• 1998        --    Laura (working at Wright-Patterson Airforce Base in Dayton, OH) submits an abstract
                          for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society's Annual Meeting, titled:  "Human error in patient-
                           controlled analgesia:  Incident reports and experimental evaluation"

      John is working at the Michigan State University's Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies.
                          He is asked by the Human Factors and Ergnonomics Society to review Laura's abstract  

                                          They meet at after Laura presents her work at the HFES meeting  (thanks to mutual friend, John H).


  • 1999        --    John and Laura marry in Kalamazoo, Michigan.    

  • 2000        --    John and Laura collaborate on their first publication together, a chapter in the book "Clincial
                                  Risk Management"  (they survive the heated discussions during the writing!).

  • 2000        --     Baby Katie is born.

  • 2002        --     Katie has an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts.  This begins the life-long learning and advocacy
                           that entails a diagnosis of food allergy.

  • 2003        --     Katie has another anaphylactic reaction.  Later, John and Laura learn that Katie is allergic not only
                                   to peanuts and tree nuts, she is also allergic to sesame, lentils, chick peas, and chocolate.     

  • 2003        --     Laura and John form Red Forest Consulting, LLC.

  • 2005        --     John and Laura co-edit their first book together, "Using Human Factors Engineering to Improve
                                   Patient Safety".  Fewer heated discussions.   

  • 2006        --      Baby Jonathan is born.  At 3 weeks old, he develops Pyloric Stenosis and almost dies.  He has
                           surgery to correct the life-threatening condition, but has an extremely difficult post-op recovery,
                            including an infection.  He is now a healthy toddler.  HFE lessons abound during his week-long
                            stay in the hospital and months of rehabilitation.

  • 2007        --     Katie develops juvenile polyps.  Laura and John work with hospital to conduct pro-active risk
                           assessment from a food allergy standpoint.  They encounter many hidden dangers for food
                            allergic patients.

  • 2007        --     Mannequin Katie II joins the family.  Is renamed Rescue-KT.  She is an injectable mannequin and
                           now assists John and Laura in their anaphylaxis training sessions.
                           
Personal History of John and Laura