Class notes

Kris Klimisch, BSN ’92, received an Educator of the Year award from the Carthage College Department of Nursing.

Ray Constantine, MS ’99, BSN ’95, celebrated 20 years with Health East/M Health Fairview.

Kuei-Min Chen, PhD ’00, MS ’96, presented the lecture Using Complementary Alternative Therapies to Promote the Health of Older Adults. The lecture was sponsored by the School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Science and Care Innovations.

Maggie Mathison, BSN ’03, published a chapter titled Engaging with Nature for Health Promotion in the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments nursing e-textbook, Environmental Health in Nursing.

Maria Raines, MS ’04, was a recipient of a 2022 TRUST Award. The award celebrates Minnesota women who are transforming the future of the healthcare industry.

Becky Ahlstrom, MS ’07, celebrated five years of her geriatric primary care practice, Integrative Geriatrics.

Terryann Clark, PhD ’08, was appointed to the Cure Kids Chair in Youth and Adolescent Mental Health by Cure Kids and the University of Auckland.

Dan Lovinaria, DNP ’08, was named a 2022 Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Healthcare Hero.

Mary Dierich, DNP ’10, MS ’93, BSN ’80, was inducted into the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). In 2020, Dierich was named the AANP Awardee for Clinical Excellence in Minnesota. Dierich and Dianne Willer-Sly, DNP ’08, were awarded a grant from the AANP History Committee to document the history of nurse practitioners in Minnesota. Dierich also helped develop a group presentation on advocacy for the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association national conference.

Melissa Gleaves, MS ’10, began a new role as an adjunct clinical instructor with the School of Nursing in addition to her current role at M Health Fairview. 

Andrea Leszko, BSN ’11, started a new role as Chief Nurse, Education and Designated Learning Officer at the United States Department of Veteran Affairs.

Samantha Huguelet, DNP ’12, MS ’02, hosts the Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Minnesota Baby Brain podcast.

Maridee Shogren, DNP ’12, was named interim dean of the University of North Dakota College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines. 

Rachel Rivard Bach, MN ’13, started a new role as Senior Clinical Specialist at Emerging Therapy Solutions.

Debbie Gregory, DNP ’16, was promoted to principal with a focus on healthcare innovation consulting at Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.

Oriana Beaudet, DNP ’17, conducted an interactive training at the 2022 Texas Nurses Association Annual Meeting. Beaudet was also a keynote speaker at The Clemson University International Nursing Conference for Excellence in Healthcare.

Grace Brooks, BSN ’18, was featured by Twin Cities news outlets for her dedication in the Pediatric ICU at Children’s Minnesota. Brooks organized a donation drive for her unit’s break room to help colleagues find rest and encouragement amid the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing shortages.

Aracely Duerkop, BSN ’18, has worked as a military Navy nurse for four years. Duerkop also recently graduated with a FNP/MSN from Duke University.

Kent Boyd, MN ’18, is a Planetary Health Alliance Meeting intern with the Planetary Health Alliance.

Sarah Held, DNP ’19, started a new role as chief nursing and quality officer at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

Meagan Thompson, DNP ’19, MN ’15, started a perinatal addiction program at the University of Iowa.

Travis Moore, DNP ’19, and Erin Doherty, DNP ’20, launched the Common Roots Podcast through their coaching and consulting practice of the same name. The podcast explores nursing leadership.

Blaire Bemel, BSN ’20, published her undergraduate honors thesis A Predictive Model for Developing Long-Term Opioid Use After Neurosurgery and Orthopedic Surgery in the AANA Journal.

Tristan Fin, DNP ’20, began a new role as executive director of clinical systems at The University of New Mexico Hospitals.

Andrew Jensen, BSN ’21, was selected to be part of the 2022 Planetary Health Annual Meeting planning committee.

Tucker Annis, DNP ’21, BSN ’15, began a new role as clinical informaticist lead at UCare.

Marsha Cole, DNP ’21, began a new role as clinical informatics specialist at TeleSpecialists.

Rebecca Brown, PhD ’21, MN ’13, started a new role as nurse scientist at the Minneapolis VA.

Nellie Swanson, DNP ’21, joined the pediatric team at the Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic. Swanson also published Encourage, Assess, Transition (EAT): A Quality Improvement Project Implementing a Direct Breastfeeding Protocol for Preterm Hospitalized Infants in Advances in Neonatal Care.

Amanda Totenberg, DNP ’21, was elected Legislative Chair for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Minnesota.

Gertrude Thomas, DNP ’22, presented a poster presentation this fall at the DNPs of Color Conference.

Ryne Wilson, DNP ’22, was selected to join the Oncology Nursing Society Leadership Development Committee’s 2022 Young Leaders pilot program.

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