certifications in inpatient obstetrics (RNC-OB) and fetal monitoring (C-EFM). She currently serves as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Georgia Section. She is also an Obstetric Patient Safety (OPS), AWHONN Intermediate Fetal Monitoring, and AAFP ALSO instructor.
Tasha specializes in developing obstetric simulation scenarios and providing hands-on procedural training for resident physicians, nurse residents, high school students, and hospital staff. Additionally, she is actively involved in community outreach, providing education and training to EMS and paramedic programs. She also leads state-level initiatives aimed at reducing maternal mortality through targeted educational programs.
Libby Humber, BSN, RN, TCRN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Libby received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Milligan University in Johnson City, TN. She has been a registered nurse since 2015, specializing in emergency medicine before working in nursing education. Her experience includes working in adult and pediatric trauma centers and intensive care units. Libby is certified by the Board of Certification as a trauma certified registered nurse. She is a current member of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA).
While at NGHS, Libby has served in the charge nurse and assistant manager roles at NGMC Gainesville’s emergency department. She is also an ultrasound-guided IV instructor.
As a clinical simulation educator, Libby specializes in nursing curriculum and ED simulation scenario development. She serves as the lead simulation educator for Patient Care Technician (PCT) and Nurse Residency programs. Libby also supports Basic Life Support (BLS) education across the health system and holds American Heart Association (AHA) instructor certifications in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
Lauren Wisnoski, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Lauren received her Master of Science in Nursing from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Lauren is certified by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nurses as a certified emergency nurse and trauma certified registered nurse.
Before coming to NGHS, Lauren worked in pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She has also worked as a public health nurse and a clinical instructor. While at NGHS, Lauren has worked as a staff nurse and relief charge nurse at NGMC Braselton’s emergency department and as a staff nurse in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU).
As a clinical simulation educator, Lauren specializes in pediatric simulation scenario development and supports the GME Internal Medicine simulation program. She coordinates and leads AHA PALS Certification Courses and assists with accreditation writing and review.
Jackie Payne, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Jackie received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida. She has been a registered nurse since 2003, specializing in oncology, emergency nursing and trauma outreach. Jackie is a trauma-certified registered nurse and certified emergency nurse. She is a rural trauma team development course coordinator and trauma nursing core course director. She also serves as an instructor for the American Heart Association (AHA), Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses and Stop the Bleed.
Jackie has served as the Northeast Georgia Emergency Nurses Association’s (ENA) president and the Georgia ENA State Council secretary. She is the treasurer of the Region 2 Regional Trauma Advisory Committee and the clinical advisor for Region B Healthcare Coalition.
While at NGHS, Jackie served as the trauma outreach and injury prevention coordinator at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, an ACS-verified Level I trauma center in Gainesville, Georgia. Jackie’s leadership experience includes nurse educator and assistant nurse manager in the Emergency Department and nurse manager of the Nurse Residency Program.
As a clinical simulation educator for the Center for Simulation and Innovation, Jackie specializes in coordinating in-situ simulations.
Joy Perrin, BSN, RN, CCRN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Joy earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the Medical College of Georgia in 2005. She also holds an associate degree in business from Truett McConnell College and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Piedmont University.
With more than 20 years of experience as a registered nurse, Joy began her career at Northeast Georgia Health System in the cardiovascular intensive care unit as a nurse extern. She recently celebrated her 20-year anniversary as an RN.
Throughout her career, Joy has developed extensive expertise in critical care nursing, serving in roles including CVICU/CCU charge nurse, critical care flex pool nurse, nurse preceptor and assistant nurse manager. Her dedication to patient care has been recognized at the Regional STEMI Summit for her compassion, empathy and clinical skills.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Joy played a key role in opening and staffing the COVID ICU. She has also been an active member of the Rapid Response Team since its inception at NGHS.
Most recently, Joy served as assistant nurse manager of NGHS’s Central Monitoring Unit, a pioneering program in Georgia that monitors more than 500 patients across five campuses from one centralized location. She is certified by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses as a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN).
Katie Crawford, BSN, RN, CCRN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Katie earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgia Baptist College of Nursing at Mercer University and has been a registered nurse since 2010. Throughout her nursing career, she has specialized primarily in critical care, gaining extensive experience caring for critically ill patients while supporting the growth and development of fellow nurses and healthcare professionals.
Since joining Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) in 2012, Katie has served in the Medical ICU, Surgical Trauma ICU, and Neuro ICU. She was also a founding member of NGHS’s first Rapid Response Team and brings additional leadership experience from two years in critical care management. Her clinical background also includes work in an ambulatory surgery center, where she provided preoperative and post-anesthesia care for patients ages six months and older.
Katie is passionate about education, mentorship, and professional development. Throughout her career, she has enjoyed precepting new nurses, serving on unit-based councils, and taking on charge nurse responsibilities across multiple departments. She is dedicated to creating meaningful learning experiences that help healthcare professionals build confidence and competence in patient care.
Katie holds Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. She is excited to combine her clinical expertise, leadership experience, and passion for education in her role as a Clinical Simulation Educator at the Center for Simulation and Innovation.
Christina Van Den Handel, MSN-Ed, APRN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Christina received her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, AL. She studied advanced practice nursing in family and pediatrics, and education. Christina has over a decade of experience as a Critical Care Nurse and as a Nursing Professor. She also serves as a BLS and ACLS Instructor for the American Heart Association and as an Adjunct Faculty Member for nursing students at Brenau University in Gainesville, GA.
Christina develops, designs, delivers, and overseas innovative experiential learning for NGHS’s healthcare professionals and community partners. She collaborates with providers and faculty to develop and enhance clinical training. Christina organized the development of a Standardized Patient Program, Graduate Medical Education’s Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs), and the philanthropic events that led to the build of the Mobile Simulation Program.
Tina Hayes, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM
Credentialing Educator
ina Hayes is the BLS HeartCode eLearning program coordinator and a clinical simulation educator at Northeast Georgia Health System’s (NGHS) Center for Simulation and Innovation (CSI). She has more than 20 years of experience as a clinical nurse and nurse educator in both clinical and academic settings.
Tina earned an associate degree in nursing in 2002 from South Georgia College, a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2015 from Liberty University, and a master’s degree in nursing in 2018 from Grand Canyon University. She has worked primarily in maternity, obstetric and newborn care in various hospital systems and also has experience in medical-surgical and oncology care. Her roles have included staff nurse, charge nurse, nurse educator and nurse manager.
Tina became a simulation educator at NGHS in 2017 and helped develop the Center for Simulation and Innovation, which opened in 2019. She was also part of the team that created the mobile simulation program, which provides healthcare simulation education throughout the Northeast Georgia region served by NGHS.
In 2022, she moved to Florida and worked at the University of Miami’s Simulation Hospital for Advancing Research and Education at the School of Nursing and Health Studies as a simulation educator for the undergraduate nursing program, returning to Georgia and NGHS in January 2025.
Tina holds national certifications in inpatient obstetrics and electronic fetal monitoring. She is also an American Heart Association instructor in both basic life (BLS) support and advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS). In this role, she manages the BLS live classes as well as the HeartCode eLearning and VAM programs.
In addition to her clinical work, she is a freelance writer who has published articles on nursing, simulation education and general healthcare topics. She has also served as a writer and reviewer for continuing education publications for nurses.
Tyler Bacus, BSN, RN, CEN
Credentialing Educator
Tyler Bacus is the American Heart Association advanced cardiovascular life support credentialing educator for the Northeast Georgia Health System Center for Simulation and Innovation (CSI). He earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, Georgia, and completed his nursing residency in the emergency department at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville.
Tyler is a board-certified emergency nurse with more than a decade of experience in emergency nursing. Throughout his career, he has served extensively as a clinical leader in both Level II trauma and rural emergency departments. He played a key role in developing processes and workflows for the opening of the Lumpkin emergency department.
He is an American Heart Association instructor for both advanced cardiovascular life support and pediatric advanced life support. As a credentialing educator, he specializes in advanced cardiac life (ACLS) support education and AHA credentialing for NGHS. He is dedicated to advancing clinical excellence through education, mentorship and simulation-based training.
Carysa L. Mendez, EdD, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM
Simulation Subject Matter Expert
Carysa holds a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Chamberlain College of Nursing in St. Louis, Missouri, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia, and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education from Brenau University. Her extensive experience spans academic and clinical settings, demonstrating her commitment to advancing healthcare education and patient care.
As an assistant professor of nursing at Brenau University and a subject matter expert at Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s simulation center, Carysa brings a wealth of knowledge to her roles. Her clinical expertise is particularly focused on obstetrics, as evidenced by her longstanding position as a staff nurse in Labor & Delivery and her Inpatient Obstetrics (RNC-OB) and Electronic Fetal Monitoring (C-EFM) certifications. She is a member of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). Carysa is an OPS, ALSO, NRP, ACLS and BLS instructor, inspiring and guiding the next generation of healthcare professionals. Carysa’s professional journey also includes valuable experiences as a clinical instructor at various institutions and as a nursing case manager. Her involvement in implementing a quantitative blood loss process change showcases her dedication to improving patient safety and care practices in obstetrics.
As a simulation subject matter expert, Carysa specializes in developing obstetric simulation scenarios and procedures for resident physicians, nurses, pre-hospital staff and the community.
Hadassah Rowland, BSN, RN
Simulation Subject Matter Expert
Hadassah graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wichita State University in 2007 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She began her nursing career in the Coronary Intensive Care Unit at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita, Kansas. She relocated to Georgia in 2013 to take a position as a Critical Care Flex Pool Nurse with the Resource Pool at NGHS, which expanded her critical care skills and experience to all the intensive care units on each NGHS campus. Additionally, Hadassah assisted with integrating the Critical Response Team into the hospital system.
In October 2019, she accepted the position of Critical Response Nurse, where she acted as the Team Lead RN for all Rapid Responses, Code Blues, Code Strokes, and Code Greens hospital wide. This role put her in a position to assist in GME simulations and lectures for the GME physician residents on critical response nurse processes. She was a pilot on the project to replace the MEWS score with the Deterioration Index predictive model for EPIC.
Hadassah carries her ACLS, ASLS, TNCC, and PALS certifications. She is currently in her practicum to obtain her board certification as a health and wellness nurse coach and to become certified as a Critical Care Registered Nurse.
Tommy Benefield, AAS, EMT-P, FP-C
Simulation Subject Matter Expert
Tommy received his AAS in emergency medical science from Tri-County Community College in Murphy, NC. He is completing his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. Tommy started his healthcare career in pre-hospital medicine. He has been a paramedic since 1998. He has worked in various clinical settings, including ground EMS, critical care ground transport, fixed wing and helicopter critical care transport for both pediatrics and adults, and at the Gainesville emergency department at NGHS.
Tommy has been serving as an instructor at Lanier Technical College in Gainesville, GA. He has served as a supervisor and clinical base lead for both ground and air transport teams for Air Life Georgia. He is certified by the International Board of Specialty Certification as a certified flight paramedic (FP-C). Tommy has been a guest speaker at the Phil Hart Critical Care Conference and the South Carolina Pediatric Trauma Conference.
At NGHS’s simulation center, Tommy leads simulation scenarios involving pre-hospital medicine, critical care transport, advanced airway management and difficult vascular access.
James D. Hogue, DO, FAAEM
Simulation Faculty Subject Matter Expert
In 2020, Dr. Hogue joined Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) as a subject matter expert to teach medical procedures in the Center for Simulation and Innovation. He has been practicing emergency medicine for forty years and was a member of the NGHS Emergency Department medical staff. Dr. Hogue received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ursinus College, in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, then went on to graduate from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia (PCOM) in Pennsylvania. Prior to that he was a helicopter gunship pilot for the United States Marine Corps during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and thirty-six Air Medals for combat action in Vietnam.
Dr. Hogue has been assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at the Georgia campuses of PCOM since 2013. He is also a flight physician for the Medway Air Ambulance Company in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Since 2012, he has flown all over the world bringing patients back to the United States for medical care.
His expertise in simulation-based procedure training comes from being an active part of the simulation team at Georgia campus PCOM, having helped set up the school’s sophisticated simulation center and standard patient program.
Alex Berardi, BS
Simulation Technologist
Alex received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, GA. She has worked with Northeast Georgia Health System since 2021 as a Standardized Patient and moved into a simulation technologist role in 2023.
Prior to her role at NGHS, Alex was a teacher specializing in neurodiverse education. She has also worked with various brands on digital media campaigns as a video editor and voiceover artist and served as a digital host and marketing assistant for Atlanta United FC.
As a simulation technologist, Alex maintains and operates simulation equipment and works closely with clinical simulation educators to ensure simulations run smoothly.
Myung Bergstrom, BA
Simulation Technologist
Myung received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. She joined NGHS in January 2024 as an Administrative Assistant to the Professional Development & Competency department, supporting the nurse educators overseeing education and ongoing competency for NGHS.
Prior to joining NGHS, Myung worked for a food broker in the school nutrition arena for 6 years and has a varied professional background. She has been a preschool teacher and a special education paraprofessional for Forsyth County Schools. She worked in IT procurement for Turner Broadcasting, coordinating equipment for the remote effort during the 1996 Olympics.
Her Simulation Technologist role involves maintaining and operating simulation equipment, as well as collaborating closely with the NGHS GME program and clinical simulation educators to support simulation education for the NGHS medical staff. Myung holds Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
Rebekah Carpenter, BSN, RN
Clinical Simulation Educator
Rebekah received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2012 from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA. She has been a registered nurse since 2012, beginning her career at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in labor and delivery.
She continued her career at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, expanding her experience in labor and delivery before transitioning into peri-operative nursing. Throughout her time at the bedside, Rebekah earned six DAISY Award nominations — a testament to the exceptional patient-centered care she consistently provided.
Rebekah also served as an adjunct clinical instructor at Piedmont University, mentoring nursing students in hands-on clinical settings. She now brings her diverse clinical background and passion for education to her role as a Clinical Simulation Educator.