Utah Trauma Network 2024 Speakers
Brian Beck, MBA - Manager, Hospital Services, Donor Connect
Brian has been with DonorConnect for eight years and is the Director of Hospital Services and Professional Education. He studied Healthcare Management and Medical Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and completed his MBA at the University of Utah. He and his wife Sarah are the parents to 3 rowdy children and a Muppet dog named Meg. Brian leads a team of 14 dedicated Hospital Services Specialist who support our hospital partners in the process of organ and tissue donation, all with the mission of saving more lives.
Jared Buchta - Community Health Captain, Salt Lake City Fire Department
Charity Christensen, PA-C - Assistant Professor, University of Utah Health
Deidre Flanagan, MD, FACS - Trauma Medical Director, Moab Regional Hospital
Dr. Flanagan is currently the General Surgeon and Trauma Medical Director at Moab Regional Hospital, having joined the organization in August 2022. In July 2024, she also assumed the position of Medical Director of Grand County EMS. Previously, she was a general surgeon with Ascension Medical Group in Wisconsin since 1999. Dr. Flanagan graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and completed her general surgery residency at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids Michigan.
Brandon Howard, NRP, FP-C - Battalion Chief, West Valley City Fire Department
Jessie Levy, LCSW - Trauma Support Services Program Manager, Carolinas Medical Center- F.H. Sammy Ross Jr. Trauma Center
Kristofer Mitchell, MD - Trauma Medical Director, St. Mark's Hospital
Dr. Mitchell graduated in 2002 from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine where he also did his general surgery residency. In 2008, he completed a critical care/trauma fellowship at the University of California (San Diego) Medical Center.
He has served as the Trauma Medical Director at St. Mark’s Hospital since 2016. He led the facility through St. Mark’s initial Level II ACS trauma verification in 2018 and re-verification in 2022. Dr. Mitchell serves in numerous leadership roles in the hospital and greater trauma system. He is a co-chair of the Utah Committee on Trauma (COT) and president of the hospital’s Medical Executive Committee.
Physicians, nurses, and leadership across the hospital trust Dr. Mitchell immensely. He is a candid and respectful communicator, prioritizing teamwork above all else. In 2023, he received the Frist Humanitarian Award, an HCA award recognizing exceptional commitment to his patients and colleagues.
When Dr. Mitchell is not working, he enjoys spending time with his kids, attending dance competitions and sports games. He is a passionate whiskey and wine connoisseur and frequently hosts whiskey tasting parties for friends, hospital staff, and EMS colleagues.
Chinetta Neal, PhD, LCCP - Trauma Prevention Educator at Lawnwood Regional Trauma Center
Chinetta Neal was born and raised in Southwest Florida. At age sixteen she graduated from Riverdale High School and went on to join the military at age seventeen. She completed nine years of service in the Armed Forces, and then decided to pursue her dream of becoming a mental health counselor.
Chinetta completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida, while being seven months pregnant with her handsome son, Jayden. Because of her love for higher learning, Chinetta completed her first master’s degree in Professional Counseling after giving birth to her beautiful daughter, Jy’l Renee. Still determined to reach for higher heights, she went on to pursue and obtain her second master’s degree in Mental Health Wellness and Prevention, and in 2021, she received her PhD in Psychology.
Chinetta has worked in the mental health field for more than fifteen years. She is a certified Forensic Interviewer with Martin County, a Master Trainer in Matter of Balance, a certified instructor with Stop the Bleed, a licensed and ordained Minister, certified in Entrepreneurial Business Management, and currently serves as a Trauma Educator and Hospital Coordinator with Lawnwood Regional Trauma Center.
Chinetta’s primary goal is to establish her own practice, allowing her to provide services to individuals who are in a lower socio-economic status, and to those who are unable to afford professional mental health counseling.
Nels Nichols, RN, BSN - Clinical Nurse Coordinator, University of Utah Hospital
Nels Nichols, RN, is a dedicated Emergency Nurse with over four years of Emergency and Critical Care experience in a Trauma 1 hospital. Currently serving in a leadership and educational role within his department, Nels has spent the past year developing and teaching engaging learner-centered education for his fellow healthcare professionals, ensuring the highest standards of patient care and clinical excellence. He is nearing the completion of his Master's in Nursing Education, further enhancing his expertise and commitment to advancing nursing practice.