Dr. Laurie Anne Ferguson, DNP, APRN, has practiced as a Nurse Practitioner since 1984. She is certified as an Adult, Family and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and has practiced in a variety of clinical settings in the NP role including ER, Occupational Health, and Primary Care in Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Florida, Louisiana and in Manitoba Canada. She received her BSN from the University of San Francisco, MSN from the University of Pennsylvania, and DNP from the University of Texas, Houston Health Sciences Center. A nursing educator since 1993, she has served on faculty at the University of Manitoba, University of South Florida, Louisiana State University and Loyola University New Orleans, where she served as Dean of the College of Nursing and Health. She was named Founding Dean of the School of Nursing at Emory & Henry College in 2021. Dr. Ferguson is a Fellow in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and maintains an active clinical practice.

Dr. Angelina Harman, DNP, FNP-BC Associate Professor With 26 years of experience in primary care, Dr. Angelina Harman is a highly respected healthcare professional and educator. She has been specializing in the insertion of IUDs for the past 15 years, demonstrating her commitment to women's health and reproductive care. Since 2013, Dr. Harman has also been an Associate Professor at George Mason University, where she has been instrumental in shaping the next generation of healthcare providers. Her research interests include childhood obesity, diabetes, and women's health, reflecting her dedication to addressing critical health issues through both clinical practice and academic inquiry. Her dedication to both her patients and students exemplifies her passion for advancing the field of primary care.

President of Lynchburg chapter of VCNP

MSN from University of Pennsylvania, 1980, Family Nurse Practitioner. Worked in public health, in a school of nursing, and in primary care over the years. Retired from Carilion Family and Community Medicine, March of 2022, but continue working in a flex position 2 days a week. In 2018 completed MS in yoga therapy from Maryland University of Integrative Health; certified yoga therapist with the International Associate of Yoga Therapists. Became an entrepreneur and business owner of Guiding Star Yoga Therapy. Working to navigate a shift to a business model that includes yoga and my skill set as a Family Nurse Practitioner in independent practice. Cat lover, hiker, meditator, and happy yogi.

Morgan got her MSN from Vanderbilt in 2015. She has been working in urology in Lynchburg, VA for the last 4 years. She is currently getting her DNP from UVA.

Dr. Eileen O'Grady is certified Nurse Practitioner and Wellness Coach who uses an evidence-based approach with people to reverse or entirely prevent disease. She believes deeply that more attention must be paid to getting us unstuck from lifestyles that do not support wellness. She is an expert on intentional change in humans -with an emphasis on the importance of extreme self-care and how to identify and remedy a life that is out of balance. She runs the School of Wellness, which offers program on revolutionizing self-care. She is currently an adjunct faculty in the Graduate Schools of Nursing at Pace University, Georgetown University, Duke University, and The George Washington University, where she was given 'Outstanding Teacher' Award.

Ona is a master's prepared nurse with nearly two decades in the healthcare arena and over a decade of experience as a Registered Nurse and Family Nurse Practitioner. Her broad clinical experience spans: ER, ICU, telehealth, virtual nursing, clinical leadership, preceptor, infusion therapy, home health, higher education, professional development, travel nursing, field clinical educator, primary care, and mental health. Her well rounded education allows her to excel across multiple industries. Holding a Bachelor's degree in corporate communications with minors in Information technology and Healthcare leadership with a focus in Human Resources. As well as an Associates, Bachelor's and Master's of science in Nursing. Locally she works as a Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor, and Nurse Practitioner in primary & mental health. She has been a American Heart Association Basic Life Support instructor (BLS) for nearly a decade and runs a training and consulting company offering Basic Life Support- CPR & first aid, speaking, professional development and wellness training, subject matter expert services, educational instructional design and consulting. As a trained speaker, Ona presents at conferences and a variety of events on both clinical and professional development topics. Ona was recently selected as one of Inside Business magazine's Top 40 under 40 for 2024 and the Old Dominion University's (ODU) Alumni 40 under 40 class for 2023. Where she was recently appointed to the ODU Alumni Association Board of directors. Ona also empowers her fellow colleagues as the inaugural chair for the Sentara Women in the Workplace employee resource group board. Where she was recently named one of the top 25 women ERG leaders in the nation by GirlsClub.com Dedicated to both nursing advancement and community service, Ona serves as chair of the Public Relations committee of the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners (VCNP) Tidewater chapter. As well on the Safety committee for The Boys and Girls club. Also she served as a judge for the much-anticipated local Youth of the Year Awards. Overall Ona is committed to building and nurturing community.

Ryleigh Hawker is an EP Nurse Practitioner. She received her clinical training and Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Liberty University. Ryleigh loves caring for the Lynchburg community and surrounding areas because of the wonderful people and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. She has a particular interest in A-Fib because it affects many of her loved ones. When she is not providing care at Centra's Heart and Vascular Institute, she enjoys hiking, golfing, and spending time with her family, friends and sweet (but spoiled) Goldendoodle.  

Chimere Clark, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC
She/her

Dr. Clark holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Master of Nursing degree from Frontier Nursing University. She is originally from New York and moved to Virginia after completing her BSN at Saint Xavier University. Upon graduation, she served as a U.S. Navy Nurse Corps staff nurse completing her service after 8 years.

After completing her master's in nursing, she joined Eastern Virginia Medical School's OB/GYN department. She has cared for women in maternal-fetal medicine, low-risk OB/GYN, and women across the lifespan. Currently, her clinical practice includes gynecological and gender-affirming care to adolescents. In addition, Dr. Clark has taught at the graduate level for more than seven years. She is currently a faculty member at Frontier Nursing University, where she teaches in the Midwifery and Women's Health graduate program and prepares midwifery and women's health nurse practitioner students for clinical and professional practice.
Dr. Clark is a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, The North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners.

Dr. Knoeckel has been a family nurse practitioner (FNP) since 2009. She works at Tri-Area Community Health Center in Floyd, Virginia providing care across the lifespan. Since 2010, she has also served as a preceptor to many FNP students. In 2018, Dr. Knoeckel began her teaching career. She has been teaching at Radford University since 2021 and teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses. The primary course she oversees is undergraduate pharmacology, where she has aimed to be innovative using different teaching strategies and third-party teaching tools. Her research focus has been on interprofessional education, women's health, obesity management, chronic disease management and behavioral lifestyle interventions. She has traveled with academic and faith-based organizations on medical and service trips to El Salvador, Spain, Costa Rica and Peru. She grew up in Spain and speak Spanish fluently. She is married and has 3 children. She enjoys reading, cooking, hiking, swimming and traveling.

Lisa completed her MSN (FNP specialty) at University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1998 and practiced in primary care for 18 years, working at community health centers for the majority of her career. She became ANCC board certified as a PMHNP in 2016 and received grant funding to develop a model integrating mental health as part of the services offered at her primary care clinic. She now divides her time between this integrative primary care site (University of Maryland Medical Center) and the Johns Hopkins' Children Mental Health Center (CMHC), where she provides psychiatric care for children and adolescents. CMHC uses a co-occurring model of providing psychotherapy and psychiatry services in a community setting. Lisa lives in Baltimore with her three children and enjoys learning languages (in the hopes of traveling more in the future!)

Colleen Leners is the Chief Health Officer at 1st Call HEALTH, dedicated to providing high-quality care to veterans. A U.S. Army Nurse Corps veteran and Bronze Star recipient, she has over 25 years of nurse practitioner experience. Dr. Leners previously served as the Director of Policy at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow, working with Senator John Thune on the Senate Finance Committee. She serves as Region 3 Director for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), on the Case Western Reserve Alumni Board, and Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research. Inducted as a Fellow in both the American Academy of Nursing and AANP, she holds a DNP from Case Western Reserve University and an MSN from the University of San Diego.

Dr. Tabitha Hapeman is a doctorate prepared nurse, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, professor, and published author. She has been a nurse for 15 years and has over a decade of specialty in case management and utilization review. As both a PMHNP and seasoned revenue cycle leader, she brings unique insight into people and organizational psychology. A dedicated mentor, coach, and team builder, she specializes in creating cultures where people thrive. She currently serves as the Enterprise Director of Utilization Review for West Virginia University Healthcare System and practices as a PMHNP for Abundant Life Partners.

Dr. Kimberly Sapre is a Senior Clinical Consultant and has been a PA for 14 years. She has previous clinical experience in as an emergency medicine PA, and she currently teaches the Health Equity and Justice course in the Shenandoah University Doctor of Medical Science Program. Dr. Sapre is in her second term as the Chair of the American Academy of PAs Committee on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and as the Chief Delegate for the Virginia Academy of PAs. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Virginia Association of Minority PAs. Dr. Sapre lives with her husband in Alexandria, VA, and enjoys reading and birdwatching in her free time.

Christine A. Hart Kress, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, NEA-BC, MSCP, is a seasoned healthcare leader with over 30 years of experience in women's health. She is the CEO and owner of a specialized telemedicine practice focused on comprehensive menopause and midlife care. Dr. Hart Kress proudly served 27 years in the United States Air Force as a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and Healthcare Executive. After retirement, she transitioned to a Chief Nursing Officer role in a hospital system then returned to clinical practice in gynecology. Board-certified as a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, Dr. Hart Kress has advanced training in hormone prescribing, sexual medicine and the care of breast cancer survivors. Her passion lies in transforming access to high-quality care for women in midlife and menopause. She is an active member of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health Advocacy Committee and has co-authored several key resources, including the Scope of Practice and Health and Healthcare of Midlife Women position statements. A published author in the field of women's health, Dr. Hart Kress has been featured on multiple podcasts and blogs, sharing her expertise and insights. She has received numerous accolades for her clinical excellence and leadership, including the Air Force Medical Service Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year and Tucson's Fabulous 50 Nurses awards.

Kimberly Freisenbruch is a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), and a Certified Case Manager (CCM). She is a graduate of the Old Dominion University School of Nursing, where she was one of the only students to have ever completed both her masters and doctoral degrees at the same time. She is currently pursuing her certification in neurofeedback through the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance and EMDR with Dr. Christie Sprowls, one of Dr. Francine Shapiro's proteges. Dr. Freisenbruch is passionate about providing mental health care and specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). As the daughter of an Army Calvary Officer, wife of a now retired Navy SEAL, and sister-in-law to an active-duty Navy SEAL she has first-hand knowledge of how military service affects not only the service member, but the entire family as well. She has always believed in giving back to our military service members and their families and was driven to further her education during her time as a nurse case manager with Naval Special Warfare. Dr. Freisenbruch saw how issues with mental health, especially from combat, impacted the service member and their families and she wanted to be able to provide more services for them. She has conducted research on equine-assisted psychotherapy and its effectiveness in treating PTSD and TBI. She has presented at conferences and has been honored with awards for her research. She is an inductee of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and is currently serving as the Governance Chair for the Epsilon Chi chapter at Old Dominion University, where she is also the Director of Clinical Education for the PMHNP program. In her free time, Dr. Freisenbruch enjoys reading, gardening, pursuing other certifications to better serve her patients, soaking up time with her husband, son, and two daughters, and driving fast cars.

Chastity Van Pelt, MSN, FNP-BC, has been a Family Nurse Practitioner since 2008. She earned her BSN from Michigan State University in 2003 and her MSN from the University of Michigan in 2008, with 9.5 years of clinical experience in Adult and Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant. After becoming a mother, Chastity faced sleep challenges with her second child, prompting her to consult a sleep expert. With behavioral adjustments, her daughter began sleeping independently, inspiring Chastity's passion for pediatric sleep health. In 2023, she became a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and founded BLISS Pediatric Sleep Support. She partners with families to address sleep challenges and provides educational webinars for parents and healthcare professionals. Chastity lives in Ashburn, Virginia, with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys family adventures and has a passion for running.

Katie Page has been a Certified Nurse Midwife since 2009 when she graduated from Vanderbilt School of Nursing. She has worked in VA at Forest Women's Center since 2013. She is the team lead at Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital for ACNM Health Birth Initiative: Reducing Primary Cesarean Collaborative since 2016. She is also the Data Center Co-Lead for Collaborative beginning in 2018. Professionally, her current focus is on quality work, teaching, and issues related to professional liability and full practice authority. Katie loves spending time with her supportive husband and 2 daughters and serving in the community.

Drew White is the Lead APP for the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health service line and the Interim Medical Director for Psychiatric Emergency and Consultative Services at Centra, in Lynchburg Virginia. Drew has been working in the psychiatry and behavioral health field for 15 years in various roles and settings. Drew is a graduate of the University of Virginia Graduate School of Nursing where he completed his Master's of Science in Nursing in the psychiatric-mental Health track. When Drew is not working, he loves seeing live music and going camping with his wife and two boys.

Dr. Sandra Walker Nichols was raised in Monticello, Florida and completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Florida State University including a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and English (1989), a Master of Arts in English (1991), a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education (2004), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (2005, cum laude), a Master's in Nursing with concentration in nursing education (2006), and a post-master's certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner (2008). In December 2015, Dr Nichols graduated from Northern Kentucky University with a post-master's certificate as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Over her career, Dr. Nichols has served as faculty with several university nursing and nurse practitioner programs, she has precepted nurse practitioner students in the clinical setting, and she has presented her research and continuing education courses in both domestic and international venues. Dr. Nichols was appointed by the Florida Governor in 2010 to serve a 3-year term as the Nurse Practitioner member of the Florida Board of Nursing (FBON) and served on the FBON Education Subcommittee and several Probable Cause Committees during her tenure.
In January 2011, Dr. Nichols established Advanced Practice Clinician Solutions, LLC, a company which provides expert legal nurse consulting for attorneys representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Then, in May 2020, Dr. Nichols founded Your Nurse Practitioner, PLLC which is now D/B/A Panacea Behavioral Health & Wellness Center on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach. Panacea BHWC offers psychiatric care and wellness services across the lifespan and now provides services in North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona. Dr. Nichols also practices as a psychiatric mental-health nurse practitioner through telemedicine in an acute-care psychiatric unit in Arizona since June 2020.

Between 2011 and 2021 and across eight states, Dr. Nichols has worked as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner, an Ortho/Spine Surgery/Trauma Nurse Practitioner, and now as a Psychiatric Mental-Health NP in various settings
She has served as the Program Director for an Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP program and as the Program Director for two different PMHNP programs. Currently, Dr. Nichols serves as an adjunct professor in the PMHNP Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program and as a dissertation chair for students in the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) at Liberty University.

Dr. Nichols is married to Captain Todd Nichols (US Navy, retired) who is also from Monticello, Florida. They reside in Norfolk, VA. She has three adult children. Dr. Nichols' favorite hobbies are reading and writing (fiction and non-fiction), researching family history and genealogy, cooking, canning/preserving fresh vegetables/fruits, traveling, and spending time with friends. She enjoys her two Australian Shepherd dogs who are being trained as therapy dogs. She enjoys building relationships with others and making the world a better place by helping others live their best life.

Kara Pravdo MSN, CRNP is the Nurse Practitioner for the Division of Complex Family Planning at Jefferson Einstein Hospital in Philadelphia where she currently provides comprehensive care for early pregnancy loss including diagnosis and management. She also teaches learners in clinic including Advanced Practice Provider Students, Medical Residents and Medical Students. Kara has been involved in Reproductive Health in the Philly area for over 15 years. She co-authored an article with Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos entitled "Early Pregnancy Loss: A Comprehensive Approach for Nurse Practitioners" which was published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

Courtney Salaway majored in art at the College of William and Mary. Later she decided to pursue a career in nursing which led her to the Clinical Nurse Leader program at the University of Virginia. She then went on to work as a nurse in the emergency department for many years while completing her family nurse practitioner degree. As an NP she has worked in infectious diseases and at a free clinic. For the past 10 years she has provided medical care to UVA students at the UVA Student Health and Wellness center where she is a member of the eating disorder treatment team.

Kathryn Shepley received her undergraduate degree in anthropology and sociology from the University of Mary Washington. After graduation, she did early childhood social work, worked for an NGO in Guatemala and spent a year with AmeriCorps, which eventually led her to the Clinical Nurse Leader Program at the University of Virginia. After completing the program, she worked as a nurse in primary care pediatrics for 4 years and then as a triage nurse at UVA Student Health and Wellness, while she completed the pediatric nurse practitioner program at the University of Virginia. For the last 7 years, she has worked as an NP at the UVA Student Health and Wellness center providing medical care for UVA students as well as being a medical provider on their multidisciplinary eating disorder treatment team for the past 4 years.

Jack Weisskohl (they/he) is a Family Nurse Practitioner at VCU Health. He works on an interdisciplinary team that provides primary care to adult populations with complex medical and social needs. Jack's healthcare background includes oncology nursing and primary care in both rural and urban settings. He is a doctor of nursing candidate at the University of Virginia School of Nursing (with anticipated graduation in May 2025) and an affiliate faculty member with the Mobile Health and Wellness Program through the VCU School of Nursing. Jack is a white, queer, transmasculine, and nonbinary person who is community focused and supports community empowerment and self-determination.

Dana Burns is a clinical associate professor with Virginia Commonwealth University and a practicing Family Nurse Practitioner with VCU Health Internal Medicine Department Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. She obtained nurse practitioner training at Columbia University and doctoral degree from Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Burns expertise is in resilience and mindfulness in the clinical and academic environments. She a member of the VCU Health /VCU School of Nursing Strength in Caring HRSA Wellness Grant team investigating strength based leadership and organizational dynamics impact on clinician wellness, resilience and intent to stay. Her current projects include improving nurse practitioner education through the implementation of innovative clinical education models with a focus on interprofessional team pedagogy. Dana is the clinician lead of an interprofessional team with the NP/PharmD Diabetes Management Clinic with VCU Health in Richmond and satellite program with VCU Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill, Virginia.

Dr. Shelia Talbott is the associate dean and director of the School of Nursing for Murphy Deming College of Heath Sciences at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, VA. With over 30 years of clinical experience, Dr. Talbott has practiced in a wide variety of settings including nursing informatics, urgent care and family practice, but her passion is women's health. She received an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Old Dominion University. In addition to being the Government Relations representative for the Piedmont region of the VCNP, she serves as the vice chairman of the Coalition of Christian Nurse Practitioners (CCNP), and leads short term medical mission trips to Honduras and Haiti.

Wendy L. Wright,
DNP,ANP-BC,FNP-BC,FAANP,FAAN,FNAP

Wendy received her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2019 from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. She is a 1992 graduate of the Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts and completed a family nurse practitioner post-master's program in 1995. She is an adult and family nurse practitioner and the owner of two, nurse practitioner owned and operated clinics within New Hampshire named: Wright & Associates Family Healthcare. Her family practices have won numerous awards, including Top Providers in New Hampshire 2018, Top 20 Fastest Growing Family Business, and Top 20 Women-Owned Business in New Hampshire. In addition, she is the Owner of Partners in Healthcare Education, a medical education company. She is the Past President of NPACE and the Senior lecturer for Fitzgerald Health Education Associates.

She is the recipient of numerous awards and was chosen by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as the 1999 recipient of the New Hampshire State Excellence Award. In addition, she received the 2009 NH Nurse Practitioner of the Year and the 2014 Top 5 Women in New Hampshire Business Award. In 2005, she was inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners; in October 2014, a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, and in March 2017, a Fellow into the National Academies of Practice.

She is the founder of the NH Chamber of Entrepreneurial Nurse Practitioners, an organization designed to assist nurse practitioners with independent practice issues. In addition to full-time clinical practice, she presents nationally to different audiences and has been a speaker at over 1000 conferences in 47 states. She is the nurse practitioner representative to the State of NH Immunization Advisory Board. She has been a medical media spokesperson for numerous companies and has appeared on radio, television, and in print magazines. Wendy is frequently consulted by malpractice attorneys around the area of clinical practice and has worked on more than 100 malpractice cases involving nurses and nurse practitioners.

Dr. Moore is a dedicated psychiatric nurse practitioner who owns and operates Better Mental Health & Wellness in Charlottesville, VA. In addition to his clinical practice, he serves as an assistant professor at the University of Virginia's School of Nursing. With extensive backgrounds in professional counseling and lifespan education, Dr. Moore is committed to delivering the latest information and practical insights to both his students and patients.

Dr. Karen J. Whitt is an Associate Professor at George Washington University School of Nursing. She is a board certified advanced genetics nurse (AGN-BC) and a Fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP). As a family nurse practitioner, Dr. Whitt incorporates genomics to deliver precision healthcare in practice. Her research interests focus on promoting the application of genomics, informatics, and healthcare technology in clinical practice. She completed a fellowship with the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) to evaluate the influence of various genetic markers and lifestyle variables on bone health. She is a member of the National Human Genome Research Institute, Inter-Society Coordinating Committee for Practitioner Education in Genomics and serves on the Direct-to-consumer Genetic Testing work group. She is Chair of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) Education Committee.

Dr. Nguyen Park has had a diverse career in clinical medicine, research, and education having taught pediatrics at the University of New Mexico while serving as Lead PA for the NM VA Healthcare System where she was also the lead clinician for the Special Environmental Health Registry. Prior to this, she was a clinical Assistant Professor in the Physician Assistant Studies Program at Wayne State University while working in cardiology. She was then recruited to work at the NIH in the nephrology consult service, where she was the co-chair of the NIH PA/NP SIG during the pandemic, served on the NIH Clinical Center Medical Executive Committee as the PA/NP SIG representative, and now serves on the NIH PA/NP SIG Professional Development Committee. Among other publications, she co-wrote the updated PA Genomic Competencies. Dr. Park represents PAs nationally on the NIH's GenomeEd Board. As the 1st PA chosen for the NIH-American College of Medical Genetics & Genomics (ACMG) Genomic Medicine Program Management Fellowship, she currently works in genetics as an associate investigator and with the NIH All of Us Research Program as a Health Scientist Administrator, Program Officer, and Scientific Review Officer. She is the president and founder of The Society of PAs in Genetics and Genomics.

Emily Stevens is graduate nursing instructor at James Madison University, a board-certified family nurse practitioner, and doctoral candidate at Virginia Commonwealth University. Emily has more than a decade of clinical experience working in primary care during which time she developed an interest in obesity management. As a result of her clinical experience and interest, she began to pursue a professional path in nursing scholarship and academia. Her doctoral work focuses on the phenomenon of treatment resistant obesity among midlife women and she has dedicated her clinical work to obesity medicine. She has earned a certificate of advanced education from the Obesity Medicine Association and has worked the past 2 years as a nurse practitioner in a metabolic weight management clinic in Fishersville, Virginia. Emily has been a VCNP member for over a decade and she is also a member of The Obesity Medicine Association, The Obesity Society, and is on the editorial board of the Obesity Pillars journal.

I serve as the concentration coordinator for the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program at VCU. I maintain a clinical practice as a PMHNP at two sites in addition to my teaching.

Kim is a nurse practitioner with over 28 years of nursing experience. She is currently working for Centra Health in Lynchburg, VA with the Surgical Specialists group. She is the sole provider for the area's first Ostomy Clinic, which she established in 2021 after seeing the need for ostomy patients in central Virginia.
Kim began her career as an RN after obtaining her ADN in 1996. She obtained her BSN from Liberty University in 2014 and then ultimately her graduate degree from the University of Virginia in 2021. Over the years, Kim has worked in a variety of specialties including acute care cardiolgy, OB/GYN, occupational health, ICU, Home Health, Emergency medicine, Wound Care/Hyperbarics and most recently with general surgery. Her passion for ostomy and wound care was inspired by her own personal experience with having an ileostomy and wound challenges.

Malinda Myers is a Triple Hoo graduate of the University of Virginia (UVA), holding degrees from the RN to BSN, Masters of Science in Nursing with a focus on the Family Nurse Practitioner track, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs. She is currently pursuing a DNP to PhD at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and was the former Program Director at the George Washington University School of Nursing. At UVA School of Nursing, she serves as an Associate Professor and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program Lead. Additionally, she contributes to the UVA Health Medical Center as a Family Nurse Practitioner, specializing in acute and chronic care management. Her exceptional contributions to nursing have earned her recognition as a former Virginia's Top 40 Under 40 Nurses award with the Virginia Nurses Foundation, Sigma Theta Tau Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy Alum, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Honoree, participation within health mission trips to Haiti and Ecuador, and as a Family Nurse Practitioner volunteer with the UVA Health Mobile Health Van, which provides population health care within the surrounding Charlottesville communities.

Clinical Educator for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue since September of 2010. I instruct 1700 paramedics and EMTs providing continueing education for their recertification. I have worked at several different areas as a nurse practitioner to include emergency, urgent care, family practice and primary care. I also currently work as a primary care provider for Grafton Integrated Health services at their Berryville Campus part-time. I graduated from University of South Florida in December of 2006 with a master's in nursing. My certificate was obtained in 2007 from the AANP.