About Us
Mission and Vision
We envision a world where every individual, regardless of geography or circumstance, has access to the healthcare they deserve. Through innovative partnerships, community empowerment, and a commitment to sustainability, GOMED aspires to transform the global health landscape, closing access gaps and driving comprehensive medical development that benefits future generations.
Purpose and Goals
GOMED exists to bridge the gap between healthcare availability and underserved populations by:
Delivering Essential Supplies: Ensuring the timely delivery of life-saving medical equipment, medicines, and supplies to remote and resource-limited areas.
Fostering Sustainability: Supporting development of community-centric healthcare models that are resilient, resource-efficient, and capable of evolving with local needs.
Enhancing Global Health:
Building collaborative networks with governments, NGOs, and healthcare providers to create innovative solutions for global health challenges.
Providing Support for Medical Services:
Offering support to medical outreach programs, surgical care, and treatment options tailored to local needs.
Promoting Health Equity:
Advocating for fair and equitable healthcare systems that prioritize vulnerable populations.
History
GOMED was founded to address critical global health disparities, with a specialized focus on supporting underserved communities in the area of cardiac surgery. The organization's inception was inspired by an Upstate New York cardiac surgical program, where a team consisting of a cardiothoracic surgeon, a cardiac surgery anesthesiologist and intensivist, and a cardiothoracic surgical PA identified a troubling issue: a high volume of surplus medical devices nearing expiration are going unused entirely.
The founders recognized that complex medical needs, like cardiac surgery, are often inaccessible in underserved regions, exacerbating health inequities. This inspired the creation of an organization dedicated to delivering not only essential medical supplies and support for therapies but also the specialized expertise and resources required for advanced procedures such as with cardiac surgery.
GOMED operates on three core principles:
-
Global Reach: Establishing innovative supply chains to deliver cardiac and other surgical tools, equipment, and expertise to remote and underserved areas.
​
-
Collaboration: Partnering with local healthcare providers, governments, and international cardiac specialists to ensure effective and culturally competent interventions.
​
-
Sustainability: supporting the training of local teams and developing infrastructure to enable communities to perform and support surgeries independently over time.
Leadership & Team
Connor Wasilnak, PA-C
Board Certified Physician Assistant
Co-Founder
Chief Executive Officer​
Board Member
Connor Wasilnak, PA-C, is a dedicated cardiothoracic surgical physician assistant serving the Southern Tier region of Upstate New York. Born at the very hospital where he now practices, Connor is committed to giving back to his community through compassionate, high-quality care. Connor specializes in minimally invasive endoscopic vein harvesting for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures and serves as a first assist in both cardiac and thoracic surgeries, including minimally invasive robotic operations. Beyond the operating room, he plays a vital role in the cardiovascular intensive care unit, managing patients before and after surgery to promote optimal recovery and support Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols.
Courtney Maxey-Jones, MD
Board Certified Cardiac Anesthesiologist and Intensivist
​
Co-Founder
Chief Operations Officer
Board Member
Dr. Courtney Maxey-Jones, MD is a critical care anesthesiologist who spent six years in private practice critical care and cardiac anesthesia. In April 2023, she left private practice and formed her own independent consulting service, CNY Medical Services, PLLC. She now work with several hospitals in Upstate New York on cardiac ICU and cardiothoracic surgery program optimization. In addition, she is the Director of the CCU and Cardiogenic Shock program at SUNY Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY. Her interests include cardiogenic shock and acute mechanical circulatory support, cardiovascular program development, and comprehensive perioperative care of the cardiothoracic surgery patient. Her skills include independent percutaneous ECMO cannulation, IABP placement, and management of percutaneous ventricular assist devices.
Farhan Nadeem, MD, FACS
Board Certified Cardiothoracic Surgeon 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctor
Co-Founder
Board Member
Dr. Farhan Nadeem, MD, FACS, is a board-certified Cardiothoracic Surgeon and a 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctor based in Upstate New York. He specializes in utilizing advanced beating heart techniques for complex coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and employs minimally invasive methods for valve surgery. Dr. Nadeem performs over 250 heart surgeries annually, ensuring expert care in every case. In addition, he routinely performs over 100 robotic surgeries each year to treat lung and esophageal cancers, providing his patients with the latest advancements in surgical care through cutting-edge robotic techniques.
Dan Boothroyd
Chief Data and Analytics Officer
Board Member
Dan is a graduate of Penn State University where he earned a degree in Health Policy and Administration and a minor in Information Science and Technology. After spending three years at the nation’s largest group purchasing organization, he transitioned into supply chain management at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. He currently supports their operations through data analytics, ERP management, financial forecasting, and strategic inventory planning.
Joseph Petro, MD
Cardiologist
Dr. Joseph Petro, MD is an internal medicine board certified physician who is currently in his final year of cardiology fellowship at Wilson Medical Center in Johnson City New York. He did his formal medical training at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey and stayed on as a fourth year medical chief resident before starting his cardiology fellowship. He is a local of Binghamton NY with plans to remain local and practice general cardiology starting in August of 2025 at Chenango Memorial Hospital. He is committed to giving back to his community not only in the upstate medical region but also abroad.
Marisa Gasbarra, MD-S4
Marketing and Communications
Marisa Gasbarra is a fourth year medical student at Ross University School of Medicine who is interested in going into the field of anesthesia. She was born in Endicott, New York and is committed to helping underserved communities that need it the most. Marisa graduated from Cornell University in 2018 and is currently working towards her Masters in Healthcare Leadership at Brown University. Throughout the years, Marisa has consistently been giving back to the Broome County, Ithaca and New York City communities. Marisa is excited to be a part of this non-profit organization and cannot wait to make a difference locally and globally.