Committees

Committees & Taskforces 

APHON is a volunteer-driven organization led by many wonderful and talented members that lend their expertise to the association.

APHON is looking for energetic volunteers from early to late career! If you’re interested in volunteering, please fill out our Willingness to Serve form!

Advocacy

Serves as a vehicle for establishing and carrying out policy priorities identified in the APHON Health Policy Agenda.

Chair: Emily Padgett, BSN RN CPN CPHON®
Past Chair: Katherine Donahue, CPHON®, CPNP, RN
Committee Members:

  • Susie Burke, RN MA CPNP CPHON®
  • Jordan Nixon, DNP APRN CPNP
  • Erin Friedman, BSN RN CPHON®
  • Laura Koke,  BSN RN CPN CPHON®
  • Joan O’Hanlon Curry, DNP MS RN CPNP-PC NEA-BC CPON® FAAN
  • Jami Gattuso, MSN, RN, CPON, FAPHON
  • Kari Wheeler, BSN RN BMTCN® CPHON® CPN
  • Stacy Whiteside, APRN MS CPNP-AC/PC CPON®
  • Karen Wohlgezogen, BSN CPHON®
    Board Liaison: Amy Newman, PhD CPNP-BC CPHON®

Annual Conference Program Planning

Plans and implements the annual conference each year.

Chair: Kathy Perko, MS CHPPN CPNP CPON®
Immediate Past Chair: Tonya Ureda, NP 
Paper and Poster Co-Chair: Kitty Montgomery, PhD RN CNS CPHON®
Committee Members:

  • Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN CPON®
  • Mindy Bibart, RN
  • Deborah S. Echtenkamp, MSN RN CPON® FAPHON
  • Marika Highberger, MSN, APRN, BMTCN®, CPNP-PC,
  • Alexandra Giralt Hughes, DNP, APRN, ACCNS-P, CPHON®
  • LeighAnna Hutchinson, DNP APRN FNP-C
  • Allyson Jones, RN CPN CPHON®
  • Denise Mills, MN NP CPHON®
  • Kitty Montgomery, PhD RN CNS CPHON®
  • Stacy Whiteside, APRN CPON®
    Board Liaison: Amy Haskamp MSN, RN, PCNS-BC, CPON, CHPPN

Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Provider Program

Ensures compliance with educational design criteria for APHON educational programs and policies and procedures for the Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Provider Program.

Chair: Anne Marie Sterk, MSN RN CPON®
Immediate Past Chair: Ruth Anne Herring, MSN RN CPNP CPHON® 
Committee Members:

  • Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN CPON®
  • Terri L. Boyce, DNP APRN CPNP-AC CPHON®  
  • Karen Kestenbaum, DNP, APN, CPHON®
  • Shannon Koty, MSN-NL, CPN, CPHON®
  • Christina Knox Conley, MSN CPNP
  • Maritza Salazar-Abshire, MED MSN RN CPON®
  • Michelle Tolley, BSN, RN, CPHON
    Board Liaison: Mary Newman, MSN RN CPON®

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force

The DEI Task Force supports the vision of APHON being a diverse and inclusive professional community that values and serves the distinct experiences and needs of members and their patients and families.

Chair: Janice Nuuhiwa, MMSN APN/CNS NPD-BC CPHON®
Committee Members:

  • Sara Davis, RN 
  • Chris Donaghey, MSN CNS RN CPHON®
  • Ijeoma Julie Eche, PhD BMTCN® CPON® FNP-C
  • Erin Friedman, BSN RN CPHON®
  • Peggy L. Townsend, MS BSN CPON®
  • Elizabeth Yarbrough, BSN CPN CPHON®
    Board Liaison: Dyane Bunnell, MSN RN AOCNS CPON® 

Education Provider Unit

Ensures compliance with ANCC-COA Educational Design Criteria for APHON educational programs, awards continuing education credit to eligible participants completing APHON educational programs, provides expertise, advice, and consultation on ANCC-COA criteria to APHON committees and task forces developing educational programs with continuing education credit.

Chair: Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN CPON®
Committee Members:

  • Beth Fisher, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC, CPON, CHPPN
  • Anne Marie Sterk, MSN RN CPON®
  • Kathy Perko, MS CHPPN CPNP CPON®
    Board Liaison: Amy Haskamp MSN, RN, PCNS-BC, CPON, CHPPN

Evidence-Based Practice/Research

Supports the development of Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines and supports research activities within the membership optimizing outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders.

Chair: Micah Skeens, PhD PNP RN
Past Chair: M Danielle Gunter, PhD RN
Committee Members:

  • Lisa Bashore, PhD RN CPNP CPON®
  • Mindy Bibart, DNP RN NEA-BC CPPS CBBSS CPHON®
  • Chris Donaghey, MSN RN CNS CPHON®
  • Marika Highberger, MSN RN CPNP
  • Casey Hooke, PhD APRN PCNS-BC APRN FAAN FAPHON
  • Gwendolyn Kimball, DNP CPON®
  • Amanda Lulloff, PhD RN PCNS CPHON®
    Board Liaison: Ijeoma Eche PhD BMTCN® CPON® FNP-C

Oversees organizational international outreach and global presence.

Global Outreach

Chair: Linda Abramovitz, MSN RN BMTCN®
Immediate Past Chair: Janie Avila, BSN RN CPON®
Committee Members:

  • Heidi Abendroth, MSN CPNP CPHON®
  • Mariana Durañona
  • Jessica Graef, MSN MA CPHON®
  • Rachael Kunkel, RN CPHON®
  • Colleen M. Nixon, MSN RN CPHON®
  • Richard John Ramos, PNP MS RN CNS CPON®
  • Maritza Salazar-Abshire, MED MSN RN CPON®
  • Paola Viveros Lamas, RN
    Board Liaison: Sharon Bergeron, BSN RN CPON®

Global Outreach — Sub-committee Members
Participants in a subcommittee only.

  • Shirley Behm, MSN RN FNP CPHON®
  • Holly Caldwell, RN
  • Julia M. Challinor, PhD RN
  • Joan O’Hanlon Curry, DNP MS RN CPNP-PC NEA-BC CPON® FAAN
  • Lauri Linder, PhD APRN CPON® FAAN FAPHON
  • Lizza Lopez, RN
  • Kasey Rangan, MSN CPNP CPHON®
  • Lorena Segovia Weber, RN

Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing (JOPHON)

Oversees the overall content and quality of the Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses and the overall coordination of manuscripts and content.

Editor: Kristin A. Stegenga, PhD RN CPON®
Assistant Editors: Suzanne Ameringer, PhD RN & Casey Hooke, PhD CNS APRN CPON®

Editorial Board Members:

  • Laura Clarke-Steffen, PhD RN
  • Deborah B. Crom, PhD RN CPNP
  • Elizabeth A. Duffy, DNP RN CPNP
  • Faith Gibson, PhD RGN ONC®
  • Joan E. Haase, PhD RN
  • Pamela S. Hinds, PhD RN FAAN
  • Kimberly Pike-Grimm, PhD RN CNS
  • Lauri Linder, PhD APRN CPON®
  • Catherine Fiona MacPherson, PhD RN CPON®
  • Belinda N. Mandrell, PhD RN PNP
  • Ida M. (KI) Moore, DNS RN FAAN
  • Audrey E. Nelson, PhD RN
  • Amy Newman, PhD CPNP-BC CPHON®
  • Deborah Tomlinson, MS RSCN RGN Dip Cancer Nursing
  • Janice Withycombe, PhD RN MN, CCRP
  • Roberta L. Woodgate, PhD RN
    Board Liaisons: Amy Newman, PhD CPNP-BC CPHON® & Ijeoma Eche PhD BMTCN® CPON® FNP-C

ACE Center Committee

Oversees the development of content and management and ongoing maintenance of the APHON Continuing Education (ACE) Center. 

Chair: Beth Fisher, DNP CPNP APRN CPON®
Immediate Past Chair: Rebecca W Manes, MSN RN
Committee Members:

  • Kathleen Ackerman, CNS RN
  • Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN CPON® 
  • Karen Kestenbaum, RN
  • Emily Padgett, BSN CPN CPHON®
  • Rosa Rivera, RN
  • Elizabeth R. Sniderman, MSN NP CPNP-AC CPHON®
    Board Liaison: Amy Newman, PhD CPNP-BC CPHON®

Leadership Development Committee

Oversees the selection of eligible candidates for the annual election of the board of directors and develops a leadership pipeline for future APHON leaders.

Chair: Scarlett Czarnecki, BSN RN CPHON®
Committee Members:

  • Kelly Laschinger, MSN CPNP
  • Kathleen Montgomery PhD RN CNS CPHON®
  • Colleen M. Nixon, MSN RN CPHON®
  • Christina Baggott, PhD, RN, CPON, PPCNP-BC
  • Deborah LaFond, DNP, CHPPN, CPON, PPCNP-BC, FAAN, FAPHON
  • Micah Skeens, PhD, PNP, RN
  • Laurel Reiss, MSN, CPNP-PC, CPHONRN, CNP
    Board Liaison: Janice Nuuhiwa, NBD-BC, MSN, RN, CPHON®

Local Chapter Committee

Enhances communication between chapters and the APHON Board of Directors and coordinates overall chapter activities.

Chair: Erin Friedman, BSN RN CPHON®
Vice Chair: Kari Wheeler, RN BMTCN® CPHON®
Committee Members:

  • Cecelia A. Gladbach, BSN CPON® BMTCN®
  • Holly Remington Kubaney, MSN PNP-BC CPHON® 
  • Abigail Slaven, RN CPHON®
  • Stacy Wolf, RN CPNP-AC CPON®
  • Tonya Ureda, MS, RN, FNP-NC, NE-BC
    Board Liaison: Kaye Schmidt, MA RN CPHON®

Professional Development

The APHON Professional Development Committee provides ongoing professional development resources, tools, and learning opportunities for APHON members to advance their careers in the field of pediatric hematology/oncology nursing.

Chair: Meredith Foxx, MSN RN PCNS-BC CPON®
Vice Chair: Breanne Roche DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CPHON
Committee Members:

  • Terri L. Boyce, DNP APRN CPNP-AC CPHON®  
  • Teresa M. Conte, PhD MSN CRNP
  • Debbie Lafond, DNP CHPPN PPCNP-PC CPON®
  • Allison McNeil, BSN CPHON®
  • Kathy Perko, MS CHPPN CPNP CPON®
  • Kathleen Ruccione, PHD MPH RN CPON® FAPHON FAAN
  • Melody A Watral, MSN RN CPNP CPNP-PC
    Board Liaison: Mary Newman, MSN RN CPON

Steering Council

Facilitates the APHON strategic plan in the areas of education, clinical practice, and research. The Steering Council serves as a vehicle for soliciting and presenting initial ideas for projects from APHON members.

Chair: Mylynda Livingston, BSN RN CPON®
Committee Members:

  • Cecelia A. Gladbach, BSN CPON® BMTCN®
  • Maureen Lynch Baker, APRN MSN CPON®
  • Robin Pitts, FNP-C RN
  • Rosa Rivera, RN
  • Suzanne Smolik, MSN RN CPNP CPON®
  • Tonya Ureda, MS, RN, FNP-NC, NE-BC
  • Kari Wheeler, BSN RN BMTCN® CPHON®
    Board Liaison: Sharon Bergeron, BSN RN CPON®