CFPA Advisory Board & Committee Members

CFPA Advisory Board and Implementation & Best Practices Committee 

Amanda Cresswell MSN, BSN, RN is the Vice President of Nursing Professional Development, Magnet and Research at Geisinger, one of the nation’s largest health care organizations. Prior to joining the Geisinger family, Amanda held roles in other healthcare systems such as Chief Nursing Officer and System Director of Clinical Excellence.

Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Anita Baldoni, MSN, RN, NPD-BC has been the Northeast NRP Coordinator for 5 years and a member of the Geisinger northeast health system for the past 14 years. Her background includes critical care, medical surgical, and pediatrics. Anita obtained her master's degree from Mansfield University in 2019 and is adjunct faculty for multiple local universities. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her amazing husband and 2 sons Mason and Max.

CFPA Advisory Board

Dr. Barbara Todd is the Director of Practice & Education - Advanced Practice at the Hospital University of Pennsylvania and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Nursing and Senior Fellow at the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. She has practiced as a nurse practitioner in the Philadelphia region for the past 32 years and is an experienced clinician and administrator for advanced practice providers. She has been instrumental in developing NP models of care in several large academic medical centers. Her clinical interest has been in cardiovascular health, with a focus on valvular heart disease and role transition for nurse practitioners. She has published extensively and presented nationally on advanced practice clinical and administrative topics. She is certified in both family practice and acute care.

CFPA Advisory Board

Dr. Brayden Kameg is an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Pittsburgh, where she coordinates the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) program. She is the founding program director of a PMHNP residency at the Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS). Clinically, Dr. Kameg works on an inpatient basis and in the addiction psychiatry program at VAPHS, and co-owns a private practice, Peace of Mind Psychiatry, in southwestern Pennsylvania.

CFPA Advisory Board

Brianna Blackburn is a nurse, educator, and advocate for the advancement of nursing education. Bri serves as a steering committee member for the Pennsylvania Action Coalition's Nurse Residency Collaborative and an advisory board member for Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center's Nurse Residency Program. Bri works as an Instructor of Nursing for Penn State's Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing where she is also pursuing her PhD.

CFPA Advisory Board and Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Caroline Wilkinson, MSN, AGPC-C, CWCN-AP, is a graduate of Drexel University School of Nursing and trained in primary care and wound. Caroline has been practicing since 2018 in Philadelphia, PA. Caroline's interests also include end-of-life issues and is Board Certified in Primary Care and Wound Care.

CFPA Advisory Board

Dr. Crystal DeVance-Wilson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She is also the Assistant Director of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center. She has been elected or appointed to several national and University of Maryland School of Nursing committees including Faculty Council where she is currently serving as Immediate Past Chair. Dr. DeVance-Wilson is currently serving as Chair of the Montgomery County Commission on Health.

CFPA Advisory Board

Dr. Danielle McCamey, DNP, ACNP-BC, FCCP, is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Clinical Practice & Relationships at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She is also the founder, CEO, and president of DNPs of Color.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Debbie Rahn EdD, MSN, RN is the Director of the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences (RHSHS). Dr. Rahn has held multiple other roles in professional and academic settings including, Assistant Head Nurse, Nurse Manager, Nursing Program Faculty, Curriculum Coordinator, and Director of a Nursing Program. She served on the Board of Commissioners for Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Dr. Rahn is an ethics consultant on the Reading Hospital Ethics Committee. Dr. Rahn’s leadership resulted in the creation of dual enrollment programs for the RHSHS Nursing, MI, DMS, and ST Programs. Dr. Rahn is an adjunct professor at Alvernia University teaching in the MSN Nursing Education.

CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Dr. Ann Kriebel-Gasparro, DrNP, FNP, GNP, GS-C, FAANP served as Director of BSN-NP-DNP Programs at Alvernia & Temple University from 2013 to 2018. She is faculty for the Adult-Gero nurse practitioner program at Walden University. Dr. Kriebel-Gasparro taught BSN, MSN, and DNP programs. A nurse for over 38 years, and nurse practitioner for 26 years, her clinical practice included home-based health care, primary care, oncology, and neurology. A member of the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA), she is the President of GAPNA, her focus for teaching and advocacy is health effects of climate change. She is a reviewer for many journals, HRSA, and Sigma grants.

CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Dr. Cheryl Thompson, DNP, RN,PHCNS-BC, began her nursing career in ICU and home health nursing before transitioning to academia. She completed her MSN in Community/Public Health and her DNP, bringing her clinical expertise into the classroom. Dr. Thompson has extensive experience teaching at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, and has held various leadership roles focusing on curriculum planning and evaluation. She has developed strategies to improve student learning and NCLEX readiness outcomes, publishing, and presenting on these topics. Her expertise lies in fostering student achievement and enhancing nursing education.

CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Dr. Nicole Evanick, DNP, MSN, RN, is the Department Chair and Chief Nurse Administrator for the Department of Nursing and Health Professions at Pennsylvania Western University. Dr. Evanick has over 17 years' experience teaching nursing in a variety of higher education settings and has dedicated the last 10 years to teaching and coordinating graduate level programs in nursing. Dr. Evanick has presented at both local and international conferences regarding best practices in online teaching methodologies and serves the nursing community by participating in a variety of professional organizations. Currently, Dr. Evanick sits on the board of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Organization of Nurse Leaders.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Dr. Rosemarie White, DNP, CRNP-PMH, PMHNP-BC, is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She is presently the Graduate Coordinator for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at Delaware State University. She is the CEO for Restoring Foundation Psychiatric Counseling Center. Dr. White has prior nursing experience in informatics, long-term care, critical care, leadership, and pediatrics.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Fallon Hughes, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, is the Senior Director of Nursing Practice, Innovation, Research & EBP at WellSpan Health. Fallon has served as the Director of Nursing Education and Professional Development at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, overseeing a large Nursing Professional Development staff of 37. In addition, Fallon has worked as an adjunct faculty member for Harrisburg Area Community College and The Pennsylvania State University. Her clinical background is adult oncology for which she served as a Nursing Professional Development Specialist for a number of years.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Dr. Felisa Smith is a former Army Reserve officer and member of the Military Officers Association of America. She is a member of the American Nurse Association, the National League for Nursing (NLN), the Association of Black Nursing Faculty, and the American Holistic Nurses Association. Dr. Smith is an NLN certified nurse educator (CNE) currently working as a full-time academic nurse educator teaching in a university in Virginia where she lives with her teenage daughter. She enjoys reading, and spending time with family and friends.

CFPA Advisory Board

Dr. Gloria Jones Dinkins is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Howard University College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences (HUCNAHS) in Washington, DC. She teaches in the Howard University College of Nursing and Allied Health Science graduate family nurse practitioner program. She is on the educational committee of the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association. She is a project coordinator partnering with the American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) to educate women with disabilities on the importance of mammogram screening.

CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Gretchen M. Wiersma, RN, DNP, CHSE, CNE is both a Certified Nurse Educator and Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator. She helps nurses develop the skills needed to provide exceptional patient care. Working in nursing education now for over twenty years, much of her time has been dedicated to teaching in the clinical setting where she served as a clinical instructor, clinical course coordinator, and Director of Undergraduate Clinical Education. Through her roles, Gretchen has aimed to innovate nursing education, ensuring students receive comprehensive clinical training and recognize the value of a quality clinical experience as well as the barriers in finding and achieving them.

CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

James L. Messer, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE, ACUE Advanced Credentialed, a native of southern West Virginia, has been teaching nursing for over twenty years. He enjoys teaching and nursing and by teaching he gets the best of both. Lifelong learning is a commitment, and he truly enjoys learning new things. James wants to leave qualified nurses to care for future patients.

CFPA Advisory Board

Jen Kohler is a skilled clinical nurse educator with over 20 years of acute care experience. Jen has experience teaching new graduate nurses, facilitating clinical orientation for both experienced and new to practice nurses, and has worked closely and held leadership positions within a nurse residency program for over 10 years. Jen also develops and organizes maintenance of competencies for staff nurses working in telemetry, stroke, and oncology specialties. Jen also works closely with evidenced based practice and has experience leading projects and presenting at conferences.

CFPA Advisory Board

Jennifer Wasco is the Director of Nursing Continuing Professional Development and an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing (SoN) at the University of Pittsburgh. She is as a mentor to Swanson School of Engineering bio-engineering students as well as a mentor in the Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program (URMP). She developed a course on the impact of climate change on global health. Dr. Wasco was named to the Provost’s Ad Hoc Faculty Committee on Sustainability to develop recommendations for a university-wide Sustainability Institute. She is the SoN chair for the committee for professional development and continuing education.

CFPA Advisory Board

Jennifer Parrotte is the Director of Organizational Development, Nursing Education, Research, and the Magnet program at UPMC St. Margaret in Pittsburgh, PA. She is an executive mentor to six shared governance councils that include Inclusion, Evidence Based Practice and Research, Professional Practice, Night, Ambulatory, and Wellness Council. Jennifer has been recognized with awards such as, The University of Pittsburgh Gail Wolff Leadership award, The 10th annual UPMC St. Margaret Individual Patient Safety Award, and the Daisy Nurse Leader Award.

CFPA Advisory Board

Professor Joshua Saylor, is a master’s trained clinical nurse leader finishing a Doctoral degree in Executive Leadership in May 2023. Mr. Saylor is the Systems and Processes Administrator at Morgan State University. Mr. Saylor is a Hospital Operations Coordinator at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore within the LifeBridge Health Network. Prior nursing work includes post anesthesia care, dialysis, hospice, pediatric bone marrow transplant, home health, and psych school nursing. Mr. Saylor holds certifications as a Six Sigma Black belt and a Certified Pediatric Nurse.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Kortney Welles, MSN, RN, CMSRN, is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Lehigh Valley Health Work in Pennsylvania. She has 5 years of experience in medical surgical nursing and 4 years of experience in healthcare education. Kortney is a national member of the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) and secretary of her local affiliate, Greater Lehigh Valley Affiliate - ANPD. She has also recently served as the co-chair of the Lehigh Valley Health Network Innovations in Education Symposium.

CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Dr. Laura Fennimore, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, FAAN, is an accomplished leader and educator with more than 35 years of experience in healthcare management. She brings her real-world experience and executive knowledge to the classroom to DNP students in the Health Systems Executive Leadership program at the University of Pittsburgh. She is actively involved in professional organizations including the Oncology Nursing Society where she served as the ONS National President from 2018-2020. She is an active member of the American Nurses Association where she serves as a commissioner on the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing. Dr. Fennimore's greatest joy is helping nurses to thrive through evidence-based practice and leadership to improve the lives that they touch every day.

CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Linda Cassar, DNP, RNC-OB, CNE, is an Associate Professor at The George Washington University School of Nursing, where she also serves as the Program Director of the Accelerated BSN program. She has been a nurse for 33 years and has worked primarily with the OB, Newborn, and Women's Health patient population. Her research interests include topics relevant to maternal/child health and student success. Professionally, Dr. Cassar is active in The Association of Women's Health, AWHONN's Emerging Leaders program. Since that time, she has served on several national committees. In 2021, Dr. Cassar was awarded AWHONN Excellence in Education (Scholarly) award.

CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee

Mary DiGiulio, DNP, CRNP, FAANP is the Director of the Nurse Practitioner and the Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA. She is a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and has contributed to the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nurses Academic Practice Partnership Guidelines, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competency Implementation Guide for Nurse Practitioner Faculty and Faculty Practice Toolkit, 2nd edition and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Practice Leadership Network Toolkit.

CFPA Advisory Board

Dr. Mary Jean Osborne is the Project Coordinator for the nursing programs of Northampton Community College (NCC). Prior to transitioning to the Coordinator role, Dr. Osborne served as Director of the RN and PN nursing programs at NCC (2005-2022). Under her leadership a preceptorship was integrated into Associate Degree program and a grant funded Shared Clinical Faculty Program in partnership with Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (LVHHN) was successfully implemented. Prior to serving as Program Director, Dr. Osborne served in the roles of Trauma Clinical Specialist and later Director of Patient Care Services for Trauma and Cardiovascular Surgery at LVHHN. Dr. Osborne is President of the PA Chapter of the Organization of Associate Degree Nursing (OADN), and the PA Colleges of Associate Degree Nursing. Dr. Osborne is committed to the initiatives of the Pennsylvania Action Coalition (PA-AC). She served as President of the Academic Progression in PA subcommittee and currently serves on the PA-AC Executive Committee.

CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Melissa Arthur, MSN, RN, NP-C, CNE, is a highly accomplished healthcare professional and educator with extensive experience in nursing practice and academic administration. She currently serves as the Dean of Nursing, Allied Health, and Natural Sciences at Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC), where she has been a pivotal figure since 2005. Melissa holds a Family Nurse Practitioner License and Registered Nurse Licensure in Virginia, along with her certification from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Melissa began her academic journey with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), then advanced to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Regents College University of New York. She furthered her education with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Old Dominion University. She is currently working with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Old Dominion University. She is currently working on her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Northern Kentucky University. Her professional experience includes roles such as Nurse Practitioner at Halifax Internal Medicine and Radiant Medical Spa and multiple RN positions at Halifax Regional Hospital.

In her educational career, Melissa has held several significant positions at SVCC, such as Interim Dean of Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing Program Coordinator, and Associate Professor. She has taught a wide range of courses within the ADN and PN programs.

Through her extensive experience and commitment to excellence in nursing education and practice, Melissa Arthur continues to make significant contributions to the healthcare community and the academic environment at Southside Virginia Community College.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Melissa Bellamy, MSN, BSN, RN is the BSN Curriculum Administrator at Morgan State University. She oversees the undergraduate didactic and clinical faculty and serves as a support to the program director. Melissa worked for the University of Maryland Health Systems as an Emergency Room Nurse for 9 years and spent an additional 2 years in the health system as the ER Nurse educator.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Nadine Lindsay is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), board-certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Lindsay created a clinical platform for NP and doctoral students. Dr. Lindsay now serves as an FNP/Chief Executive Officer of DelCare Health Solutions. Dr. Lindsay has an extensive nursing background in critical care, progressive care, medical-surgical care, long-term acute care, geriatric, rehabilitation, hospice care, and ambulatory care.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

CPT Nina Davis is a captain in the United States Army Nurse Corp. She has worked for 28 as an RN. She has her MSN and APRN and is currently seeking her PhD in nursing.

CFPA Advisory Board

Dr. Rebecca Wiseman is an Associate Professor at University of Maryland School of Nursing. She is the founding director of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center. She is the Maryland state representative and the Treasurer of the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers. She was Sigma Pi chapter President twice. Dr. Wiseman has been involved in Maryland statewide initiatives for the past twelve years, beginning in 2010 with her involvement with the Maryland Action Coalition. Dr. Wiseman was invited to submit a Maryland Higher Education Nurse Support II grant to establish the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center (MNWC) in 2018.

CFPA Advisory Board

Sarah Craig is a faculty member since 2014 at the University of Virginia School of Nursing. Previously she supported the school as a clinical instructor and graduate teaching assistant, and she worked at the University of Virginia Health System as a clinical nurse specialist in post-operative cardiovascular and thoracic surgery care. Sarah earned both her Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Philosophy from the University. She recently completed a post-Graduate certificate in Nursing Education from Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.

CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Dr. Shari Washington, DNP, MSN, NPD-BC, CPN is a semi-retired registered nurse with 40 years of nursing experience. After practicing in the area of Adult Medicine, she focused primarily on Neonatal ICU, Maternal-Child and Pediatrics. Most recently she was a nurse educator serving as a Professional Development Specialist at Children’s National in Washington, D.C. Dr. Washington also taught clinical and didactic courses at a variety of schools of nursing.

She earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati, M. S. in Nursing Education from University of Phoenix and Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Grand Canyon University. She is passionate about education and has worked and presented for PNEG (Professional Nurse Educator Group) and other educational organizations. She also served as a NLNAC (National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission) site visitor for school accreditation, as well as the Magnet and PTAP (Practice Transition Accreditation Program) accreditation for Children’s National. Dr. Washington also actively participated with Pearson on the most recent revision of the NCLEX examination. Additionally, she participates in translation of research. mentoring students, and authored several articles on nursing education.

CFPA Advisory Board

Stacy Huber is a Clinical Education Associate Professor at WVU School of Nursing. She is Director of the SON Honors program and chairperson of the WVU SON Total Faculty Committee. She is an on-site evaluator for the National League of Nursing (NLN) Commission for Nursing Accreditation. She serves as a Nursing Education Team Lead for the Future of Nursing West Virginia Recruiting and Utilizing Nursing Faculty team. Dr. Huber was a 2022 inductee into the West Virginia University Health Science Center Academy of Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee

Dr. Bronzell-Wynder is the CEO and Founder of Lifecycles Health Center and Services, a nurse managed health center located in Camden, New Jersey. She is a Contributing Faculty at Walden University. Dr. Wynder was selected for the Carpenter Community Nursing Fellowship through NNCC and she received the Sandra Festa Ryan award for social innovation in nursing care from Thomas Jefferson University. She authored and co-authored several articles. She continues to work as a nurse practitioner in lung transplant at Temple University.

CFPA Advisory Board

Ms. Twanda Toliver- Gainer is the Founder and CEO of RN Reach, LLC. She is a retired Navy Nurse Corps Officer. Ms. Gainer has served as Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Manager, and Nurse Educator. She has also served as Nurse Residency Coordinator at Howard University Hospital; Assistant Professor, HU-Vets for Success Counselor, and Recruiter at Hampton University; Traditional BSN Program Coordinator at Norfolk State University; and Academic Success Coach and Clinical Adjunct faculty for both Virginia Commonwealth and South University.

CFPA Advisory Board

Valerie Clary-Muronda is an assistant professor at Thomas Jefferson University College of Nursing and has been a full-time faculty member at Jefferson since 2016. Dr. Clary-Muronda is also the coordinator for the Thomas Jefferson University College of Nursing STEP-UP Nursing Program, a program developed to educate Philadelphia high school students about the nursing profession. She has been a member of the New Jersey Board of Nursing since 2021.

CFPA Advisory Board

Dr. Vilma Davis is Director and Chair/Assistant at Lincoln University, where she is the evaluator with the CCNE accrediting body. She is Lincoln’s liaison to the PA-ACCEL Mentorship Program. She was Chairperson of the Nursing Department Student and Faculty Development Committee and Scholarship and Research Committee. She was an adjunct professor at Wilmington University. She was the secondary PI on a research project concerning, “Vaccine hesitancy among people of color.” She is a Board member of the Health and welfare foundation of Southern Chester County.