RMPDS has been providing expert medical advice to the public and private sectors for over 60 years. During that time we’ve become well-established as one of the largest poison centers in America and a leader in toxicity, injury and disease research. We provide medical information & fulfillment, drug safety reporting and abuse surveillance services to some of the largest pharma companies in the world. We also have blazed a trail in antidote development and have managed many multi-center clinical trial programs for both orphan drug companies and major pharmaceutical corporations.      

All this expertise adds up to one valuable offering to our clients: Peace of Mind. We aim to be the best in medical information, case management, safety reporting/pharmacovigilance, toxicology research and poison control. It’s better for consumers. It’s better for our clients. And it’s better for you.      
 

Our Leadership

RMPDS is managed by a team of physicians, scientists, clinicians and academics that our clients rely upon and trust.      

 

       
Eric Lavonas, Executive Director, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety

Dr. Eric Lavonas, MD, MS, serves as Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety (RMPDS). An accomplished physician-executive, Dr. Lavonas has previously served as interim Director of Emergency Medicine, Director of Grand County Clinical Operations, Associate Director of RMPDS, Medical Toxicology Fellowship Director, and Denver Health Medical Staff President.  
Dr. Lavonas is internationally recognized as a researcher and medical educator who has authored more than 150 scientific publications focusing on resuscitation science, snake envenomation, and medication safety. He serves as Senior Science Editor for the American Heart Association and on the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Science Advisory Committee. He has received the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) Outstanding Contributions to Medical Toxicology Research Award.  
A professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Dr. Lavonas is actively engaged in the education of residents, fellows, pharmacists, and students from several disciplines. He serves on the ACGME Review Committee for Emergency Medicine, is a Senior Oral Examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine and is a Distinguished Fellow of the ACMT.   

   

 

      
Brandon L. Ensign, MBA - Associate Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Ensign holds an MBA in Finance from the American Military University and currently in pursuit of a Doctor of Business Administration. Prior to RMPDS, Mr. Ensign was a wartime veteran in the United States Air Force where he operated as an Airborne qualified, Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC).  After nearly 10 years in the Department of Defense, he transitioned to the Department of Justice.  After his career in public service, Mr. Ensign gained valuable operational experience working as the Vice President of Operations for a sales and technology company expanding contact center operations.  Mr. Ensign spearheads RMPDS with this distinguished record of leadership, operational excellence, and mission-driven service, managing this global service delivery to support regulatory obligations and research offerings to various industries including pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and biotechnology.      

 

      
Andrew Monte, MD, PhD - Scientific Director & Medical Director

Dr Monte is the Scientific Director and Medical Director at Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety (RMPDS), and a Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He has a PhD in clinical sciences focused in pharmacogenomics. His research interests lie in personalized medicine and substance abuse and he focuses on improving drug safety and effectiveness through large scale epidemiology methodologies. Andrew has been funded by NIH, the DoD, and the FDA for his work which has resulted in over 100 publications.      

 

      
Kennon Heard, MD, PhD - Medical Director, Poison Center

Dr. Kennon Heard attended medical school at the University of California San Diego. His post-graduate training includes a residency in Emergency Medicine at Denver Health Medical Center, a Medical Toxicology Fellowship at The Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center and a PhD in Clinical Sciences from the University of Colorado. He is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American College of Medical Toxicology and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology. In addition to serving as Interim Medical Director at Rocky Moutain, he is Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine. He has authored over 100 papers and 20 book chapters in various areas of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology.  


 

      
Christopher Hoyte, MD, MBA FAACT FACMT – Medical Director & Fellowship Director

Dr. Hoyte is the Medical Director of the Rocky Mountain Poison Center. He is also the Fellowship Director of the Medical Toxicology Fellowship Program at RMPDS. He is a Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Section of Medical Toxicology. Additionally, he sits on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and is a member of the Medical Toxicology Subboard of the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He also is a member of the Editorial Board of Clinical Toxicology. Dr. Hoyte has published several book chapters in both emergency medicine and medical toxicology textbooks, as well as multiple peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts. He currently serves as the Medical Director of the Medical Toxicology Clinic at the University of Colorado Hospital. Dr. Hoyte attended Princeton University receiving his undergraduate degree in molecular biology and then attended NYU School of Medicine where he received his doctorate of medicine and received his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver. He completed his medical toxicology fellowship at RMPDS in Denver, Colorado. Dr Hoyte is a fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and the American College of Medical Toxicology.      


 

Kate M. Reynolds, MPH - Director of Research

Ms. Reynolds has her MPH from Drexel University and a certificate in Pharmacoepidemiology from the University of Illinois – Chicago. She has been working for RMPDS since 2008 and is the current Director of Research. Ms. Reynolds has led many projects to systematically evaluate the safety of medications and consumer products including surveillance of pediatric adverse events associated with cough/cold medications, acetaminophen safety in adults and children, snakebite antivenom efficacy, loperamide abuse, and the safety of liquid laundry packets. Ms. Reynolds has special interest in pediatric medication safety and is a member of the CDC PROTECT Initiative, which focuses on preventing pediatric unintentional medication overdoses. She specializes in using National Poison Data System (NPDS) and other secondary data sources to evaluate medication and consumer product post-market safety issues.

     
Shireen Banerji, PharmD – Poison Center Director

Dr. Banerji attended University of Texas at Austin and received her PharmD in 1996. She then completed a pharmacy practice residency at University of California San Francisco (UCSF). She began her career as a pharmacist in the setting of clinical pharmacy at a busy Chicago academic hospital; specifically as a critical care pharmacist in the areas of neurosurgery, neurology, cardiology critical care units. She entered the poison center world in 1999 at the California Poison Control System in San Francisco and   became certified as a Specialist in Poison Information (CSPI) where she stayed in San Francisco until 2001. She relocated to Denver, Colorado at that time, and begun employment at RMPDS as a full-time CSPI. In 2003 she became a diplomate of the American Board of Applied Toxicology (ABAT) and was promoted to Clinical Toxicology Coordinator and in charge of poison center education and training of new SPIs. In 2018 she became Director of the Poison Center and in charge of all administrative, operational, clinical and educational aspects for ongoing and new staff. Dr. Banerji has given over 50 presentations to health care professionals, and has authored over 70 poster or platform presentations, and over 25 publications. She is a Colorado Preceptor for pharmacy students from 4 different pharmacy schools, and numerous PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacist residency programs. She works closely with the RMPC Fellowship Director in the area of medical toxicology fellow and rotator education. She holds faculty appointments with University of Colorado School of Pharmacy, University of Wyoming SOP, Creighton University SOP, and Regis University SOP. Committee involvement includes Board of Directors and Secretary of America’s Poison Centers, AACT, ABAT, SEOW (State Epidemiology Outcomes Workgroup), and the Colorado Retail Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee (RMPHAC). Together with the RMPC Medical Director, SPI and Contact Center Managers, Dr. Banerji represents the leadership team of RMPC.

     
Jennie Buchanan, MD - Program Director, Medical Toxicology Fellowship

Dr. Jennie Buchanan, MD, is a highly decorated and influential Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado & Denver Health, where she concurrently serves as the Medical Toxicology Fellowship Director and Associate Program Director for the Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine. Holding an MD from the University of California San Diego, Dr. Buchanan brings a rare synergy of deep clinical expertise, educational knowledge and academic leadership to her roles. 
Dr. Buchanan's professional life is characterized by a relentless pursuit of advancement through research, education, and systemic innovation. As a successful, grant-funded investigator, her research portfolio focuses specifically on medical toxicology, the sexual assault forensic care, and broad advancements in graduate medical education. She has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator on numerous University and NIH-funded grants. These projects have yielded vital findings concerning levamisole contamination in cocaine, advancements in forensic care, critical analyses of adverse events related to the COVID-19 pandemic and adulteration of the opioid supply, often in collaboration with the Toxic Consortium. This body of work has culminated in over 65 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals, including JAMA.
A dedicated educator, Dr. Buchanan champions the innovation of the next generation of physicians. She actively guides curriculum development and mentors residents, drawing on her experience as a Chief Resident and her leadership roles within GME. Her commitment extends beyond the classroom; she is an adept facilitator of collaboration, successfully administering complex projects, from staffing models and research protections to budgetary oversight, while forging productive partnerships with researchers and stakeholders.
Dr. Buchanan’s expertise is recognized at the highest levels. Serving on key committees, including the Medical Staff Executive Committee and the Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee, she actively shapes institutional policy. She has received numerous accolades for clinical excellence, education and service, notably being recognized by Castle Connolly’s 5280 Top Doc for multiple consecutive years and the Denver Health Medical Staff. Dr. Buchanan remains deeply committed to advancing the field through evidence-based practice, robust academic contribution by shaping our future leaders in Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology.