“Who you are is how you lead”
The West Virginia Organization for Nursing Leadership invites you to this year’s Fall Conference.
Insight + Action + Change
Learn how to differentiate between change and transition, self-renewal and self-care, and adopt new ways of engagement
Gain knowledge of Finances for all levels of leadership
Hear from panelists on participation on boards at local, state, and national levels
Peruse the posters and engage with colleagues regarding projects improving patient care
Debra provides coaching, consulting and training services that promote leadership development, enhance organizational and team effectiveness, invite diverse perspectives, and encourage people to effectively engage in and move through conflict. She is a former critical care nurse, director, and patient safety manager working with large academic medical centers to facilitate clinical unit turnarounds and improve clinical outcomes. As a subject matter expert, Debra is highly recommended for coaching and training to support leadership and team development, conflict engagement, coaching skills, resilience and well-being. Debra has worked with over 300 organizations internationally. Debra is a senior faculty member in the AONL Fellowship programs and consultant to AONL providing resilience coaching for nurse leaders to assist them in development of healthy coping skills and overall well-being throughout the pandemic. Her focus is the creation of Communities of Healing to address the holistic needs of health professionals as they face the challenges of leading in the midst of uncertainty and deep change.
Debra is a senior faculty member of the Hudson Institute of Coaching. She is an affiliate member of the Institute of Coaching professional association at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate. She is a certified master coach and holds her PCC certification from the International Coach Federation.
Debra is a licensed attorney and registered nurse in California.
Debra finds joy in living by the sea and wandering unknown pathways. She has a natural curiosity, a keen sense of intuition and a love of learning. Debra is based in Santa Barbara, CA.
As Director, Partner Relationships and Chief Partnership Executive at the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), Todd is responsible for developing and overseeing HFMA's partnership strategy with academic institutions, associations, and industry partners. Todd develops collaborative relationships across all sectors of the industry, for both HFMA members and non-members. Todd brings to this role more than a decade of experience at HFMA, which included creating, leading, and executing the organization's overall educational strategy; creating content in the areas of leadership, senior financial executives, and accounting; and providing staff support to HFMA's Principles and Practices Board. Throughout his tenure at HFMA, Todd has consistently championed the collaboration, communication, and translation of financial information among financial, revenue cycle, operational and clinical staff. Todd is a frequent speaker globally on a variety of leadership, finance and healthcare issues in academic, association and industry settings.
Todd currently serves on the Board and as Chair Elect for the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), National Advisory Board member for the Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy, adjunct faculty at Boise State University and Carnegie Mellon University, and lecturer at the University of Iowa and Case Western Reserve University.
Prior to joining HFMA, Todd was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of a rural Midwest hospital for over 15 years, focused on finance and operational areas. He also served volunteer roles for HFMA on Senior Financial Executive National Advisory Committee, Chapter President, and Regional Executive – as well as numerous local community organization board positions.
Todd received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration, as well as his MBA from the University of Iowa. Todd makes his home in Rochester, NY.
Kevin Gessler, Jr. currently serves as Vice President of Financial Services for Mon Health. Mr. Gessler is responsible for the financial operations and performance for member affiliates of Mon Health, as well as enterprise-level operations. Prior to joining Mon Health, Mr. Gessler served as a finance manager at an international, private-equity-owned, manufacturing company and was responsible for financial reporting, forecasting and profitability metrics. Prior to that, Mr. Gessler worked for public accounting firms performing audits, consulting, and healthcare due diligence engagements. Mr. Gessler holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting, a Master of Professional Accountancy Degree, and a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation all from West Virginia University. Mr. Gessler is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Health Financial Professional.
As the Program Director for Vibrant’s Crisis Emotional Care Team, Amy provides strategic oversight for responses, engagements and advocacy in and around disaster behavioral health. She has been working in disaster behavioral health since 2007 as a program director and volunteer lead. Amy’s 15-year career in the field includes building teams for internationals responses, execution of comprehensive subject matter expert training, private and public sector collaborations, and strategic communication and team management. Most recently, she has led behavioral health volunteers in responding to current refugee crises in a private-public partnership in the United States, a Just in Time training responding to the Ukrainian war and providing training and support for staff managing unaccompanied minors at the US border.
Amy’s international development career has taken her around the world to countries like Ethiopia, Liberia, Colombia, Argentina, Canada, and Mexico and she has coordinated international disaster mental health responses in Haiti, Nepal, Puerto Rico and across the continental United States. She is a trainer, writer and speaker, focusing on best practices in volunteer engagement and leadership. Amy is actively involved in strategic program development for youth in Latin American countries and leads the Board of Directors for Hands Offering Hope Foundation. She holds her Masters in Public Affairs from Indiana University and splits her time between Mexico and Connecticut with her husband, Adiel and daughters, Sofia and Lucia.
Linda Paradiso, is a nurse practitioner in psychiatry and board-certified nurse executive with over thirty-five years of psychiatric nursing and leadership experience. Her role as Assistant Executive Director at Kings County Hospital, during the Department of Justice consent decree, was by far her most challenging and rewarding position. Her passion and research interest in Just Culture grew as she developed cohesive and collaborative inter-disciplinary relationships. It is through including Just Culture concepts in nursing leadership education that we create an environment of trust and fairness for all staff. Dr. Paradiso has authored and co-authored several articles and book chapters related to Just Culture, psychiatric nursing, and performance improvement and has presented nationally and internationally. She is the recipient of the 2017 DNP Advocacy Award - Old Dominion University and the 2008 Outstanding Contribution to Professional Nursing Award – Sigma Theta Tau International, Mu Upsilon Chapter.
In addition to working full-time as an Assistant Professor at CUNY School of Professional Studies, Dr. Paradiso is a regulatory consultant for several New York City hospitals. She holds a DNP as a Nurse Executive from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. She is certified, at the advanced level, as a nurse executive by the ANCC. She is a proud three-time CUNY graduate and Brooklyn native. She is a member of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau International, and other professional organizations. Dr. Paradiso volunteers as a peer evaluator for the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and Vibrant Emotional Health – Disaster and Crisis Advisory Committee. Her self-care activities include walking and hiking, listening to books and podcasts, cooking, traveling, and visiting her children in Florida and Utah.
WVONL Spring Conference is scheduled for March 21, 2023 at Stonewall Resort. Make plans now to connect with leaders and aspiring leaders across the state to share ideas about leadership, mentoring, and other current topics facing leaders today.
This one-day conference will feature current nurse leaders presenting projects and ideas currently related to leadership. Aspiring leaders and students will also have a chance to present projects or capstone projects.
There will be two panel discussions through the day. The Chief Nurse Executive (CNE) panel will feature our Nurse Executives from around the state discussing mentoring, leadership and some “hot” topics facing our nursing workforce. The last panel discussion of the day will feature nurse leaders from across the career continuum. We will learn from a wealth of knowledge from them regarding their leadership development.
One of the strategic priorities of WVONL is to offer leadership development and succession planning activities. This Spring Conference allows a leader to register and bring an aspiring leader for a reduced rate. Take advantage of the reduced pricing while helping to mentor a leader in your organization!
Dr. Roger Gerard is the owner of Sloan & Gerard Consulting, a private consulting practice serving large healthcare system executives and Boards in strategic planning, operational planning, executive coaching and management development.
He also specializes in process improvement, and the use of lean methodologies in bringing about significant and measurable organizational improvement. He is the former Chief Learning Officer for ThedaCare, a N. E. Wisconsin-based integrated
healthcare delivery system, retiring from that position in 2014. Roger has a 50 year career history that includes primarily significant work within the healthcare industry. However, he has also spent a quarter of his career in manufacturing and service industries nationwide. In addition, he has his own creative photography/illustration business that he shares with his wife, Debra.
Dr. Roger Gerard is the owner of Sloan & Gerard Consulting, a private consulting practice serving large healthcare system executives and Boards in strategic planning, operational planning, executive coaching and management development. He also specializes in process improvement, and the use of lean methodologies in bringing about significant and measurable organizational improvement. He is the former Chief Learning Officer for ThedaCare, a N. E. Wisconsin-based integrated
healthcare delivery system, retiring from that position in 2014. Roger has a 50 year career history that includes primarily significant work within the healthcare industry. However, he has also spent a quarter of his career in manufacturing and service industries nationwide. In addition, he has his own creative photography/illustration business that he shares with his wife, Debra.
Prior to his 23 year tenure with ThedaCare, Roger served as Vice President of Northern Michigan Hospitals in Petoskey, Michigan
(1990-1991), and as the Director of Organizational Development (1985-1990). Before joining NMH, Roger was Creative
Manager for Quality Systems for Sandy Corporation in Troy, Michigan, one of the largest training/consulting firms in the
Midwest. With Sandy, he consulted with major clients (Burroughs, IBM, General Motors, Hyatt, etc.) on systemic leadership
development and quality improvement projects. He also spent three years as Management Development Specialist for Gulf
+ Western Manufacturing, a Fortune 100 company.
Roger has over 40 years of experience leading executive and management development initiatives, in both large and small
organization environments, focusing specifically on organizational performance improvement processes. He has co-authored
a book published through the Lean Enterprise Institute entitled “On the Mend” focused on the ThedaCare Lean Journey, and
has presented at numerous national conferences, and most recently served as Chair of the HealthCare Track at the
Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) in Dallas on lean in the healthcare industry, and locally throughout
Wisconsin and Michigan. Roger is a past member of ASQ, SHRM and OD Network. He earned his Ph.D. in Management and
Applied Decision Sciences from Walden University in 2001.
Dr. Gerard has one son and three daughters and among them 6 grandchildren.
Career Summary:
Over fifty years of increasingly more responsible experience in Human Resources, organizational development, training and instructional design, within both the manufacturing and healthcare industries. Extensive experience in needs assessment, staff recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, project management, employee incentive systems, supervisory skills training, key manager development, and the supervision of other human resources activities. Supervised both professional and non-professional staff and managed substantial budgets. Strong organizational and administrative skills, with a focus on improving organizational productivity and quality performance, through an effective human resources function.
“The culture and health of an organization is built upon relationships and the ability for the leaders and team members to foster and sustain honest and supportive relationships. Roger Gerard provides both a theoretical and applied approach to the art of developing leaders and creating and sustaining actively engaged cultures. Roger’s experience in organizational operations and learning and development along with his passion for enhancing cultures by developing leaders places him in a unique position as a thought leader and expert in assessing and enhancing organizational cultures. Owning the Room is a must read for any leader who desires to transform their organization’s culture and performance to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.” – Candice Saunders, President and CEO Wellstar Health System
“The integration of mindful intention, heart intention and spirit intention is a great gift to those who are leaders, and to those who will lead in the future. I wish I had this book forty years ago!” – Ed Hammen, Retired Health Care Executive
“This book should be required reading for all who are learning about leadership! The content, storytelling and activities kept me engaged throughout the book. This hit home!” – Julie Brussow, CEO, Security Health Plan
“This work will touch the hearts and minds of all leaders who read it!” – Andrew Cox, Chief of Staff to the CEO, WellStar Healthcare System
“A book focused on leading with mind, heart and spirit to make extraordinary choices in a demanding world should always be welcomed. However, a thoughtful, practical and thoroughly engaging work about the topic as the global crisis related to COVID-19 unfolds is truly a gift of impeccable timing. No organization and no leader escapes disruption. The only questions are how much and for how long? Owning the Room does not “admire the problem,” rather it guides current and future leaders not only to lead change, but to become professionals prepared to lead through change, no matter how novel. In my experience, the best leaders ‘own the room’ by having one foot in the library and one foot in the street. On multiple occasions I have seen Dr. Gerard own the room as he masterfully leads organizations and groups through challenging times. All leaders will now benefit from his ability to bring both feet into Owning the Room.”
– David A. Shore, PhD, author and former associate dean of Harvard University and former distinguished professor of innovation and change at Tianjin University of Finance and Economics (China).
“This book is terrific, a must read “leadership examination of confidence”! The theme of mind, heart and spirit will challenge all leaders on some level to improve his/her effectiveness. The format for each chapter with the content itself together with a section at the end for reflections and challenges provides the reader with a framework for a very personal, and deep evaluation of his or her effectiveness. The emphasis on the leader’s responsibility for the full continuum her/his behaviors and the impact of these behaviors on the organization’s performance is really key. The content is authentic, reflecting the author’s years of executive and consulting work. The sections on change, culture and working with others to achieve their full potential are so true and particularly resonated with me. Reading the book was an opportunity for me to reflect on my own leadership highs and lows. More high’s than lows. But it was always the latter where deep painful learning occurred.” – Paul Macek, Retired CEO
“This is truly an inspiring, powerful book! The way it is broken into three parts is wonderful…I loved this book, and can’t wait to pass this gift on to so many others.” – Melissa Breen, Chief of Staff to the CEO, Marshfield Clinic Health System.
Thank you to our sponsors for making our 2021 Conference Possible!
WVONL Conference 2021 Platinum Sponsor
WVONL Conference 2021 Diamond Sponsor
WVONL Conference 2021 Diamond Sponsor
WVONL Conference 2021 Diamond Sponsor
WVONL Conference 2021 Gold Sponsor
Special thanks to our platinum sponsor, WVU Medicine!
Please enjoy browsing our 2021 WVONL Fall Conference poster presentations.
Florence Nightingale – Leader, Nightingale’s Visions – Advancing the Nursing Profession (Guide for Leaders) presented by Sue Johnson, PhD, RN, NE-BC
Parrish Nursing and Community Partnerships – presented by Angel Smothers, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
WV Legislative Updates – presented by Toni DiChiacchio, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP
Get Involved Moments – AONL and WVONL – presented by Deb Zimmermann, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
