Board Members

Crystal Blake-Parlin ACS, RDCS, RVT, FASE

Veterans Health Administration, VA Maine

Clinical Research Analysit, Harvard Medical/Brigham and Women’s Hospital

A graduate of SMCC, Crystal became registered as RDCS in 2001 and then after cross training in vascular, RVT. With a passion for being the best songrapher possible, she went on to become FASE in 2014 then continued on to become an Advance Cardiac Sonographer in 2019.

She has a dedication to teach others while also being a lifelong learner.

Email: cblakeparlin@yahoo.com

Lynsy Friend BS, ACS, RCS, FASE

Lynsy is the technical director and lead preceptor at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. She graduated from Springfield College(MA) with a bachelor’s of science in Rehabilitation and Disability studies with a concentration in medical rehab, and a minor in nutrition and then attended Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute’s Adult Cardiac Ultrasound program graduating in 2008. She has a passion for education and mentoring. She codirects Dartmouth’s internal weekly imaging conference, helps with cardiology fellow bootcamps and oversees their grow your own sonographer program associated with Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute. She is actively involved with the ASE serving on the Mentorship Task force, finance committee (2022-2024), speaking at the scientific sessions and will soon start serving on the membership committee. In 2021, she received her Advanced Cardiac Sonographer (ACS) credential.

Zach Bukowski, MS, RDCS

Staff Sonographer, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Zach is a Connecticut native who earned his BS in Exercise and Sport Science and MS in Clinical Exercise Physiology from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, CT.  He attended Yale School of Diagnostic Ultrasound and joined the team at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH as a sonographer in 2024. 

Zach works closely with DHMC’s Structural Heart Program and is a regular contributor to DHMC’s weekly internal imaging conference. 

In addition to volunteering with the NESE, Zach is also a member of the ASE Fellow and Student Task Force.

E-mail: bukowski.zach@yahoo.com

Ashley Meyer

Ashley attended the University of New Hampshire where she earned a B.S. in Exercise Physiology with a minor in Psychology.  She then attended University of Rhode Island where she earned an M.S. in Exercise Physiology.  She began working at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Centers in 2018 as an exercise physiologist.  Ashley had the opportunity to become a cardiac sonographer and became the first student DHMC sent to the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute of Trinity Health as part of DHMC’s grow your own sonographer program.  Throughout her time working at a teaching hospital Ashley has realized how much she loves to teach!  Ashley currently precepts all DHMC echo students, teaches the fellow’s boot camp, and has an active role in IAC accreditation.  She is currently a mentee in the ASE Mentor Match Program and hopes to become a mentor someday.  She is in the process of earning her FASE certification with hopes of becoming an Advanced Cardiac Sonographer one day.  In addition to working on the NESE board Ashley was also the winner of the 2025 NESE Sonographer Scholarship.

Andrea Nicol, MS, RDMS (AB, BR, OB/GYN), RVT, RDCS (AE), RMSKS, FASE

Clinical Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Medical Sonography- Quinnipiac University

Adult Cardiac Research Sonographer- Yale New Haven Hospital

Andrea Nicol has worked in the field of ultrasound for over nine years. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Diagnostic Medical Imaging from Quinnipiac University in 2017, followed by a Master’s Degree in Health Sciences and a cardiac ultrasound license in 2019. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Health Science with a concentration in clinical research.

Andrea is registered in abdomen, obstetrics and gynecology, breast, vascular, adult cardiac, and musculoskeletal ultrasound. She has practiced across various hospitals and clinical settings throughout Connecticut, with much of her experience focused on cardiac sonography at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Currently, Andrea serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Quinnipiac University. She is also a Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) and Treasurer for the New England Society of Echocardiography (NESE). In addition, she contributes to multiple educational organizations, including POCUS Institute and Airway on Demand, where she helps lead point-of-care ultrasound workshops for medical professionals.

Andrea is an active member of global health research organizations, including ITEACH and RAD-AID, where she contributes to international research initiatives focused on global cardiac health and point-of-care ultrasound. Her recent work includes traveling to Bogotá, Colombia, to participate in pulmonary hypertension screening at high altitude, Northern Argentina to evaluate patients for Chagas cardiomyopathy, and Cabo Verde to train local physicians in ultrasound-guided biopsy techniques.