The American Board of Wound Healing (ABWH) provides a pathway for certification to wound care and hyperbaric practitioners who meet established educational, professional, clinical and examination standards. ABWH certification is available to a variety of clinicians, including physicians, nurses, technicians and other allied health professionals. Successful completion of an ABWH examination is recognized by a Certification of Added Qualification. The ABWH is not a membership association.
The purpose and function of the ABWH:
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- To improve the quality of the clinical practice of wound care and hyperbaric medicine
- To establish and maintain high standards of excellence in the specialties of wound care and hyperbaric medicine
- To evaluate specialists who apply for initial certification
- To provide a process to recognize continued clinical competence via re-certification
- To grant and issue to qualified practitioners Certificates of Added Qualification and other recognition of established advanced knowledge and clinical skills in wound care and hyperbaric medicine, as well as to suspend or revoke the same when necessary
- To serve the public, professional societies, hospital credentialing committees, and licensing boards by providing status verification of diplomates certified by the American Board of Wound Healing
Our Board of Directors
Dr. Gregory Bohn, FAPWCA, FACHM is a practicing General Surgeon and Wound Care Physician. He currently is the Medical Director of the Westshore Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine as well as maintaining a full time General Surgery Practice. He is Board Certified in Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine by the American Board of Preventative Medicine. Dr. Bohn has worked as a consultant in both Wound Care and Surgery. Interested in education, he has directed courses in Wound Care and Surgery. He has helped to plan major wound care meetings as well as participating as a speaker. He has worked nationally as a Medical Director in wound care covering the Midwest area. He graduated from Wayne State University with his Medical Doctorate in 1978 and completed Residency in General Surgery in Grand Rapids, Michigan at Blodgett and St Mary’s Hospital in 1982. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeon, Fellow of The American College of Hyperbaric Medicine, and member of multiple professional surgical societies and wound care associations.
Marta is the owner of Purpose Physical Therapy in Sheridan Wyoming. Purpose Physical Therapy offers mobile and clinic based services, addressing both skin and physical rehabilitation. Marta is a Physical Therapist, Certified Wound Specialist, and Certified Lymphatic Therapist, Functional Movement Specialist and Certified Compression Specialist. Marta specializes in chronic wound management as well as lymphedema/edema treatment and management. She currently works with all types of patients with deficits in mobility, functional strength and functional independence. Marta is a member of the American Academy of Wound Management, the American Professional Wound Care Association, and the American Board of Wound Healing. She also serves on the Board for the American Board of Wound Healing and the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care.
Dr. Brock Liden, FAPWCA is a co-founder of the Berger Health System Wound Healing Center with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Circleville, Ohio. He is a Diplomat, of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine and of the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry and a Fellow of the American Professional Wound Care Association. Dr. Liden is a Physician Certified in Wound Care with Specialty Interest in Wound Care, Limb Salvage, and Charcot reconstruction. He has participated in multiple research trials and is a recognized national and international faculty.
M. Mark Melin MD FACS RPVI FACCWS, is the Medical Director of the M Health Fairview Wound Healing Institute, South Campus. In addition to clinical and surgical responsibilities, his niche areas of interest and education include the microvascular glycocalyx, lymphedema evaluation and management and the basics of wound bed preparation. He is on the Medical advisory Board for MolecuLight and Cerovations. He resides in Minneapolis, MN with his wife Cindy and are proud parents of 4 children in addition to participating in respite cares for children.
Dr. Jeffrey Alan Niezgoda is the President, Chief Medical Officer and Founder of AZH Wound and Vascular Centers, Milwaukee, WI serving in this capacity since 2013. Dr. Niezgoda is fellowship trained in hyperbaric medicine and wound care, and Board Certified in Hyperbaric Medicine in 2004 and in Emergency Medicine in 1997. He is the President of the American Professional Wound Care Association and served as the immediate Past-President of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine. Dr. Niezgoda was a prior member of the Executive Committee of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, having served as the Chairman of the Wound Care Committee, as well as a past member of the Pressure Vessel for Human Occupancy Subcommittee. He is a life member of The Association of Military Surgeons and past diplomat of the American Board of Hyperbaric Medicine, the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the National Board of Medical Examiners.
Liz Faust is a Nurse Practitioner in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Care for Tower Health System in eastern PA. She graduated from Gwynedd Mercy University with her MSN in Adult Nurse Practitioner in 2009, became a Certified Wound Specialist (CWS) in 2010, and certified in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (CWOCN) in 2012. She served as an in-patient wound, ostomy, and continence specialist for a 700+-bed Level I Trauma Center for 9 years and now focuses on delivering care across a seven hospital health system. She focuses on care of the perioperative, post-operative, cardiac and critical care patients, with an interest in nursing and physician education, NPWT, and pressure injury prevention. She has written articles on NPWT. She has lectured nationally in addition to facilitating Bioskills labs across the country. She has two years’ experience in an outpatient wound care center prior to her acute care position. She is the Vice President of the APWCA board of directors and is active within her WOCN affiliate.
Dr. Karen Bauer is a Wound Certified 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 nurse practitioner for 15 years, with 13 of those
years being in the field of wound management and 8 in vascular medicine. She
currently practices at the University of Toledo Medical Center as well as multiple
outreach sites encompassing ambulatory clinics, long-term care, and acute care
centers. Karen has developed and oversees a team of advanced practice
providers as well as services within the wound and vascular fields.
She is certified as a wound specialist through the American Board of Wound
Management and currently serves as both the Director of Wound Services at the
University of Toledo in the Division of Vascular, Endovascular, and Wound
Surgery, and the Program Director at the Fulton County Wound and Hyperbaric
Center. She served as the Consumer Board Member for the Association for the
Advancement of Wound Care from 2016-2018, engaging in multiple committees
and initiatives. She is a current nurse board member for the AAWC. She is also an
Editorial Board Member for Wound Management and Prevention and Advances
in Skin and Wound Care. Karen lectures regionally, nationally, and
internationally. She is a published researcher. She loves dogs, food, and watching
her daughter play soccer in her free time.
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 nurse practitioner for 15 years, with 13 of those
years being in the field of wound management and 8 in vascular medicine. She
currently practices at the University of Toledo Medical Center as well as multiple
outreach sites encompassing ambulatory clinics, long-term care, and acute care
centers. Karen has developed and oversees a team of advanced practice
providers as well as services within the wound and vascular fields.
She is certified as a wound specialist through the American Board of Wound
Management and currently serves as both the Director of Wound Services at the
University of Toledo in the Division of Vascular, Endovascular, and Wound
Surgery, and the Program Director at the Fulton County Wound and Hyperbaric
Center. She served as the Consumer Board Member for the Association for the
Advancement of Wound Care from 2016-2018, engaging in multiple committees
and initiatives. She is a current nurse board member for the AAWC. She is also an
Editorial Board Member for Wound Management and Prevention and Advances
in Skin and Wound Care. Karen lectures regionally, nationally, and
internationally. She is a published researcher. She loves dogs, food, and watching
her daughter play soccer in her free time.
Christine has over 20 years of clinical and educational experience specializing in Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine. She is on currently on staff at Acelity as a Medical Education Manager and, faculty at WebCME. Chris also has clinical experience as a Clinical Vice President for a Wound Care Center Management Company, Home Health, Women’s Oncology, Hospice, and Pediatric Intensive Care at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Christine has a B.S.N. from Messiah College, and is a registered nurse, certified in wound care and hyperbaric medicine through the American Board of Wound Healing (ABWH), and a Masters of American Professional Wound Care Association (APWCA). She is in demand as a speaker at wound care symposiums at local, regional, and national level. She has also function as a wound care educator for numerous companies specializing in wound care advanced therapies. Christine is also published in the area of wound care research.
She currently is on the Board of Directors for both the APWCA and ABWH.
Dr. Louis Pilati, FACHM is the Medical Director of the Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center in Dayton, Ohio. He is board certified in both Emergency Medicine and Hyperbaric Medicine by the American College of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Pilati has been the Medical Director sine 1999 and is adjunct faculty at the Boonshoft School of Medicine. He is involved in the education of residents from various specialities in both the Emergency Room and the Wound Center. Dr. Pilati was a former Diving Medical Officer with the United States Navy stationed at Roosevelt Roads Puerto Rico where he operated the only hyperbaric facility in Puerto Rico, taking care of all diving related emergencies.