a message from the chairperson

A NEWSLETTER FOR GRADUATES OF BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA NURSING PROGRAMS
Fall 2007
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON
Inside this issue:
Dr. Christine Alichnie
A Message from the
Chairperson
New Dean of Professional
Studies
1
New Faculty Member
Alumni Completes Fellowship
Induction of Faculty Members
2
3
3
Alumni Head of Nurses’
Association
Student Nurse Challenge Bowl
3
Faculty and Students Participate
In Health Fair
Nursing Faculty Chair
Conference
4
More Alumni News
Janssen Scholars
New Inductees
4
5
5
2
4
4
Class Notes
Class of 2007
Photo Gallery
6
12
12
Capital Campaign Wish List
13
AlumniNews is
published annually by
the Bloomsburg
University
Department of Nursing.
Contributions are
welcome.
Chairperson:
Christine Alichnie, PhD
Assistant Chairperson:
Michelle Ficca, DNSc
Coordinator, MSN Program:
Michelle Ficca, DNSc
Editor:
Linda Cook, DNSc
Editorial Assistant:
Mary Amick
ALUMNI SUPPORT: KEY FACTOR FOR FUTURE SUCCESS
The University is changing with the times. A new president will be
presiding over the university as of January 2008. The College of
Professional Studies has a new dean, Dr. Dianne Mark. Over the past
year, the Department of Nursing experienced the retirement of Sue
Ross and the resignation of Dr. Margaret Slusser. Melissa Snyder is our
new faculty member for pediatrics. We are searching for a full time
faculty member to replace Dr. Slusser in the psychiatric/mental health
nursing course. Change is constant. Amazingly even with the changes,
the department continues to experience excellent student recruitment
for the undergraduate program and expansion of the graduate program
with the new collaborative CRNA option with Geisinger Medical
Center, beginning in the fall of 2008. In other words, the department is
thriving and needs your help to maintain its excellence in the BSN and
MSN programs.
As alumni, we hope that you reconnect with the department through
the annual appeal process. Direct contributions to the department
versus the general fund of the university will support the programs
throughout the year. As indicated in the last newsletter, President
Kozloff announced a new capital campaign for the University. The
Department has many needs within the realm of technology,
renovations, faculty research and development, international studies, and
several endowed chair‘s positions. We already have purchased a
computerized simulation manikin to assist with critical thinking and
clinical skills. Future trends mandate that faculty change their teaching
styles to assist with the development of clinical decision making skills.
Therefore, several additional computerized manikins for simulation of
real life situations are on the radar screen for purchase. Likewise, the
need to expand and renovate our Learning Lab facility is critical for
future growth and success of our program.
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FALL 2007
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON (cont’d)
The department’s wish list even includes a new building for the nursing program with state-of-theart classroom equipment and laboratory technologies. Without the alumni support on an annual basis
and throughout the capital campaign process, our list will be just thoughts on a piece of paper. We
are counting on our alumni support for this effort. The future generation of nurses needs to be
educated differently to handle the health care needs of the nation. The Department of Nursing is
stepping up to the plate in order to face those challenges and requirements. In directing your
contribution to the department, you will need to list it separately under “other” category with nursing
being indicated on the line. Our alumni have garnered an excellent reputation throughout the nation,
even internationally. Your roots are embedded in the program at Bloomsburg University. The faculty
wants to maintain the reputation of the “Center for Nursing Excellence in the State System of Higher
Education”.
DIANNE MARK IS NEW DEAN OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AT BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY
Mark, who came to BU in early March, previously served as associate dean of the
College of Education and Human Services at Central Michigan University, Mount
Pleasant. She was a faculty member at Central Michigan and at Drake University,
Des Moines, Iowa.
Considered an expert on the ways parents can help their children with
homework, Mark was a teacher at the primary, secondary and university levels.
She earned a bachelor‘s degree from Michigan State University and master‘s from
Buffalo State College and another master‘s and doctoral degrees from SUNYBuffalo. Mark completed a certificate in management development from the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education and was one of 13 female participants in the
American Council of Education‘s National Leadership Forum in December 2004.
She authored and co-authored articles on issues related to students of color and urban education and is
co-author of the book, ―Cultural Journey: Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults."
Mark said she was drawn to the position at Bloomsburg University by similarities between BU and
Central Michigan University. Her college at Central Michigan consisted of five departments, three in
education and two in human services. At Bloomsburg, she oversees a similar mix of programs, with
approximately 70 faculty members in the departments of secondary education and educational studies,
early childhood and elementary education, exceptionality programs, nursing, and audiology and speech
pathology.
"Coming to BU was an opportunity for change and I always consider myself a lifelong learner," said Mark,
Mrs. Melissa Snyder‘s educational experience includes a BSN from Lycoming College and an MSN
from Widener University. She completed the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Widener
University and a Post Master‘s certificate in Teaching from the University of Pennsylvania. She is
currently taking doctoral courses at Penn State. Clinically, she has practiced as a nurse practitioner
in pediatric primary care for the past 10 years. She enjoys outdoor activities, gardening, and cooking.
She lives in Schuylkill county with her husband and three children. Her teaching assignment will include Nursing of Children and Family Theory.
FALL 2007
A NE WS LE T T E R FO R G R A D U A T E S O F B LO O MS B U R G U NI V E R S I T Y O F P E NNS Y LV A NI A NU R S I NG P R O G R A MS
PAGE 3
BU GRADUATE COMPLETES NATIONAL NURSING FELLOWSHIP
Cheri L. Rinehart, RN, BSN (‘79), vice president for The Hospital and Health System Association
of Pennsylvania (HAP) has completed a three year Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Executive Nurse
Fellowship. Cheri was one of only 20 nurses nationwide selected annually for the fellowship.
The award included a $30,000 grant for a leadership project. Rinehart implemented a statewide
initiative to address hospital capacity management to help Pennsylvania hospitals avoid crowding,
improve patient flow, and reduce emergency department diversion. With the assistance of
project partners from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), Joint Commission, the
national RWJ Urgent Matters project, insurers, physicians, and hospital administrators, the
ongoing initiative seeks to promote having an effective capacity management plan in place at every
Pennsylvania hospital to ensure access for individuals needing care.
Rinehart is a summa cum laude graduate of Bloomsburg University and a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University‘s
RULE – Rural Leadership Development Program. She is a founding president of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Association;
a member of the National Rural Health Policy Board, and a board member of the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services
Council and the American Trauma Society. Rinehart also is a 2007 recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Medicine in Pennsylvania award from the state‘s chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. She was
also inducted into Theta Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International as a nurse leader in 2007.
INDUCTION OF FACULTY MEMBERS INTO
PHI KAPPA PHI
On Sunday, March 25,
2007, Dr. Margaret M.
Slusser and Dr. Joan
Miller were inducted into
Phi Kappa Phi Honor
Society. Phi Kappa Phi‘s
mission is to recognize
and promote academic
excellence in all fields of
higher education and to
engage scholars in service to others. Dr.
Slusser has provided several presentations to students through the
Living and Learning Communities and the Women‘s Resource Center
on campus. She serves as a volunteer for the Victim‘s Resource Center in Luzerne, Carbon, and Wyoming Counties. She also serves as a
Counselor/Advocate-Hotline worker for the Victim‘s Resource Center. Dr. Miller‘ interests include the concept of ―good work.‖ She
has initiated a Global Good Work in Nursing Community, a project
affiliated with Sigma theta Tau International Honor Society and the
Good Work Project at Harvard University. Dr. Miller developed a
Leadership and Moral Decision Making course for the Honors Program at the university. She will offer a new honors course in the fall
addressing bioethics and challenges for health care professionals in a
rapidly changing health care environment. Through the University
Nursing Wellness Center, Dr. Miller has provided several talks for
diabetic patients and family caregivers.
BU GRAD IS NAMED NURSES’
ASSOCIATION HEAD
BU alumnae, Betsy M.
Snook, ‗02, M.Ed.,
BSN, RN has been
named the new
executive
administrator of the
Pennsylvania State
Nurses Association.
Snook, of Lewisburg,
began her tenure with
the association on
September 18, 2006. In her 30 year career
as a nurse, Snook‘s professional roles have
included clinical nurse manager, staff
development coordinator, nurse educator,
academic chair, chief nursing officer and
health care consultant. Most recently, she
served as President of MedEd Consulting,
which provides nursing and management
training programs, recruitment and
retention strategies, and educational
training programs for staff development
departments.
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FALL 2007
STUDENT NURSE CHALLENGE BOWL2007
BU NURSING FACULTY CHAIR THE APNA
- PA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The 2007 Student Nurse Challenge Bowl was hosted
at East Stroudsburg University in April 2007. Dr. Peg
Slusser, faculty advisor to the Student Nurses
Association at BU and Dr. Christine Alichnie, Chair
of the BU Department of Nursing accompanied the
students to the bowl and cheered them on! Although
the group did not win the bowl, they represented BU
well.
The American Psychiatric Nurses Association-Pennsylvania
Chapter (APNA- PA) held its annual conference on
Saturday, March 24, 2007 on the campus of Geisinger
Medical Center (GMC) in Danville, PA. This year‘s
conference was entitled ―Mental Health Nursing Care of
Our Most Vulnerable Populations.‖ Conference cochairpersons were BU faculty members Dr. Linda Cook
and Dr. Peg Slusser. Dr. Margie Eckroth-Bucher served
on the Planning Committee and presented her research on
―Managing Cognitive Decline in Diverse Populations.‖ The
keynote speaker for the conference was Dr. Janet
Deatrick, FAAN, of the University of Pennsylvania School
of Nursing and Center for Health Disparities. The
conference was co-sponsored by Geisinger Medical
Center.
Pictured Left to Right- Dr. Peg Slusser, Kelly Lauman, Abigail
Garman, Dominick Cosmello, Candace Levengood, Katie Huff
and Dr. Christine Alichnie, Chair, Dept. of Nursing
BU FACULTY AND STUDENTS
PARTICIPATE IN HEALTH FAIR
Dr. Noreen Chikotas
and students
participated in a health
fair held at the Columbia
Mall in October 2006.
The group represented
the Greater Susquehanna Valley Nurse
Practitioners (GSVNP)
and included Dominick
Cosmello, Stephanie
Cavanaugh, and Cindy
Kline, MSN, CRNP. At the time of this activity, Dr.
Chikotas from the BU Department of Nursing was serving
as vice-president for the GSVNP and Cindy Kline the
secretary.
Pictured from Left to Right- Dr. Slusser, Dr. Deatrick, Todd
Hastings (APNA-PA President), Deb Ulrich, RN, BC Operation
Manager, GMC; Dr. Cook, Dr. Eckroth-Bucher
More Alumni News
Class of 1979
Shirley Ann Newell Smith, of 741 Mingus Shadows Drive,
Clarkdale, AZ 86324, wants to share with alumni that her book,
“Hospice Concepts: A Guide to Palliative Care In Terminal
Illness,” was translated and published in Japan in 2006. She
and her husband of 52 years, Clair, retired to AZ in December
2005. (shirleysmith35@msn, com)
Class of 2001
Tim Sowicz, was accepted into the Family Health NP MSN
program at Penn and will start Fall 2007.
Marissa Campanella McFarland, of 1 School Lane,
Royersford, PA 19468 is currently working as a home care
nurse for Bayada Nurses. She married husband, Ryan, on May
14, 2005. mamcfarland1@comcast.net
Fall 2007
A NE WS LE T T E R FO R G R A D U A T E S O F B LO O MS B U R G U NI V E R S I T Y O F P E NNS Y LV A NI A NU R S I NG P R O G R A MS
PAGE 5
CONGRATULATIONS JANSSEN SCHOLARS!
For the fourth consecutive year, Bloomsburg University‘s
Department of Nursing had students recognized as Janssen Scholars.
Abigail Garman and Maria Reavey, senior nursing students, attended
the 20th Annual Conference of the American Psychiatric Nurses
Association (APNA) held in Long Beach, California from October 1114, 2006. Dr. Peg Slusser, Associate Professor of Nursing, accompanied the students to the conference.
To become a Janssen Scholar, one must meet strict requirements.
The selection process is very competitive. Only 15 undergraduate L to R: Maria Reavey, Dr. Peg Slusser, Abigail
Garman
students are selected from across the United States. Janssen
Pharmaceutical Company sponsors the students who are selected
for the honor by the National Student Nurses Association. Janssen underwrites the student‘s conference
registration and all associated expenses. The scholarship program is designed to introduce and attract the
best and brightest students to the specialty of psychiatric/mental health nursing.
:
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FALL 2007
Add your classmates to your holiday card list and email Favorites!
Laurel Mowery Archey, of 34 Dahl Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815, is currently
employed as a certified school nurse at the Columbia-Montour area Vocational
Technical School in Bloomsburg. She was previously employed at the same school as
the Health Occupations Vocational Education instructor for 13 years after receiving
permanent vocational education teacher certification. She has been an active certified
First Responder for 18 years and is an instructor-trainer for the American Heart
Association. She is married with two college aged sons. (Larchey1@aol.com)
Kathryn Griffith Behm, of 4308 Danor Drive, Reading, PA 19605, is a certified school nurse. She is married with two boys,
ages 18 and 20 and one daughter, age 15.
Laureen Leitzel Baldwin, of 1404 Bradley Street, Linwood, PA 19061, is a full time School Nurse at Linwood Elementary in
Chichester School District. She received her School Nurse Certification from WCU. She spends every other weekend at Crozer
Chester Medical Center pursuing her MSN at WCU. She and husband, Ray, have been married for 14 years. They have two sons:
Brian, 11 and Craig 8. They also have a dog Heidi. (Blizzard393@msn.com)
Eunice Bruce, of 338 Glen Echo Road, Philadelphia, PA 19119, is the Care Coordinator at Independence Blue Cross.
(Eubie01@vericon.net)
Joanne Welk Boyk, of 548 Norwych Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406, received her Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner in
August 2006 from the University of Pennsylvania. She also obtained her Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner in April
2007. She currently works as a CRNP at Chester County Hematology/Oncology Services in West Chester Pennsylvania. She
resides with her husband Jim and children Katie, 16, and Robby, 14. (welk5@comcast.net)
Lisa Kalinger Cowperthwait, of 39W708 Goldenrod Drive, St. Charles, IL 60175, is a Middle School Nurse in Batavia, IL. In
the past she has been a staff nurse at Harrisburg Hospital in the Nursery, staff nurse in Morristown, Tennessee in Labor and
Delivery and Nursery, staff nurse Chemical Dependency program for Adolescents in Illinois, VNA maternal Child Health visit in
Massachusetts, Teen Parent Educator for Head Start in Massachusetts, Clinic RN in California, and Pediatrician office RN in New
York. She has been married for 24 years to her husband, David. They have 4 children: Christopher (21), Matthew (20), Stephan
(17) and Rebecca (15). She says that her RN, BSN degree from Bloomsburg University has served her well over the years. She has
a license in six different states! They have relocated across the country and she has never had a problem getting a job.
(dcowpe@hotmail.com)
Karen Kresge Fuller, of 1164 Old Trail Road, Clarks Summit, PA 18411, graduated in 2001 with a diploma in residential design
from the Art Institute in Fort Lauderdale. She has moved back to the Northeast after 24 years in South Florida.
(kkfuller@RCN.com)
Coleen Shoemaker Harleman, of 268 Knoll Drive, Lehighton, PA 18235, has been a school nurse for elementary students in
the Lehighton Area School District for 24 years. She received her Master‘s degree in Education. She is married to Dale and they
have two children: Eric, 17 and Molly, 15. (chman4@ptd.net)
Nancy Kushnerick Herman, of 4075 Holly Lane, Oakland Township, MI 48306, is certified in Inpatient Obstetrics and as a lactation educator. She recently ―retired‖ from her private child birth education business due to the increasing needs of her family. She
is chairing the Labor and Delivery Nurse Council which is our unit based self-governance committee. She is also the Labor and
Delivery representative to the Hospital Professional Nurse Council and the Professional Development sub-council. In conjunction
with Nurses week, she completed a poster presentation on the role of the charge nurse and the importance to patient safety and
staff satisfaction to keep the charge RN free of a patient assignment. She is married to Bill He is very busy providing technical support for the MIAI main battle tank and Stryker for the United States Army. They have two daughters: Alexandra, 13, and Julia, 10.
Alexandra is a dancer, soccer player and very active at school. Julia is a soccer player and writer. Even if you don‘t believe it
Michigan is an incredible place to visit and the door is open. They are only one hour north of Detroit. She visited the new nursing
department at Bloomsburg two summers ago. She says it‘s incredible, very different from running across Lightstreet Road to the
Boyer Building. (rnkush1960@yahoo.com)
FALL 2007
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Lynne Hockenbrock Moller, of 5142 Ancinetta Drive, Schnecksville, Pa 18078, has been a school nurse at Parkland School
District for 14 years. She received her School Nurse Certification from Cedar Crest College in 1993. Her husband, John (also a
Bloomsburg Graduate) and she have two sons, David, 19 and Daniel, 17. (lhmnurse1@yahoo.com)
Holly Whitmoyer Opsomer, of 150 North Railroad Street, Hughesville, PA 17737, is a Pediatric Nurse in the Geisinger Health
System. She is ACLS and PALS certified as well as a BLS Instructor and a Red Cross Volunteer. She has taken graduate courses
through Penn State University in workforce education. (hollyopsomer@comcast.net)
Elaine Pelletier Slusser, of 22 Echo Valley Drive, New Providence, PA 17560, has been working as a certified school nurse for
the past 13 years. She entered this field originally because of the schedule; being able to have summers off when the kids were
little, etc. Now she is finding this to be a very rewarding and challenging job. Her son, Scott, graduated in May from Slippery Rock
University and is now on his way to Utah where he will be working in Wilderness Therapy with troubled youth. Her daughter,
Liz, has one more year to go at West Chester University where she is working towards her bachelor‘s in Health and Physical
Education. (Slusser@epix.net)
Joan White Stear, of 1102 Briar Way, Perkasie, PA 18944, is the Vice President of Claims and Case Management at Penn Treaty
Network America Insurance. (larrystear@verizon.net)
Anne Pysher Wendel, of 31 Aldwyn Lane, Villanova, PA 19085, is an IVF Nurse at Main Line Fertility Center in Bryn Mawr
Pennsylvania. (wendela@mainlinefertility.com)
Lori K. Cole, of 833 Sereno Hollow Road, Benton, PA 17814, is Team
Coordinator in on a Telemetry Unit. She is also certified in Medical Surgery
Nursing. (lcole@sunlink.net)
Catherine Jurgill Czarneski, of 3 Watch Hill Road, Berlin, CT 06037, married
her husband, Don in 2001.
Rita Stancavage Deimler, of 2425 Schley Road, Hurdle Mills, NC 27541, has been employed at Duke University Medical Center
since graduation. She has worked in oncology in various roles during this time; staff nurse, nurse clinician, and most recently nurse
manager of the outpatient bone marrow transplant clinic. She was recently nominated and selected as a finalist for Cure
magazine‘s ―Extraordinary Healer of the Year‖ award in April 2007. She is currently enrolled in the Masters program in Nursing at
Duke University. She is active in fundraising for various cancer foundations and serves on the executive Board of Wings for a
Cure, a public charity founded to educate patients during their cancer journey. She married Steven and together they operate a
small poultry and fruit farm in rural North Carolina. They are active in their local farmer‘s market. (scrambledacres@earthlink.net)
Loretta Maitre Derrick, of 112 Spruce Street, Danville, PA 17821, is one of three CRNAs at the Evangelical Ambulatory Surgical
Center. Her fiancé, Joe, and she are building a home for ―their‖ family. (Lori_Woll@verizon.net)
Caroline Jupina Giomboni, 953 Stoney Brook Drive, Springfield, PA 19064, is the Education and Quality Control Associate at
Merck Research Laboratories. She is married with two children. (Caroline_Giomboni@merck.com)
Annamarie Bodkin Gresko, of 1562 Windmill Road, Warminster, PA 18974, has been an RN at Abington Memorial Hospital
for 20 years, 19 of those years in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She is a certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) since 2002 and
NCC certification in High Risk Neonatal and holds an added qualification in Breastfeeding Certification from NCC. She assumed
the position of staffing coordinator for NICU in 2006. In 2006 she was a study coordinator for Research with Discovery Labs (use
of Surfaxin and Lucinactant). She plans to enroll in Master‘s program at LaSalle University for Clinical Nurse Leader in Fall 2007.
She married Gary in 1992 and they had two children: Michael, 13, and Kaitlyn, 10. Her niece Kayla Bodkin is a nursing student at
Bloomsburg University. Lt. Col. Michael, her brother served in Iraq three times with the United States Marine Corp. Major
Thomas William, her other brother, now inactive, served in Iraq with the United States Marine Corp. (snowball240@comcast.net)
Joanne Orlando Hartzel, of 612 Garfield Street, Hazleton, PA 18201-4520, is retired. She has recently traveled to Italy
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Fall 2007
Laura Griffin Heinrich, of 3185 Statler Circle, Reno, NV 89503, is certified in Diabetes Education. She is also a licensed
Marriage and Family Therapist. She received her Master of Arts in Counseling and Educational Psychology at the University of
Nevada Reno. She married her husband, Warren, and they have two children: Cynthia and Steven. (lgheinrich@yahoo.com)
.
Beth Collins Herbst RN, BSN, MHA, of 11 North Cedar Hollow Road, Paoli, PA 19301, is the Patient Care Manager at Paoli
Hospital enjoying the adventure of leading and coaching nurses in a magnet environment. She is having fun raising teenagers.
(j.bherbst@verizon.net)
Melissa Schmer LePage, of 2960 Hunt Valley Dr., Glenwood, MD 21738, received her Master‘s in Nursing Education and is a
current stay at home mother. Her husband, Todd, and she have 4 children, Zachary (14), Ryan (12), Mitchell (9), and Olivia (6).
(thelepages@yahoo.com)
Catherine Madison, of 949 Wedgewood Road, Bethlehem, PA 18017, is employed at St. Luke‘s Hospital since May 1987.
Currently she is working ―reserve staff‖ in the outpatient Dialysis Unit. She and her husband, Ron, are the proud parents of
quadruplets: Julia, Victoria, Alexandra and Eric, born in 1995. (madbrax@ptd.net)
Cathy Milot Miroelli, of 163 Owl Creek Road, Tamaqua, PA 18252, is a secondary education school nurse at Tamaqua Middle
School/High School for the past 11 years. She is working with a small ―grass roots‖ committee concerned about the environment
and the CDC to identify a cancer cluster in Schuylkill County since 2004. She was elected to a 4 year term on Tamaqua Borough
Council. Her husband, Dan, and she have two sons: Ryan (15) and Austin (12). (mior1599@yahoo.com)
Carol Murphy Moore, of 1199 Seneca Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17821, is a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner in Pediatrics.
She is part of the Nursing Faculty at Bloomsburg University in Pediatrics. She has two children: Allison, 10 and Sarah 6.
(E4Moore@aol.com)
Suzanne Harger Nesmith, of 3 Stephen Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011, is currently employed as a Certified Diabetes Educator/RN
with Holy Spirit Health System in Camp Hill. She received her Master‘s in Health Education in 1992 from Penn State University
and was certified in Diabetes Education in 2004, NCBDE. She married her husband Paul in 1990 and has two sons: Shane, 16 and
Josh, 14. (pssjmc@verizon.net)
Jeffery J. Persavage Sr., of 1741 Webster Street, Coal Township, PA 17866, is the team coordinator in Cardiac Intensive Care
Unit at Geisinger Medical Center. He is also Adult CCRN and Certified in Cardiac Surgery.
Robin Reese-Poust, of 913 Chesapeake Drive, Stevensville, MD 21666, has a Master‘s in Elementary Education and is currently
teaching 4th grade at the Naval Academy Primary School in Annapolis, Maryland. She has recently taken and passed
the Nurse Refresher Course in Maryland and is seeking a nursing position in the near future. She married David and together they
have two daughters: Haley, 11 and Mackenzie, 9. (poust@toad.net)
Marybeth Sawyer Romberger, of 514 Constitution Drive, Middletown, PA 17057, was a Pediatric Nurse at Hershey Medical
Center for 12 years. She has spent the past 6 years as a school nurse at Mount Calvary Christian School in Elizabethtown, PA. She
is working on her School Nurse Certification at Millersville University. She and her husband, Scott (also a 1987 BU graduate) have
4 children. Their oldest Sarah, 16, will be a senior in high school. They also have Adam, 14, Lindsay, 12, and Jenna, 7.
Lisa Gally Schock, 1541 Par Causeway, Allentown, PA 18106, is a Critical Care Clinical Educator in ICU/CTICU at Sacred Heart
Hospital, Allentown, PA. She is married to Ron (a 2006 graduate) and has two children: Andrew, 17 and Kaitlyn, 14. They also
have a Golden Retriever named Trixie. (lschock@shh.org)
Pamela Clouser Spigelmyer, of 275 Belltown Road, McClure, PA 17841, received her Certification in School Nursing from
Millersville University in 2003 and her Master‘s from a Clinical Nurse Specialist track from Penn State University in 2006. She was
awarded with the National Certification as Clinical Nurse Specialist Award in 2007. Pamela is currently enrolled in the PhD
program at Penn State University. Currently she is teaching part-time at Pennsylvania College of Technology and Penn State
University. (spigelmyer6@aol.com)
Valerie Stella-Bahner, of 2563 Ogden Avenue, Bensalem, PA 19020, was appointed as a committee member to a newly
established Bensalem Township Veterans Affair Advisory Board. She is a Clinical Associate at University of Pennsylvania School of
Nursing and is a CRNP at Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She is married with two children: Chris (14) and Alexis
(5). (VStellaNP@aol.com)
Sharon Garger Strohler, of 7098 Limerick Square, Bethlehem, PA 18017, is a Certified School Nurse in the Northampton Area
School District in Northampton Pennsylvania. She has two boys ages 15 and 10.
Fall 2007
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Ann M. Clements, of 4217 Pine Mountain Road, Jersey Shore, PA 17740, is a
Resource Clinician/RN at Susquehanna Health – RAC Intensive Care Unit.
(debo1997@comcast.net)
Nicole Gerdes Joshi, of 222 Perkins Extended, Memphis, TN 38117, received a
Masters degree from University of Pennsylvania in 1996. She has held some interesting
jobs as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Currently she is working with the Anesthesia
Department at LeBonheur Children‘s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. She married
Vijay in 1996 and has 2 daughters: Jenna (7) and Jessica (5). (joshinicole@yahoo.com)
Beverly Nemchick Krieger, of P.O. Box 522/602 Avenue F, Riverside, PA 17868, is a Nursing Education Coordinator at Central
Susquehanna LPN Career Center. (bevkpsu@verizon.net)
Cheri Withrow Lamont, of 100 East Mill Street, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, is working as an RN at ―The Surgery Center of Central
PA‖ part-time. She is married to Bob and has two boys, ages 10 and 12. (cheriL@ptd.net).
Pamela Pollick Mausteller, of 59 Ruckle Hill Road, Berwick, PA 18603, is a manager in the Short Procedure Unit at Bloomsburg
Hospital. (moseyrose@verizon.net)
Tina Domday Potestio, of 98 West Main Street, Hazleton, PA 18201, has worked in Med-Surg for 10 years and 5 years in the
CARF certified Rehab Unit. She has been married 11 years and has two sons: David (8) and Christian (5). (tdcr@ptd.net)
Rae Audine Snyder, of 1153 Kratzer Road, Middleburg, PA 17842, is working for Sun Home Health Services, INC in the
information and referral office. She is married to Thomas and has two children, Christopher and Stephany. She also has one
grandchild, Jacob.
Tammy Rudy Springman, of 3 Pagoda Court, Enola, PA 17025, is working in the operating room at Pinnacle Health Systems.
She celebrated her 10 year wedding anniversary and has two children ages 7 and 5. (ttspringman@yahoo.com)
Laura Cebrosky Thomas, of P.O. Box 67, Bowmanstown, PA 18030, is working Per Diem in OB/PEDS at Blue Mountain Health
System. She is married to Dan and has two daughters: Bethany (7) and Karyn (4). (dlthomas@ptd.net)
Sandra Crawford Wallingford, of 305 Whitney Place NE, Leesburg, VA 20176, is currently not employed. She is at a
crossroads in her career, researching different avenues of nursing and/or other career options. She was married in 1999 and she
and Steve have 5 grandchildren. (swlngfrd@uplink.net)
Debra Wantz Bucher, 821 East Third Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815, is a CCNS and CCRc. She is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in
Heart Failure Clinic, Department of Cardiology at Geisinger Medical Center. She will be enrolled at Thomas Jefferson University in
Fall 2007 for Doctorate in Nursing Practice. She is married to Dennis. (dwantz@geisinger.edu)
Judith A. Dobson, of 172 Frosty Valley Road, Danville, PA 17821, is a Certified Hospice and
Palliative Care Nurse. She is a speaker for an education company out of Wisconsin (PESI) since
2004. She and her husband have been to over 75 U.S. cities including Hawaii and this
November will visit London and Scotland. She speaks on end of life issues and palliative care
for non-cancer diseases. ―Retirement‖ has been exciting and she enjoys being self-employed.
She also does preparation courses for PA Nurses to get certified in hospice and palliative care.
She has 8 grandchildren ages 3 to 9. Hank and she went on a mission trip to Honduras in
August 2007. (Jdobson@evenlink.com)
Jill Shuminski Donovan, of 115 Ilaina Drive, Moosic, PA 18507, is a professional sales specialist II with Lifescan, a Johnson and Johnson
Company. She has two children: Caroline (3) and Colin (9 months) (ddonova@comcast.net)
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Suzanne Cardie Durso, of 111 Redford Road, Oreland, PA 19075, received her MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner from LaSalle University in
2003. She currently works as a FNP in East Falls in Philadelphia. She works in a nurse-managed center; it is a FQHC, federally qualified health
center, run by Nurse Practitioners. She married Rich in May 2005. (sbcardie@aol.com
Jessica Hall Ewer, of 1 James Street, Stanhope, NJ 07874, is a certified School Nurse at West Morris Regional High School District in New
Jersey. She received her School Nurse Certification in December 2005 from Seton Hall University. She has three children: Paige (7.5), Brooke
(5), and Shea (6 months).
Judy Reick Falcone, of 510 Maple Hill Road, Havertown, PA 19083, is a clinical educator for Telemetry Units. (judyreick@hotmail.com)
Angela Gerolamo-Huberman, of 2429 Locust Street Apt 522, Philadelphia, PA 19103, received her PhD in Nursing from the University of
Pennsylvania in 2006. She accepted a position (Health Researcher) at Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. in Princeton, New Jersey. She is the first
nurse to be hired at the organization. She also has an appointment as a Research Associate at the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy
Research, at the University of Pennsylvania. She married her husband Brett in August 19, 2006. (agerolam@nursing.upenn.edu)
Matt Hackenberg, of 764 Whitetail Lane, Winfield, PA 17889, received his informatics certificate from Eastern University in July 2006. He is
currently employed as a clinical strategist with Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. (mhack@fast.net)
Jonna Hockenbrough-Patrick, of 18 Edgewood Drive, Danville, PA 17821, graduated from the University of Scranton in 2001 with at Master
of Science in nursing degree with a specialty in Nurse Anesthesia. She is employed by Geisinger Medical Center in Danville as a CRNA. She is
the Clinical Coordinator for the University of Scranton‘s Anesthesia Program and its affiliation with Geisinger Medical Center. She married Ryan
in 2002 and has two children: Marleigh (3) and Madden (2). (jhp218@ptd.net)
Lara Peterson Leciano, of 5033 Coldsprings Drive, Collegeville, PA 19426, is currently a clinical project leader at Sanofi-Aventis in Malvern,
Pennsylvania. She has a daughter named Ella Nicole Leciano born on 11/19/05.
Matthew Livengood, of 15 Wyndmere Way, Willow Street, PA 17584, received his MSN, CRNP from Widener University in 2001. He is a
nurse practioner for Lancaster Radiology Associates. He is married to Christie and has two children: Mitchell (3) and Lauren (1).
Jennifer Shertzer Lowthert, of 6754 Washington Street, New Tripoli, PA 18066, works at St. Luke‘s Hospital in Bethlehem Pennsylvania on
the surgical oncology unit. She‘s a part of the weekend program so she stays home all week with her three children. She married Jim in 1998 and
together they have three children: Jordan (7.5), Jenna (5), and Jalen (2). (jen@lowthert.com)
Angela Barton Markus, of 3 Trolley Street, Cumbola, PA 17930, works part-time at Comprehensive Women‘s Health Services (an OB-GYN
office). She is part of a group of RN‘s doing phone triage and patient care. She has been there since July 2000. She does part time work now
until the kids are bigger. She married Tom in 2002 and has two children: Olivia (4) and Thomas (2). They are currently in the process of building
a new home. (angie@markusjr.com)
Lauren McCardle Pearson, of 1111 Garfield Avenue, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, received her MSN and Nurse Practitioner certificat8ion in
Psych/Mental Health from MCP Hahmomann in May 2002. She is licensed in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She is working as a Psych NP in
Southern New Jersey. She married Joseph in May 2007 and had a huge wedding in New Jersey. (lmccurdle@comcast.net)
Keri Ann Torphy Perri, of 3302 Sharon Lane, East Norriton, PA 19403, is currently caring for her three children during the week during the
day. She is working two nursing jobs per diem: weekends at Belmont Center in Philadelphia and some week nights at CMMC in Lansdale. She is
working minimal hours now because of a very ill child. She married Steven in 2000 and has three children: Stevie (6), Katie (3) and Joey (almost a
year). Joey has been diagnosed with a rare disorder with no cure called leukodyatrophy. He is cortically vision impaired, solely fed with a feeding
tube and is developmentally equivalent to a one month old. (skperrie@verizon.net)
Rebecca Kronen Badman, of 411 Thrush Drive, Gilbertsville, PA 19525, works
at Central Montgomery Medical Center in the maternity unit. She works in the
labor and delivery, and post partum floors. She got married in May 2004.
(becks_kro@yahoo.com)
Amber Cochran Bond, of 1015 Stony Brook Way, North Brunswick, NJ 08902, is currently working as a staff nurse on a 24 bed
General Pediatric Unit at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children‘s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. She also
works part-time for a Pediatric Homecare company. She is currently enrolled at Monmouth University in Long Branch, New
Jersey to obtain her school nurse certification. She is a member of the National School of Nurses Association and the New Jersey
State School Nurses Association. She married Michael in September 2004 and had their first child, a girl in mid-august.
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Sarah Bumbarger Evans, of 432 Wrigley Street, Clearfield, PA 16830, is currently working at DuBois Regional Medical Center
as an RN in the CVICU. It is a smaller hospital with a 12 bed unit. She is involved with the preceptor program which introduces
and trains new staff. She also teaches refresher courses to RN‘s throughout the hospital R/T chest tubes, respiratory diseases/
surgeries, pacemakers, etc. She enjoys teaching very much. She married Eric in August 2005. (sjevansrn@yahoo.com)
Lisa Lepone Forsythe, of 543 North Hills Avenue, Glenside, PA 19038, has been an RN at The Children‘s Hospital of Philadelphia for 5 years on a Surgical Trauma Floor. She married Jason in 2005 and they have a daughter, Ava, born February 18, 2007.
(lml0218@hotmail.com)
Jamie Hillman, of 3551 Edwards Road, #5, Cincinnati, OH 45208, is a Nurse Educator at Cincinnati Children‘s – Hem/Onc +
BMT unit. Her main responsibility is to maintain the RN Residency program for new RN graduates. She is working on a MSN/
Med at Xavier University and hopes to finish in the Spring of 2010. She plans to work toward a PhD in Nursing after completing
her master‘s program. She is a member of the APON Chemo/Biotherapy Certified. She was recently accepted to present at the
fall annual APON conference. She is buying her first home and plans to stay in Cincinnati. (Jamie.hillman@cchmc.org)
Amy Lichtenwalner Hinely, of 341 Overstreet Avenue, Longwood, FL 32750, works at Orlando Regional Healthcare System –
Winnie Palmer Hospital Mother Baby Nurse (pool position). She has three children: Lydia (4), Noah (2), and Micah (10 months).
(lichta60@hotmail.com)
Tim Kakhramanov, of 2203 Lonoff Road, Harristown, PA 17110, has worked in the acute hemodialysis unit for Pinnacle Health
Hospitals.
Kimberly Miller Lacktorin, of 5447 Blackcloud Loop, Colorado Springs, CO 80922, served 4 years in the United States Air
Force working at the Air Force Academy Hospital. She married Capt. Shad Lacktorin in September 16, 2006.
(kimnshad@yahoo.com)
Colleen McClintick, of 2290 Parkway West, Harrisburg, PA 17112, is currently working at Hershey Medical Center in Hershey
Pennsylvania in the Heart and Vascular ICU as a staff nurse. She is also working on her master‘s degree in Emergency/Critical care
Nursing at Widener University and will graduate in May 2008. (cmcclintick@hmc.psu.edu)
Erica Morgan, 562 Acorn Street, Philadelphia, PA, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania for Women‘s Health Nurse
Practitioner in 2006. She is currently working at UPENN inpatient for Gynecology, post partum and ante partum services as a
CRNP. She also works as a staff RN for the labor floor and perinatal evaluation center. She got married May 18, 2007.
Jaime Swymer O’Donnell, 1 Adams Lane, Downingtown, PA 19335, works in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at The Children‘s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is a clinical level 3 staff nurse, and is also part of the Primary Nurse Committee. She regularly
serves as charge nurse (for 45 pts!) as well as a clinical resource nurse for new graduates. She is certified as a pediatric CCRN.
She married Christopher in April 2004 and they have a daughter, Reese, born September 2, 2006. (jlodonnell@verizon.net)
Christi Burd Portzline, of PO Box 364, Port Royal, PA 17082, is currently working in the ICCU at Lewistown Hospital on relief
status. She married David in 2002 and they have three sons: Anson (3), Avery (18 months) and Anderson (4 months).
(dportzli@hotmail.com)
Greta Keller Rosler, of 148 West 11th Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815, is an RN in the pre-operative setting for Geisinger. She
began her coursework towards her MSN/CRNP but that is currently on hold because she was expecting a child. She married
Shawn in 2003 and just had a baby boy. (greta_keller@hotmail.com)
Pamela Yuskalis Yancoskie, of 1765 Airport Road, Elysburg, PA 17824, works in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at Hershey Medical Center. She is applying for anesthesia school. She married Robert and has two children: Michael (3) and Joseph (11
months). (pyancoskie@hmc.psu.edu)
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Bacher, Mary
Berd, Anna
Cavanaugh, Stephanie
Chaudrue, Megan
Chmura, Christopher
Christman, Nicole
Clymer, Terrah (Dec)
Cook, Katie (Dec)
Cosmello, Dominick
Demmien, Danielle
Ditty, Sarah
Downs, Megan
Dunlap, Ember (Dec)
Ebright, Ashley
Ferentz, Kathleen
Foresman, Alecia
Garman, Abigail
Gilbert, Candise (Dec)
Gilson, Tarah
Guillama, Lisa
Haas, Rebecca
Hampton, Drew
Hinchliffe, Erica
Hoffman, Amy
Homer, Sarah
Hyde, Cynthia, RN
Jakubowski, Julie
Jones, Julie (Dec)
Kalogerakis, Bridget
Kelly, Jacquelyn
Kohl, Abbey
Lambert, Danielle
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Latorre, Karah
Laumann, Kelly
Levengood, Candace
Lewis, Jamilla
Lisella, Krysten
Malukas, Jennifer (Dec)
Miller, Jacqueline
Oden, Robin, RN
Pickett, Megan
Reavey, Maria
Reiser, Janine (Dec)
Shenk, Stephanie
Stacharowski, Stephanie
Ulmer, Jessica
Whitehead, Christine
Dr. Noreen Chikotas and graduate students attended
the Advanced Nursing Practice Lobby Day in
Harrisburg
Joanne Zimmernan Rogers with classmates as she received the
Florence Nigthengale Award—
Front row: Debra Wantz ‗81/‘97M, Jennifer Beck Reese ‗83, and
Donna Albrecht Reese ‗83. Back row: Susan Bennett Fetterman
‗00/‘04M, Dawn Reed Snyder ‗79/‘93, Joanne Zimmerman Rogers
‗83/‘95M, Jessica Kozloff—BU President, Christine Alichnie, BU Chair -
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PAGE 13
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT ISSUE!
We’re on the web
http://departments.bloomu.edu/nursing
Department of Nursing
3109 McCormick Building
Bloomsburg University
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
In the next issue of
the newsletter, we
would like to feature
alumni who are
practicing in several
specialties and each
newsletter we'll
feature others. Please consider emailing a
story about your practice experiences
(mamick@bloomu.edu) or writing one to
send (anytime) if you practice as a Nurse
Anesthetist, School Nurse, Nurse Midwife, or
Nursing Faculty. We will also have a practice
section for all other stories that we receive,
so please send those too! The richness and
diversity of the experiences of our alumni is
amazing and we‘ll enjoy reading about them!