The team

As we head to Bolivia to climb and conduct a medical outreach in the town of Chuñavi, we do so with the sense that some things happen for a reason. This year we have an amazing team of medical professionals who love mountains and climbing them. This talented group of individuals came together out of shared passion for travel and the outdoors, but more importantly because they believe in helping those in rural and often times poor communities to which they travel.

The support of this team goes beyond a financial contribution to the Chuñavi Fund, they are spending time on the ground rendering their medical expertise to those who need it.

Paul Cormier

Trip Leader and Professional Mountain Guide Paul Cormier

Paul has been climbing for 42 years, 20 of which have been guiding. He has guided major expeditions to South America since 1994. He has climbed throughout the Andean Mountain range from Ecuador to Argentina, taking part in many first ascents. Aside from climbing, Paul and his wife Michele have made extended trips to Central and South America where they learned to speak Spanish while living with villagers in Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Mexico. Their love for climbing in South America coupled with a deep respect for the people in these mountain communities resulted in a shift of thinking. Today Paul is just as committed to leading quality climbs as he is to helping the local villagers in these regions. The result of this thinking is his dedication to help build the Chuñavi Medical Clinic.

Paul’s Guide Certifications

AMGA Advanced Rock Guide’s Course
American Avalanche Institute Level II Certified
Wilderness First Responder
Team Leader AVSAR (Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue)

Experience

IMCS Lead Guide Ecuador expeditions 1999, 2001
Aconcagua 1994
IMCS Lead Guide to Aconcagua two years 1996, 1997
IMCS Lead Guide to Bolivia 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
Exchange guide at Exum Mountain Guides in Teton National Park summer of 1998 and 2001
Alaska Chugach Range
Mt. Shasta, Mt. Rainier
Lead guide Kilimanjaro 2009
Three expeditions to Northern Patagonia
Extensive climbing in Yosemite, Smith Rock, Joshua Tree, and Zion National Park
Forty-five day traverse Chilliwack Range in the North Cascades
Extensive climbing in British Columbia
Over 100 first ascents on both ice and rock

Fabienne Pattison

Fabienne (Fab) Pattison

Fabienne is an emergency department registered nurse. In 1999 Fab took her first basic rock and ice climbing classes in North Conway, New Hampshire. Since then she has pursued climbing with a determined passion, traveling the world in pursuit of mountains and the amazing people in these high places.

In 2003 Fab went to Bolivia to start her high altitude mountaineering apprenticeship. While there she helped conduct the first medical outreach clinic in the town of Chuñavi. This experience added a new dimension to the expedition providing her with a deeper sense of satisfaction then just going to climb.

Fab continues her quest to hone her skills, ticking off an impressive list of climbs from rock climbing in Red Rocks and Yosemite to tackling alpine routes in Chamonix and the European Alps, to high altitude mountaineering in South America and the Himalayas.

Fab returns to Bolivia, this time to head up the medical outreach clinic in Chuñavi. Her enthusiasm for mountaineering can be wrapped up in her own words. "It has been the most enriching and crucial part of my life."

Paul Marcolini

In 1981 Paul started to work for Wilderness Medical Associates. He was one of their original instructors and served as an axecutive director for five years in the early 90s. As a paramedic Paul has worked for ground, rotor, and fixed wing EMS programs. He is the past chair of the Maine EMS Education Committee. Paul has over 17 years of experience with Outward Bound, is a member of Mahoosuc Mountain Search and Rescue, Franklin County Search and Rescue, and for the past four seasons has worked as a volunteer climbing ranger for the National Park Service in Denali National Park. He is an avid climber and seasonal climbing guide. Paul lives with his wife Evie and Siberian Husky Nanika in Greenwood, Maine.

Tom Meredith

Tom is a retired pediatrician from northern New Hampshire. He has been climbing and mountaineering for more than 40 years but considers himself strictly an amateur climber.

This will be his first trip to Bolivia and he looks forward to going to the town of Chuñavi to provide medical care where it is needed.

Michael Damiano

Mike is a dermatologist working in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has been in private practice for 20 years and specializes in skin cancer and skin cancer surgery.

Mike started to climb in 2001. Since then he has hiked all of the 4,000 foot peaks in New Hampshire, climbed Mount Rainier, and traveled to Ecuador where he climbed Cotopaxi. When he's not climbing rock or ice, Mike likes to run, bike, adventure race, or play baseball.

Mike has been married 26 years and has two children ages 19 and 21.

Dustin Cormier

Dustin has always been interested in the mountains. Although he is only 22 years old, he has been hiking in the mountains and remote wilderness areas as long as he can remember. His parents played a pivotal role in the development of his outdoor skills, and his Uncle Paul, who is leading this expedition, has become an important mentor steering his passion toward climbing and mountaineering.

Although Dustin has only been technical climbing for two years, his drive to learn and his natural ability to lead have put him at a high level in the sport. But just being a climber isn’t Dustin’s goal. He
has a strong interest in medicine and just received his Wilderness EMT from SOLO in North Conway. Dustin hopes to continue is studies in medicine so he can help others in remote areas of the world.

This is Dustin’s first major expedition and it will be the first time he partakes in a medical outreach. He is looking forward to the experience.