SPEAKERS

Governor Josh Green is a proud husband, father, physician, and Hawaiʻiʻs ninth governor. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Governor Green received his degree in both biology and anthropology from Swarthmore College and his M.D. from Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Pennsylvania State University. After graduating from medical school, he completed his residency in Family Practice. He was then awarded a National Health Service Corps

scholarship and chose a position to practice medicine in the underserved area of Kā’ū on the Big Island of Hawai’i.

From an early age, Governor Green understood the life-changing effects that access to quality healthcare and medicine can have on a person’s life trajectory. As a doctor, he became part of the community he served. He saw the difficulties and challenges local families faced, especially in rural areas: the high cost of living, the lack of affordable housing, the high rates of mental illness and addiction, and access to healthcare.

After learning about their struggles and hearing directly from the people about the need for change, he ran for office. He served in the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives from 2004 to 2008. From 2008 to 2018, he served in the Hawaiʻi State Senate, including as Majority Floor Leader, Chair of the Health and Human Services committees, and Vice Chair of the Energy and Environment, and Human Services and Housing committees. Governor Green was recognized for his healthcare leadership, providing health insurance for every child in the state of Hawaii, and passing “Lukeʻs Law,” which provides insurance coverage for kids with autism. He also helped spearhead the creation of the Cancer Research Center, passed groundbreaking anti-

tobacco legislation, which increased the legal age for purchasing tobacco and e-cigarettes to 21, and created a statewide trauma healthcare system.

In 2018, he was elected to be the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaiʻi. As Lieutenant Governor, he saw the need for real solutions on homelessness and helped build “kauhale” communities and the H4 clinic to provide housing and healthcare for those most in need. In 2019 when the measles epidemic hit, he led a team of more than 75 doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals on an emergency mission to Western Samoa. His team successfully vaccinated

37,000 people. Just a few months later when the COVID pandemic spread to Hawai‘i, Governor Green was appointed as the COVID liaison between the state and healthcare communities to coordinate pandemic preparedness, response, and mitigation efforts. As a result of his

leadership, these critical emergency efforts resulted in Hawaiʻi having the nation’s lowest COVID-19 fatality rate. Throughout his legislative career, Governor Green practiced emergency room medicine in the rural areas of the Big Island. He has twice been named Physician of the Year by the Hawai‘i

Medical Association, most recently in 2022 for his leadership and service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Green is married to Jaime Kanani Green and they have two children, Maia and Sam. Like many local families, they enjoy playing games together, going on family walks, and shopping at farmers markets. Governor Green remains an avid fan of his hometown football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Governor Green is inspired by the hopes, challenges and values of Hawai‘i’s families that encourage him to do his part for the people of our islands — and he is honored to serve as Governor.

Topic: Days I Hope You Never See: Lessons from the Route 91 Music Festival Mass Casualty Incident in Las Vegas

Dr. Davey was born and raised on the East Coast and earned BS, MD, and PhD degrees from Yale University. She completed an internship in General Surgery at Yale-New Haven Hospital, a residency in General Surgery at the Sunrise Graduate Medical Education program in Las Vegas, and a fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.  In the course of her training and career thus far, she has worked in hospitals in Connecticut, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Oklahoma, and Hawaii. She was a front-line physician during the Route 91 Music Festival mass casualty incident in Las Vegas in 2017 and in the New Year's Eve fireworks mass casualty incident in Honolulu in 2025. She is joining us to share her experiences in the initial triage, operative management, and critical care of multiple patients in a mass casualty/resource constrained situation, as well as her insights into the persistent and challenging sequelae these incidents can have on individual providers as well as health care systems.

Topic: Caustic Ingestions

Stephen Petrou is a double board-certified emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist. 

Stephen Petrou grew up in Toronto, Canada.  He attended St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies, and completed emergency medicine residency at Good Samaritan University Hospital in New York.  During residency, he discovered a special interest in poisons/drugs of abuse, which led to him later completing a toxicology fellowship at the University of California in San Francisco. His clinical research consists of co-authoring a chapter in Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies and Katzungs Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.

He now lives on the Big Island of Hawaii in Kona. 

In his spare time, Stephen enjoys gardening and is an avid collector/grower of exotic succulents and cacti with a favorite plant: the ariocarpus.

Topic: Breaking Silos: Empowering ER Nurses in Caring for the Traumatically Injured Patient

Kristen Danischewski, RN, BSN, TCRN, is a dedicated and highly experienced registered nurse with over 16 years of service in the field of emergency nursing. Her career has been marked by her commitment to patient care, leadership, and trauma nursing education. Kristen began her career in Staten Island, New York, working in a Level 1 trauma center where she honed her bedside nurse and assistant nurse manager skills. This experience gave her a deep understanding of high-acuity care in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

Following her time in Staten Island, Kristen took on a position at Lenox Hill Healthplex, New York City’s first free-standing emergency department, further expanding her expertise in emergency care. In 2015, Kristen relocated to Hawaii, joining Queens Medical Center, a now accredited Level 1 trauma center. Initially serving as a Performance Improvement Coordinator for trauma services, Kristen now works at the bedside in the Emergency Department, continuing her dedication to high-quality trauma care.

Kristen holds several certifications that highlight her specialization, including being a certified trauma nurse (TCRN), an instructor for the Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) and Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN), and an assistant coordinator of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) program. As Chairman of the Core Trauma Nurse (CTN) group, Kristen plays a vital role in shaping the department’s trauma nursing practices and education.

In her current role as Clinical Coach in the Emergency Department, Kristen is responsible for orienting new hires and ongoing training for existing staff. Her leadership ensures that nurses are well-prepared to deliver excellent trauma care. Kristen is also passionate about community outreach and injury prevention, collaborating with trauma services educator and community outreach coordinator, TJ Donayri to promote safety and awareness in the community.

Through her leadership and dedication, Kristen has made a significant impact in her department and the broader healthcare community, continuously striving to enhance the quality of trauma care and nursing education.

Topic: Breaking Silos: Empowering ER Nurses in Caring for the Traumatically Injured Patient

TJ Donayri is a dedicated emergency department and trauma nurse with over 22 years of experience in Level 1 Trauma Centers. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Hawaii Pacific University and a Master of Science in Health Science from George Washington University in 2024. As a certified Faculty member for ENPC, TNCC, and ATCN, TJ plays a vital role in RN trauma education by coordinating all American College of Surgeons courses at The Queen’s Medical Center Manamana. In addition to overseeing these courses, she developed a comprehensive trauma onboarding program to standardize trauma education for new nurses, ensuring a strong foundation in emergency and trauma care. TJ also works closely with frontline ED nurses, fostering collaboration and continuous learning.

Six years ago, TJ transitioned into her current role as the Clinical Coordinator for Injury Prevention, Outreach, and Education for the Trauma Service Department at The Queen’s Medical Center. A key aspect of her work involves tracking injury prevalence within the community to design and implement targeted injury prevention initiatives in high-risk areas. Leveraging her extensive clinical background, TJ has been instrumental in collaborating with community partners and national organizations, including KIPC, TCAA National Injury Prevention Committee, and Hawaii Traffic Commanders. Her passion for community engagement and reducing health disparities drives her efforts to advance injury prevention, trauma education, and outreach programs that create lasting positive change.

TJ is here today to emphasize the importance of collaboration and breaking down silos both within the hospital and in the broader community. She firmly believes that fostering strong partnerships enhances patient care, strengthens trauma systems, and improves overall outcomes. TJ takes great pride in the dedication, perseverance, and expertise of the frontline ED nurses, whose commitment to excellence has been instrumental in the success of trauma education initiatives at The Queen’s Medical Center (QMC). The ability to host and sustain these vital trauma courses is a direct result of the knowledge, support, and teamwork of the ED RNs, demonstrating the power of a united and well-trained emergency care team.