Support Staff

Dr. Kiran Mullur serves as a Team Doctor for the Twin City Thunderbirds through Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, supporting the organization’s medical care and player health needs.

Board certified in family medicine, Dr. Mullur focuses primarily on sports-related conditions and injuries in adults and children. His clinical work includes the evaluation and treatment of injuries commonly associated with athletic competition, including concussions, sprains, stress fractures, tendonitis, and joint-related concerns.

In addition to his clinical role, Dr. Mullur serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Primary Care Sports Fellowship program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. His background in family medicine, sports medicine, and orthopaedics provides the Thunderbirds with an experienced physician resource connected to one of the region’s leading medical providers.

Role Focus
Team medical support, sports medicine, injury evaluation, player health, and physician oversight.

VISIT DR. MULLUR'S PAGE

Dr. Matt Waldrop serves as a Team Doctor for the Twin City Thunderbirds through Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, supporting the organization’s medical care and player health operations.

As part of the Thunderbirds’ medical staff, Dr. Waldrop helps provide physician-level support for athletes competing in the demands of the professional hockey season. His role contributes to the team’s overall medical structure, helping ensure that players have access to trusted care, evaluation, and guidance when medical needs arise.

Dr. Waldrop’s presence as part of the Thunderbirds’ medical team reflects the organization’s commitment to player safety, professional standards, and a strong working relationship with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.

Role Focus
Team medical support, player health, injury evaluation, and medical care coordination.

Dr. Jeremy Swisher serves as a Team Doctor for the Twin City Thunderbirds through Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, supporting the organization’s player health and medical operations.

In his role with the Thunderbirds, Dr. Swisher contributes to the medical support system surrounding the team throughout the season. His work helps provide players with access to physician-level care and professional medical guidance as part of the organization’s broader commitment to athlete safety.

As a member of the Thunderbirds’ medical staff, Dr. Swisher helps strengthen the team’s connection to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and the medical resources available to the organization.

Role Focus
Team medical support, player health, injury evaluation, and professional medical guidance.

Damien “Cap” Poole serves as Bench Medic for the Twin City Thunderbirds, providing game-day medical support as part of the organization’s support staff.

Poole has worked in fire and emergency services since 1994 and has been a certified North Carolina State Emergency Medical Technician since 1995. His decades of emergency-response experience bring an important layer of preparedness, awareness, and professionalism to the Thunderbirds’ bench and game-day environment.

A longtime supporter of local minor professional hockey in Winston-Salem, Poole brings both emergency-services experience and a personal connection to the city’s hockey history. His role helps support the safety and readiness of players and staff throughout the season.

Role Focus
Bench medical support, emergency response readiness, game-day safety, and player/staff support.

Rod Harris serves as Head Equipment Manager for the Twin City Thunderbirds, bringing decades of professional hockey experience to the organization’s locker room and equipment operations.

A native of Matawan, New Jersey, Harris played hockey at Brookdale College before beginning a long career in professional hockey equipment and locker room operations. He was the third employee hired by the New Jersey Devils in 1982 for the organization’s equipment and locker room staff, and later became the 10th employee hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992.

Known throughout hockey as “Lightning Rod,” Harris spent 30 years with the Lightning and built a résumé that includes three Stanley Cup championships, five Prince of Wales Trophy wins, one Presidents’ Trophy, three NHL All-Star Game selections, two NCAA Frozen Four selections, and the 2022 NHL Mike Foley Commitment to Excellence Award.

With his NHL background and championship-level experience, Harris brings an elite standard of preparation, detail, and professionalism to the Thunderbirds’ equipment staff.

Role Focus
Equipment operations, locker room standards, player equipment, game and practice preparation, and professional hockey support.

Mike Murphy serves as Equipment Manager for the Twin City Thunderbirds, supporting the daily equipment needs of the team throughout the season.

Born in West Islip, New York, and raised in Palm Harbor, Florida, Murphy has been a lifelong hockey fan. He relocated to Winston-Salem in 2007 and now resides in Clemmons with his wife and two children. In addition to his work with the Thunderbirds, he is a business owner in Kernersville.

Murphy’s role helps support the behind-the-scenes preparation required for practices, games, travel, and day-to-day team operations. His work contributes to the organization’s ability to maintain a professional and organized hockey environment.

Role Focus
Equipment support, team preparation, locker room operations, and game-day equipment readiness.

Billy Durham serves as Assistant Equipment Manager for the Twin City Thunderbirds, supporting the organization’s equipment staff and locker room operations.

In his role, Durham assists with the preparation, organization, and maintenance required to keep players and staff ready throughout the season. His work contributes to the day-to-day execution behind practices, games, and team operations.

As part of the Thunderbirds’ support staff, Durham helps maintain the professional standards and behind-the-scenes consistency needed across a long hockey season.

Role Focus
Equipment assistance, locker room support, game-day preparation, and team operations.

John Holland serves as Team Photographer for the Twin City Thunderbirds, supporting the organization’s visual storytelling and media content needs.

In his role, Holland captures the moments, personalities, and atmosphere that define Thunderbirds hockey. His photography helps document game action, player milestones, fan engagement, community events, and the overall identity of the organization.

Holland’s work supports the team across digital platforms, website content, social media, historical archives, and promotional materials, helping preserve and share the story of each Thunderbirds season.

Role Focus
Team photography, visual storytelling, game-action coverage, digital content support, and photo archive development.

Website