New Member Spotlight

Welcome to the following NurseTRUST New Members! 

Tonia Wells, RN, BSN, MSN
Leadership Consultant and Coach

I am a nurse leader, coach, and advocate for healthy work environments, with a deep commitment to civility, emotional intelligence, and human leadership. I’ve spent my career in rural and community hospitals, where I’ve seen how culture, leadership behaviors, and self-talk shape caregiver well-being and patient outcomes.At this stage of my life, I’m intentionally focusing on work that aligns with my values—supporting nurses and leaders in slowing down, leading with clarity, and building workplaces rooted in respect, accountability, and trust. I’m expanding my work in civility, strengths-based leadership, and EQ, partnering with organizations to move beyond burnout toward healthier, more sustainable cultures.Personally, I am a mother of three grown children and a proud grandmother of five—whose names together spell LOVED. I enjoy photography, travel, and time outdoors, especially in the Redwoods and Sedona. Rock hounding and digging for crystals help me stay grounded and curious.

Helene Burns, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FAAN
Nurse Emeritus

Dr. Helene Burns is a nationally recognized nurse executive with more than 40 years of progressive leadership experience spanning health system operations, nursing workforce transformation, patient safety, and healthy work environment innovation. She most recently served as Chief Nurse & Operations Executive for AtlantiCare, an integrated health system and five-time Magnet® designated organization serving five counties insouthern New Jersey. A Fellow of both the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (FAONL), Dr. Burns is widely published and an invited speaker at national and international forums. She serves on multiple boards andadvisory councils, including the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board and the AAN Building Health Care SystemExcellence Expert Panel. Dr. Burns serves on the American Organization of Nurse Leaders (AONL) Board representing Region 2 - New York, New Jersey & Pennsylvania. Dr. Burns received her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Systems Executive Leadership from the University of Pittsburghand holds additional graduate and post-graduate preparation in nursing administration and transformational leadership fromWidener University, Villanova University, and Georgetown University. She continues to invest in the next generation of nurse leaders as a Visiting Clinical Professor at Rutgers–Camden School of Nursing and has held faculty roles at Villanova University and Jefferson College of Nursing. Driven by a lifelong commitment to transformational leadership, healthy work environments, and excellence in patient care, Dr.Burns continues to shape the future of nursing at the organizational, state, and national level.

Cynda Rushton, PhD, RN, FAAN
Anne and George L. Bunting Professor of Clinical Ethics and Nursing
Johns Hopkins University & Berman Institute of Bioethics

Taylor Mantzke, RN, CPHQ, CHC
National Senior Director of Quality
DispatchHealth

Taylor Mantzke, RN, CPHQ, CHC is a national healthcare quality, safety, and compliance leader with extensive experience building and scaling programs across multi-state organizations. She currently serves in senior leadership overseeing quality assurance, patient safety, and regulatory compliance, partnering closely with executive teams and Boards to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical, sustainable operations.Taylor’s background as a registered nurse informs her systems-level approach - anchoring compliance and governance work in real-world clinical impact and frontline experience. She is especially passionate about creating structures that protect patients, support clinicians, and strengthen organizational resilience during growth and change.Outside of work, Taylor enjoys adventures with her husband and son and practicing yoga - finding balance and perspective through movement and time outdoors. She values connection, thoughtful leadership, and learning from other nurses who are shaping the future of healthcare together.

Phyllis Quinlan, Phd, RN, NPD-BC
President/CEO
MFW Consultants To Professionals

President of MFW Consultants & a successful nurse entrepreneur, Phyllis is a healthcare consultant and has practiced as a Legal Nurse Consultant specializing in defense since 2004. During her nursing career, Phyllis has practiced in clinical, education & administrative positions in a variety of venues, including critical care/emergency trauma, professional development, and Subacute Care/LTC. As a certified personal and career coach, Phyllis specializes in the unique needs of nurses & other professional and family caregivers. She is devoted to working with clients struggling with the emotional impact of Caregiver Fatigue, untying the knot of their COVID-19 response efforts, and the challenges of leadership & career transition. She served as the Internal Coach for the Association of Perioperative Nurses from 2012 to 2025 and was invited to be the career coach for the American Nurses Association-New York State Chapter in 2021. She has lectured extensively across the USA & Canada on subjects including but not limited to resilience, professionalism, leadership development, change management, and creating and sustaining healthy work environments. She is very active on social media, posting regularly on her Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Channels. Phyllis is also an author; Rediscover the Joy of Being A Nurse: A Holistic Approach to Recovery from Compassion Fatigue and The Missing Piece of a Healthy Workplace Puzzle: Effectively Assessing & Managing Bullying and Incivility in the Healthcare will be published in late May 2026.

Brenda Olmos, PhD, APRN, FNP-C
APP Administrator of Education & Development
Baylor Scott & White Health

Dr. Brenda Olmos is the Administrator of Education and Development for Advanced Practice Providers at Baylor Scott & White Health. She completed her bachelor of science in nursing at the University of Texas at Austin in 2011, her master of science in nursing and family nurse practitioner certification at Texas State University in 2017, and her PhD in nursing science at the University of Oklahoma in 2023.Her clinical experience is principally focused on primary care of adults. She has served as adjunct faculty in BSN and MSN programs at UT Austin and Texas State, and she is the President in her local professional organization, Austin Advanced Practice Nurses. She founded the Austin Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses in 2021. When all those things allow for some spare time, she enjoys sci-fi shows, cuddling with her two cats, and traveling with her husband.

Rosario Medina, PhD, FNP-BC, ANCNP, CNS, FAANP, FAAN
Dean
University of New Mexico College of Nursing

Vicki Birkeland, DNP, RN
ACNO
University of New Mexico Hospital

 
I am a nurse leader with a career spanning several decades, grounded in a deep commitment to the people in healthcare - patients and professionals. I began my journey at the University of Utah, where I specialized in high-risk obstetrics and neonatal nursing—work that shaped my passion for providing compassionate, expert care during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.My leadership path has taken me across Utah, Montana, Washington, and New Mexico where I have had the privilege of serving organizations such as Benefis Health System, St. Vincent Regional Hospital, Intermountain Healthcare, MultiCare Health System, and currently the University of New Mexico Hospital. Throughout my career, I have served in roles including NICU Nurse Educator, NICU Nurse Manager, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services, Regional Director of Women’s Services, and now Associate Chief Nursing Officer. In each role, my focus has been on strengthening teams, improving care delivery, and supporting nurses at every stage of their professional journey. I lead with a human-centered, relational approach and am guided by the belief that “leadership starts with me, but it isn’t about me.” My leadership focuses on fostering employee strengths, engagement, and well-being rather than merely fixing weaknesses. By intentionally leveraging positive emotions, gratitude, and psychological safety, I strive to create environments where people feel safe to contribute, innovate, and perform at their best. I am deeply passionate about the future of nursing and committed to building cultures where collaboration thrives and individuals feel engaged, valued, and connected. I hold a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Spring Arbor University and am dedicated to empowering both patients and clinical staff throughout their healthcare journeys. Outside of my professional role, I value time with my husband, Scott, our four children, and our two grandchildren, who bring immense joy to my life. I enjoy creative outlets, love reading and cooking, and am always eager to explore new places.

Sheri Rowland, PhD, APRN-BC FNP
Associate Professor
University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing

As an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, I work to promote human health and well-being as a nurse practitioner, nurse educator, and nurse scientist. I have over 25 years of experience as a family nurse practitioner, and I continue to work in primary care as part of my faculty appointment. As an educator, I currently teach qualitative methods in our PhD program, and I serve as mentor/advisor to students in our undergraduate honors, DNP, and PhD programs. My area of research is focused on self-management of cardiovascular risk in rural and Hispanic/Latino populations. I currently serve as co-investigator on a multi-disciplinary research team. We are conducting a longitudinal study examining how stress is associated with health outcomes among cattle feedyard workers in the Central States region of the Midwest.

Annmarie Munana, DNP, MSN, MJ, BSN, RN
Director, Regulatory Affairs
Arizona College of Nursing

As a policy and regulatory leader at the national and international level, and a committed healthcare and academic leader, I integrate my background and expertise in nursing, higher education, ethics, and health law and policy, to advance the health of our patients and communities. I possess extensive experience in regulatory affairs and accreditation; program development and evaluation; faculty development, and strategic planning. With a collaborative approach, I am effective, successful, and diplomatic, in complex, highly regulated settings, as I engage with colleagues nationally and globally. While leading and fostering collaboration across teams and stakeholders, I aim to drive innovation and enhancement of nursing and healthcare education by optimizing educational initiatives, leading compliance efforts to mitigate risk, and promoting excellence in nursing education and practice.

Olivia Brooks, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC
Director of Nursing Leadership Development
MentorLead

Vickie Pisowicz, MBA, MPP
Founder
Imagining Excellence

Wanda Montalvo, PhD, RN, FAAN, FADLN
Executive Director
Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program at Penn Nursing

Dr. Wanda Montalvo is the Executive Director of the Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. She champions public and community health, emphasizing the vital role of nurses in advancing Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to help advance health for all. She has led national initiatives at the National Association of Community Health Centers, supported by the CDC, HRSA, and Johnson & Johnson Foundation, focusing on reducing disparities, improving healthcare access, and nursing workforce. She serves on the boards of Prevent Blindness and the Social Mission Alliance and has received honors, including two U.S. Surgeon General awards, induction into the American Academy of Nursing, and recognition from the Association of Diversity Nurse Leaders. Dr. Montalvo emphasizes the need for more nurses to become strategic communicators, actively countering health misinformation and safeguarding public trust in science. Fun fact, she found her French Bulldogs are her spirit animal and has a family of six.

Katie Huffling, DNP, RN, CNM, FAAN
Executive Director
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments

Dr. Katie Huffling is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and the Executive Director of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE), the only national nursing organization whose primary focus is on the intersection of health and the environment. With ANHE, Huffling works with nurses and nursing organizations to elevate environmental health issues amongst the nursing profession. Under her leadership ANHE has grown into a global leader in environmental health. Huffling is a passionate supporter of nurse led advocacy in support of healthier environments for all and strongly believes in the power of nursing to create positive change. She lives in Maryland with her husband, an Italian greyhound, and two cats. She enjoys knitting, live music and dancing, gardening, and DIY home improvement projects.

Cara Cook, MS, RN, AHN-BC
Deputy Director
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments

Cara Cook, MS, RN, AHN-BC (she, her) is the Deputy Director for the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. Her work focuses on elevating environmental health as a national priority by engaging nursing organizations and individual nurses in environmental health advocacy, education, and practice change. Cara has experience in critical care and public health nursing. She holds a Master’s in Community/Public Health Nursing through the University of Maryland.

Nelda Godfrey, PHD, ACNS-BC, RN, FAAN, ANEF
Professor, Professional Practice and Director, Nurse Career Success, Identity and Innovation
University of MIssouri Sinclair School of Nursing

Nelda Godfrey is Professor, Professional Practice, and Director, Nursing Career Success, Identity and Innovation at the Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO. A thought leader in nursing innovation and nursing education, Dr. Godfrey writes often on new care delivery models that can be influenced by a stronger emphasis on the nurse within—researching and developing strategies to create the whole person experience in nursing practice going forward. Her work with the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing is transforming the way nurses, health care professionals and society understanding what it means to “think, act and feel like a nurse.” This work offers new language and new knowledge for the journey—helping nurses heal, flourish and expertly care for others.Dr. Godfrey serves on the American Nurses Association Ethics and Human Rights Advisory Board and on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing.

Kristin Cross, BSN, RN
Nurse Manager-MSICU
MultiCare

Hi, my name is Kristin Cross, and I have been a Critical Care RN for the past 18 years and 10 of those years I have worked as a ANM and a Manger of the ICU. I enjoy nursing as I get to support people through some of the hardest times of their life's, while supporting their loved ones too. It is a very fulfilling career to be able to help and advocate for patients as a nurse, whether it is for a critical intervention or their first meal after being extubated. At this time in my career, I enjoy supporting the growth of my core nurses by advocating and educating them on best practice. I am very proud to say that I have helped mentor CNAs into RNs, RNs to the advanced degrees, wrote many letters of recommendation for amazing nurses on my teams to advance in their careers, and to mentor and grow fellow leaders within MultiCare!

Linda Alderson, MSN, RN, NEA-BC
CNO
MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital

 
High-performing Nurse Executive with over 25 years of healthcare leadership experience in diverse settings. In-depth knowledge of healthcare operations at all levels. Currently practicing as a Chief Nursing Officer for a tertiary medical center in Tacoma WA. I thrive in transformational leadership roles and love to mentor other aspiring nurse leaders. Outside of work I enjoy sunny climates and quiet days. I have 3 lovely daughters and 2 grandchildren. Looking forward to collaborating and being part of this organization.

Heather Shlosser, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Dean, Chief Nursing Administrator, Associate Professor
Simmons University

Carey Ellis, RN, MSN
Nurse Manager
MultiCare 

Melissa Kelley, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor
University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing

Dr. Melessa Kelley is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin in the School of Nursing. Dr. Kelley is a Native American (Keetoowah-Cherokee) doctoral prepared nurse within the United States (US). Dr. Kelley’s overall program of research focuses on conducting culturally congruent research to improve the health and well-being among Native Americans and Indigenous populations focusing on climate change and the environmental impact on overall health and well-being. Understanding and eliminating health disparities among Native Americans and Indigenous populations is the first step toward achieving health equity.

Anne Derouin, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS, FAANP, ANEF
Clinical Professor, Vice Dean, Academic and Student Affairs
Duke University School of Nursing

Tara Cortes, PhD, RN, FAAN
Executive Director
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing 

Mary Prybolo, Phd, RN, FACHE
Chief of Research and Innovation
Community Care Partnership of Maine

I have been a nurse for 47 years, and it is the lens through which I view the world. My career has taken me from the bedside to executive leadership roles in hospitals, health systems, and accountable care organizations, always guided by a belief that we need to focus on what matters to an individual and to partner with them to keep them healthy and out of the hospital, a difficult challenge in our current healthcare system. I completed my PhD in Nursing Science at the Medical University of South Carolina in August 2025, focusing on self-reported health and hospitalization risk in older adults. I believe nurses must lead research that will drive clinical practice and policy formation.Originally from the Midwest, I have worked in urban settings over the last 15 years and in rural settings in Maine, the oldest state in the nation, where providing healthcare is incredibly challenging. I now live in Harpswell, Maine, where I enjoy being on the water, spending time with family, and exploring Maine’s coastal communities. Outside of work, I love to read, travel, and supporting local organizations that strengthen community health and well-being. 

Rachel Zeiger, EdD, RN, CNE
Assistant Professor
University of Nebraska Medical Center

I am a passionate nurse educator who enjoys facilitating student learning and preparing students for lifelong careers in nursing. I am dedicated to helping nursing academia and nursing practice collaborate to close the practice gap. I enjoy employing neuroeducation, narrative pedagogy, and innovative learning strategies in the classroom. I live in central Nebraska with my partner and our four children. In my free time, I enjoy keeping bees and gardening.Input I Connectedness | Ideation | Restorative | Woo

Cathy Philpott, DNP, MHA, MBA, CENP, NEA-BC, CEN, CCRN-Alumnus
VP ILS/EAS
Kirby Bates Associates

Cathy is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she received her BSN in 1991. She also has a Master of Science in Healthcare Management and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Southern University in Alabama. In 2019, she obtained her Doctoral of Nursing Practice degree from Texas Christian University. Her areas of expertise include leading complex operations, disaster preparedness including emergency/trauma response, and change management projects involving strategic goal accomplishment and operational efficiencies-including LEAN methodology and Magnet Accreditation strategies. Cathy’s accomplishments include improving patient experience and nurse satisfaction scores, decreasing nurse vacancy rates and turnover while reducing premium pay and contract labor utilization, decreasing clinical variation, implementing computerized documentation systems, and contributing to the strategic planning and management of long-term construction projects. She serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Graduate Programs, College of Nursing, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.