This session is presented by moderator Dr. Kristin Gianelis and a panel of FNU faculty and alumni.
Join us for an impactful panel presentation hosted in collaboration with FNU’s IHI Open School Chapter. Hear stories of FNU’s mission in action through visual storytelling as nurse practitioner alumni and faculty share their community projects and initiatives for serving diverse, rural and underserved populations. We hope you will be inspired by these real-life examples of quality improvement and community impact and leave with ideas to take back to your own community.
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Moderator
Kristin Gianelis, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, WHNP-BC
Dr. Kristin Gianelis is a dual board-certified Adult and Women’s Health Nurse practitioner with over 18 years of nursing experience. She received her DNP from Frontier Nursing University in 2020 and joined the DNP Clinical Faculty shortly thereafter. Previously, she had been faculty with Brown University Medical School, however she finds greater joy in teaching now within a nursing framework and mentoring advanced practice nurses to make healthcare change in their communities. She currently practices part-time at an urban FQHC in Providence, RI and is passionate about providing gynecologic care to a gender diverse population. She is a lifelong learner and is passionate about health equity and quality improvement. Kristin lives by the water in Barrington, RI and enjoys boating, reading, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Presenters
Rachel Sherman, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Dr. Rachel Sherman is an activist, educator, entrepreneur, and local nurse practitioner with a passion for addressing issues of discrimination, equity and social justice. She is the co-founder of We The People of Prince George’s County and is a member of the National Association Against Police Brutality, The NAACP- Prince George’s County Branch, Black Nurses Rock Inc., and The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.
In 2014, Dr. Sherman graduated cum laude from Trinity Washington University with her Bachelor of Science in nursing. She began her nursing career at MedStar Georgetown University hospital, where she developed a passion for hospice and palliative care. In 2018, Dr. Sherman graduated summa cum laude with her Master of Science in nursing from Chamberlain University and is now practicing as a family nurse practitioner in Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia. She is certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. In late 2018, she opened her own practice with a mission to provide community-based primary care in underserved areas.
In addition to activism and grassroots organization, Dr. Sherman has used her voice and platform to identify and stand up against oppressive, discriminative and substandard businesses in Prince George’s County. She recently obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Frontier Nursing University with a focus on addressing health disparities and access to quality health care among minorities in Prince George’s and Charles Counties.
Katia Hall, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Dr. Katia (Kah-tee-uh) Hall began her journey at Virginia Wesleyan University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology in 2008. From there she attended Sentara College of Health Sciences, located in Chesapeake, VA, and earned a Diploma in Nursing in 2010. She worked as a Registered Nurse for three years in Mother-Baby/Nursery Services before going back to school to become a Nurse Practitioner. She attended Old Dominion University, located in Norfolk, VA, and earned a Master of Science in Nursing in 2013. Dr. Hall is Board Certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Virginia Board of Nursing. She worked for five years as a Family Nurse Practitioner in various specialties to include: Pain Management, Pediatrics, Family Practice, and Psychiatry. The latter prompted her to return to school for a Post-Masters Certificate. She graduated in 2018 from The George Washington University in Washington D.C. and became board certified as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, again by the ANCC. She currently owns and practices at Alpha Psychiatric Services in Chesapeake, Virginia. Dr. Hall graduated from Frontier Nursing University in December 2019 with her DNP and has been teaching in the PMHNP Program since September 2020. She is married with two boys and enjoys spending time with family, watching sports, exercising, and shopping.
Diane John, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE
Dr. Diane Y. John is an Associate Professor with Frontier Nursing University and is currently working with Academic Affairs as the curriculum and course design coach. Dr. John earned her degree, Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, from Barry University, in Miami, FL. Her dissertation was philosophically grounded in phenomenology and focused on nursing education. She has been employed with FNU since 2012 and has dedicated 20 years of her professional career to teaching in an academic setting. Her scholarly accomplishments have focused on a variety of topics, which include: Nursing education, technology, women’s health, leadership, health policy, and primacy care issues. Throughout her career, she has served on dissertation committees, organization boards, and academic committees.
Kevin Scalf, DNP, APRN: PMHNP-BC
Dr. Kevin Scalf resides in rural southeastern Kentucky and has always had a desire to improve the health and wellbeing of his community. His passion for healthcare began at an early age, and he has had the privilege of being a nurse for the last 20+ years. Working in a variety of healthcare venues, Dr. Scalf has had the opportunity to appreciate the complexity and importance of high quality health care. He has worked as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner for the past 7 years and serves as a course coordinator and regional clinical faculty at FNU. He truly loves being a part of helping patients and families reach a higher quality of health.