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Graham Snyder, MD

Graham Snyder, MD

Medical Director

Dr. Snyder serves as the Medical Director for the Medical Simulation Center, providing physician oversight and clinical leadership for the SIM Center.

He specializes in emergency medicine and has practiced full-time as an emergency physician at WakeMed Health & Hospitals since 2002. Dr. Snyder also serves as the Associate Program Director for the University Of North Carolina Department Of Emergency Medicine.

He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and also holds an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University.

As the medical director of the Medical Simulation Center, he is able to combine his engineering and medical training to teach all levels of health care providers the art and science of emergency care.


Kevin S. Parrish, MSRC, RN, RCP, CHSE, C-NPT, NPS

Manager, Medical SimulationKevin S. Parrish, MSRC, RN, RCP, CHSE, C-NPT, NPS

Kevin is a Registered Nurse and Registered Respiratory Therapist. He has been in the healthcare arena since 1995 and has since worked in many different hospital settings. Kevin has experience working with all ages, but has concentrated most of his career in the pediatrics and neonatal areas of care. From 2010 to 2016, he was a part of the WakeMed Pediatrics/Neonatal Critical Care Transport Team. During that time he achieved his Certified Neonatal Pediatric Transport credential.

Kevin holds a Master of Science in Respiratory Care from UNC Charlotte, and an Associates of Science degree in Nursing from Excelsior College. He is currently an instructor for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Basic Life Support.


Aaron W. Byrd, DHSc, MPA, NRP, FP-C

Simulation Education SpecialistAaron W. Byrd, DHSc, MPA, NRP, FP-C

Dr. Byrd has over 20 years of experience as a paramedic, and most recently served as the clinical educator and training officer for WakeMed’s air and ground critical care transport system, Mobile Critical Care Services. He has clinical experience in both emergency medical services as well as critical care transport realms. Dr. Byrd is board certified as a flight paramedic and is a Past President of the International Association of Flight & Critical Care Paramedics as well as a member of the editorial review board for Air Medical Journal.

Dr. Byrd has a BS in economics from Liberty University, a Master of Public Administration degree with a focus in homeland security from Pennsylvania State University, and a doctorate in health science from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Byrd is a North Carolina Office of EMS certified Level 2 Paramedic Instructor, and also holds instructorships in AHA Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Prehospital Trauma Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. He has served on numerous EMS-related boards and commissions at the federal level. In June of 2019, Dr. Byrd was made a member of the Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem, a British order of chivalry, by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.


Jim Brewer

Jim Brewer, BSN, RN, CHSE, C-NPT, EMT

Simulation Education Specialist

Jim has over 25 years of experience as a critical care nurse in pediatrics, neonatology, and most recently an Operations Officer in charge of Mobile Critical Care Services while managing the Children’s Critical Care Transport Team. He has a national certification in neonatal/pediatric transport from the National Certification Corporation and Certified Healthcare Simulation Education from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. He is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and is a registered North Carolina Emergency Medical Technician.

Mr. Brewer has a BSN from the Medical University of South Carolina (Summa Cum Laude), an Associates in Nursing (Magna Cum Laude), and an Associates in Science (Magna Cum Laude). He is an American Heart Association Faculty for Pediatric Advanced Life Support and a current provider in Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Basic Life Support, Prehospital Trauma Life Support, and Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses.


Dot McFadden

Dot McFadden, BSN, RN, SANE, CEN

Simulation Education Specialist

Dot has over 20 years of nursing experience in the emergency department, medical-surgical acute care, and telemetry. She also works with the Raleigh Solace Center as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and has many years of experience with this certification. Dot is an American Heart Association Instructor in Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Life Support and holds a certification in Trauma Nurse Core Course. She is also a preceptor for ultrasound guided peripheral IV insertion.

Dot earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Philippine Christian University – Mary Johnston College of Nursing in 1990.


Angela Dean

Angela Dean BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CPEN

Simulation Education Specialist

Angela has 30 years of experience primarily in emergency nursing and critical care. She has experience as a Supervisor/Educator in the Cary Emergency Department. She is a Certified Emergency Nurse, Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse and a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse. She is an instructor in Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Basic and Advanced Disaster Life Support and Stop the Bleed. She holds faculty status for Trauma Nurse Core Course and Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course. She is a course coordinator and instructor for Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses. She is a member of the Emergency Nurses Association, Society of Trauma Nurses and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Mrs. Dean received her Associates Degree in Nursing from Wake Technical Community College. She received a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Campbell University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southern New Hampshire University.


Hope Shell

Hope Shell

Continuing Education Program Assistant

Hope joined the WakeMed Medical Simulation Center in 2020. She has 16 years of experience as a legal secretary and court transcriptionist for corporate, estate planning, family, worker’s compensation, and tax law. Hope worked with the NC Community College System for 4 years in the Nursing, Radiology, and Electroneurodiagnostic Technology departments coordinating the tutoring program, Nursing fairs, contract maintenance, and student classroom scheduling. Hope coordinates participant registration, event scheduling, task trainer reservations, ordering for the Medical Simulation Department, and aids in the management of simulation events.


Jacqueline Deitch

Jacqueline Deitch

Simulation Education Specialist

Jackie joined the WakeMed Medical Simulation Center in 2022. She started her nursing career in 2006 after receiving her degree from Durham Technical Community College. Jackie completed her BSN in 2020 at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and obtained her Certified Emergency Nurse national certification in 2019. She has held many roles in nursing to include neonatal intensive care, emergency nursing, pediatric and neonatal critical care transport, and as a supervisor/educator serving as a leader and preceptor for her department.

Jackie was also a nursing instructor for Campbell University School of Nursing helping to ensure future nurses are receiving the highest quality education available. Jackie has used simulation education as a vector for enhancing the knowledge and skill of those in her educational events, improving patient safety and outcomes.

Jackie is currently an instructor for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course, Advanced Live Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Basic Life Support, Stop the Bleed, Trauma Nurse Core Course, and is an organizational trainer for ultrasound guided IV and midline insertion.