Kara Couch

Dr. Karen Bauer is a Wound Certified and Vascular Surgery Nurse Practitioner. She graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Toledo, an M.S. from The Ohio State University and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from The University of Toledo. She has been practicing as a wound practitioner for over 19 years and in vascular surgery for over 8 years. She currently practices at George Washington university Hospital. Karen has extensive leadership experience, most recently at Emory University in the Division of Vascular Surgery as the Limb Preservation Coordinator. She was previously the Director of Wound and Vascular Services and Lead APP at the University of Toledo Medical Center in the Division of Vascular Surgery and concurrently as the Program Director at a rural wound center in Wauseon, Ohio, where she practiced for over 13 years.

She is the immediate past-President of the Society for Vascular Nursing and a long-time Board Member and Fellow of the AAWC. She is a Board Member of the Save a Leg Save a Life Foundation and the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders. Karen participates on the American Heart Association’s Peripheral Artery Disease National Action Plan Steering Committee and is an editorial reviewer for many scientific journals. She serves on numerous national committees and lectures regionally, nationally, and internationally. She is also a published writer.

Ms. Couch graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing (FNP) from Georgetown University in 2002.  Currently, she works as the Director of Wound Care Services at The George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC.    She is an Associate Research Professor of Surgery at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University.  Her wound care interests include caring for persons with limb loss/limb differences, complex abdominal wounds and use of technology in wound healing.
Ms.  Couch is the current Vice-Chair of the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders and the President of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC).  Kara is a Fellow of the Association of the Advancement of Wound Care.  She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Wound Management, the International Wound Journal and WoundSource 2025.   Kara is the co-chair of the Wound Care Community for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.  She is a member of the Prophylactic Dressing Standards Initiative, a joint collaboration between the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.

Dr. Dove is the Director of Clinical Research at the Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Podiatry at UT Health Science San Antonio. Dr. Dove has served as a Principal Investigator in over 50 clinical trials, over the past twenty years. She is currently establishing a research program, in which her colleagues, residents and students will be actively engaged.

She earned the Degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine at California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco, CA, She also completed her Post Graduate Training at The University of Texas, Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas under the tutelage of Dr. Lawrence Harkless. She completed a surgical fellowship at North General Hospital, in New York, NY.

Dr. Dove was previously in private practice in Las Vegas. Her private practice combined industry sponsored research and general podiatry, with a focus on wound care. Before opening her practice, Dr. Dove was the director of podiatry at the Diabetic foot and Ankle Center - Hospital for Joint Disease - NYU. Concurrently, she served as the sub-investigator for multiple Phase I-IV clinical trials.

Dr. Dove has multiple publications, including the Lancet and other peer-reviewed journals.

Megan L. Oltmann, DPM, FACFAS is the Head of Podiatric Surgery and Wound Care at the Bill and Lorraine Dodero Limb Preservation Center at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Medical Director of the University Hospitals Twinsburg Wound Care Center. She is an Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at Case Western Reserve University, core faculty for the University Hospitals Podiatric Surgery Residency Program, and Adjunct Clinical and Surgical Faculty at Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine. Dr. Oltmann lectures nationally on limb preservation, wound care, and reconstructive foot and ankle surgery and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. She is also a co-author of the bestselling book Chronicles of Women in White Coats 3.

Dot has been practicing in the specialty of wound and ostomy care for over 4 decades. She has practiced in acute care, home care and long-term care, spent 7 years in industry, and has practiced in outpatient care since 2001. She has been Board Certified by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Certification Board since 1985 and The American Board of Wound Management since 2004. She has authored and co-authored numerous papers and consensus documents, and 14 book chapters. She is the Co-Chair of the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care, was part of the founding faculty for the Wound Certification Prep Course, is a committe member of the International Wound Infection Institute, and works as a Consultant and Educator and lives in Holland, Michigan. She works part time at the Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Clinic at Holland Hospital.

Prateek Grover, MBBS, PhD, MHA, FAAPMR, is a physician-scientist-educator specializing in limb loss, limb difference, and limb preservation. At the Penn State College of Medicine, he serves as an Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (with an adjunct appointment in Biomedical Engineering) and as the Vice Chair of Quality and Safety.
His career is dedicated to mapping patient journeys through complex health systems, using implementation science to design, develop, and implement diagnosis-specific rehabilitation continuum (DRC) programs. For limb loss, this work is anchored by his development of the Multilevel Limb Loss and Preservation Rehabilitation Continuum (MLPRC) model and the Lower Limb Loss Rehabilitation Continuum (LLRC) framework.
Dr. Grover translates these models into practice as the Founding Director of the Penn State LimbRehabCaRES Center, an innovation hub where multidisciplinary care, research, education, and advocacy converge to create scalable patient-focused solutions.
This expertise informs his national impact as well, as the Medical Director of the Amputee Coalition, Chair of the Policy and Legislation Committee for the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM), and physician leader for Pennsylvania in the "So Every Body Can Move" initiative.
By integrating clinical excellence and research with workforce development and legislative advocacy, he works toward a broader mission: building sustainable rehabilitation systems that improve quality of life and healthcare access at a population scale.

Dr. Johnson is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery specializing in disorders of the Foot and Ankle with an emphasis on Podiatric Surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Johnson completed his medical education at Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine in Cleveland, OH. Dr. Johnson went on to complete post-graduate training in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital in Miami, FL. He completed a fellowship in Podiatric Clinical Research and Wound Care at Penn Medicine- University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Johnson earned a Post-Doctoral Certificate in Clinical Research from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine during his fellowship training. Dr. Johnson brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in podiatric surgery with an emphasis on wound healing and prevention. He is board certified in Podiatric Medicine by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. In addition, Dr. Johnson is a Board-Certified Wound Care Specialist Physician by the American Board of Wound Management. Dr. Johnson serves as an Executive Board Member of Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine and Past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Society of Podiatric Surgeons. He was recently elected as President of the Save a Leg Save a Life Foundation (SALSAL). Dr. Johnson is a Fellow of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG).

Ms. Couch graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing (FNP) from Georgetown University in 2002.  Currently, she works as the Director of Wound Care Services at The George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC.    She is an Associate Research Professor of Surgery at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University.  Her wound care interests include caring for persons with limb loss/limb differences, complex abdominal wounds and use of technology in wound healing.
Ms.  Couch is the current Vice-Chair of the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders and the President of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC).  Kara is a Fellow of the Association of the Advancement of Wound Care.  She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Wound Management, the International Wound Journal and WoundSource 2025.   Kara is the co-chair of the Wound Care Community for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.  She is a member of the Prophylactic Dressing Standards Initiative, a joint collaboration between the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.

Ms. Couch graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing (FNP) from Georgetown University in 2002.  Currently, she works as the Director of Wound Care Services at The George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC.    She is an Associate Research Professor of Surgery at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University.  Her wound care interests include caring for persons with limb loss/limb differences, complex abdominal wounds and use of technology in wound healing.
Ms.  Couch is the current Vice-Chair of the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders and the President of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC).  Kara is a Fellow of the Association of the Advancement of Wound Care.  She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Wound Management, the International Wound Journal and WoundSource 2025.   Kara is the co-chair of the Wound Care Community for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.  She is a member of the Prophylactic Dressing Standards Initiative, a joint collaboration between the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.

Yvette Mier, BSN, RN, CWON, is a nationally recognized Certified Wound and Ostomy Nurse with more than 25 years of experience in wound care. For the past two decades, she has served at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center—the flagship facility of the Southeast's largest healthcare system—where she leads clinical operations at the Outpatient Wound Center.
Yvette is a published author and respected voice in the field, contributing a chapter to the WOCN Core Curriculum: Wound Management textbook and presenting numerous research posters at national wound care conferences. She also serves as clinical faculty for the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (WOCN) program at Emory University.
Renowned for her clinical expertise, leadership, and patient-centered approach, Yvette is a trusted resource for both healthcare professionals and patients navigating complex wound care challenges. Her specialties include advanced wound assessment, evidence-based treatment planning, and interdisciplinary team coordination.
Yvette has a unique ability to distill complex clinical information into practical strategies that improve outcomes and raise the standard of care. Her passion for education, particularly in leg health, combined with her collaborative spirit, makes her a sought-after mentor and speaker. Whether at the bedside or on the podium, she brings clarity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to excellence in wound care.

Ms. Couch graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing (FNP) from Georgetown University in 2002.  Currently, she works as the Director of Wound Care Services at The George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC.    She is an Associate Research Professor of Surgery at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University.  Her wound care interests include caring for persons with limb loss/limb differences, complex abdominal wounds and use of technology in wound healing.
Ms.  Couch is the current Vice-Chair of the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders and the President of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC).  Kara is a Fellow of the Association of the Advancement of Wound Care.  She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Wound Management, the International Wound Journal and WoundSource 2025.   Kara is the co-chair of the Wound Care Community for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.  She is a member of the Prophylactic Dressing Standards Initiative, a joint collaboration between the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.