Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

AWHONN
AWHONN

Get Involved

Find Events, join Committees and Panels, and Calls for Experts. Explore Awards, Grants & Scholarships, and connect with Fellows and Emerging Leaders. Don’t miss the AWHONN Perinatal Education Xchange Program (APEX). 

Past Emerging Leaders2026-08-10T18:03:44-04:00

Meet the 2025 - 2026 AWHONN Emerging Leaders

Kayli Johnston

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Alexandra Abbate Harmon, BSN, RN, is a nurse leader at Pomelo Care, a virtual maternity care practice delivering high-touch, comprehensive care from preconception through postpartum and into an infant’s first year. At Pomelo, Alex coaches nursing team members, drives clinical quality assurance, and leads initiatives to improve team performance and operational efficiency. She's at the forefront of designing and rolling out new workflows and technologies that make care delivery smarter and more effective.

A strong advocate for health equity, Alex is committed to improving access to quality care for birthing families—especially those historically underserved. She fosters a culture of accountability and solution-based collaboration, ensuring the nursing team operates with purpose, clarity, and a shared drive for impact.

Named a 2025–2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader, Alex is focused on learning from peers and shaping bold, practical solutions to the maternal health crisis. Drawing from her years of hands-on experience delivering care to birthing families, she is uniquely positioned to define the future of nursing care through innovation. She’s passionate about changing the system—not just working within it—and is driven to ensure better, more equitable outcomes for all birthing people and their babies.

Megan Ludena

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Andra Wilke, DNP, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CHSE, is a certified Obstetric Nurse and Healthcare Simulation Educator with a doctorate in Executive Leadership. A retired Navy nurse, she brings extensive experience in labor and delivery, education, and leadership. She currently serves as Clinical Education Specialist at UF Health Downtown Jacksonville, where she advances nursing practice and maternal outcomes. Andra contributes to statewide initiatives through the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, including PROMPT and emergency response work. An active AWHONN member, she has presented nationally and received an Evidence-Based Practice Scholarship, which helped launch a donor milk program that reduced NICU transfers. She has spoken on simulation, clinical judgment, and communication in nursing education. A sought-after speaker on obstetric emergency response, Andra provides OB EMS education across Northeast Florida, a region facing maternal health access challenges. Her passion for advocacy, education, and equity drives her commitment to safe, evidence-based care for birthing people.

2025 - 2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

I'm a master's prepared registered nurse with 10 years of experience in labor and delivery. I'm certified and Inpatient Obstetrics, Electronic Fetal Monitoring, and recently became an IBCLC. I received a Daisy Award in 2018 and a Team Daisy Award in 2024. I strive to empower OB patients during their most vulnerable moments. In the past 10 years, I've grown my love of clinical and simulation nursing education and supporting new nurses in my field. As a leader, I am proud of my team and continue to educate, support, and develop their professional growth.

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

I'm a master's prepared registered nurse with 10 years of experience in labor and delivery. I'm certified and Inpatient Obstetrics, Electronic Fetal Monitoring, and recently became an IBCLC. I received a Daisy Award in 2018 and a Team Daisy Award in 2024. I strive to empower OB patients during their most vulnerable moments. In the past 10 years, I've grown my love of clinical and simulation nursing education and supporting new nurses in my field. As a leader, I am proud of my team and continue to educate, support, and develop their professional growth.

Dr. Lauren Johnson

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Dr. Lauren Johnson is a nurse educator and researcher that is dedicated to equitable care and outcomes in women’s health. She has 10 years of experience as a registered nurse caring for patients dealing with antepartum, postpartum, and gynecologic oncology concerns. She received her PhD in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, and her early research focused on cervical cancer prevention in South Africa. Dr. Johnson has now shifted her research to addressing bias and racism in obstetrical care. As an Assistant Professor at Temple University, she strives to best prepare the next generation of nurses to tackle the complexities of patient care and advocate for positive changes within our health care system. Beginning in Summer 2025, she will be leading a summer program that will train nursing students to become birth companions and provide perinatal support to families in need. Furthermore, Dr. Johnson leads several educational and programmatic initiatives to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within academia.

LeTishia “Tish” Hill, MSN, RN, CNML, C-FMC

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

LeTishia “Tish” Hill, MSN, RN, CNML, C-FMC
System Nursing Director-Women’s and Children’s Services and The Milk Bank, Bronson Methodist and Battle Creek Hospital

Tish is an accomplished Nursing Director specializing in Women and Children's Services with over two decades of experience. Currently positioned at Bronson Methodist and Battle Creek Hospitals, she also manages the Milk Bank, demonstrating her versatility and leadership in the field. In her current role, Tish manages various critical aspects of department operations, including financial budgets, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, employee development, and quality metrics.

She has a collaborative leadership style focusing on process improvement, quality initiative outcomes, and partnerships with diverse professional teams. Tish passionately drives efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.

Tish received her Master's Degree of Science in Nursing Administration from Fort Hayes State University. She is a certified nurse manager leader through the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).

Tish cherishes her marriage and is a devoted mother to an adult daughter. She is hopeful for grandchildren in the future, showcasing her family-oriented values.

Rovianne C. Pasicaran, BSN, MSN, C-EFM, RNC-OB

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Rovianne C. Pasicaran, BSN, MSN, C-EFM, RNC-OB is the Family Birth Center Director at a critical access hospital in the Pacific Northwest. With 27 years in obstetrics, she began her career in a small community hospital in the Philippines before emigrating to the U.S. in the early 2000s. She holds a Master’s in Nursing Leadership and certifications in Electronic Fetal Monitoring and Inpatient OB. A Neonatal Resuscitation Program Instructor, she has experience in hospitals delivering 200 to 3,000 babies annually. Passionate about maternal and newborn care for underserved populations, she prioritizes training and education to equip nurses with evidence-based resources. Transitioning from bedside nursing to leadership, she aims to support nurses in providing safe, high-quality care while addressing burnout and fatigue. She subscribes to the idea that happy and satisfied nurses give the best and safest care to their patients.

Samantha Kenning, MSN, RN, C-EFM, C-ONQS

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Samantha Kenning has been in the healthcare industry since she was fifteen, with her most current role being the Perinatal Quality Improvement Coordinator at Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln, NE. She spends much of her time being a change agent for perinatal safety, evaluating, developing and implementing projects, and investigating severe maternal and neonatal morbidity cases. She previously worked in the PICU, with a majority of her nursing career being in Labor and Delivery.

Samantha received her BSN from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas and her MSN in Leadership from Bryan College of Health Sciences. She currently holds certifications in Electronic Fetal Monitoring and Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety. Her favorite part of her career is watching her teams and patients flourish because of the continuous quality improvement projects she’s assisted in implementing.

Samantha’s favorite pastimes are watching her children grow up, going on family vacations, bike rides, and flower gardening when time allows.

Sharlene Alisa Maynor, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Sharlene Alisa Maynor, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC is a dedicated Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) with 13 years of experience in this role and 27 years in nursing, all within Women's Services. She is passionate about providing culturally integrated care and focuses on improving healthcare experiences for birthing families by addressing cultural and social determinants of health.

Having recently completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Sharlene now teaches and mentors students in the WHNP program at Emory University. She prepares future clinicians to deliver equitable, patient-centered care in her role. Committed to fostering critical thinking, cultural humility, and patient advocacy, Sharlene ensures that her graduates can effectively serve diverse populations.

Dr. Tabitha Poole

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Dr. Tabitha Poole has dedicated her career to Obstetrics and Neonatal care. With extensive experience in these areas, she is currently serving as the director of Women’s Services at a hospital in central Texas as well as a clinical instructor for obstetrics in a BSN program. Dr. Poole serves on multiple AWHONN committees, is an AWHONN SIG co-chair and a co-leader of her local AWHONN chapter.

Driven by a deep passion for human rights and health equity, Dr. Poole actively contributes to this cause through her clinical practice, leadership, advocacy work, and education provision. As a forever student herself, she continuously seeks to expand her knowledge and skills in order to better serve and advocate for her patients and the community.

Taylor Delahoussaye BSN, RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Taylor Delahoussaye BSN, RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, a new nurse leader who works in Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire located in California as a Labor and Delivery Nurse. With three years of experience in Women’s Health, she is passionate about providing respectful and equitable care to her patients and striving to find solutions to decrease the Black maternal morbidity and mortality rates within our country. Taylor has also been acknowledged for providing compassionate care by colleagues, her efforts in establishing a mentorship program at one of her hospitals, and potential of being a nurse leader in the perinatal setting.

Taylor is preparing to pursue her Master of Science in Nursing, in hopes of learning how to expand her scope of practice as a nurse leader. She aspires to learn innovative ways to advocate, provide maternal and neonatal care, and establish a community with other Perinatal Nurses.

Meet the 2024 - 2025 AWHONN Emerging Leaders

2024-2025 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Oluseyi Abatan, MPH, BSN, RNC-MNN is a Women's Health Nursing Administrator. Working at WellStar Medical Group in Atlanta, Georgia. In this role, she is responsible for the clinical leadership of all women's health clinics within the system.

Oluseyi recognized her interest in women's health earlier in her career at Northwell Health System in New York, where she served as staff nurse and Charge nurse on mother-baby and antepartum units. In 2016, she relocated to Georgia and worked at Emory Decatur on the antepartum, and L&D units. She gained formal leadership experience over four years working at Grady Health System and Northside Health System, as a Nurse Manager and Clinical Supervisor.

Her nursing career has been dedicated to creating efficient workflow for nurses, promoting quality and safe care as well as improving outcomes for all women. Fostering a culture of nursing excellence through leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and innovation, empowering a skilled workforce to deliver world-class healthcare in the ambulatory setting. As an Emerging Leader, I hope to expand my depth as an effective leader and effect positive change in my organization and in the community.

2024-2025 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Dedevie Booth, BSN, RN, C-EFM, is a Nurse Leader in the Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum (LDRP) unit at a community hospital in upstate New York. With over a decade of experience in maternal health, Dedevie is known for her commitment to improving patient care, fostering collaboration, and enhancing nursing practices. As Chair of the Nurse Practice Council, she has led initiatives prioritizing patient safety and professional development, earning her the Daisy Award for her dedication to clinical excellence. 

Currently pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing Management and Quality Leadership, Dedevie is focused on expanding her leadership capabilities. She is also participating in the AWHONN Emerging Leaders Program, where she aims to bridge gaps in care between prenatal, labor, and postpartum services. Her goal is to ensure seamless, quality care beyond the hospital and develop leadership skills to drive her continued impact in maternal healthcare. 

2024 - 2025 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Allison Dubiner, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CBC has just begun her career in obstetrics nursing and has already discovered her passion for empowering parents during their pregnancy and childbirth experiences.  

She currently has three years of experience as a nurse in high risk obstetrics in teaching hospitals in both postpartum and labor and delivery units. In her short time, she has developed an interest in improving the experiences of birthing peoples by focusing on creating a labor and delivery experience in which the birthing person feels safe and in control while employing evidence-based practices.  

Outside of obstetrics, she has a passion for foreign languages, which she also employs in her research of the obstetric nursing experience of caring for birthing people with limited English proficiency. Faced with several systemic problems in her clinical practice, as an Emerging Leader, she hopes to gain the skills and professional network necessary to improve the quality of care for all birthing people, regardless of age, race, sexuality, gender identity, religion, and language spoken.  

2024-2025 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Jessica Farmer, BSN, RN, joins the Emerging Leaders 2024 cohort with a diverse professional background rooted in trauma-informed care, patient-centered advocacy, and comprehensive reproductive health education. Her path to nursing started with her work serving LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and hate crimes. This firsthand experience highlighted the importance of advocating for people who often remain voiceless in complex healthcare systems. 

In 2015, she graduated from the Research College of Nursing, embarking on a decade-long career as a bedside RN, primarily in high-risk obstetrics. Notably, from 2020 to 2024, she served as Co-Chair of the Practice Council on her Labor and Delivery unit at The University of Kansas Hospital. While there she initiated quality improvement projects, including standardizing QBL in the OR, providing trauma-informed care to adolescent pregnant patients, and establishing a support group for antepartum patients. 

As an Emerging Leader, Jessica looks forward to connecting with passionate healthcare innovators  who amplify the voices of patients, and learning from the other leaders in her cohort. Her goal is to continue to interweave advocacy and education into her nursing career by collaborating with others working in the perinatal mental health space and by amplifying the voices of her peers. 

 

2024-2025 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Stephanie Jurado is a dedicated healthcare leader who has spent much of her nursing career improving the perinatal experience for pregnant patients and their families. With extensive experience in leadership, Stephanie has developed a passion for change management and quality improvement. She has been a driving force in creating new policies and practices that redefine quality healthcare and elevate safety standards in maternal care. Currently, she is applying her combined clinical expertise and business insight to explore and enhance the ambulatory side of women’s health, understanding the diverse needs women face throughout various stages of life.

As a 2024 AWHONN Emerging Leader, Stephanie is excited about the opportunity to learn, share knowledge, and collaborate with fellow nurse leaders. She is eager to gain deeper insight into how AWHONN is driving meaningful change in the community and is committed to actively participating in those efforts. Stephanie looks forward to applying her skills and leadership to contribute to AWHONN’s mission, helping to shape the future of women’s health and give back to the community she serves.

Tracie Kincel, MSN-RN

2023-2024 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Berenice is a dedicated Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, home to the only labor and delivery unit in Chula Vista and the closest to the Tijuana, Mexico border. With over a decade of experience in labor and delivery, she holds a master's degree in nursing and is currently pursuing a PhD in Nursing.  

As a recognized leader and educator, Berenice is passionate about helping nurses find their spark at the bedside through mentorship, empowering them to practice at their fullest potential and contributing to the reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity.  I chose to become an emerging leader because I am deeply committed to decreasing maternal mortality and morbidity, and the program will help me develop connections and relationships with people around the country from whom I can learn.  

The Emerging Leader program is designed to set me up for success, enabling me to better educate my team and prepare them to be critical thinkers, ultimately making a significant impact in this critical area. 

Jessica Phillips BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CCE

2024-2025 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Kimber Stovesand has worked in reproductive health for close to a decade. She first began her career working within her home state of North Carolina before becoming a travel nurse and helping units across the country. She is now completing her senior year of midwifery school at East Carolina University.  

She currently serves on several committees and boards committed to improvement, education and advocacy both on her unit and through national organizations such as AWHONN. She does this by serving on the Healthy Mom and Baby Editorial board, Content Advisory Board for the AWHONN Insights podcast, and participating in the Departmental Change Committee on her unit. 

As a 2024 AWHONN Emerging Leader, she hopes to strengthen her leadership and communication skills to make real, tangible improvements within the reproductive health field. She wants to empower marginalized communities with education and advocacy in an effort to end poor maternal and neonatal outcomes.  

Tracie Kincel, MSN-RN

2024-2025 AWHONN Emerging Leader

M. Cristina Zuniga (she/ her/hers) is a registered nurse with 19 years of experience in various perinatal settings. She holds several professional certifications including Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB), Electronic Fetal Monitoring (C-EFM), and Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety (C-ONQS). She has led birthing classes to expecting families, taught clinical and didactic courses to nursing students and provided continuing education for perinatal nurses. Currently, she is the perinatal clinical nurse educator for a large hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area where she focuses on promoting evidence-based practices and advocacy.  

2024-2025 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Tischara Walther MSN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC, CPST started nursing in 2006 as and LVN graduated with RN in 2010, BSN in 2014, and MSN in 2018. Been working in the OB world since 2012 and dedicated to Postpartum in 2018. In 2019 was a dedicated Lactation counselor in the lactation department. In October 2021 became the supervisor for the OB department. Became Postpartum manager in August2022, and current. In addition to the OB world she was the coordinator for YoungLives of Round Rock, TX, which is a Christian based non-profit for teen moms for 6 years. Lastly was she was a OB adjunct for National Amrican University from 2017-2019 and UTA from 2018-2021. 

Emerging Leaders Accomplishments

2024

  • Jenica Sandall, MSN, RNC-OB, C-ONQS, leads the Washington State Hospital Association in implementing TeamBrith across Washington State birthing hospitals. This initiative for healthcare providers increases communication between patients, physicians, nurses, doulas, and any additional members of the health care team in making decisions. The goal of the project is to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes through communication and a team-centered approach.
  • Elena Jenkins – AIM Champion
  • Elena Jenkins - Recognizing Urgent Maternal Warning Signs in the Postpartum Period
  • Elena Jenkins - Recognizing Urgent Maternal Warning Signs in the Postpartum Period Webinar on 12/8/2022
  • Elena Jenkins - Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers & Babies 2023 TCHMB Summit 2/15-2/16/2023; Podium presentation, Austin, TX (University of Texas at Austin)
    • Birth Equity Training: Illinois Hospital Implementation - Discussed journey of Hospital-level implementation of the Birth Equity Initiative, challenges/successes and lessons learned.
    • Panel Discussion – “Lessons Learned: What I wish I knew at the beginning”
    • How to Bring SDOH into QI: How Do We Close the Loop – Discussed hospital implementation of screening for SDOH, how to connect patients with resources, engaging the community, focus on quality improvement
  • Elena Jenkins - AIM Sepsis Bundle, Podium presentation, St Luke’s Hospital St Louis, MO on 3/23/2023
    • Discussing key themes of the ‘Sepsis in Obstetrics’ safety bundle

Shakira Henderson, PhD, DNP, MS, MPH, EMBA, RNC-NIC, IBCLC
Past-President

Shakira Henderson has been a longtime volunteer with AWOHNN at the local, regional, and national level.

Dr. Shakira Henderson is a hospital-based nurse researcher, health educator, and certified neonatal nurse. Currently, she is the Vice President, Research Officer/Clinical Research Integration Officer for UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine. She holds dual doctoral degrees, PhD and DNP, master’s degrees in public health, anatomical sciences, and advanced neonatal nursing practice with a sub-specialization in nursing education. She has been awarded two national AWHONN awards – leadership and practice.

Amber Weiseth, DNP, MSN, RNC-OB
Director

Amber Weiseth is a Research Scientist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Director for the Delivery Decisions Initiative at Ariadne Labs. In this role, she leads a research and advocacy portfolio focused on improving dignity and safety in childbirth and reducing racial and ethnic disparities.

Amber has been an obstetric nurse for 20 years, specializing in maternal-child health, quality improvement, and systems innovation.

Prior to joining Ariadne Labs, Amber served as Assistant Director for Maternal-Infant Health Initiatives at the Washington State Hospital Association where she led safety and quality improvement in the state’s birthing hospitals.

Shellie R. Nelson, PhD, RNC-OB
Director

Shellie Nelson has recently completed her her PhD in Nursing Science.

Shellie Nelson, RN, MS has faithfully given her time to Women’s Services as a nurse, charge nurse, manager and director. Her clinical experience includes an outstanding academic background which includes; a BBA in accounting from Prairie View A&M University, a BSN in nursing from Avila University, and a Master’s of Science in Health Systems Management from Texas Woman’s University. Shellie is currently in her final stages of studies for her PhD in Nursing Science.

Elizabeth McIntire

Elizabeth A. McIntire, MSN, RN, WHNP-BC, C-EFM
Director

Beth McIntire earned her BSN from DePauw University and her MSN-WHNP from Indiana University. She has 39 years of inpatient perinatal and women’s health nursing. Outpatient experience consists of maternal fetal medicine and general OB/GYN practices.

Her achievements include developing the largest maternal transport program in Indiana and being a finalist in the Indianapolis Business Journal Health Care Hero Award. She has lectured extensively on fetal heart rate monitoring, perinatal safety, high-risk obstetrics, and maternal transport. Beth is the IU Health Ball Service Line Leader with strategic and operational oversight of level III perinatal service.

Mary Dawn Koenig, FACNM, PhD, RN
Director

Mary Dawn Koenig is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing. Born in Canada, she received her BScN from McMaster University, her MSN with a specialty in midwifery from Yale University, and her PhD in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania.

The overarching aim of her research is to improve maternal and child health outcomes, specifically by studying how these outcomes are affected by the bidirectional relationship between nutritional status and the development and function of the body’s immune and inflammatory response. She approaches this through several lines of inquiry: 1) evaluating the effect of inflammation on nutritional status; 2) investigating inflammatory mechanisms that lead to poor outcomes; and 3) mitigating the negative effects of inflammation. Dr. Koenig has been active in the care of pregnant people for over 27 years. She has been an active member in AWHONN during this time, serving as an abstract reviewer and corresponding and panel member of the Research Advisory Panel. She volunteered as a community advisory board member for the March of Dimes. Dr. Koenig works with the community organization NewMoms where she provides programming related to nutrition, meal planning, and stress reduction techniques.

Debbie Ketchum, DNP, MAOM, RN, NEA-BC, RNC-MNN, C-EFM
Director

Debbie Ketchum is a wife and mother to two children. Currently a Doctor of Nursing practice leader as a director of nursing practice across the continuum of care including women’s and children’s for St. Luke’s Health System.

A nurse of 28 years starting as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Army and has worked at large academic, rural settings and ambulatory primarily focusing on obstetrics, the care of women and children, and leadership.

Elizabeth Kester, MSN, RN, NEA-BC
Director

Elizabeth Kester is a nurse leader and passionate advocate for women’s rights and patient-centric and empowered birth experiences.

Elizabeth is the Vice President, Clinical Services at Pomelo Care, a virtual maternity care program delivering 24/7 personalized care via telemedicine to improve pregnancy outcomes and reduce disparities. Elizabeth also serves as the Marketing Director for March for Moms, a national advocacy organization that promotes policies to ensure that every family can grow with dignity and support. In this role, she has partnered with many professional societies, leading maternal health organizations, and industry partners to advocate in Washington, D.C.

Elizabeth holds an advanced degree in communications, specializing in marketing and design, having enjoyed a successful career in advertising before she transitioned to women’s health nursing. Elizabeth has experience delivering care in maternity services in vastly different settings, from rural critical access hospitals to large academic medical centers and now virtually. She resides in southern New Hampshire and Harwich, Massachusetts, with her husband and two children.

Katrina J. Johnson, MSN/Ed, RN
Director

Katrina Johnson has served in the roles of nurse manager, assistant nurse manager/educator and simulation coordinator in women’s and perinatal health. She has been an AWHONN member for over 15+ years.

Katrina is a passionate, committed patient advocate of women and newborns by supporting them through equitable, culturally sensitive care. She actively promotes healthcare equity and best practices to improve the outcomes of underrepresented mothers and their newborns through education and advocacy.

Katrina has served in the roles of nurse manager, assistant nurse manager/educator and simulation coordinator in women’s and perinatal health. She has been an AWHONN member for over 15+ years. Katrina is currently an adjunct professor at West Coast University, an AWHONN intermediate and advanced fetal monitoring instructor/mentor, Neonatal Resuscitation, BLS instructor and TeamSTEPPS master trainer.

Veritta Henderson, PhD, FACCE, C-EFM
Director

Veritta Henderson is the Director of Northside Hospital Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion in Lawrenceville, Georgia. She has been a perinatal nurse on Mother/Baby and Labor & Delivery units early in her career. She worked in Public Health and accepted a wide breadth of leadership positions over her 31 years as a women’s health nurse.

Dr. Henderson speaks on the local, state, and national levels about perinatal nursing, and is a researcher and published author on the topic of perinatal preceptorship. She is passionate about maternal morbidity and mortality, perinatal disparities, and the education of nurses. Veritta has been active in her GA chapter of AWHONN and worked as the Newsletter Editor and Membership Coordinator for her chapter. She has been a member of AWHONN for many years and was the Chair for the AWHONN VTE in Pregnancy Advisory Board in 2018, helping co-write the practice brief. Veritta is a journal peer reviewer, a college professor, an advocate for the patient and the healthcare team that cares for women and newborns. Dr. Henderson has a PhD in Nursing from Walden University, a MSN from Gonzaga University, and a BSN from University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Julie Zimmerman MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM
Secretary-Treasurer

Julie Zimmerman is a staff nurse at UnityPoint – St. Luke’s Hospital Birth Care Center in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Julie has a BSN and MSN in Women’s Health from the University of Iowa College of Nursing. For over 40 years, she has been a staff nurse at UnityPoint – St. Luke’s Hospital Birth Care Center in Cedar Rapids, IA. Julie also serves as nurse residency program facilitator. She teaches EFM and POEP AWHONN programs and was previously an educational outreach coordinator.

Rose L. Horton, FAAN, NEA-BC, RNC-OB
President-Elect

Rose Horton is the Specialty Director Emory Decatur Hospital in Decatur, Georgia.

Rose L. Horton, MSM, RNC-OB, NEA-BC, FAAN Joined AWHONN in 1999, served on Nominating Committee (twice), DEI Taskforce, BOD, President, RMC Toolkit Team lead, Synova Associates Executive Nurse Leader Advisory, Count the Kicks Executive Board Regis University, MSM, BSN.

Cheryl Bellamy, DNP, APRN, CNM, CNS-C, C-EFM
President

Cheryl Bellamy is a Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit Michigan. She has over 20 years of experience in obstetrics with focus in the clinical areas of Labor and Delivery, Postpartum, High Risk Antepartum, Normal Newborn, and Women’s Health. Cheryl trained as a certified nurse midwife and is regularly invited to present on a host of clinical topics related to the care of women and newborns.

Cheryl’s 15+ years of AWHONN leadership experience includes: National Board of Directors; Michigan & Detroit Chapter Leader; Chair-National Awards of Excellence Committee; 2012 Emerging Leader; Maternal Morbidity/Mortality Task Force, and the DEI Committee; Past Member-Public Policy Committee; Writing Teams-Racism and Bias in Maternity Setting Position Statement, and Standards and Guidelines of Professional Nursing Practice; Designated Instructor-Intermediate & Advanced Fetal Monitoring Courses; Author- Fetal Heart Monitoring Principles and Practice (2-chapters).

Cheryl served as Co-chair-Michigan Safe Sleep Action Committee; Advisory Board-Michigan Obstetrics Initiative; Facilitator-Unconscious Bias & Respectful Maternity Care (local/state); Member-SE Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative; and Primary Investigator-Impact of Nursing Labor Support on Reducing Cesareans.

Albert Jimenez
Outsourced Chief Financial Officer

Albert brings over 15 years of public accounting experience in the financial services industry. He works for Marcum, LLP in the nonprofit industry and social sector.

He joined the firm (as Raffa) in 2008 as a Staff accountant and has since been promoted to Director. Prior to joining Marcum, Albert was a senior auditor for Ernst & Young in the Philippines.

Albert also oversees project teams on various client assignments. Albert has performed a myriad of accounting functions for organizations such as the Wallace Global Fund, Gavi Alliance, Salzburg Global Seminar, Distributive Education Clubs of America and Colorectal Cancer Alliance.

Albert is a licensed CPA in the state of Virginia and the District of Columbia and holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.

Benjamin Scheich, MS
Vice President, Analytics, Operations, Policy and Strategic Initiatives

Ben joined AWHONN in 2008 and is responsible for managing the Analytics, Education Operations, Policy and Strategic Initiatives for the association.

Ben’s focus is on using data and analytics to better understand AWHONN member needs and develop resources to meet those needs. Ben is passionate about process improvement and creating automated, just-in-time analytics resources to manage product metrics.

Ben has a Master’s Degree in Biostatistics from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and enjoys speaking about analytics in associations.

Danielle Jones, PhD, MPH
Vice President of Accountability, Belonging, and Culture

Danielle joined AWHONN in 2022 as the organization’s first Vice President of Accountability, Belonging, and Culture.

She previously served as director of the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Center for Diversity and Health Equity (CDHE). In this role, she operationalized the strategic priorities of the AAFP’s Board of Directors and executive leadership on issues of workforce diversity, health in all policies, medical education and practice tools that advance equity.

Prior to joining the AAFP in 2017, Danielle served as Director of Maternal Child Health for March of Dimes Kansas and a Fellow with the Army Public Health Center at Fort Leavenworth KS advising the Senior Commander of the Combined Arms Center. Both roles involved the development and implementation of equity focused health promotion strategies to reduce disparities in maternal mortality, preterm birth, substance use and suicide by addressing the social determinants of health, policy, systems and infrastructure.

Danielle completed her doctoral degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Health Policy and Management where her research on unconscious bias has led to the development of evidence-based curriculum and training for faculty. She also earned a Master’s of Public Health from the University of West Florida and a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from the University of Missouri Kansas City.

Karen Crowley, DNP, APRN-BC, WHNP, ANP, CNE
Vice President, Nursing, Education, Clinical Solutions and Research

Karen joined AWHONN in January 2021, bringing years of clinical experience as a registered nurse and advanced practice nurse, education experience as a certified nurse educator and extensive leadership experience.

In prior roles, she developed new educational programs and increased the rigor of current programs, including a women’s health nurse practitioner track. She led the development of the nurse practitioner Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-DNP) program and led the development and launch of the online graduate nursing programs. She is a certified nurse educator and has an earned certificate in online teaching.

Karen’s research interests include health promotion and disease prevention, empowering women in healthcare decisions and evidence-based clinical solutions. She also is an experienced advocate for the nursing profession and women’s health initiatives, such as a Gubernatorial appointment to Special Commission for an Act Relative to Post-Partum Depression.

Rick Burt, CAE
Vice President, Membership and Volunteer Engagement

Rick joined AWHONN in 2020 as Director of Membership Development. He serves as a member of the AWHONN executive team and leads the organization’s membership, customer service and volunteer development efforts.

Rick brings more than seventeen years of professional association management experience. He is an accomplished nonprofit professional, with a comprehensive background in leadership development and membership services, including previous work at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity (PIKE). He is a 2016-2018 class of ASAE Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) scholars. In 2018, Rick earned the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential and was recognized as one of Association Forum’s “Forty Under 40” professionals. He’s a long-time ASAE volunteer and currently serves on the CAE Exam Committee.

Originally from Georgia, Rick holds a Master’s Degree in Executive Leadership from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee, and a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Billie Robinson, MBA, CAE
Senior Vice President of Meetings & Expositions, Strategic Partnerships, Marketing & Publications

Billie joined the AWHONN staff team in 2008 to lead the Meetings and Exposition Services team. A highly respected association management professional, he brings more than 20 plus years of diverse association management and leadership experience to AWHONN.

In his current role as Senior Vice President of Meetings & Expositions, Strategic Partnerships, Marketing and Publications, Billie leads a dedicated team of professionals responsible for producing significant non-dues-revenue for the association while delivering stellar service to our more than 24,000 members, business partners, exhibitor, advertisers, and industry peers.

An accomplished association professional, Billie was designated a Certified Association Executive (CAE) by the American Society of Association Executives in 2002 and a Diversity Executive Leadership Scholar (DELP) in 2013, He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Nichole Goode
Vice President, Professional Services and Administration and Chief of Staff

Nichole joined AWHONN in 2020 and is responsible for all governance related activities, providing strategic support to the CEO and leads the Professional Services & Administration Department.

For the last twenty years, Nichole has served in administrator roles supporting c-suite executives in various non-profit associations in the Washington-metro area, including the American Nurses Association for 8 years prior to joining AWHONN. Nichole brings to AWHONN extensive experience in board governance, project management, strategy and implementation, culture transformation, operations and personnel management.

Nichole is a native Washingtonian, a second-degree Reiki practitioner and is passionate about women’s health, nurses and holistic wellness.

Jonathan Webb, MPH, MBA
Chief Executive Officer

Jonathan joined AWHONN in April 2021 as their new chief executive officer. Jonathan has spent more than 15 years in the public health space promoting community health outcomes; addressing the social determinants of health; and tackling a number of epidemics including childhood obesity, diabetes, and CVD.

Jonathan’s professional experience includes work for two local health departments including work within the Office of Epidemiology of the City of Chicago and leading the Community Health Division of the City of Evanston. Additionally, Jonathan has spent more than nine years in the nonprofit space leading strategy; building meaningful partnerships; fundraising; and implementing programming for organizations such as the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), McGaw YMCA, Feed the Children, the American Osteopathic Association, and the American Diabetes Association.

Jonathan serves as Subject Matter Expert on the March of Dimes’ National Advisory Committee and the Co-Chair for the national strategy workgroup focused on Dismantling Racism and Addressing Unequal Treatment under the Mom and Baby Action Network as well as a Public Member of the American Board of Pediatrics Foundation.

Go to Top