Leadership
Board Members
Charles A. Andersen MD, FAPWCA, FACS
Desmond P. Bell, Jr., DPM, CWS
De Anna M. Bell, MSN, FNP-BC
Mari Carson
Jeffrey Karr, DPM, ACCPPS, FAPWCA, CWS, FCCWS
Yazan Khatib, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FABVM
Tammy Leitsinger
Guy Pupp, DPM
Valerie Sullivan, PT, MS, CWS
Carla Urff
Herb Yost
Charles A. Andersen MD, FACS, FAPWCA
After Graduating from Utah State University, Charles Andersen, earned his medical degree at the University of Utah where he also completed an internship and one year of Surgical Training. He then entered the military where he completed his surgical residency at Madigan Army Medical Center and a Vascular Surgery fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He remained in the military where his positions included program director in General Surgery and Chief of the Department of Surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center for 20 years. After retirement from the Army he remained at Madigan Army Medical Center as a Civilian Physician. He has spoken nationally and internationally on Vascular Surgery and Wound Care. He has 95 peer reviewed publications. Currently he is Chief of the Vascular/Endovascular/Limb preservation Service and Medical Director of the Wound Care Clinic at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma Washington.
Desmond P. Bell, Jr., DPM, CWS
Dr. Desmond Bell is a Board Certified Wound Specialist (CWS)-(American Academy of Wound Management), and a Fellow of the American College of Certified Wound Specialists. He presently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Wound Management.
Dr. Bell is one of the co-founders of the Save A Leg, Save a Life Foundation and also currently serves as the Education Director of the Foundation.
Dr. Bell is a co-owner of the Limb Salvage Institute, LLC, a service providing wound care to patients in the hospital, home or long term care settings. The Limb Salvage Institute, LLC evolved from his previous practice model, the First Coast Diabetic Foot & Wound Management Center, a free standing outpatient wound management center. He also previously served as the assistant Medical Director of the Wound Management Center of Jacksonville, FL.
Dr. Bell is a graduate of Tulane University and the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. He served his residency training programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia and Delaware Valley Medical Center in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. While at the VA, Dr. Bell received a Commendation in part for his role in wound care. He served as chief Podiatric Surgical resident and was actively involved in the Wound Care Center at Delaware Valley.
He is a frequent lecturer and author on the subject of wound care, peripheral arterial disease and diabetes.
Dr. Bell has lectured on behalf of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida, the American Diabetes Association, the University of North Florida, the Jacksonville Area Diabetes Educators, the American Podiatric Medical Association, the Florida Podiatric Medical Association, the Podiatry Institute, and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Evidence-based Management of Chronic Wounds program. He is a member of the Speaker's Bureau of Organogenesis and serves as a consultant with Libertas Health Company, LLC and LifeCell.
He has been in private practice in Jacksonville, Florida since 1997 and is a staff member at Memorial Hospital of Jacksonville, St. Vincent's Medical Center Southside, and Specialty Hospital of Jacksonville. Dr. Bell served on the Medical Executive Committee at Specialty Hospital for two years and is active in the Wound Management program there.
After seven years of clinical practice as a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, De Anna made the conscious decision to retire from clinical practice and re-direct her efforts to become a full-time volunteer executive staff member in The Save A Leg, Save A Life Foundation in 2011. De Anna is able to utilize her past training to strengthen her volunteer efforts at SALSAL. Her past training includes: Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (ANCC) and the Administrator/Co-Owner of the Limb Salvage Institute, LLC/Wound Care on Wheels, LLC. She developed the clinical program for Wound Care on Wheels, in 2004.
De Anna graduated from the University of North Florida's Family Nurse Practitioner Program and received a Master of science degree in Nursing in April of 2004. She received her Bachelors degree in Nursing from Thomas Jefferson University and her RN degree from Frankford Hospital School of Nursing (affiliated with the Pennsylvania State University) in Philadelphia. She was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau international honor society of nursing and graduated Summa Cum Laude from her undergraduate programs and was a Scholarship Recipient of the "Great 100 Nurses of Northeast Florida".
De Anna is one of the original three Co-Founders of The Save A Leg, Save A Life Foundation. She is an active volunteer in "A Leg Up" SALSAL's Jacksonville Amputee Support Group.
De Anna made the transition from Executive Vice President of the Foundation to the Executive Director in March 2013.
Mari Carson
Mari has been in the medical sales field for 30 years and wound care for over 6 years. Mari is passionate about volunteer work as she previously has been involved in the Epilepsy Association of Washington in helping not only to raise awareness but raising funds for the organization as well. Mari also started South Sound Pharmaceutical Rep Association, a non-profit organization to help foster better relationships between industry and providers. Mari helped start the Tacoma Washington Chapter of SALSAL and assisted the Seattle Washington Chapter in getting started. Mari is committed to helping spread the word about limb preservation through education and community awareness.
Jeffrey Karr, DPM, ACCPPS, FAPWCA, CWS, FCCWS
Dr. Karr has advanced specialty training in foot, ankle, and leg disorders. Dr. Karr has had extensive training in wound care as well as reconstructive orthopedic procedures using circular external frames that were developed in Russia. Dr. Karr has concentrated in the areas of high risk patients with chronic and acute wounds.
Dr. Karr completed his undergraduate training at Adelphi University receiving a BS in biology, and a BA in psychology. Dr. Karr completed medical school training at The Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine and his residency at the James A. Haley VA Hospital in Tampa, FLorida. Dr. Karr has continued his post-residency training as well as providing free medical and surgical reconstructive orthopedic care in the United States, South America, Russia, and Greece. Dr. Karr completed his board certification in Podiatric Medicine and Podiatric Surgery (ACCPPS), has obtained fellowship status in wound care (FAPWCA), and is a Diplomat and board certified in wound care by the American Academy of Wound Management (CWS). Dr. Karr serves as the medical director of the Bartow Wound Care Center and was the former medical coordinator and as a team physician for the Lakeland Loggerheads professional hockey team. Dr. Karr is actively involved in the American-Colombian Orthopedic Foundation.
Karr Foot and Leg Kare currently has its main office in South Lakeland, Florida and is an active medical staff member at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Bartow Regional Medical Center, and the Bartow Regional Wound care Center. Dr. Karr has active privileges at multiple surgical centers as well. Dr. Karr is a published author as well as maintaining a lecture schedule on wound care, osteomyelitis, surgical reconstructive orthopedic care with external fixation, and limb salvage.
Yazan Khatib, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FABVM
A man whose passion for limb salvage and amputation prevention is described as infectious by all who know him, Dr. Khatib is director of Limb Salvage & Endovascular Interventions & co-founder of First Coast Cardiovascular Institute.
He graduated from Damascus University with a rating of "excellence" & was recruited to the prestigious Cleveland Clinic for his Medical Residency. He then went to Loyola University in Chicago for a cardiology fellowship. Followed one year of interventional cardiology training at the Indian Heart Institute, where he had the privilege of working with some of the most renowned experts in the field. He then returned to Chicago for a dedicated additional training in the field of Endovascular Interventions.
During his five year practice in Indianapolis, he established himself as one of the leading experts in the different treatment modalities of vascular disease, his practice then was one of few across the nation, proctoring other physicians in this evolving field, he also was a clinical instructor at Indiana University & Rodebush V.A. Hospital. He then moved to Jacksonville, FL where he co-founded First Coast Cardiovascular Institute (FCCI). In the last 5 years, FCCI has become a regional referral center for the difficult Endovascular pts, and has collaborated very closely with the local leaders in wound care to prevent numerous amputations, (well over 200). Dr. Khatib has also great interest in clinical research, being a part of many clinical trials.
Tammy Leitsinger
Tammy is an accomplished senior management professional with proven leadership skills and over 19 years of clinical education and global market development experience. She is widely versed in healthcare terminology and procedures, with professional experience in cardiology, endovascular, neurovascular and endoscopy. Tammy has a solid track record in medical education within the medical device industry. Proven abilities in leading people and developing global strategic direction. Proven record of global market preparation and growth by directing advocacy of key physician thought leaders.
EXPERTISE:
• Collaboration with Patient Advocacy Groups and Professional Medical Societies • Creating Market Development Programs for Global Implementation • Design of HCP Education Capabilities for Device Industry • Detailed Knowledge of Healthcare Compliance Policy & Government Regulations • Development & Leadership of High Performance Employees • Developing Customer Relationship Management Strategy; KOL Focus • Strategy & Implementation of Global Professional Education Programs
Guy Pupp, DPM
Dr. Guy Pupp’s career which spans over 30 years has helped revolutionize foot and ankle care, especially for hose with Diabetes. He is a Section Editor for the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery and has been involved in Residency and Fellowship training of over 150 physicians. He was recently named one of America’s 175 Most Influential Podiatrists by Podiatry Management Magazine. Dr. Pupp is very involved with the American Diabetes Association named to the Board of Directors for the Michigan Leadership Council. He has published 35 papers and has lectured both nationally and internationally. One of his studies over 10 years ago advocated a Team Approach to Diabetic Limb Salvage, now an accepted norm. He has studied external fixation technologies both in the U.S. and Europe utilizing their technique in complex Limb Savage cases. Dr. Pupp is co-inventor of an External Ring Fixator, the E-Z Frame, with significant improvements over contemporary devices.
Valerie Sullivan, PT, MS, CWS
Val Sullivan is a physical therapist and a board Certified Wound Specialist through the American Academy of Wound Management. She is the Clinical Manager of Advanced Wound Care Services and Hyperbaric Medicine at Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, FL. A clinician and educator in Wound Management for the past 15 years, Val has lectured and presented on local, regional and national levels as well as publishing articles on wound care and education.
As a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and it's Section on Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Management, Val is on the Consulting Group for Hooked on Evidence Integumentary Clinical Scenarios and the Practice Chair for the Wound Management Special Interest Group. She has been an active member of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care, serving on the Quality of Care Task Force. She is also a member of multiple Clinical Advisory Boards and is a Founding Editorial Board member for the journal Today's Wound Clinic.
An unabashed enophile, Val co-founded the Wound Care Wine Club to assist Wound Care professionals in the North Florida/South Georgia area with networking, education and marketing.
Carla Urff
Carla Urff is a local small-business owner and consultant in the towing industry.
As a Board of Directors member of the Save A Leg, Save A Life Foundationher role as a patient advocate brings her personal perspective on peripheral arterial disease, juvenile diabetes, critical limb ischemia, both bypass and endovascular limb salvage techniques to the organization.
She is an active participant in local chapter meetings, the "A Leg Up" amputation support group and other SALSAL events. Because of her experience, she frequently reaches out to people beyond formal events to help them avoid critical limb ischemia and/or amputation and to educate them about the existence of available resources.
Herb Yost
Herb Yost is a successful sales executive with more than 25 years experience in the direct marketing industry with a $2.4 billion NYSE company that is the leading marketing services company in the U.S. During that time he has been one of the leading sales producers and won numerous awards for producing outstanding sales results. Herb’s outgoing personality and positive attitude has allowed him to build strong and lasting business and personal relationships with senior decision makers of Fortune 500 companies in the following industries:
Specialty Retail Insurance Automotive Quick Service Restaurants Optical Publishing Health Care
Herb is a great communicator, which allows him to create effective approaches in his business and personal relationships so that all parties win in the end. This includes contract negotiations where he has successfully negotiated multiple year contracts valued up to $20+ million.
Herb has been a board member of Save A Leg, Save a Life since 2007 and has actively promoted the organization to gain greater public exposure. In addition to Save a Leg, Save a Life, Herb has been a board member of the James Shuler Memorial Gym.