Expertise. Insights. Network. Wisdom.
We are proud to share our Advisory Board. This dedicated team of individuals bring nearly 500 years of combined tactical medicine, medical device, healthcare, business, and entrepreneur experience to HDO Health.
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Adam Steelhammer is a leadership advisor who has a vast amount of experience mentoring at the strategic, operational, team, and individual levels. He has a strong background in leadership development, crisis action planning, leadership in high-stress environments, executive personnel assessment and selection, strategy, coaching and counseling, and developing innovative solutions to complex problems. Adam served in the U.S. Army as an officer for 24 years, primarily in special operations and special missions units. He has been deployed in support of operations worldwide, with more than 14 combat tours; directed operations for 17 classified Presidentially sanctioned National missions.
Adam received the Army’s highly competitive General MacArthur Leadership Award for his outstanding leadership in combat and recognition as the Honor Graduate from the rigorous Ranger Leadership School. Adam brings a mindset of a relentless pursuit of excellence in all that he does. Since departing the military, Adam formed Hammer Forged LLC, to mentor executives on leadership and change during in extrimis periods.
Adam holds a Master’s Degree from the Marine Corps University in Military Science and a Bachelor’s Degree from the United States Military Academy. He spends his free time coaching youth lacrosse. Adam served in the 82d Airborne Division, 75th Ranger Regiment, Asymmetric Warfare Group, Joint Interagency Task Force - National Capital Region and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment- Delta. He earned three Bronze Stars, six Meritorious Service Medals, as well as a Legion of Merit and Joint Commendation Medal.
John Matecki served 20-years in the U.S. Air Forces. He completed multiple deployments and spent 7 years as a combat training instructor working in Combat 1st Aid and mounted Operations. After retirement from the Air Force, John ran the SBIR and STTR’s Tech Warrior Enterprise. He holds a master’s degree in Management, Entrepreneurship, and Business Administration.
Ivan recently retired from the Air Force, after 26 years, at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. At his last assignment he was the Squadron Superintendent of the 58th Rescue Squadron, Nellis AFB Las Vegas where he trained, supervised and managed the employment of 75 Pararescuemen and Combat Rescue Officers in order to integrate and synchronize combat search and rescue and personal recovery expertise across full spectrum combat operations for Air Combat Commands and Joint Forces areas of responsibility as the sole CSAR capable force. In addition, he maintains an operational readiness status as a fully qualified Pararescueman. Ivan is a native of San Antonio, TX, and enlisted in the Air Force in September of 1996. After Basic Training he served as a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) until Septemberof 1998. In October of 1998 he entered the Pararescuetraining program and graduated two years later as a qualified Pararescueman. Since 2000, his previous assignments include bases in Pope AFB, Moody AFB, RAF Mildenhall, Lackland AFB, Hurlburt Field and RAF Lakenheath. As a Team Leader, Sergeant Ruiz maintains qualifications as a senior aircrew member, aircrew instructor/evaluator, master parachutist, military freefall and rescue jumpmaster, combat dive supervisor, rescue team leader and nationally certified paramedic. He has supported numerous combat rescue and humanitarian operations around the world. Prior to assuming the Squadron Superintendent position at his las duty station, he served as the Squadron Superintendent at the 57th Rescue Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom.
Maria Shonyo is president and founder of Vela Technologies, LLC, where she focuses on helping medical device and healthcare IT companies assess new market opportunities, bring new products to market, and position and promote existing products and services. Since the company was established in 2001, Vela Technologies has served over 60 clients worldwide ranging from small early-stage startups to large international corporations.
With broad marketing and business expertise spanning the entire product life cycle, Ms. Shonyo has guided the assessment, development, launch and support of over 100 healthcare-related products ranging from high-end capital equipment and healthcare IT solutions to low-cost consumable devices.
Prior to founding Vela Technologies, Maria was Product Manager for the premier line of anesthesia monitors at Datex-Ohmeda (now GE Healthcare). Before joining Datex-Ohmeda, Maria held positions of progressing responsibility in the Marketing department of GE Marquette's Invasive Cardiology division. Prior to her career in healthcare, Maria worked in engineering and software development and managed advanced projects for the US Dept of Defense. Maria’s educational background includes a BS, Systems Engineering, from the University of Virginia.
Troy Lowe
Nikolas Kerr
Nikolas F. Kerr has served as the Vice President, Product Management for SI-BONE since August 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Kerr was President of Kerr Consulting Group where he advised leading medical device companies on product strategy. Previously, Mr. Kerr was Senior Director of Marketing for Benvenue Medical from December 2013 to June 2014. From August 2011 to December 2013, Mr. Kerr was Senior Director of Marketing for Baxano. From August 2006 to August 2011, Mr. Kerr served in various marketing roles at Medtronic’s Spinal & Biologics Group including the Director of Global Marketing for the Kyphon division. And from August 1998 to August 2006, Mr. Kerr served in various sales, marketing, and business development roles for Milliken & Company. Mr. Kerr started his career with Credit Suisse as an Analyst for Debt Capital Markets. Mr. Kerr received a B.S. in Finance and Economics and Master of International Business Economics from the Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina.
Richard Pridemore
Richard Pridemore is a U.S. Army Veteran, 25+ year Firefighter/ EMT/ TEMS Medic at the Portsmouth (OH) Fire Department, Tactical Medic/ SWAT Operator Portsmouth (OH) Police Department, TEMS Instructor at Tri-Med Tactical, Former Special Deputy at Scioto County Sheriffs Office, Graduate of the Ohio Fire Academy, Graduate of the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy, Graduate Basic SWAT, Graduate of Tactical Emergency Medical Specialist and Advanced Tactical Operator Medical Specialist programs, Member of and Adjunct Instructor for the Ohio Tactical Officers Association.
Tom Dorl
Tom is a servant leader with three decades of proven successes across military and business organizations. He served 25+ years in the Air Force as a pilot, strategic planner, and commander, retiring as a Colonel. He is currently a corporate pilot and the Director of Safety and Training for a private aviation company.
In uniform, Tom served in several operational, staff, and command assignments across the globe. Tom has led large and diverse organizations in the Air Force and directed a $1.7B financial portfolio supporting 10 active-duty rescue units providing global personnel recovery operations. As a rescue group commander, he led 450+ personnel across four units, delivering on-demand global personnel recovery operations. Additionally, Tom has multiple combat and peacetime deployments to his credit, where he saved numerous lives.
His post-military career has been focused on military consulting, finance and operational risk, technology services and aviation operations. Tom was a former Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank serving on a select Operational Risk team, developing and implementing solutions for high-priority regulatory banking matters. Additionally, Tom is a Managing Director at Victory Strategies providing leadership consulting and coaching services.
Tom graduated from Kent State University with an Aviation Technology degree. He holds an MBA and two advanced degrees in Leadership and Strategic Studies and Joint Planning and Strategy. Additionally, Tom serves on the board of two nonprofit organizations and is a volunteer for the That Others May Live Foundation. He resides in Virginia with his wife, close to their two adult daughters.
Stewart Young
Stewart Young is a career biomedical engineer, with more than three decades of experience in orthopedics. While most of his roles have been in Product Development, he has also worked in People Management, Executive Leadership, Research, and Quality. He has spent time not only developing implants and associated instrumentation, but also working with surgical navigation, powered instruments, and even implant and instrument manufacturing.
In between stints at orthopedic companies, he has been involved in the Memphis StartUp Ecosystem. He’s volunteered as an advisor/mentor, worked for one of the Business Accelerators, and even helmed a startup firm as CEO and CoFounder.
Stewart graduated from the University of Memphis Herff College of Engineering with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He currently serves on their Industry Leadership Board, helping ensure their growth initiatives align with the needs of the private sector.
His family of four just outside of Memphis. When he’s not helping with math homework or Lego set builds, he spends time cooking, working on cars, and spending time with friends and family… preferably outdoors.
Alden Pennington
Matt Babika
Matt served as a Medical Operations Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. During Operation Iraqi Freedom he was the Platoon Leader and OIC of a Battalion Aid-Station, leading medical treatment, triage and evacuation operations for a Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) Squadron. He also maintained the area enhanced aid capability of X-ray, dental, and lab. Matt was the program manager and an assistant instructor for the unit CLS/TCCC Course. Matt’s secondary mission was to operate an Iraqi Local National Children’s Burn Clinic. He and his team successfully treated over 1,800 children.
Matt was also the Executive Officer of the Brigade’s Medical Company. He deployed to OIF again, implementing and maintaining evacuation, patient holding, 8-bed treatment/trauma, X-ray, lab, dental, PT, and surgical capabilities in Ramadi.
Matt finished OIF as the Deputy SPO / Brigade Support Operations Medical Officer, providing force health protection for over 4,500 US Army Paratroopers, and Multifunctional Logistics support during the transition from OIF into Operation New Dawn. Matt was the OIC of the Coalition Force Blood Product Program for Western Region, Iraq.
As a Cameron-Brooks Alumni, Matt entered the civilian workforce through an accelerated leader program with concentrations in compliance, process improvement, project management, and Lean Manufacturing. He has lead departments and initiatives in both Fortune 500 public and privately held firms.
Approaching 20 years of leadership experience, he continues to drive growth and provide business process, product development, and digital marketing solutions to multiple Ohio based companies. He has also been leveraged as a Senior Consultant / Strategic Advisor on multiple public safety development efforts.
In his continued desire to prevent loss of life to those in harm’s way, Matt is a Primary Instructor for a Law Enforcement training and equipping company, and an Adjunct Instructor for a Tactical EMS (TEMS) training program. He is also a member of the Ohio Tactical Officers Association Red Team as Medical Cadre, and an Ohio State Coordinator for the National Stop the Bleed Month Initiative. Matt is also a SWAT Team Medic on the West Side of Cleveland.
Bill Raison
Bill Raison has over 35 years in public service. He began his career path in 1986 as a clerk/analyst in a foreign counterintelligence unit at FBI headquarters in Washington DC. In 1991 he joined the Portsmouth Fire Department and rose through the ranks where he served as a firefighter, ladder company officer, code enforcement officer and fire/arson investigator. His duties also included service as a terrorism liaison officer for Ohio Homeland Security and as a regional coordinator for Ohio’s Fire Emergency Response plan. In 2008 Bill was promoted to Chief of the department. During his tenure as Chief, he successfully implemented a variety of initiatives which included: expanding the mission of the department to include fire-based EMS, improved/expanded technical rescue capabilities and new hiring standards. He also implemented a tactical medic program where he served as an active team member and worked closely with police SWAT to fully integrate medics. He also served as a medic and Special Deputy US Marshal for a regional fugitive apprehension team.
Bill holds a B.S. in Business (Healthcare Administration) from Shawnee State University as well as certifications as a level 2 firefighter, fire instructor, fire safety inspector and Advanced EMT. He retired in April 2022, but continues to serve as Chair of the local emergency planning committee. Bill also teaches tactical medicine with Tri-Med Tactical through the Ohio Fire Academy and has guest lectured on crisis leadership at The Ohio State University. In his spare time Bill coaches track and cross country at his local high school and does consulting in strategic planning and emergency response/preparedness. He also works with a faith-based mission organization in Honduras to improve emergency response capabilities in local communities there.
Doug "Boots" Hodge
"Boots" is passionate over a few things. His focus for his entire career since 1972 has been pre-hosptial care. As a USN Corpsman and USAF PA, "Boots" has been on a crusade to understand medical provider errors as a result of bad training, and medical mistakes causing death or dismemberment.
"Boots" has been successful in getting the FDA to make major industry changes through changes in packaging instructions and warnings on medical devices, removing dangerous hemostatic agents from the market, and demonstrating to the FDA & medical industry incorrect cell lines usage for testing safety of hemostatics.
"Boots" has also discovered counterfeit inferior medical items used in life saving interventions and developed discovery processes for medical equipment and identified medical procedure failures involving military members Killed In Action. The process is now know as "feedback from the field" and gets sent to medical instructors and providers for continuous improvement for combat casualty care.
Jeremiah Oh
Jeremiah Oh is an active duty Physician Assistant (PA) currently serving with Naval Special Warfare. He spent 13 years a Navy Corpsmen and Diving Medical Technician Independent Duty Corpsman. He has been stationed with the finest military members at Edson Range, Force Recon, and finally at Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit prior to earning his acceptance into the military PA program. After completing the PA program he spend three years with the Marine Corp's premier infantry battalion 3/8, Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan, and has spend the last five years with Naval Special Warfare. He has multiple combat and training deployments that have ranged across the world. Jeremiah holds an Associate's Degree from Campbell University, and a Bachelor's of Science and Master's degree from the University of Nebraska.
Jim "Big Red" Wetrich
James G. Wetrich, LFACHE, PCC is the CEO of The Wetrich Group of Companies. Founded in 2001, The Wetrich Group offers a wide variety of health care management advisory services including management consulting, executive coaching, talent assessment, leadership development and outplacement. In 2014, The Wetrich Group SCO LLC purchased the assets of Haney/Lowderman LLC, a firm specializing in outplacement and career counseling services for hospital executives.
Jim lectures and blogs about leadership and team work as well as coaches and mentors executives across many industries. He has been a guest lecturer at the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University.
He recently authored a chapter in the anthology, Quitless: The Power of Persistence in Business and Life by Alinka Rutkowska which was published March 13, 2021 and became a USA Today and Wall Street Journal best-seller.
Jim also was a contributor to the anthology, 7-Figure Minds by Alinka Rutkowska which was published June 12, 2021.
His new book, Stifled Where Good Leaders Go Wrong was released on October 12, 2021. Jim also blogs about leadership at: https://bigredsleadershipblog.wordpress.com/.
Jim is a chapter author of an upcoming anthology The Inner Voice of Guidance to be released in the Spring of 2023.
Jim attended the University of Southern California (USC) where he earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences and began his exposure to health care delivery and community health initiatives through several roles. He was one of the University’s first Health Advocates, highly trained peer counselors who provided unique health counseling services to students. U.S.C. awarded Mr. Wetrich with Outstanding Senior Recognition upon his graduation.
Following graduation from U.S.C., Mr. Wetrich attended Tulane University where he earned a Master of Health Administration with a concentration in financial management. He spent the next eight years of his career on the provider side of health care working in a variety of capacities. He worked in hospital administration at Ochsner Hospital where he was involved in the redesign of the hospital’s material management department; he worked as Vice President of the Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans, and as Vice President with Pitts Management Associates. During his time with David Pitts at PMA, he played an instrumental role in the development of the University HealthSystem Consortium. Jim later joined UHC as the Director of Business Development. At UHC, Jim played a key role in developing a renal dialysis supply business and the distribution strategy for the group purchasing program.
Jim left UHC and the provider side of the industry to join Abbott Laboratories as Manager, Corporate Strategic Planning. While at Abbott, Jim spent four years in product marketing, two years as Marketing Director for European Operations, two years as Director of HealthSystem Sales where he and his team covered the key IDNs west of the Mississippi, and four years Divisional Vice
President for National Accounts where Jim handled Abbott’s largest customer, Novation. At the time of his departure from Abbott, Jim’s responsibilities at Novation exceeded $1Billion and included more than 20 agreements.
Jim left Abbott to join Premier as the Vice President and General Manager of Supply Chain Relationship Management. Three months after joining Premier, his position was eliminated in a restructuring.
Mr. Wetrich formed The Wetrich Group to offer comprehensive sales and marketing advisory services to clients. The Wetrich Group has worked with both suppliers and providers on over 100 projects including marketing, sales, and operational improvements.
In 2009, Mr. Wetrich received his MBA from the Goizeuta School of Business at Emory University where he graduated with Outstanding Academic Accomplishment (#1 in the class) recognition.
In 2015, Jim was in the Inaugural Cohort of the Distinguished Careers Institute at Stanford University.
Jim has served on numerous boards and advisory boards in both non-profit as well as for-profit corporations. Jim was elected to the International Coaching Federation Professional Coaches Global board for a two-year term (2022 – 2024). Jim is an Adjunct Instructor at Texas Wesleyan University where he teaches Principles of Marketing to business students.
He received a certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching from University of Texas at Dallas. Jim is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation and a Distinguished Fellow Coach with BetterUp. He has over 700 hours of coaching experience across many industries.
Mr. Wetrich is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of a number of associations. Jim has received several honors and awards including the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Tulane University.
John Trentini, MD
Dr. John Trentini is a board-certified emergency physician and flight surgeon in the USAF. He initially entered the military in 2003 as an aerospace physiologist. Over the past 7 years, he was embedded in a pararescue squadron as the medical director, flight surgeon and dive medical officer for over 60 PJs. He has deployed to Afghanistan and Antarctica, supported contingency humanitarian missions, and directly supported the first manned Space X launch.
He currently works in the Las Vegas community at various emergency departments in the valley, and is the facility medical director of an emergency department in Elko, NV.
His hobbies include skiing, mountaineering, and scuba diving. He also enjoys hiking and camping with his wife and son, and working on their off-grid cabin in Utah.
JR Pickett
JR Pickett
Bio coming soon.
Kerry McCafferty
Kerry McCafferty
Bio coming soon.
John Bohan III
Melissa Masters
Bio coming soon.