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The multidisciplinary Children's Medical Ventures consulting team consists of neonatologists, neonatal nurses, occupational therapists, developmental specialists and more. Our consultants are experts in developmental care, having implemented, practiced and taught this care giving philosophy at numerous institutions, as well as their own. Their vast direct patient care experience allows us to present practical, thorough, and effective methods of implementing and integrating developmental care into daily practice.
Click on the team member to see their biography:
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Leslie B. Altimier, RN, MSN |
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Anne Bednarek |
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Carol Turnage Carrier, MSN, RN, NCNS |
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Robert Cicco, MD |
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Mary Coughlin, NNP |
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Paula Cowen, RT |
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Liz Drake, MN, CNNP |
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Sindee Fry, RNC, MS, NNP, IBCLC |
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Kay Furry-Johnson, BSN, RN |
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Ana Maria Garcia de Sousa, RN |
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Sharyn Gibbins, NNP, PhD |
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François Guyomard, RN |
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Karen Hendricks-Munoz, MD, MPH |
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Jan G. Hunter, MA, OTR |
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Chrissie Israel, RN |
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Sandra R. Jungers, RN, BSN, MEd |
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Amy M. Knupp, RN, MSN, CNS |
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Marian L'Huillier, OT |
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Mary Beth Lohman, OTR, BCP |
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Sue Ludwig, OT |
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Sandy McClanahan, RRT |
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Esmeralda Molina, RN |
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Carolyn Molloy, LMT, CIMI |
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Andrea C. Morris, MSN, RNC, CCRN |
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Carol C. Prendergast, EdD |
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Vicki Rutherford, RN |
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Kathi Salley-Randall , RN, MSN, CNS |
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Diane Shaffer, M.Ed |
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Thereza Vasconcellos, RN |
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Michelle Waddell, RNC |
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Kara Ann Waitzman, OTR |
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Linda Yang, MD |
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Lisa Young, SLP |
Leslie B. Altimier, RN, MSN
Leslie is the clinical manager at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
(level III) at Good Samaritan Hospital and Special Care Nursery (level
II) at Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has been
in Neonatal and Pediatric Nursing for 16 years. She received her
Bachelors of Science Degree from Kent State University and her Masters
of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina. She
is actively involved in NANN & AWHONN. She was instrumental
in the redesign of a 46 bed level III NICU. She has published numerous
articles, chapters, and has lectured nationally. Leslie is
certified as an NRP and PALs instructor. She lectures yearly
at the University of Cincinnati. Leslie is actively involved
in neonatal research studies and consults frequently with NICU's
on design issues. She focuses on developmental care and family-centered
care and has a special interest in the area of co-bedding multiples.
Robert Cicco, MD
Dr. Cicco is the Associate Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. In this
capacity, he cares for up to 600 acutely ill newborns and their families
each year. Dr. Cicco iscurrently President of the Pa Chapter
of the AAP in addition to co-chairing the Committee of the Fetus
and Newborn. During his twenty years of practicing medicine, he has
learned that developing one’s inner strength and an appreciation
for the human spirit contributes as much to “good health” as
any medicine. He feels that positive human relationships and the
nurturing of one’s sense of humor are the cornerstones of dealing
with the extreme stresses and pressures of today’s world. He
is a practicing clown and a member of the World Clown Association
and the Clown of America. He performs for a number of local charitable
and community organizations in this capacity. Dr. Cicco is a Past
President of Parent Care, a national association of parents and professionals
that advocates for holistic, family centered care in the “high
tech” intensive care unit environment. He has been a long time
advocate for families in the NICU and early intervention settings.
He has also served on the Board of Directors of the National Perinatal
Association and is currently the co-chairman of the Committee of
the Fetus and Newborn of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American
Academy of Pediatrics. In addition, he is a member of the Committee
to Establish Recommended Standards for Newborn ICU Design. Dr.
Cicco has given numerous presentations across the country on the
issues of humor in the healthcare setting, parent / professional
partnerships, family centered care and developing advocacy skills.
Carol Turnage Carrier, MSN,
RN, NCNS
Carol Carrier has been a neonatal nurse for 20 years and neonatal clinical
nurse specialist for 16 years. She is currently a neonatal clinical
nurse specialist for a 140 bed Level III and II NICU in Houston, Texas.
She obtained her bachelor degree in nursing at the University of Mississippi
in Jackson, Mississippi. She received the Harold Stirling Vanderbilt
Award for a full scholarship to Vanderbilt University where she graduated
with a Masters of Science in Nursing. Carol was the first nurse to
receive the “Excellence in Advanced Clinical Practice” award
from the Subspecialty Interest Group of the National Association of
Neonatal Nurses (SIG-NANN). In 2001, she was presented the Reba
Michels Hill Award by Baylor College of Medicine for her contribution
to neonatal care. She is currently the clinical coordinator for developmental
care and pain management for the Neonatal Level II and III Intensive
Care Areas. Carol facilitates a developmental team of NIDCAP certified
staff made up of nurses, occupational and physical therapists and other
developmental team members including child life specialists in the
developmental care and family centered care efforts of this urban,
tertiary, children’s hospital. She is experienced in sound measurement
and NICU renovation. She has lectured locally, regionally, and nationally
on neonatal topics. Carol has been involved in neonatal research and
published in peer-reviewed journals. She has authored or co-authored
chapters in the recently published editions of Wong’s 7th Edition
of Nursing Care of Infants and Children, NANN’s Developmental
Care of Newborns and Infants: A Guide for Health Professionals (2004),
and the 3rd edition of the Core Curriculum for Neonatal Intensive Care
Nursing (2004). She also lectures for the University of Texas Neonatal
Nurse Practitioner program on technology dependent infants, developmental
care, and neonatal pain.
Liz Drake, MN, CNNP
Liz has been in Neonatal nursing for 23 years. She has a Bachelor
of Science degree from Biola University and received her Masters Degree
in Nursing and NNP certification from UCLA. She has worked
at Children’s Hospital of Orange County and CHOC at Mission whereshe
has developed her passion for Developmental and FamilyCentered Care.
She has a strong desire to teach all members of the healthcare team from
families to MD’s, Residents, nursing staff and ancillary staff
about the uniqueness and language of the premature infant. As a NNP she
focuses on how developmental care affects the physiologic care of these
infants and believes that education both on a 1:1 basis and formally
can impact that care and more importantly the outcomes of these tiniest
of patients. Liz has also been Clinical Coordinator of several Multi-centered
Research Studies.
Sindee Fry, RNC, MS, NNP, IBCLC
Sindee is a neonatal nurse practitioner in the NICU at Ball Memorial
Hospital in Muncie, Indiana. She has been in neonatal nursing for
17 years. Over the past five years, Sindee has been actively involved
in staff education through the Maternal Child Division at Ball Memorial
Hospital. She was actively involved in the cross training of staff
when the hospital transitioned to Mom/Baby nursing as well
as assisted with the implementation process of a core group of NICU
staff. She has actively participated in Vermont Oxford Infection
Control Collaborative and Great Beginnings. Sindee received her Associate
Degree in Nursing from Kennesaw College in Kennesaw, Georgia, her
Bachelors of Science degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion,
Indiana and her Masters in Perinatal/Neonatal Nursing from the State
University of New York. Sindee is certified as a NRP instructor and
has assisted with education in the family practice residency program
at Ball Memorial Hospital. She received certification from the National
Certification Corporation as a neonatal nurse practitioner in 2004.
She has been Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant
for the past ten years and has been instrumental in developing lactation
support services at Ball Memorial Hospital. She has actively implemented
change for the Mom/Baby Unit as well as the NICU to enhance the success
of breastfeeding for woman with healthy infants, premature infants,
and ill infants. She is currently involved with the development of
Baby Friendly. In addition, Sindee has a passion for developmental
and family centered care in the NICU. She has actively implemented
countless changes to provide an enhanced developmentally, family
focused environment in the NICU. She believes that anticipatory guidance
is of utmost importance when caring for families in crisis in the
NICU. She continues to strive to offer a positive and satisfying
experience for parents while their infant is cared for in the NICU
environment.
Karen Hendricks-Munoz, MD, MPH
Dr. Hendricks-Munoz has been a board-certified neonatologist for the
past 14 years, after being trained at Yale University and the University
of Rochester. She has a bachelor's degree in biology
from Fordham University and a masters in Public Health from Yale
University. She received her MD degree from Yale University,
as well. Dr. Hendricks-Munoz has been on the faculty of the
University of Rochester, Rochester, NY and the University of Miami
in Florida prior to becoming the Director of Neonatology at New York
University Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital Center. She is Administrative
Director of the Neonatal Comprehensive Continuing Care Program, the
follow-up program at New York University Medical Center. Dr.
Hendricks-Munoz is the director of the neonatal-perinatal fellowship
training program at New York University Medical Center and has been
investigating the impact of cocaine on the development of hypertension. Over
the years, Dr. Hendricks-Munoz has developed an interest in the concepts
of individualized developmental care and family centered care. As
a result, Dr. Hendricks-Munoz has developed a family centered program
of education and support for parents in the neonatal intensive care
unit. She is especially interested in facilitating supportive
and individualized discharge plans that are geared to each parent's
goals. She has worked with her staff and other allied health
care providers to incorporate these concepts into daily care giving
practices in the neonatal intensive care unit. Dr. Hendricks-Munoz's
philosophy of care emphasizes support for families in all phases
of their infant's care.
Jan G. Hunter, MA, OTR
Jan is a neonatal occupational therapy clinician and educator who has
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy from
the University of Kansas and a Master's degree in occupational therapy
from Texas Woman's University. With a previous background in
early intervention pediatrics, she has worked at the University of
Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston since 1985. Her primary
positions are neonatal clinical specialist and occupational
therapy supervisor in the neonatal intensive care unit. She
is also an Assistant Professor (clinical track) at the UTMB
School of Allied Health Sciences, where she instructs physical therapy
and occupational therapy students in neonatal practice. She holds
reliability certifications in NIDCAP and the NOMAS, is a Certified
Infant Touch and Massage Instructor, is a state-certified breastfeeding
instructor, and has facilitated the introduction and implementation
of developmentally supportive care in her NICU, and is responsible
for orienting new staff nurses to this practice approach. Jan helped
write NICU knowledge and skills guidelines for the American Occupational
Therapy Association, is the author of several neonatal textbook chapters
and peer reviewed journal articles, and has been an invited speaker
to local, national, and international conferences.
Kay Furry-Johnson, BSN, RN
Kay has been in nursing for 30 years. She has two associate degrees,
a Bachelor of Science from the University of Delaware, and has recently
received her certificate in deaf-blindness. Her diverse background
includes staff nursing in a pediatric rehab setting, high risk infant
follow-up in Pennsylvania's first early intervention program, nursing
in medically fragile preschool programs, and providing developmental
care in several Philadelphia area NICU’s. This included providing
NIDCAP evaluations, bedside care plans, parent support groups, follow-up
care and home visits. She provides nursing support to medically fragile
clients in the deaf blind program for the state of Delaware. Kay
continues to find much satisfaction in her role of consultant to
NICU’s throughout the United States. She is NIDCAP certified,
NOMAS certified, and is a certified infant massage instructor. Some
of her greatest joy comes from working with families with children
with altered abilities and by doing educational programs like "Preemie
for a Day" throughout the USA.
Sharyn Gibbins, NNP, PhD
Sharyn has worked as a neonatal nurse practitioner in two NICUs in
Toronto, Canada for the last 13 years. She has expertise in the care
of full-term surgical and cardiac infants, as well as extremely low
birth weight pre-term infants. Sharyn received her Master’s
degree from the University of Toronto in 1992, and has continued
to teach at the Faculty of Nursing since graduation. Sharyn completed
her doctoral degree from the University of Toronto in 2001, where
her area of interest focused on infant pain assessment and management.
She currently holds several research grants examining pain in vulnerable
infants and has published several papers and book chapters on her
programme of research. Sharyn has presented at numerous national
and international conferences on the importance of pain assessment
and management and continues to examine different approaches to the
care of high-risk infants. Sharyn is extremely committed to the well-being
of infants and families and believes that an individualized, coordinated
and compassionate approach to care improves family outcomes.
Françoise Guyomard
A graduate of Caen University, Normandy, with a major in psychology,
Francoise Guyomard pursued continuing education to become a midwife
in Dijon. For the past twenty years, Francoise has worked in
a prominent birthing center in Rennes, Brittany where she coordinated
the care and clinical management of a busy mother-infant unit. Using
an individualized, holistic approach to care, Francoise made a significant
impact on the health and well-being of her patients. Her most
significant contribution was in the creation of a 6 bed neonatal
unit which exemplified family centered care. Promoting this
philosophy, even when the infant was critically ill and/or very tiny
(< 1000grams) has been the cornerstone of Francoise clinical practice.
Francoise is currently retired from clinical practice, although she does teach at several nursing schools in her region, Brittany. Her educational content promotes the integral relationship between infant and family, a critical component in the education of novice nurses. Francoise has an uncompromising passion and devotion to infants and families and it is this dedication that brings her to the Wee Care team.
Sandra R. Jungers, RN, BSN, MEd
Sandra, a Maternal-Child Health Nurse of 30 years, is currently the
Clinical Consultant for the Women’s and Childrens Products
that are represented by Bimeco, Inc. of Atlanta, Georgia.
She serves as the product specialist with developmental products. In
addition, Sandra maintains her nursing skills through work on a per
diem basis in the NICU and intermediate care settings. Her history
includes being involved with Clinical Management of Women’s
Services as well as Clinical Instructor in Maternal/Child Nursing
Associate and Baccalaureate Programs. Sandra has extensive experience
in developmental care both practicing and presenting on this topic.
She completed the NIDCAP training course and is considering working
towards her reliability. She has recently expanded her horizons and
completed the “Train the Trainer” Class from BD in insertion
of PICC lines in the neonate. She consults with Draeger Medical with
the Infant Warming Critical Care Division. Sandra has also
done extensive work in the field of Infant Security and with the
implementation of protocols to accomplish the security necessary
for the clinical setting. With a focus on developmental needs of
the NICU environment she has done consulting withseveral architectural
groups in the implementation of a more appropriate environment.
Amy M. Knupp, RN, MSN,
CNS
Amy is the Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit at Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron, Ohio. She received
her Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing from Bowling Green State
University / The Medical College of Ohio and her Masters of Science
Degree in Nursing from Kent State University. She is presently a member
of NANN, ANN, and Sigma Theta Tau. Amy’s areas of interest include
neonatal pain and family-centered developmentally supportive care.
She is the co-chairperson of the March of Dimes NICU Family Support
advisory committee and is actively involved in unit performance improvement
projects in conjunction with the Vermont Oxford Network. Amy is also
involved with their unit’s renovation / redesign process and
developmental care committee. She is certified as both a Neonatal Resuscitation
Program (NRP) instructor and a S.T.A.B.L.E. instructor and has been
the principle and co-investigator of several research projects, one
of which focused on infants with BPD learning to oral feed. Amy
is actively involved with staff education as well as new employee orientation.
In addition, Amy is currently pursuing NIDCAP certification.
Marian L’Huillier,
OT
Marian graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston,
Texas, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy.
In addition to numerous consulting and speaking engagements with major
companies, Marian has developed and implemented several educational
training seminars in Developmental Care. She is also a regular guest
speaker at both Southern Methodist University and Texas Women’s
University. Marian taught childbirth education classes for eight years
and has published an article in Lamaze Baby Magazine entitled “Games
Babies and Parents Play”. She has worked exclusively in the NICU
environment since 1987 and her expertise has been sought after to train
other therapists in setting up Developmental Care programs in nurseries
throughout her region.
Sue Ludwig, OT
Sue is a 1992 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor
of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Sue is a practicing occupational
therapist with 10+ years of experience at The University Hospital
in Cincinnati. In 1993 Sue began treating adults with numerous acute
conditions including multiple trauma, CVA, AVM, traumatic brain injury,
spinal cord injury, cardiac transplant, and burns. She has served
as a supervisor of the occupational therapy staff and mentored many
new staff and students. In 1996 Sue transitioned to pediatrics and
has been the primary therapist responsible for the Level III Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit since that time. Sue was instrumental in initiating
developmentally supportive care in The University Hospital’s
NICU. She began and leads the Developmental Care Committee and provides
ongoing education to nurses, doctors, and therapists regarding developmental
care. She has mentored many other NICU therapists in Cincinnati in
all aspects of therapy in the NICU. Sue has developed and successfully
implemented Feeding Readiness and Quality scales in the NICU. Sue
is involved in research regarding scientific support for the practice
of developmental care. She has lectured extensively on the role of
therapy in the NICU as well as developmentally supportive positioning
and feeding of the neonate. Sue is a member of the Advisory Board
for Family Care Network of Cincinnati and is a published author.
Carolyn Guenther Molloy,
LMT, CIMI
Has been a Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Infant Massage
Instructor for the past thirteen years and now focuses on working with
high-risk pregnant in-patients and premature infants at St. Luke’s’ Hospital
in Kansas City, Missouri. Carolyn started the adult massage therapy
program at St. Luke’s in 1992 and is the co-creator and Director
of the Tender TouchÒ Program, which was started there in 1993.
Tender Touch is a parent education touch therapy program for parents
with premature or medically fragile infants in the Level III Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and is one of the first of its kind in the
nation.
Carolyn is a member of the International Association of Infant Massage, Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals, and the Association for Pre-and Perinatal Psychology and Health. She has published numerous articles regarding touch therapy for infants and pregnant woman in various nationally syndicated journals including “Massage Magazine”, “Massage and Bodywork Quarterly” and “Central Lines” a publication of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses and “Preemie Magazine”.
Carolyn lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband, Stephen, and their four children, Curly, Molloy, Tara and Ashes.
Andrea C. Morris, MSN, RNC, CCRN
Andrea is a Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist for a 40 bed NICU in
Southern California. She has been in NICUs since 1985 and was NIDCAP
certified in 1986. She has been practicing developmental care for
many years and was instrumental in introducing Wee Care education
in her current unit. She started her NICU career in a Children's
Hospital working at the bedside, was a charge nurse for many years,
and now helps with care delivery in the role of a CNS. She still
continues to do bedside care in both her unit and with registry work.
The unit at Citrus Valley Medical Center was opened in 2000 and was
the result of hard work by many teams of which Andrea was a part. She
is actively involved in developmental care education in her own unit
and also lecturing on developmental care and NICU environments in
Southern California. Besides her education in Nursing, Andrea also
holds degrees in social psychology and comparative religions that
she feels enhances her nursing care delivery and interactions with
families.
Carol C. Prendergast, EdD
Dr. Prendergast is the Director of the Family-Centered and Developmental
Care Programs within New York University Medical Center and Bellevue
Hospital Center’s Neonatology Program. She is currently an
assistant clinical professor in NYU Medical School’s department
of pediatrics. Her career began as a special educator, receiving
her Bachelor’s Degree from Syracuse University. She spent severalyears
working in the public schools, before pursuing her masters at Wheelock
College in Boston, MA. Her work as a Child Life Specialist in Boston
included developing one of the first Child Life programs in the United
States in a Health Maintenance Organization and being instrumental
in creating family-centered policies at the Massachusetts Eye and
Ear Infirmary. Dr. Prendergast has lectured at numerous hospitals,
colleges and universities and has presented at national conferences
on topics focusing on the needs of children and families in health
care settings. As an educator in the NICU, her work has focused
on continuity of care for families as they transition from the hospital
to Early Intervention services in the community. She has been an
integral part of incorporating family-centered and individualized
developmentally supportive care practices into the neonatal units
at New York University Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital Center
in New York City. She is continually creating family-centered and
developmental care education programs and seminars for students,
faculty and staff at NYU Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital Center.
Dr. Prendergast is involved in qualitative research on parenting
very low birth weight infants in the neonatal intensive care unit
environment, the study of light and sound levels within the neonatal
intensive care unit and the neurodevelopmental outcome of premature
infants with IVH and PVL.
Vicki Rutherford, RN
Vicki is the Clinical Manager of the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (Level
III) at Children’s Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. Her 26+
years at CMC have included the role of preceptor for new orientees,
neonatal transport nurse and clinical Manager. She is also certified
as an NRP and CPR instructor. Vicki was involved in the development
and implementation of her hospital’s dialysis team that provides
CVVH/CAVH to both pediatric and neonatal patients. Vicki participated
in a process action team that evaluated hospital costs and charging
systems which enabled direct cost savings to be instituted throughout
the hospital. She was also instrumental in the redesign of the NICU
at Children’s Medical Center. This unit was designed to be
family friendly along with providing a developmentally appropriate
environment for sick newborns. The new unit received the 1998 ICU
design citation as best new critical unit design in the country.
She has been a catalyst and leader in the implementation of developmentally
supportive care in her unit.
Kathi Salley-Randall, RN, MSN, CNS
Kathi has been a neonatal nurse since 1994. Kathi received her
BSN from California State University, Fullerton in 1996 and her Master’s
Degree in 1999 along with her state certification as a Parent-Child Clinical
Nurse Specialist. She currently works as staff nurse in a Level III NICU
in Southern California, is a member of their nurse-managed neonatal transport
team, is a unit preceptor for new graduate nurses and is the chair of
the NICU’s developmental committee. Kathi has had the opportunity
to be a Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist in both Level II and Level
III NICUs. She also worked as an Early Intervention Nurse for high-risk
infants ages birth to 3 years in the community providing case management
services and performing developmental assessments. Kathi is the immediate
Past-Present for her local NANN chapter (ICANN) and currently serves
on a national-level NANNcommittee for Chapter Relations. Kathi’s
passion is truly for NICU babies and their families and cherishes the
opportunity to teach any chance she can, and currently is an active lecturer
locally and nationally for several organizations.
Diane Shaffer, M.Ed
Diane has been providing developmental support to the neonatal
intensive care units at Allegheny General and Western Pennsylvania Hospitals
in Pittsburgh for more than 16 years. Prior to coming to the NICU environment,
she worked in pediatric rehabilitation as a developmental specialist
providing early intervention services for infants and young children
with multiple disabilities. Her current work focuses upon the promotion
of developmentally supportive care in the intensive care nursery with
a commitment to family support and education. In addition, she provides
clinical developmental evaluations for both NICU Follow-up Programs.
At the University of Pittsburgh, Mrs. Shaffer completed her undergraduate
studies in Child Development within the scope of health-related
professions. Her graduate work, also at the University of Pittsburgh,
was completed in special education, with a focus on high-risk and medically
fragile young children. She has co-authored articles and a clinical manual
focusing on developmentally supportive care in the NICU.
Michelle Waddell, RNC
Michelle has been a nurse for 24 years, 20 of those specializing in
the Neonatal ICU. She is currently the Director of Neonatal Services
at The Children’s Hospital of S.W. Florida/Lee Memorial Health
System. This role includes a 42 bed Level III NICU, Neonatal Respiratory
Care, The Children’s Hospital Transport Team and the Neonatal
Nurse Practitioner group. Her 20 year career in the NICU has included
roles in staff nursing, education, neonatal transport and leadership.
She is also a NRP Regional Trainer. Michelle’s passion is truly
for the babies and families in the NICU and ensuring that their care
and environment is family centered and developmentally appropriate.
She is also strong proponent of a participative nursing staff that
promotes autonomy and best practice. She also has a great interest
in genetics, ethics, and ethical dilemmas related to the NICU. She
lectures yearly on these topics in the Neonatal Internship Program.
She has also lectured locally and nationally on these topics and
those related to positive/non-punitive nursing leadership.
Kara Ann Waitzman, OTR
Kara Ann Waitzman has been employed at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton,
Ohio since 1987 as a developmental specialist in the Level III
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She designed and implemented a developmentally
supportive care program and is responsible for all components of
the program. Kara Ann is also a clinical consultant for four other
hospitals in Dayton, Ohio. Kara Ann is certified as an Infant Development
Instructor, Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Therapist, and is reliable
in the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program.
She is editor and primary author of educational materials and videos
related to developmental care, skin to skin, massage, and swaddled
bathing. Kara Ann has received several professional awards during
her career, including Ohio Occupational Therapy Pediatric Model Practice
Award 1991 and March of Dimes Healthcare Worker of the Year 2000.
Linda Yang, MD
I am a practicing Neonatologist in a Level III NICU in Southern California.
The first half of my Perinatal-Neonatal Medicine Fellowship was completed
at the UCSF Cardiovascular Research Institute and the second half
at the UCI College of Medicine in 1990. I have always been interested
in the prevention of neurological injury, such as asphyxia and intraventricular
hemorrhage. As an extension of that interest, I became very involved
with the deveopment of the Individualized Developmental Care Program
at Citrus Valley Medical Center in West Covina. Childrens'
Medical Ventures was instrumental in the development of our program.
Afterwards, I wanted to become a consultant for Childrens' Medical
Ventures because of the opportunity to share my beliefs in the long-term
benefits of developmental care. I have two wonderful boys, 4- and
5-year old, who keep me very busy when I am not at work.
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