Olivia Williams, DO, Chair of the EMRA Ultrasound Committee, 2025
Program: Ochsner Medical Center
Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal as an EMRA leader is to improve and expand ultrasound education, resources, and accessibility for emergency medicine residents and students through advocacy and research demonstrating the utility of this imaging modality. I hope to inspire others to get involved and become proficient in emergency ultrasound as it grows as an integrated component of emergency medicine practice.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? I got involved in a professional society to meet and learn from others and to have fun while working toward meaningful improvements in our training and specialty.
What do you think are the top three traits of a great leader? Always being eager to learn something from everyone you meet, leading with empathy and respect, and constantly striving to become a better version of yourself.
What is the best advice you have ever received? Work hard, be nice, and have fun.
What is something that people don't know about you? I love inline skating and seeing street art. I have traveled to almost 30 countries and I love to see new places.
If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: Molecular biologist, teacher, or yoga instructor.
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? Bring a coke zero and a string cheese snack.
What is the last non-textbook you read? Dopesick; a book written by a journalist exploring the multifactorial roots of America's opioid epidemic as well as the stigma and sociopolitical factors that have prolonged it.
Sean Beckman, DO, Chair-Elect of the EMRA Ultrasound Committee, 2025
Program: Rutgers NJMS
Your goal as an EMRA leader: Ultrasound continues to be one of the most important skills in an Emergency Medicine physician's tool box. My goal as an EMRA leader is to use this platform to provide educational content to our peers and push the boundaries of how to incorporate ultrasound into the EM workflow.
What do you think are the top three traits of a great leader? Doing more listening than talking, leading by example and respect
What is the best advice you have ever received? Do everything to the best of your ability, you never know who is watching
What is something that people don't know about you? Because I speak 3 languages, I also dream in 3 languages
If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: I would be a chef. There's something to be said about the pressure of cooking for a large group of people, simultaneously preparing all the sides and the meat (star of the show) and watching people's reaction. Its the culinary equivalent to Emergency Medicine.
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? Oreos and Celsius
What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? Zillow
Ochan Kwon, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Ultrasound Committee, 2025
Program: St. Barnabas Hospital Health System
Your goal as an EMRA leader: As a returning Vice Chair for the EMRA US Committee, my goal is to become the best educator I can be. I wish to provide all physicians-in-training with equal opportunities to learn about the innumerable applications of bedside ultrasound, find resources for mentorship, and excel as leaders inside and outside the Emergency Department.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? EMRA provides far-reaching venues of education and valuable opportunities to network with like-minded individuals. I saw this first-hand at EMRA’s Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia Workshop at ACEP23 in Philadelphia, where committee members taught valuable procedural sonography skills to residents from all over the country!
What is the best advice you have ever received? A quote that has always resonated with me: “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” – Robin Williams
What is something that people don't know about you? I am a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do.
If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: Most likely a professional chef trying to earn a Michelin star or a violinist
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? Pre-shift caffeine and black-out curtains
What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? YouTube
What is the last non-textbook you read? The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Favorite channel on social media? Strictly Dumpling, a Youtube channel run by a full-time eater who travels the world and makes videos about delicious food
What are your tops songs on your Spotify Wrapped? Movie soundtracks
Daniel Castro, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Ultrasound Committee, 2025
Program: Louisiana State University- New Orleans
Your goal as an EMRA leader: To continue to incorporate ultrasound into our practice as EM physicians
Why did you get involved in a professional society? I wanted the opportunity to advocate for students and residents in their pursuit of learning ultrasound
What is the best advice you have ever received? This too shall pass
What is something that people don't know about you? I used to live in Madrid and taught yoga
If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: Animator at Pixar
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? Black out curtains for the house. So crucial
What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? Chess.com app
What is the last non-textbook you read? House of God
Favorite channel on social media? Hot Ones interviews on YouTube
Miranda Teixeira, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Ultrasound Committee, 2025
Program: University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center - Memphis
Your goal as an EMRA leader: As ultrasound is becoming ever more relevant in todays clinical environment, I want to expand clinical application and integration across specialties, by improving access to relevant and practical education.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? To expand my emergency medicine network, and by doing so open up opportunities to learn from other professionals leaders and learners alike and benefit from differing perspectives.
What do you think are the top three traits of a great leader? To be adaptable and open to change, especially in medicine as the landscape is ever evolving. To be empathetic and understanding about the needs of the group and cause. To be passionate about the goals of the individuals and the whole.
What is the best advice you have ever received? People are more than the worst things they've done or the worst thing that has been done to them.
What is something that people don't know about you? I have moved 25 times.
If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: I would be working for a non-profit with the goal of supporting children in foster care.
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? You just have to keep busy, then you don't have time to get sleepy.
What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? Currently CorePendium and ChatGPT.
What are your tops songs on your Spotify Wrapped? Mistake by NF, Fine by Kyle Hume, Running by NF, Mind of Mine by Lø Spirit and Fairytale by Livingston.
Ryan Bellinger, MD, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Ultrasound Committee, 2025
Program: Baylor Scott and White All-Saints Medical Center
Your goal as an EMRA leader: I'm excited to become involved and improve the experience and education for current and future residents!
What is the best advice you have ever received? This too shall pass
If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: If I wasn't an EM doc, I'd like to think I would be a chef! I love cooking and the high speed of work and rapid task switching would keep my brain engaged.
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? Caffeine - there is no maximum dose. Calories don't count on night shift.
Ayo Isola, MD, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Ultrasound Committee, 2025
Program: Texas A&M College of Medicine
Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal as an EMRA leader is to generate a positive influence on my program, faculty, co-residents, staff, and medical students. I aim to learn from experts in the field and pass along their clinical expertise to generations of learners after me. I believe that EMRA is instrumental in the advancement of education in the emergency medicine space and I am grateful to be part of the movement going forward.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? I desired an active role in the ultrasound committee because I have a passion for the diagnostic and procedural capabilities of bedside sonography and believe in its impressive potential for the future of emergency medicine. I was lucky enough to have wonderful and engaging mentors to teach me the fundamentals of ultrasound scanning and I would love the opportunity to pay it forward and teach more clinicians about techniques in the future.
What is the best advice you have ever received? Anything worth doing is worth doing well
What is something that people don't know about you? I have G6PD deficiency
If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: High school football/track coach
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? Late evening nap + 3am sour candy break
What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? NYTimes or Youtube
What is the last non-textbook you read? Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Favorite channel on social media? ESPN, Crash Course, Movie reviews, Travel vlogs
Maddy Silverstein, MD, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Ultrasound Committee, 2025
Program: UT Southwestern
Your goal as an EMRA leader: I hope to work with an amazing team to advance ultrasound use in emergency medicine nationally. My goal is to organize educational events and projects that encourage residents to push their ultrasound skills to the next level!
Why did you get involved in a professional society? I am so excited to collaborate with other emergency medicine residents about something we are all passionate about. We get to learn from each other to improve our own ultrasound skills and educate others nationally about cutting edge ultrasound technology in the emergency department!
What do you think are the top three traits of a great leader? Receptive to feedback, encouraging, and always finding ways to improve their own leadership style
What is the best adivce you have ever received? Try to learn one important lesson from every challenging case or poor outcome. Take it with you and use what you learned for the next patient who is counting on you.
What is something that people don't know about you? I am an amateur barista, I love playing volleyball, and I have a cat named Boba!
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? A hairdresser or marine biologist Depends on the day!
What's the last non-textbook you read? Probably a cookbook
