Mission Statement
We REACH to help, we REACH for help.
We reach to find those in need, we reach to be better… The mission of the Reach Burn Foundation is to foster resilience within the burn community.
Our Foundation is an acronym of our ideals…Rehabilitation, Education, Adaptation, Community, Healing. We hope to equip burn survivors to live a fulfilling life through outdoor adventure, self acceptance and peer support.
We educate to provide knowledge and skill for those brave and dedicated souls that interact and care for those that have or are enduring the consequences of burn injury.
Knowledge is a tool.
And for the brave burn survivors… we haven’t forgotten you. We know it can seem at times impossible to have fun, to enjoy the outdoors, to challenge yourselves in ways you didn’t think twice about before your injury… we’ve got you.
REACH Burn Foundation partners with world class adaptive sports experts to guide you safely down the mountain or across the trails of Colorado.
Meet Our Team
Founded by visionary burn physicians, REACH is dedicated to minimizing the impact of burn injuries. At the forefront, we equip providers with educational materials to increase their skills. After an injury, we provide burn survivors adaptive sports experiences which enhances recovery.
Dr. Philip Fidler
President
Previously, Dr. Fidler was the Director of the Burn Center of Connecticut, formerly known as the Andrew J Panettieri Burn Center, part of the Yale School of Medicine, and an Associate Professor of Surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine. During his tenure, he significantly contributed to the field of burn care and education, earning national recognition. He has been actively involved in the American Burn Association, serving on the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Committee, and has been a long-time reviewer for the Journal of Burn Care and Research. Dr. Fidler’s contributions to burn care have been widely recognized, with numerous publications and international presentations. He continues to focus on improving patient recovery and quality of life, emphasizing the importance of returning to leisure activities post-recovery. Dr. Fidler has been a member of the Government Affairs Committee of the American Burn Association and is currently on the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Committee.
In 2004, he received the Melville Magida Award from the Fairfield Medical Association for his notable capacity for patient treatment and care, and his special sensitivity to patient-physician relationships. In 2016, he was the recipient of the Gusi Peace Prize in Manila, Philippines. As Past President of the North American Burn Society, he understands the importance of bringing together burn survivors and providers with adaptive sports counselors to enhance their psychosocial well-being. He has published numerous articles, received notable awards and has presented Internationally on the subject of burn care and science.
Dr. Roselle Crombie
Vice President
Roselle Crombie, MD/MPH, FACS, FABA is a surgeon specializing in general surgery, burn surgery and surgical critical care at several of the Yale New Haven Health Systems flagship hospitals in Southern Connecticut and Connecticut Burn Center. Her particular passion is a mix of burns, burn/ trauma reconstruction, wounds and general surgery. Her days include her busy practice constantly pushing for change and awareness in how we can improve care delivery locally and nationally. Education of the next generation of physicians and surgeons has remained an imperative part of her career as she is highly involved as faculty in the Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine over the course of her career and mentors the younger pre-health generation. She enjoys giving a variety of lectures to further the fields of her expertise.
Dr. Crombie holds a B.S. in Biology-Chemistry with Honors from Union College in Schenectady, NY. Her medical degree includes both an M.D. and M.P.H. from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and residency training in general surgery at Tufts University-New England Medical Center. Her post-graduate fellowships were in Burn Surgery and Surgical Critical Care at the Yale University School of Medicine where she currently remains on faculty. She is board certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.
Outside of her job nationally, she has served as the 32nd President of the North American Burn Society(NABS) 2014, where she first experienced the profound positive impact of Adaptive Sports on the mental health of the burn and trauma survivor. She has served on the Ethics Committee, Epidemiology for the American Burn Association(ABA). She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Burn Association, and is actively serving as the Physician SIG Chair (ABA). She was recently appointed to be the Director at Large for the Board of the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery (ABWMS), is currently the VP Program Chair for the CT American College of Surgeon’s Chapter, Executive Board, Chair of the Women’s Surgery group for the CTACS and involved in the Women’s Surgeon Groups within several national societies. She’s serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Burn Care and Research, Journal of Wound Care and has served on MRBP-CDRMP (Military Review for Burn Grants). She is a member of the Consensus Committee on Tissue Regeneration for the Journal of Wound Care setting standards for CAMPs. With a team of other burn colleagues, she sits as the VP of a non-for profit REACH Burn Foundation to support the needs of adult burn survivors. Additionally, she serves on the Board of the Burn Research Foundation. Her CV includes numerous publications, book chapters, lectures, and recently an invitation for a DOD Grant formal submission.
Dr. Crombie is married to Mr. Brian Crombie and they each have another full-time job raising their three active children. They all enjoy family time on the water and are avid skiers.
Cindy Rutter
Burn Retreat Coordinator
Cindy, herself a burn survivor, has been actively involved in aftercare programs for burn survivors and their families for more than 45 years. Since 1998, she has served as a facilitator for adult retreats and youth summits and has provided support at children’s burn camps nationwide. She is a frequent speaker and presenter at both the American Burn Association (ABA) conference and the Phoenix Society’s World Burn Congress.
Cindy played a key role in designing and developing the Phoenix Society’s SOAR (Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery) program, a nationally recognized peer support model for survivors and their loved ones. She previously served as the nurse manager of the UCSD Burn Center and later earned her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from San Diego State University in 2015. She currently maintains a private practice in San Diego.
Rebekah R. Allely
Burn Retreat Coordinator
Rebekah is a burn occupational therapist at Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. Rebekah has been a member of the burn team for 39 years working with patients across the continuum of care. Rebekah works closely with MedStar’s burn surgeons on the laser program for scar revision and treatment. Rebekah is a SOAR coordinator and co-facilitates burn support group. Rebekah teaches community re-entry and social skills training to burn survivors and burn team members. Rebekah volunteers with the DC Firefighter Burn Foundation organizing aftercare programming including local outdoor activities, burn retreats, weeklong trips to the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, CO and taking survivors and loved ones to Phoenix World Burn Congress. Rebekah also volunteers with REACH Burn Foundation co-facilitating burn retreats for adult burn survivors.
Dr. Teri Abrams
Dr. Teri Abrams is an assistant professor in the College of Social Work at University of Tennessee Knoxville and located at the Nashville campus. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work and a Ph.D. in Health Education. She teaches graduate students in the MSSW program who are working toward micro-practice. Prior to returning to school for her doctorate, Dr. Abrams worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for over ten years providing outpatient, partial hospitalization, and crisis mental health therapy services to adults, couples, and adolescents in the community mental health setting, working closely with four board-certified psychiatrists to assess, provide therapy, and monitor their community-based patients. Dr. Abrams continues to hold her LCSW licensure in Illinois. Additionally, she is an active member of the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.
