Every VUSN graduate has exciting things happening in her or his life, both professionally and personally. Class Notes – printed twice a year in the Vanderbilt Nurse Magazine and available online on this page – is an opportunity for you to not only learn what other alumni are doing but also share news about your life. We would love to hear what you've been up to! Please contact us with any updates, or call 615-322-4836. And, when posting on social media please tag us! #VUSN

Look below for news from your classmates as of December 31, 2022. Items received since July 1, 2022 are shown in red font.

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Jane Abanes, DNP'13, PhD'20, is lead author of "Acupuncture for Sleep Disturbances in Post-deployment Military Service Members: A Randomized Controlled Trial," published in Clinical Nursing Research in July 2021.

Delaney Boyce, MSN'20, DNP'22, co-presented, "Growing from What We Learned… VUMC Preceptor Assessment," during Vanderbilt University Medical Center advanced practice grand rounds in July 2022. She is lead author of "Perceptions of Motivating Factors and Barriers to Precepting," published in the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners in November.

Alison Bradywood, DNP'20, was named chief nursing officer and vice president of Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle in June 2021. She is lead author of "Implementing Screening for Social Determinants of Health Using the Core 5 Screening Tool," published in BMJ Open Quality in September.

Anand Brahmbhatt, MSN'20, is lead author of "Identifying and Managing Anxiety Disorders in Primary Care," published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners in January 2021, and was a panelist for "Loan Repayment Programs: What Are They and How Do They Work?" presented by the VUSN Alumni Board Mentoring Committee in July. He is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio.

Andrea Bushaw, PhD'20, is co-author of "Clinical Strategies for Addressing Obesity in Infants and Toddlers," published in The Nurse Practitioner in February 2021.

Merakka Calderon, MSN'20, received the Patient Experience Award from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in November 2022.

Amy Dishong, MSN'20, was nominated in May 2022 for a Vanderbilt University Medical Center award named in memory of the late Jerita Payne, MSN'90, MMHC'13.

John Dowlen, MSN'20, joined the staff at CHI Memorial Family Practice Associates–Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, in March 2021 as a nurse practitioner. He is certified in nonviolent crisis intervention and an ordained minister.

Tara Duffie, MSN'20, DNP'22, is lead author of "Eye Redness and Pain," published in the Visual Journal of Emergency Medicine in April 2022, and co-author of "Traumatic Brain Injury-related Attention Deficits in Children: A Controlled Treatment Trial with Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate (Vyvanse)," published in January 2021 in Brain Sciences . She is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Athena Consulting and Psychological Services in Nashville.

Shannon Ellrich, MSN'17, DNP'20, PMC'20, was featured in a March 2020 story in the Tennessean explaining how she and another Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurse practitioner created and are managing COVID-19 assessment sites for the medical center. She co-presented "VUMC Advanced Practice: Making a Difference around the World," at a VUMC advanced practice workshop in October 2019.

Gwen Godlock, DNP'20, was appointed a member of the VUSN Alumni Board in September 2022. She was a panelist for "The Power of Diversity in Nursing and Initiatives to Increase Diversity and Inclusion," hosted by the VUSN DNP Student Diversity Affinity Group in February 2021, and moderator of "Leadership in the Time of Coronavirus: Stories from the Top" in April, part of the VUSN Dore to Door Alumni Forum. She is a nurse surveyor with The Joint Commission's hospital accreditation program and a member of the Texas Nurses Association's 8th District Board of Directors.

Danielle Guy, MSN'20, is co-author of "Brugada Syndrome: Fatal Consequences of a Must-not-miss Diagnosis," published in Critical Care Nurse in October 2021.

Bekah Hayes, MSN'16, DNP'20, was a panelist for "Supporting Nursing Students of Color: Success Strategies from Academia to Practice," in February 2022, part of the VUSN Dore to Door Alumni Forum, and received the Thomas L. Christenbery Alumni Award for Diversity and Inclusion presented by the VUSN Alumni Association during the school's annual awards ceremony in October. She was a panelist for "The Power of Diversity in Nursing and Initiatives to Increase Diversity and Inclusion," hosted by the VUSN DNP Student Diversity Affinity Group in February 2021. She welcomed her first child that November. She was a panelist for "COVID, Quarantining and Geriatrics: How Can We Help Elders Stay Safe and Strong This Winter?" part of the VUSN Dore to Door Alumni Forum, in December 2020.

Mylissa Hess, DNP'20, is chief nursing officer of Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales, New Mexico, overseeing a rural acute care hospital and clinics (2022).

Rachel Hilton, MSN'20, co-authored "Facilitating Posttraumatic Growth after Critical Illness," published in the American Journal of Critical Care in November 2020.

Ashley Johnson, MSN'20, was a panelist for "Transition to APRN Practice," hosted by the VUSN Alumni Board Mentoring Committee in August 2021. She is a women's health nurse practitioner at Regional One Health in Memphis, Tennessee, and has a YouTube channel, prettywhnpashley, where she shares about her experiences on a variety of topics, from tips for mastering nursing school to interviewing for a job, racism, COVID-19 challenges and dating.

Lindsay Johnson-Bishop, MSN'18, DNP'20, co-authored "Comparison of Hickman versus Proline Central Venous Catheters in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant," published by Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation in March 2020. She is a pediatric nurse practitioner and instructor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, specializing in hematology/oncology and bone marrow transplant, and teaching bachelors, masters and doctoral nursing students.

Emily Kraus, MSN'20, is a family nurse practitioner at My Health Clinic in Milwaukee (2022).

Billie Ford Lancaster, MSN'17, DNP'20, is lead author of "Using a Standardized Rounding Tool to Improve the Incidence of Spontaneous Awakening and Breathing Trials," published in Critical Care Nurse in April 2022. She presented at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners conference in June.

Matias Massaro, MSN'20, is a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in the Vanderbilt University Counseling Center (2021).

Hannah McGrew, MSN'20, was interviewed by Nashville's NewsChannel 5 in April 2021, after her home was flooded in a storm.

Stacy Miller, MSN'20, DNP'22, was a panelist for "SANE: Improving Outcomes for Survivors of Sexual Assault (Part 2)," in April 2022, and for "SANE: Improving Outcomes for Survivors of Sexual Assault (Part 1)," in October 2021, both part of the VUSN Dore to Door Alumni Forum. She is a pediatric forensic nurse practitioner in the Children's Advocacy Center of Northeast Pennsylvania.

Theresa Moore, MSN'20, was a panelist for "Advancing Health Equity for Native Americans," hosted by the VUSN Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in November 2022, part of Vanderbilt University's celebration of Native American Heritage Month. She was named a Minority Fellow of the American Nurses Association/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is a doctor of nursing practice student at VUSN, and a psychiatric nurse practitioner at the Washoe Tribal Healing Center in Gardnerville, Nevada.

Alexandra Moran, MSN'17, DNP'20, co-authored "Incorporating a Nurse Practitioner into a Vascular Medicine Program," published in Vascular Medicine in October 2019.

Pam Nelson, MSN'98, DNP'20, was interviewed by Psychiatry Advisor in February 2021 about suicide prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic, and opened Nelson Psychiatric Associates, a private practice in Nashville, in March. She is lead author of "Role of Primary Care in Suicide Prevention during the COVID-19 Pandemic," published in July 2020 in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners .  

Radwa Omar-Allen, DNP'20, co-authored "Exploration of Vaccination Attitudes among Parents and Caregivers in a Rural Appalachian Health Clinic," published in the Journal of Appalachian Health in July 2022.

Olivia Patterson, MSN'20, is a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Illinois (2020).

Claudia Perry-Aime, DNP'20, is associate vice president at MultiCare Health System in Puyallup, Washington (2022).

Joy Pieper, DNP'20, is an associate professor and assistant to the nursing department chair at Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota (2021).

Cody Pike, MSN'20, welcomed a baby in July 2020. He works in an urgent care setting and as a firefighter in Oneida, Tennessee.

Merrell Pressley, MSN'20, is a cardiothoracic surgery nurse practitioner at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, seeing patients in the cardiac intensive care and stepdown units (2022).

Atlee Quarrier, BA'18, MSN'20, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Dana Group Associates in Needham, Massachusetts (2020).

Stephanie Queen, DNP'20, became chief nursing officer and senior vice president of clinical services at AirMethods, an air medical transport company headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, in 2020.

Akaninyene Ruffin, BA'17, MSN'20, was a panelist for "Anti-Racism: Centering the Work in Our Nursing Practice," hosted by the VUSN Alliance Against Racism in June 2021.

Rebecca Wegman Schneider, MSN'20, is a pediatric nurse practitioner at Stepping Stone Pediatrics in Kennesaw, Georgia (2022).

Molly Shine, MSN'20, was photographed by the Tennessean for a March 2021 story about a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination event in a Nashville mosque.

Willis Smith, MSN'20 , is co-author of "Integrating Behavioral Health into Primary Care for Women," published in Advances in Family Practice Nursing in May 2022.

Maggie Taylor, BA'18, MSN'20, is a pediatric nurse practitioner at Mercy Community Healthcare in Franklin and Lewisburg, Tennessee (2022).

Demetria Smith Tennefoss, MSN'18, DNP'20, is a medical science liaison in the medical affairs—cancer screening division of Guardant Health, headquartered in Redwood City, California, researching the clinical utility of blood-based cancer screening for colorectal and lung cancers (2022).

Angel Williams, MSN'20, partnered with Tennessee State Senator Brenda Gilmore and Representative Jesse Chism to spearhead the Violence Against Nurses Bill which provides stronger penalties for those convicted of assaulting nurses in the workplace. The bill was signed into law by Governor Bill Lee in May 2021.

Zsanett Williams, MSN'20, moderated "The Power of Diversity in Nursing and Initiatives to Increase Diversity and Inclusion," hosted by the VUSN DNP Student Diversity Affinity Group in February 2021.

Amy Wilson, DNP'20, was listed by Becker's Hospital Review in February 2022 as one of "66 chief nursing officers of hospitals and health systems to know."

Whitney Withrow, MSN'20, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore (2021).

Kaylin Wolfe, MSN'20, presented a poster, "Improving Patient and Family Centered Care through Transparency," at Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Nursing Virtual Research Day in October 2020.

Maggie Woods, MSN'20, is an adult nurse practitioner at the Resurge Clinic in Weatherford, Texas (2022).