Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.

Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Election 2014

Candidate for President-Elect Linda R. Greene RN, MPS, CIC Linda R. Greene, RN, MPS, CIC, is the Infection Prevention Manager for Highland Hospital in Rochester, NY. She currently serves as secretary of the APIC Board of Directors. She is a member of the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) Editorial Review Board and has held leadership positions on APIC committees and task forces at the local, state and national level. Linda was lead author for several APIC elimination guides and position papers. She is currently an APIC representative to the extended faculty for the Healthcare Educational Trust (HRET) stop CAUTI CUSP project, as well as representing APIC on the Ventilator Associated Event surveillance task force. She sits on several advisory panels including the New York State technical advisory panel for public reporting of hospital-acquired infections. Linda received the 2005 Hospital Association of New York State s Pinnacle Award for Quality for her work as team leader in a project which resulted in a 72% decrease in hospital- wide rates of line associated blood stream infections. In 2006 she received a Heroes of Infection Prevention award from APIC for her role in significantly reducing Healthcare-associated Infections. She received the Rochester Business Journal 2012 Healthcare Achievement Award for nursing. Linda has lectured and presented extensively at the local, state and national level. Ms. Greene obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York Regents external degree program and her Masters of Professional Studies in Community Service Administration from Alfred University. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 1991. I believe that leadership is both a responsibility and a privilege. We have the privilege of being able to grow both personally and professionally learning from the collective wisdom of those we serve. At the same time, we have an enormous responsibility to assure alignment with the organization s mission, vision and values in today s dynamic and complex healthcare environment. Central to this theme, is that the foundation for leadership is one of collaboration and teamwork within which members can utilize one another s strengths to counter individual weaknesses. The leader s greatest strengths lies in his/her ability to listen, ask probing questions, and facilitate collaboration. My goals are to continue to increase the value of IPs in their practice setting and among internal and external stakeholders, find methods to identify and serve our membership in the future, advance infection prevention across the continuum of care and assure that APIC is involved as a key stakeholder in legislative and regulatory issues. In order to accomplish these goals we must continue to foster membership involvement at the local, chapter and committee level, work collaboratively with key stakeholders, identify and mentor new leaders and readily adapt to changes in the Healthcare landscape. 2

Candidate for President-Elect Mary Lou Manning, PhD, CRNP, CIC Mary Lou Manning, PhD, CRNP, CIC, developed a passion for preventing healthcare-associated infections as a nurse working in pediatrics where she became acutely aware of HAl s human toll on patients and families, as well as the financial and legal consequences. In 1991 she became Director of Infection Prevention and Occupational Health at The Children s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a position she held for 12 years. That year she joined APIC. Later she assumed the position of CHOP s Executive Director for the Center for Quality and Patient Safety. In 2007 she joined the Thomas Jefferson University School of Nursing as Associate Professor and Director of the new Doctor of Nursing Practice program. As an APIC-Philadelphia Delaware Valley Chapter member she has served as president, education program co-chair, and nominating committee member. She currently serves on the APIC Board of Directors and is the Board Liaison to the Research Committee. Dr. Manning serves on the Editorial Review Board of the American Journal of Infection Control and American Journal of Medical Quality. She is a Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Fellow and in 2008 won an APIC Blue Medal Abstract Award. She is a former Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow and volunteer on Philadelphia s Medical Reserve Corp. She is a frequent presenter at professional meetings, co-author of a book on childhood infections and published in numerous nursing and healthcare journals. Since 1995 Dr. Manning has been an advocate for global infection prevention, conducting education around the world. Dr. Manning received her Bachelor of Science and her Master of Science degrees in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, post-masters nurse practitioner from Widener University and PhD from Temple University in Health Education. In October 2013, she will be inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. Dr. Manning has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 2010. I believe leadership is the discipline and art of guiding, directing, motivating, and inspiring others toward achievement of a common goal. Effective leaders exhibit characteristics of vision, inspiration, strategic orientation, integrity, courage and nurturing. Effective leaders are collaborative and believe in the unseen potential in people resulting in a positive climate for growth and opportunity. To partner effectively leaders must know how to influence people under many different and changing circumstances. A key part of what makes leaders successful is a true-grit or endurance in pursuit of long term goals and an ability to persist in the face of adversity. 3

Candidate for Secretary Linda K. Goss MSN, BS, APRN-BC, CIC, COHN-S Linda K. Goss, MSN, BS, APRN-BC, CIC, COHN-S, is the infection preventionist for Norton Brownsboro Hospital located in Louisville, KY and part of a six hospital system. She is also the nurse practitioner for Norton Infectious Disease Service where she incorporates her prevention expertise into clinical practice. Linda incorporates her certifications and her diverse nursing background with her love of technology and passion for infection prevention into every professional venue and has served in many capacities for APIC both locally and nationally. She was Chair of the Information Technology Advisory Committee, Faculty for EPI 202 and delivered a webinar on Meaningful Use. Linda has served as Chapter President of APIC Kentuckiana and she is in her second year of a two year term as a member of the APIC Board of Directors. Ms. Goss has several publications to her name on topics ranging from pneumonia, operating room turnover, oral care in ventilated patients and she joined colleagues in writing the APIC Guide to the Elimination of Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumanni Transmission in Healthcare Settings. Linda has consistently worked to elevate the status of the infection preventionist and highlight the many areas in which their knowledge and skills can be used to prevent infection, provide safe patient care and educate families and the community. Ms. Goss has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Science in computer Information Systems from Spalding University. She also holds a Master of Science in Nursing from Northern Kentucky University. She holds certifications in Occupational Health Nursing, Informatics Nursing and as an Adult Nurse Practitioner. Linda has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 2004. My philosophy is founded on the very basic principles surrounding inter-professional collaboration and teamwork with recognition of individual and group strengths and methodologies for using those strengths to counter balance areas of weakness. There is simplicity in returning to the basics of leadership and recognizing that there is a place in every role to be a leader. Encouragement and mentorship are the keys to developing leadership qualities and fostering the abilities of those already leaders. An effective leader is someone who listens, learns, challenges and inspires with a sharp and open mind and a compassionate heart. It is my honor and my responsibility to effectively guide the infection prevention practices while elevating the profession of infection prevention by continuously highlighting, recognizing, and reinforcing the collective and individual accomplishments of those actively involved as part of a strategic plan. My strategy and goals for assisting APIC in its mission and vision begin with incorporating infection prevention into all levels of curricula. Leading the efforts in public policy development will also promote goal achievement. Demonstrating the value of standardized data analysis points to the analytical abilities of our membership and encourages validity in our work while leading the communication efforts of critical information to the healthcare community and the public will put APIC at the top of the list of the go to resources. These are a few strategies that can help meet the goals of personal accountability in infection prevention, zero healthcare acquired infections, alignment in the executive arena of healthcare management and public awareness of patient safety. 4

Candidate for Secretary Connie Steed RN, MSN, CIC Connie Steed, RN, MSN, CIC, is currently the Director of Infection Prevention at the Greenville Health System, Greenville, South Carolina. For 34 years, Connie has been an infection preventionist in varying size hospitals and healthcare organizations affording her a range of professional learning and experience related to patient safety. Connie has held a number of APIC chapter offices and positions, including chapter president of two different chapters, chapter board member, recording secretary, Program Committee Chairman, Education Committee Chairman, Nominating Committee, Awards Committee Chairman, Bylaws Committee Chairman and Legislative Affairs Committee Chairman. She has also served on APIC s Membership and Governmental Affairs Committee(s). Connie was elected to serve on the APIC Board of Directors and is currently serving her second term in this position. She has also served on the South Carolina DHEC Hospital Infections Disclosure Act (HIDA) Advisory Committee as the state has experienced the enactment and implementation of public reporting laws. Connie is currently serving on the CDC NHSN Work Steering Group and is the APIC Liaison to CBIC. She has been the recipient of many awards for her leadership and clinical achievements. She has authored several texts and abstracts and has been invited faculty at state, national and international conferences. She also consults with health care organizations in the areas of occupational health and infection prevention and control. Connie holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Nursing from Clemson University. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 1985. Connie believes in leading through collaboration and team building. Her passion for infection prevention is founded on making a difference through the application of evidence-based, standardized care. Healthcare organizations must make infection elimination a priority across the continuum of care. We need to collaborate with administrators, physicians, managers and frontline care providers to facilitate practice change that leads to infection elimination. APIC s mission and strategic imperatives will help prepare and support infection preventionists as they meet this challenge. Strategies to move forward include interdisciplinary collaboration and continued relationship building with regulatory and guideline agencies, as well as other professional organizations and consumer groups. Efforts to better prepare our membership through operationalizing the infection preventionist competency model are vital. We also need to continue efforts to expand the APIC membership to encompass diverse professional specialties such as behavioralists, economists, political scientists and researchers to facilitate new ideas and bring varying perspectives that will benefit us as we strive to meet the challenge of APIC Strategic Plan 2020. There is also a need to support advanced practice infection preventionists so they can adequately nurture and mentor the next generation of practitioners from which our APIC leaders will come. To address this need, Connie will fully support cost effective professional development initiatives and education programs. 5

Candidate for Board of Directors - 3-year Term Gail Fraine RN, MMHC, BSN, CIC Gail Fraine, RN, MMHC, BSN, CIC is currently Director of Infection Prevention at St. Thomas Health - Midtown Hospital, formerly Baptist Hospital/Saint Thomas Health in Nashville, TN. For over 25 years, Gail has been an infection preventionist at the largest medical center in Nashville which provides healthcare to patients in a variety of service lines and specialties affording her with a vast amount of knowledge, experience and versatility. Gail works closely with quality and safety to enhance patient and associate safety. As an APIC Middle Tennessee Chapter member, Gail has served in various capacities since 1990 as President, President Elect, Legislative Representative, and Board Member and on the Nominating, Education and Conference Planning Committees. Gail served on the APIC Annual Conference Committee (ACC) from 2003-2009 where she assumed leadership roles as Chair and Co-Chair. Gail also served on the Abstract Review Committee, Proposals for Presentation Team for the ACC and on the Practice Guidance Council from 2008-2012. Gail is the Co- Chair for the Ascension Health Healthcare Associated Infections Steering Committee and Partnership Leaders for Healthcare Associated Infections. She has been a speaker at Ascension Health Conferences. Gail has the responsibility of administrative oversight for Environmental Services. Ms. Fraine received her Associate Degree in Nursing from Arkansas State University, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Belmont University and a Master of Management for Health Care from Vanderbilt University. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 1991. I believe that now is the time to eliminate healthcare associated infections. Today more than ever, we have the opportunity and interest to move forward using current knowledge with evidencebased practices, future opportunities with research for new modalities and the interest and well-being of many to provide safe quality care. The lives that are lost and billions of dollars spent as a result of healthcare associated infections present a particular challenge and are now a high priority which has gained the attention of patients, families, payers and regulatory agencies. Healthcare and our patients should no longer accept infections. These goals for patient safety can be reached by first having a strong commitment with stakeholders, providing resources for those conducting the work, using scientific basis for prevention and collaborating with the healthcare team and other related entities. The leadership requirements an infection preventionist has to exhibit on a daily basis has increased as a response to the greater emphasis, both internal and external, of attaining these goals. APIC should remain at the forefront of eliminating infections by driving this initiative with a clear vision for its members as we strive to provide care that is free of harm, free of infection. As an infection preventionist and a leader, we have a responsibility to those who we care for. The goals for my patients, facility and community are perfectly aligned with those of APIC in having an environment that eliminated infections and supported by a strong collaborative of research and best practices. 6

Candidate for Board of Directors - 3-year Term Brenda Grant RN, BSN, MPH, CIC, CHES Brenda Grant, RN, BSN, MPH, CIC, CHES is currently Manager of Infection Prevention and Control at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut. Brenda is an infection preventionist, with more than 19 years of experience in acute and ambulatory care settings, with a broad knowledge base. She is a member of the APIC New England Chapter, and has been active in the Connecticut Infection Preventionist group, having been past chair of this committee. Brenda has also been active nationally having been elected to serve as Co-chair of the APIC Nominating & Awards committee from 2006-2008, and currently is an appointed member of the Connecticut State Legislative HAI committee. She is also a member of the APIC Minority Health and Safety Section, and is an advocate for promoting the growth of APIC through diversity of membership and relationships. She enjoys mentoring new infection preventionists, and wants to see the profession thrive. Ms. Grant received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Bridgeport and her Master of Science degree in Public Health from Southern Connecticut State University. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 1994. I believe that through collaborations with other interested parties we can achieve more than we can individually. It has become apparent that often as we work on infection prevention initiatives, there is overlapping with patient safety and quality of care projects. My philosophy is that through joint efforts with others, we can increase opportunities for successful outcomes for all of our initiatives. As Manager of Infection Prevention in a busy acute care setting, collaborations with other departments have been very valuable partnerships for us, which have led not only to successful outcomes, but also to rewarding working relationships. Promoting partnerships between APIC and various diverse populations here in the USA as well as internationally is a key goal of mine for the future of APIC. As racial and ethnic populations shift, diversity becomes an asset. Recruitment of qualified persons of diverse backgrounds into the field of infection prevention can promote open and diverse perspectives, presenting new and different approaches to infectious issues. New insight may also provide a clearer understanding of the changing patient populations, and how best to relate to them for increased compliance with our interventions. Important strategies are 1) to work with APIC to help facilitate additional collaborations such as with Universities, health departments, minority organizations and clinics and industry nurses, 2) to support Infection Preventionists in new ways such as creating training programs for role extenders, 3) to encourage diversity within our organization, so our profession will continue to grow and remain relevant for the future. 7

Candidate for Board of Directors - 3-year Term Janet Haas RN, PhD, CIC Janet Haas, RN, PhD, CIC, is currently the Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Westchester Medical Center, a 650 bed tertiary/quarternary care facility north of New York City, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at New York Medical College. Dr. Haas is an associate editor of the American Journal of Infection Control, and co-editor of the Methodology Minute section. She is the chair of the APIC Professional Development Council and is a member of the New York State Department of Health Healthcare Associated Infections Technical Advisory Work Group; she previously served on the APIC Scientific Research Council. Dr. Haas has authored the Hand Hygiene chapter of the APIC text, as well as several peer-reviewed publications in the field of Infection Prevention and Control. She has presented at the local, regional and national level. Her research interests include Hand Hygiene, Environmental Disinfection and Computer-aided Surveillance. Dr. Haas earned her Bachelor s degree in Nursing from the Sage Colleges of Albany, NY, her Masters in Epidemiology from the University at Albany and her PhD from Columbia University. She has been certified in infection prevention and control since 1999. Empower others, recognize and support strengths and develop areas of weakness. These are the key elements of my leadership philosophy. All of these elements have helped me achieve success working with infection preventionists (IPs) across the continuum of novice to experienced practitioners. Education and mentoring at all levels is fundamental to advancing IP competency and patient safety. APIC can broaden the professional experience of IPs by offering education based on the IP competency model; Supporting strength in Epidemiology and disease recognition and control can be accomplished with programming on emerging diseases, and advanced epidemiology concepts for experienced IPs. Development in the other domains that are newer to our members such as performance management & implementation science, technical competencies and leadership skills can be targeted for basic educational offerings, moving to more advanced concepts in the future. In addition to supporting and developing, APIC can continue to empower members by providing outreach in online, via webinar, APIC text and live offerings - and by supporting the networking, mentoring, and education among members in the individual chapters. By recognizing the needs of the membership and using the competency model as a guide, APIC can support and expand the skill base of our members to meet the strategic goals for 2020. Engaging more members in ways that help them set and meet their personal professional goals will also help APIC meet the strategic goals of the organization. 8

Candidate for Board of Directors - 3-year Term Linda McKinley RN, BSN, MPH, CIC Linda McKinley, RN, BSN, MPH, CIC, is currently the lead infection preventionist at the Madison VA Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Linda has practiced nursing for 28 years including service in the Army Nurse Corps. She has practiced infection control for 20 years within VA hospitals in two different states. Linda was elected to serve on the APIC-Delaware Valley Chapter Nominating Committee and APIC- Badger Chapter Board of Directors. As an APIC-Badger Chapter member, Linda has also served as program chair and chair of the international committee. She also served on APIC-Wisconsin Annual Infection Control Conference Committee. Linda McKinley is a past President of the APIC-Badger Chapter. Linda is the recipient of the 2008 APIC Chapter Leadership Award having been nominated by her peers in the APIC-Badger Chapter. Linda has been a speaker at local and state APIC chapter events and presented numerous abstracts at national conferences. She currently is an ad hoc manuscript reviewer for the American Journal of Infection Control. Linda has been the Principal Investigator on two VA funded infection control research studies and has multiple articles in peer-reviewed publications. Linda has a demonstrated record of experience and productive contributions to the field of infection control to enhance patient outcomes. Ms. McKinley holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marquette University and a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of South Carolina. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 1995. I see my personal leadership philosophy as having a core set of values that guide all of the work I am involved in. I also believe leadership to be dynamic, ranging from traditional leader roles, to being a first follower and mentoring future leaders. I see leadership opportunities requiring flexibility to learn from others and adapt to evolving people and situations. I also believe leaders to lead by example, be life-long learners, and have a sense of service to others. My goals for helping APIC achieve a safer world through prevention of infection and healthcare without infection is to be involved in activities that make this happen. The strategies I use to achieve these goals are: (1) participating in local, state, national and international infection control initiatives, (2) participating in ongoing infection control education of myself and others, (3) Mentoring others in infection control, and (4) participating in infection control quality improvement activities and research. Examples of these include serving as past president of the Badger APIC chapter, Chairman for the Badger APIC International Committee in which I received a national APIC chapter leadership award recognition, membership on the annual Wisconsin State Infection Control Conference Planning Committee, membership on the Wisconsin Long-term Care Infection Control Coalition, membership on the national VA Infectious Disease/Infection Control Program Office Strategic Planning Committee, field preceptor for a UW Madison MPH student interested in health-care epidemiology, and recipient of two VA funded infection control research projects. 9

Candidate for Board of Directors - 3-year Term Ossama Rasslan MD, PhD Ossama Rasslan, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Infection Control, Ain Shams Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt. He was the Head of the Department for two terms (2005 2011). Professor Rasslan teaches medical microbiology, immunology and infection control to both undergraduate and postgraduate students in Ain Shams University and other University schools of Medicine and Nursing, in Egypt, since 1985. He is the Founder and Instructor of the Professional Diploma in Infection Prevention and Control, awarded by the Arab institute for Continuing Professional Development (AICPD), and he is the Head of the Egyptian Fellowship Board of Infection Control, for postgraduate medical students. He is the Founder and President of the Egyptian Society for Infection Control ESIC ( Now APIC/Egypt Chapter ), Founder and Head of Infectious Diseases Research and Infection Control Unit (IDRICU) in Ain Shams Faculty of Medicine, and Founder and President of the Egyptian Patient Safety Association (EPSA). He served as Chair of the APIC International Section(2011-2012) as well as the Technical Supervisor in developing and implementing the National Infection Control Program, and Co-author of the National guidelines for infection prevention and control in Egypt. For six years (2002 2007). He was a member of the Nursing Sector Committee in the Supreme Council of Egyptian Universities. He is also the Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Network for Infection Control (EMRNIC) and Vice Chair of the Infection Control Africa Network (ICAN). Professor Rasslan received his Bachelor of Medicine, a Master of Science in Medicine and his PhD in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt. He received his certification in infection prevention and control in 1990 from the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University through its Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Infection Control Department. I consider my serving on APIC Board an excellent chance to further serve APIC, and infection control professionals worldwide. I look forward to extensive cooperation with members of the Board, extending APIC s support and involvement to all those involved, with special focus on developing and transitional countries. Exchange of knowledge and expertise will be first and foremost on my agenda. I pledge to work seriously and thoroughly to fulfill APIC s mission, Spreading Knowledge, Preventing Infection. 10

Candidate for Board of Directors - 3-year Term Joseph Joey Scaletta MPH, RN, CIC Joseph Joey M. Scaletta, MPH, RN, CIC serves as the Director of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment s Healthcare Associated Infections Program. For the past fifteen years, he has worked in the public health arena, first as a Peace Corps Volunteer at the Ministry of Health in Kingston, Jamaica and, just before moving to Kansas, as the Infection Prevention and Control Epidemiologist for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. An APIC member since 2005, Joey has served on the Board of Directors for the APIC-Baltimore Chapter. He is currently a Board Member of the APIC-Wichita Chapter and serves as the Chapter Legislative Representative for both APIC-Greater Kansas City Chapter and APIC-Wichita. He has co-authored two manuscripts accepted by the American Journal of Infection Control and regularly presents at the Kansas Hospital Association s Infection Prevention Workshop and the Central Plains Expo. Mr. Scaletta earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Services from Towson University and his Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Tulane University s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. In order to further understand the clinical aspects of infection prevention and control, Joey returned to school at age 38 to earn an Associate s Degree in Nursing from Brown Mackie College. He is currently working on a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing with an anticipated graduation this fall. He has been certified in infection prevention and control since 2007. My personal leadership philosophy is made up of three, seemingly simplistic tenants each of which I will attempt to describe below. Tenant One: People are inherently good and want to succeed at the task at hand. Surrounding yourself with the right people, doing the right job, with the right support leads to success. Investing in those around you by getting to know them on both a personal and professional level builds teamwork and promotes collaboration. Tenant Two: Know where you ve been so that you know where you are going. A good leader must understand the history of how we got here. But, that being said, being a good historian is not enough. A good leader should, with some degree of certainty, understand the ever-changing environment that we live in and anticipate the effect of changes that are yet to come. Tenant Three: Always do your best and remember the why. At the end of the day it is not about data entered into NHSN so that we get our annual payment update, it about our patients. It s about delivering quality care in a safe environment so that our friends, loved ones and community members can return to doing what makes them smile. I aspire to possess these qualities and lead by example. My strategy for helping APIC to achieve its mission of creating a safer world through prevention of infection is by becoming more involved and to seek out opportunities to help the organization grow as it becomes the one-stop shopping infection prevention resource for the general public, the legislative community, and infection preventionists around the world. My goal for serving as board member would be to effectively represent the public health community and to help APIC recruit and groom the next generation of infection prevention leaders. 11

Candidate for Board of Directors - 2-year Term Rouett Abouzelof RN, MSN, CIC Rouett Abouzelof, RN, MSN, CIC, is currently manager of the infection prevention program at Primary Children s Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has served as the APIC Conference Committee Chair, the Pediatric Section Chair, and the Immediate Past- President of the Utah APIC Chapter. For many years Rouett was a member of the Board of Trustees for RMICA, a regional infection control association that provided education and support to infection preventionists in the intermountain west. Rouett is the Chair of the Utah HAI Work Group and a member of the Utah Healthcare Infections Prevention Committee. She has presented at national, regional, and local conferences on topics related to infection prevention and finds her true passion lies in teaching new infection preventionists to identify and prevent healthcare associated infections. Ms. Abouzelof holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Weber State University in Ogden Utah and a Master of Science in Patient Care Services/Nursing from the University of Utah. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 2002. My leadership philosophy is that all great ideas must be transferrable to those who will act upon the idea in order to make the idea a reality. The diffusion of APIC s vision and goals requires awareness, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. I believe that APIC leaders should be aware of their personal leadership style and align it with the diffusion stage that is best suited to their strengths. My strengths are in having a shared vision with APIC for healthcare without infection and with knowing that I can be a conduit for persuasion, decision and implementation. As APIC moves forward in developing prevention care bundles, I believe it is crucial for these bundles to be transferable to facilities of all size and location. They must have a relative advantage, be compatible with previous knowledge, be simple in design, and founded on scientific evidence. They must be designed so that their promotion and ultimate adoption is achievable. Because I have worked with local, state, and regional infection preventionist, I understand the uniqueness and strengths found within different facilities. I can impact the persuasion and decision stages of adoption by sharing my knowledge and by working closely with the individuals and groups who design, promote and adopt APIC s vision and goals. 12

Candidate for Board of Directors - 2-year Term Kathy Ware RN, BSN, CIC Kathy Ware, RN, BSN, CIC, is currently an Infection Control Coordinator at Texas Children s Hospital in Houston, Texas. Kathy has been in nursing management positions for the first twenty years of her healthcare career in geriatric psychiatry, substance abuse, surgery, acute care, and orthopedics. For the past eighteen years, Kathy has been an infection preventionist in adult and pediatric hospitals ranging from a community setting to a large teaching hospital in the Texas Medical Center with her primary area of responsibility now being the 170 bed Level 2, 3 and 4 NICU. She also worked for 3 years as an employee health nurse for a small community hospital. As a APIC- Houston Chapter member, Kathy has been involved as a board member, twice as President-Elect, President for two terms and Nominating Committee from 1995-2013. Kathy received her Associate s degree from Alvin Community College in 1974 and her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston in 2009 graduating with honors. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 2000. My personal leadership philosophy is much in alignment with John P. Kotter s book, Leading Change. It is my belief that in order to be successful and move an organization forward, effective leaders must be one step ahead of the game. Leadership is not necessarily an inborn gift, as assumed in the tradition role model, but instead it is the willingness and ability to keep developing successful careers and economic success for organizations, as the rate of change and technology will only continue to increase in the future of healthcare. The pressure is on to alter behavior and for leadership to make change happen. A leader who solicits opinions and ideas from others is a lifelong learner and I believe that I am this type of leader that can learn from anyone at any time and elevate our profession to the highest. All teach, all learn is a term that is used by one of our collaborative groups and I believe in it wholeheartedly. Infection prevention has reached a critical junction in the healthcare world where we need to be comfortable with change, realize our potential and adapt to the changes. 13

Candidate for External Director - 2-year Term Deborah G. Friberg MBA, FACHE Deborah Friberg, MBA, FACHE, is a dedicated and seasoned health care executive with 20+ years of progressive operations and corporate support services management experience. Having served in key roles as President, Hospital Division for Columbia St. Mary s in Milwaukee and as Executive Vice president & Chief operating officer at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina, she is highly adaptable and has extensive experience partnering with physicians and other stakeholders to set and achieve shared goals. Ms. Friberg is the recipient of the 2009 APIC Healthcare Executive Award. She has a demonstrated ability to guide transformational change resulting in sustained financial and quality improvements. Passionate about the importance of the patient experience, Ms. Friberg s success is tied to her commitment to providing a convenient, affordable and patientcentered experience to every patient every time. Her strengths include operations and financial management, new business development, joint venture development, regulatory compliance, building physician partnerships, community relations, leadership team development and contract negotiation. Ms. Friberg earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE). I believe that every healthcare encounter should involve the delivery of the best care available wrapped up in a perfect service experience all delivered at an affordable price; an experience to remember. APIC s mission to create a safer world through the prevention of infection achieved by the provision of better care to promote better health at a lower cost is the perfect example of how this can and should be achieved. My role as a healthcare leader has been focused on helping dedicated providers providing the right environment, skills and tools; inviting all of the key stakeholders to the table to find common ground, set shared goals and clear expectations. That is the why and how I have been a champion of infection prevention within my organizations. This philosophy of care and approach has helped me contribute to organizational improvement in the past. My hope is that I can use the knowledge I have gained to contribute to APIC s efforts on behalf of its members and the populations they are working to protect into the future. 14

Candidate for Nominating & Awards Committee - 3-year Term Brenda Helms RN, BSN, MBA/HCM, CIC Brenda Helms, RN, BSN, MBA/HCM, CIC, began her healthcare career as a Paramedic in 1989. She worked in the field and provided education to paramedics until 1997. She worked as an RN in ICU and ED for several years. She began her career in infection prevention in 2006. She has been active on the Board of Directors for APIC D/FW as well as Texas Society of Infection Control and Prevention. For APIC D/FW she has been chair of the AIDS committee, Programs Committee, Board Member, President Elect, President and now Board Chair. She is the chair for the Novice special interest group that provides education and mentoring resources to members of APIC D/FW. She has also served TSICP as Board Member, President Elect, President and Education Coordinator. She has also been a member of the APIC D/FW Governmental Affairs Committee and has represented this committee at the national conference in 2008 and 2009. She has authored articles that have been published in American Journal of Healthcare Quality, American Journal of Infection Control, and Prevention Strategist. She serves as part of the editorial committee for Prevention Strategist. She has been a member of APIC Contacts since 2009. She has also been a reviewer for AJIC. Ms. Helms received both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master of Business Administration/HCM degrees from the Univerity of Phoenix. She has been certifed in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 2010. I believe that a leadership role in APIC is a wonderful opportunity to give back to the organization that helped me so much when I started in Infection Prevention. This is a pivotal time in our history and it is so important to ensure that we have a voice in the legislative arena to represent the IPs across the country. We also need to be an advocate for training for the IPs. I believe that leadership is an opportunity to serve and guide the future of our great organization. I am a collaborative leader and try to avoid autocratic traits. I believe that leaders are voices of the organization not dictators. A group of great minds has the ability to provide insight from many points of view rather than just one. I have had the opportunity to lead the APIC D/FW chapter as chapter president and feel that by using a collaborative approach we were able to accomplish many things during my tenure and are receiving the Chapter Excellence award this year. This type of approach shows the membership that they matter and that their opinions are valuable. I feel that this reinforcement is why the membership is so productive. I may have been the chapter president but it was the members who made it a successful year. 15

Candidate for Nominating & Awards Committee - 3-year Term Linda Huddleston RN, BSN, MSN, CIC Linda Huddleston, RN, BSN, MSN, CIC, is currently the Director of Infection Prevention and Employee Health at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, GA. For five years, she has been influential in decreasing the transmission of infections and has been a champion for patient safety. As a Greater Chattanooga Chapter member, Linda has served as President and board member. Linda has served on the Georgia Organization of Nurse Leaders for five years in various officer positions including Secretary and Chair of the Media and Communications. Linda has 15 years of Public Health experience in leadership roles. Her team achievements are many including decreasing VAP, CLABSI, and CAUTI rates. She serves on 20 different hospital committees and is influential in decisions across the hospital and primary care offices. Linda received her Associate in Science and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Armstrong State College and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from Andrews University. Linda has a CDC Graduate Certificate in Public Health from Emory University. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 2012. My personal leadership philosophy is to lead by being a role model, a mentor, and a cheerleader. While President of the Greater Chattanooga Chapter, I encouraged the Board to apply for a grant. With that grant we were able to help APIC achieve its mission and vision by enhancing the safety of our community by educating physicians, dentists, and their staff on infection prevention as it applies to the outpatient setting. The evaluations were encouraging because the audience particularly was appreciative of how to clean the environment and their instruments. My personal strategy and goals are to do all that I can to influence to create a safer environment at my hospital. I was instrumental in developing a training course at our hospital concerning not only Infection Prevention safety but any safety issue that could harm a patient. At this time, we have had approximately 1000 of our employees attend this class. Staff are empowered to speak up to any one that is doing something or not doing something that might harm a patient. I continue on various teams (leading some) to continue towards Targeting Zero. We have had one critical care unit that has not had a CAUTI, VAP, or CLABSI for the past five years. As of this submission (Spring 2013), our hospital has not had a VAP in 452 days. Our last CLABSI was 74 days ago. Each time we have a device related infection, I led a root cause analysis team to determine how this occurred. 16

Candidate for Nominating & Awards Committee - 3-year Term Rochelle Shelly Morris RN, BSN, MBA, CIC Rochelle Shelly Morris, RN, BSN, MBA, CIC, is currently an Infection Preventionist at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento, California. Ms. Morris experience as an infection preventionist includes working in a small community hospital with a home health program; a community hospital that was part of large, integrated hospital system that included many ambulatory and outpatient settings; and a 566 bed tertiary medical center with oversight of a skilled nursing and behavioral health facilities. As a Sierra APIC chapter member, Ms. Morris served as secretary, legislative liaison, and president. From 2006 to 2009, she also served as president elect and president the California APIC Coordinating Council (CACC). She was also a member of the CACC Public Policy Committee where she testified frequently before several legislative committees representing CACC and national APIC on several healthcare acquired infections prevention bills. Ms. Morris was a member of the California Department of Health Services HAI Advisory Working Group which produced the Recommendations for Reducing Morbidity and Mortality Related to Healthcare-Associated Infections in California, a white paper on reduction of HAl in California. She also served on the SB 739 Advisory Committee and the Healthcare Associated Infections Advisory Committee. She has also been the chairperson of the Infection Preventionists Council for her hospital system. Ms. Morris received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from South Dakota State University and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. She has been certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) since 1999. For me, leadership has always been a responsibility awarded by others. One cannot be a leader without others who are willing to follow. It is not to be taken lightly. If I have ever been effective as a leader, it is because of something that I have done or said that inspires others put their trust in me. As a leader, I believe in the utmost importance to be totally engaged in your mission. As a leader in infection control, this means striving every day to achieve zero infections. I commend APIC with helping to promote this vision and other key stakeholders for embracing it. With respect to leading others, what does this mean? With respect to patients, it means helping to create environments that are free of healthcare acquired infections and that save our valuable, limited financial and healthcare resources for true healing. For my coworkers and staff that I serve, it means giving them the best tools possible to achieve this vision. For it is only by teamwork is that vision achieved. The skills, I bring to the mission are that of being well informed, innovative and promoting open communication about preventing infections; listening to staff needs and exploring the processes and technological tools that enable them to perform their jobs efficiently and effectively. It means being able to share the vision and inspire them to see the importance and possibility inherent in their actions. I would be honored to be given the opportunity to be a leader with APIC. 17