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Mission

At Akoma United, we believe that “Every Life is Worth Saving” and want to empower people to perform life savings skills through education, training, and sense of community. Every life is valuable, has purpose and is not only worth saving but also worth being at its fullest potential. This principle applies to both our clientele and our employees.

Our purpose is to empower people with lifesaving skills to enable them to “Love thy neighbor as thyself” and support, build, and improve communities through diversity, equity, inclusion, and innovation.

Meet the Experts

Akoma United is led by two African -American women physicians of excellence from diverse backgrounds who are experts in the field of emergency care, community engagement, and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI).

Sylvia Owusu-Ansah MD, MPH, FAAP

Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah is a board- certified pediatrician, and board certified pediatric emergency medicine physician in addition to an emergency medical services physician. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She is a lead expert on pediatric emergency and pediatric prehospital care, who is currently the medical director of Prehospital and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and EMS and as Associate Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. During her career in pediatric emergency medicine she has been featured in media outlets on issues related to child health. These media outlets include but are not limited to podcasts, blogs, newspaper and magazine articles including the New York Times and Huffington Post. She has received awards for her clinical work and bed side manner in the pediatric emergency department with patients and families, and has been recognized for her ability to educate and train a variety of trainees. In EMS, she has leadership roles on state and federal levels and also for numerous national EMS organizations. 

Rickquel Tripp, MD, MPH, CDR, USN 

Dr. Tripp is a board-certified emergency medicine and emergency medical services physician who serves as an attending emergency medicine physician and EMS medical director for several local EMS agencies. She is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She is also a Naval Commander in the United States Navy Reserves and former flight surgeon. She also serves as one of the few African- American women NFL sideline emergency response physicians and unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants. Dr. Tripp is from Upper Saint Clair, Pennsylvania and has had her formal educational training at institutions such as: The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Tripp has an outstanding commitment to eliminating racism and systemic change she does this through her leadership as Vice Chair of Belonging, Excellence, & Engagement (BEE) for UPMC Medical Education (the 3rd largest graduate medical education system in the country). Dr. Tripp has been an influential leader in creating and implementing healthcare system-wide anti-racism curriculum such as Upstander/Bystander training which provides strategies and tactical tools people need to stand up against bias and microaggressions.