Dr. Robert Simon founded International Medical Corps in 1984 in response to the need for medical services and training inside war-torn Afghanistan. A renowned expert in Emergency Medicine, Dr. Simon is the author of numerous textbooks on orthopedic emergencies and surgical procedures, which are used as standards in Emergency Medicine throughout the United States. Dr. Simon is a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Rush University, Stroger-Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. He is also former Bureau Chief of the Cook County Bureau of Health Services. He serves as Chairman of the Board of International Medical Corps. Dr. Henry Hood is among the earliest International Medical Corps volunteers. An orthopedic surgeon in Lancaster, Ohio, Dr. Hood joined in 1985 to fulfill the organization's mission in the war in Afghanistan and in the refugee camps of Pakistan. In response to the need in Afghanistan, Dr. Hood solved a major medical problem of resource-poor environments, designing a traction system made out of wooden poles and rope that could be duplicated anywhere in the world. He has also volunteered in Somalia, Indonesia, and Haiti, among others. Dr. Hood has served as the Associate Board Chair of International Medical Corps since 1988.