Our Story
Our Story

Providing sustainable
change with every mission

Our History
Making a difference on the front lines of humanitarian aid

It was 2017. In Iraq, the Battle of Mosul had been underway for months, and the civilian toll was catastrophic. Our founders, U.S. military veterans, Pete Reed and Derek Coleman, decided to act and formed an NGO to serve the world’s most vulnerable people in the midst of conflict, war, or disaster.

Today, Global Response Medicine (GRM) is an agile medical force working throughout the world. We are a dedicated team of veterans; EMS, fire, and wilderness personnel; healthcare providers and medical academics; humanitarians and logistics specialists; volunteers and donors—we’re all focused on a singular mission: save lives.

Our approach is about as simple as it gets: Don’t tell us we can’t. When lives are at stake, we will not accept the status quo. We gather our resources and deploy our best teams wherever the need is, providing rapid medical relief, clinical health services, and all the essential supports between. Wherever and whenever possible, we go beyond emergency care, offering training to bring about sustainable change so people and regions can own their safety and well-being.

Don’t tell us we can’t

There are terrific organizations doing critical response work all around the world. What’s different about GRM is our focus of working across disciplines, applying evidence-based principles from military, academic, and civilian medical spheres to ensure our response in high-risk, low-resource environments is as efficient and effective as possible.

With an ever-growing team and missions in 17 regions around the globe, we’ve come a long way from our founders’ determination to build something good out of the destruction in Mosul. Sadly, there’s no shortage of need, and our work will continue. But with everyone’s help, the capacity and reach of GRM continues to expand. Whether you’re a veteran or civilian, a volunteer or donor, join us, and together, we can make a difference on the frontlines of humanitarian aid.

medical personnel at work on patientdoctors giving children examsdelivering humanitarian aid
Our Mission
Save Lives. Period.
Our Values
Impartial Care

We believe that everyone has the right to the best possible care on the worst day of their life. Our loyalty is to saving lives, period.

Evidence-Based Response

We combine academic emergency medicine, military medicine, and pre-hospital medicine to determine the most effective approach to delivering crisis care.

Devoted to Teaching and Learning

Whether at the bedside or in the classroom, we advance medical practice through teaching and idea exchange.

Veteran-Committed

Veterans bring knowledge and expertise to every area of our organization, from field operations to organizational development to leadership.

Everyone Comes Home

We operate ethically and responsibly as a dedicated team of volunteers and staff, keeping each other safe in high-risk environments.

Laser-Focused

Our focus is to get the job done by collaborating with on-the-ground partners and donors, deploying resources where they are most needed.

Selfless Service

We approach communities with humility, listening first and ensuring patients are treated with dignity and respect.

Our Team
Melanie F. Emerson
Executive Director
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Andrea Leiner
Deputy Director,
MSN, APRN FNP-BC
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Clara Lee Arnold
Manager, Field Staffing
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Dani Roessler
Director of Development
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David Hagan
Chief Financial Officer, MBA
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Luke Sciulli
Director of Rapid Response and SoF Medical Liaison
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Mark McDonald
Director of Strategic and Operational Integration
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Andres Diaz
Project Manager and Rapid Response Team
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Sam Bishop
Country Director, Mexico
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Dr. Florian Schmitzberger
Medical Director, Rapid Response Team
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Dr. Scott Dunavant
Medical Director & RRT Medical Director, FACEP
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Dr. Jessica Patterson
Medical Director, Ultrasound, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Ultrasound, Temple University
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Dr. Maura Sammon
Medical Director, Associate Professor Emergency Medicine Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA USA
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Dr. Joseph Leanza
Project Lead, Kurdistan
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Dr. Mohanad Al Khaero
Medical Director, Iraq and Kurdistan, Pediatrics
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Dr. William Alvares
Critical Medicine Specialist
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Zalala Ali
Project Manager, KRI
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Jorge Flores
Clinical Psychologist and Logistics
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Dr. Laura Jocelyne Fuentets Orozco
Physician, Reynosa
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Dr. Penelope Vera
Physician, Reynosa
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Martín Banda
Coordinator, Reynosa
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Dr. Sharon Compean
Physician, Reynosa
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Lic. Aisha Yamilette Compean Huerta
Clinic Assistant
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Brendon Tucker
Project Manager, Reynosa
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Benito Zambrano
Reynosa
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Ana Laura Benitez
Project Manager, Tapachula
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Dr. Gabriela Ramos
Medical Director, Tapachula
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Nancy Fabiola Reyes Escalante
Nurse, Tapachula
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Zabdi Yamilet Manzo Alonso
Nurse, Tapachula
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Board of Directors
Pete Reed
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Alex Potter
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Carlo Hodil
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Dr. Andrew D. Fischer
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Coco Tang, US Army, NRP, CCP-C, CP-C, TC-P, ADMT, DICO
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Meaghan Mobbs, PhD
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Dr. Rojan Jawad
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David B. Weir Jr., MBA, PMP
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Kevin Hazzard
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Our Partners
Together we make an incredible team

The work we do would not be possible without the help from our partners around the globe.

AirLink is a rapid response humanitarian relief organization that connects airlines and pre-qualified non-profits to help communities in crisis.

The Block Buddy Pro app is a mobile reference tool for healthcare providers performing ultrasound guided peripheral nerve blocks and point of care ultrasound (POCUS).

Democratizing healthcare by making medical imaging available to everyone around the world.

Providing fast, open-source Electronic Medical Records systems for transient medical teams in order to promote data driven communication in low resource settings.

At LifeStraw, we believe everyone deserves safe drinking water. Our intent to meet this basic human need is what drives us to build our products.

Resource Center Matamoros is a humanitarian organization that provides a safe space where refugees can access legal, medical, and social support services, helping restore their dignity as they move toward self-sufficiency.

Red Clover Coffee company is dedicated to helping others, through coffee.

Improving the world, one clinical eConsult at a time.

The goal of Solidarity Engineering is to better living conditions through the implementation of projects that address both physical and mental health.

Team-5 is a non-profit SOFMED veteran foundation that provides medical care in the most overlooked remote areas of the world.

Team Help is a public charity non-profit medical mission company.

VESL is committed to projects that are rooted in ethical engagement with partners and communities. Fundamental to this is the belief that empowering local communities is essential to creating sustainable solutions.

Temple University Medical School Global Health is preparing the next generation of researchers, practitioners and clinicians to solve health’s complexities for a better tomorrow. Our thriving and diverse community is guided by a commitment to social justice and the belief that health is a human right.

Medshare is improving the quality of life of people & our planet.

Heart to Heart International is improving access to health.

Baby2Baby provides children living in poverty with diapers, clothing, and all the basic necessities that every child deserves.

Breyting is a passion for change.

LiquidIV

Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health, driven by the belief that everyone, everywhere has a right to good health, partners with diverse communities to exchange life-saving ideas, catalyze scientific discoveries, deliver compassionate care, and train the next generation of leaders in global health.

MedGlobal is dedicated to a world without health disparity.

The Society of Critial Care Medicine‘s mission is to support quality-based improvement initiatives and resources to support the multi-professional critical care team.

Hippo provides courses for emergency medicine, a comprehensive pediatric emergency medicine curriculum, an outstanding AAPA review course for physician assistants as well as revolutionary RAP programs focusing on pediatrics, primary care, and urgent care.

EM:RAP has changed the game for emergency medical education.

MEDMastery is an award-winning teaching method.

Fluenz‘s programs are about delivering a transformational learning experience. It’s about the magic of fluency and the moment in which an amazing tutor leads, engages and transforms the learner’s relationship with a new language.

Isabel supports medical professionals to reduce clinical uncertainty.

Mobile Pathways develops mobile phone technology to help immigrants navigate the legal immigration process.

Where Your Money Goes

We understand the importance of knowing
how the money you donate is being spent.

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GRM IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SKILLED, CARING PEOPLE

From EMTs and healthcare professionals to veterans and engineers, if you’re passionate about helping people, we want to hear from you.

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Yesterday, GRM founder Pete Reed and was killed in Bakhmut, Ukraine.

Yesterday, GRM founder Pete Reed was killed in Bakhmut, Ukraine. Pete was the bedrock of GRM, serving as Board President for 4 years. In January, Pete stepped away from GRM to work with Global Outreach Doctors on their Ukraine mission and was killed while rendering aid.

This is a stark reminder of the perils rescue and aid workers face in conflict zones as they serve citizens caught in the crossfire. Pete was just 33 years old, but lived a life in service of others, first as a decorated US Marine and then in humanitarian aid. GRM will strive to honor his legacy and the selfless service he practiced.

We fully support Pete’s family, friends, and colleagues during this devastating time.