S. Craig Humphreys
Dr. Humphreys is the founder of the Carolyn Jane Foundation, named in memory of his Mom. He is a board-certified Orthopaedic Surgeon who is fellowship-trained in spine surgery. Craig attended the University of Notre Dame where he earn a degree in Biology with an emphasis in Ichthyology. He then completed an Orthopaedic Spine Surgery Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Craig’s accomplishments in medicine include multiple publications to peer reviewed journals and awards for innovative development of medical devices related to spinal surgery .
Craig is the Research Director and co-founder of 3Spine, a Total Joint Replacement for the Lumbar Spine (MOTUS device), which is now in an FDA Pivotal Trial.
Craig was an only child born to Richard and Carolyn Jane Humphreys. As his father was in the military, so Craig spent his youth in Iceland and Alaska, where he lived until University. His love for exploring the world and helping those in need was instilled at an early age and continues through today. He and his wife Julie live in Alaska and have 3 grown children.
Julie Humphreys
Julie co-founded the Carolyn Jane Foundation with her husband, Dr. Craig Humphreys. Her skills were well-suited to help grow this foundation, as she got her start in medicine, working on the pediatric oncology floor as a young nurse, while Craig was a medical student.
She remembers her first trip to Kenya in 2012, when the Humphreys family went to Kapsowar, Kenya. What everyone thought was a single trip became yearly visits, though to a different town outside Nairobi: Kijabe. Julie quickly fell back into the routine of spending time in the pediatric unit, and helped form strong relationships that built the foundation for CJF’s future.
And it was through these relationships with the team at CURE Kenya, that she, along with Dr. Humphreys and their three adult children, and a dedicated CJF Team began planning for the Carolyn Jane Foundation‘s permanent home and future establishment of a Spine Fellowship Program to foster sustainable and lasting advanced spine care in East Africa.
George & Karen Putnam
George and Karen Putnam have been committed to the Carolyn Jane Foundation mission for many years. George retired after more than 40 years in various allied health positions. Karen is an active clinical pharmacist. Karen brings a compassion for children, clinical expertise in pharmacy and the ability to skill share. George’s role is largely administrative. Both enjoy active participation in the orthopedic spine surgery training program.
Jason Rice
Jason Rice is a Spine/CMF sales representative of DePuy-Synthes and has lived in Alaska for over 20 years. He began his healthcare career at a pain management office working in the procedure room. This eventually led him to working as an autologous blood collection specialist at several hospitals and continuing his medical education at South University. He was chosen by George Putnam to represent Cooperative Perfusion Services and travel with Dr. Craig Humphreys and the Carolyn Jane Foundation to CURE Hospital where he started training nurses in perioperative blood collection. Jason has now participated in 5 trips and trained several clinical staff members, including Ruth and Veronicah, which in turn have now trained others. He currently assists with hardware and inventory management and is excited to contribute to the creation of a spine fellowship, including housing for the CJF team and future fellows in Kijabe, Kenya.
Jason is supported in all things by his wife Elsinorh and two daughters, Jazel and Ayliene. His family, including his parents, have made the trip with CJF to volunteer and be a part of this inspiring group. In his free time, Jason can be found fishing, camping, and hunting in Alaska’s vast wilderness, as well as traveling the world with his family and experiencing new cultures.
Donny Bradley
Donny Bradley is the current founder and president of Back Bay Medical in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Back Bay Medical is an orthopedic and neuro specialty medical distributorship. He has played every role from inventory control to direct sales representative, and currently leads the team acquisitions of new products. Donny has also had the opportunity of being part of several research projects related to the spine industry over the past twenty years. He has worked with both small startups and large and large international spine groups.
On the home front, Donny is husband to Missy and father to Cameron, Lola, and Carissa Bradley. Family and faith are highly valued and evident in his commitment to both. Sharing God’s blessings with both his time and his resources are walked out in his everyday life.
He and his wife Missy have been part of mentoring programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Chattanooga and several sports and leadership scholarships supporting at risk boys. Donny joined the Carolyn Jane Foundation team to CURE Kenya on numerous occasions to help the spine team perform surgeries. Donny is excited for the commencement of the Spine Fellowship Program. Donny was able to take his son Cameron, on two of these trips to observe faith in action and expand his view of the world. He and his family have also made giving to their local church a priority, to further their efforts of support in the Chattanooga community.
Donny enjoys spending time with his family, exploring the beautiful states of both Alaska and Tennessee. His greatest goal is finding a balance between work, family & personal growth.
Jodi Hanson
Jodi has been a nurse in Soldotna, Alaska for 16 years. She started working at Kenai Spine with Dr. Humphreys in 2012. Her first trip to Cure Kenya was in January 2015 and she feels fortunate to have returned for 6 more trips! Jodi spends her days at Cure working in the OR as a circulator. She expressed how she was so nervous for the first trip, but now CURE Kijabe feels like going home. The people in Kijabe have become her dear friends and have made a huge impact on her life.
Jodi’s husband, Bill, was able to join CJF on the last trip and they celebrated their 22nd anniversary there! They have two grown boys, Brady and Zach. Zach has joined CJF on two trips to Kijabe.
She looks forward to many future visits to Cure Kenya with the Carolyn Jane Foundation as is excited for the start of the Spine Fellowship Program.
Erin Liesel Metzger
Erin immersed herself in the world of service while pursuing her Doctorate in Physical Therapy, during which she worked at hospitals in both rural Peru and Ethiopia. Later, while discussing mission trips on the hospital floor with CJF member Jodi Hansen, Dr. Humphreys overheard that Erin had been a part of a service trip to a Cure Hospital in Ethiopia. Needless to say, the stars aligned. Erin has served in Kenya three times since initially being asked in 2016. She has been able to represent the crucial after-care component of CJF’s service, personally providing physiotherapy to patients, while offering training to local Cure therapists for continuing best-evidence care.
Erin is blessed to share her curiosity and vigor for service with her husband, Patrick. In September 2022, they welcomed their first little one into the world. In the coming years, all three hope to all continue to grow and serve with CJF around the world. They look forward to being a part of the foundation’s outreach and expansion as it strives to meet the ever-growing needs of the Horn of Africa.
Marc Peterman
Marc is CEO of 3Spine, a new kind of healthcare company offering the Balanced Back Total Joint Replacement as an alternative to lumbar fusion. He is a prolific inventor and medical product developer, with broad operating experience as an entrepreneur and acquirer. Prior to founding 3Spine, Marc held a variety of innovation and leadership roles at ODC, Medtronic, Abbott, startup Facet Solutions, and the Swiss trauma company Synthes. He played a central role in the$19.7bn acquisition and integration of Synthes by Johnson & Johnson, where he served as Worldwide Vice President of R&D and a member of the management board for the merged $1.8bn DePuy Synthes Spine division. Marc also co-founded Blue Ivy Ventures, an AVG venture capital fund providing asset class access to alumni investors and capital to the Yale entrepreneurial ecosystem. Marc earned an MBA at Yale University, a PhD in Kinesiology, Biomechanics and Locomotion Studies at Penn State, an MS in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wyoming, and a BS in Physics at Ursinus College where he received the William B. Williamson Prize in Philosophy.