Featured Speakers
Sara Horton-Deutsch, PhD, PMHCNS, RN, FAAN, ANEF, SGAHN, FISPN, Caritas Coach® & Caritas Leader
Professor and Director of University of San Francisco/Kaiser Permanente Partnership Watson Caring Science Faculty Associate and Director of the Caritas Leadership Program
Dr. Horton-Deutsch has led in academic and practice settings for over 30 years as an advanced practice psychiatric/mental health nurse, educator, consultant, program director, caring science endowed chair, coach, and academic/practice partnerships director. Throughout her educational and practice career, she has contributed to developing evidence-informed knowledge to ensure compassionate, safe, and high-quality care. As a reflective leader, she emphasizes inward development to foster positive change. She has co-authored several books on Reflective Practice, Caring Science, and Caritas Coaching. She is a Caritas Coach, Leader, and Healing Circle Facilitator. Her passion is facilitating critical, deep, authentic connections that promote regeneration, renewal, and the profession's evolution. Her most recent books, Visionary Leadership in Healthcare (2022) and Reflective Practice: Reimagining Ourselves, Reimagining Nursing (2024), were published through SIGMA, with the former winning the AJN first-place Book of the Year award in Leadership. Currently, she champions the integration of the ANCC Essentials within the USF School of Nursing and Health Professions through the lens of Caring Science and Jesuit Values. She is co-director of the Caritas Leadership Program at the Watson Caring Science Institute. She was inducted as fellow in the International Society of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 2026 for her service as the organizations president and for integrating Caring Science into the Scope and Standards for Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. For Sara, each meaningful connection, each moment of authentic presence, and each step toward a more compassionate healthcare system isn't just work—it's what makes her heart sing.
Mona Elshazly Giraud, MSN, RN, AHN-BC, Caritas Coach®
Caritas Council Advisor Nurse Specialist for Center of Clinical Excellence
Mona Elshazly Giraud is a Nurse Specialist for the Center of Clinical Excellence at University of Miami Health System. She is a Watson Caring Science Institute Caritas Coach, CCEP Faculty, former Caritas Council Chair, and current Executive Advisor. She established the Caritas Council in October 2022 and served as Chair for over two and a half years. During her leadership, she assisted in developing four award categories recognizing nurses, non-nurses, nurse leaders, and teams, while also advancing Caring Carts and micro-practice badge buddies throughout the organization for nurses wellbeing. In addition, Mona spearheaded the 10 Caritas Processes with the Caritas Council Chair Thomas Benel to be in the EHR throughout the system.
With extensive RN experience, Mona is recognized for leadership in Caring Science, including the Caritas Council receiving the Lotus Recognition Award in 2024 under her Chairmanship. And proud to share that UHealth received Watson Caring Science Affiliate Distinction in 2025. She has led numerous initiatives to expand Caring Science throughout the system, including teaching weekly Caring Science sessions for five years to newly onboarding nurses, technicians, medical assistants, and CNAs.
Mona also teaches the New Leadership Academy quarterly, where she provides her original (signature style) experiential micro-practice bags featuring the 10 Caritas Processes, signature essential oil blends, lotions, and bath bombs to support wellbeing and reflective practice. She extends these experiences to nurse residents and participants whenever she teaches Caring Science.
Over the past six years, Mona had also served as a Magnet Nurse Specialist, supporting the organization in achieving Magnet Designation with Distinction, advancing professional governance, and strengthening staff development. Mona has further supported nurse residents through Caring Science education focused on compassionate, patient-centered practice, self-care, and wellbeing, including developing a workbook curriculum to foster their growth and professional development.
Charlene Johnson, MSN, RN
CEO | Wellness Whisperer Coaching & Consulting
Charlene Johnson, known as Coach Charlene, is a transformational speaker, Certified Caritas Coach®, and HeartMath® Trainer with over 30 years of experience in nursing, leadership, and coaching. As the founder and CEO of The Wellness Whisperer Coaching & Consulting LLC, she empowers healthcare professionals and organizations to move from burnout to breakthrough by cultivating resilience, authentic leadership, and heart-centered care.
A master facilitator and compassionate guide, Charlene is known for creating immersive, transformative experiences that inspire individuals to reconnect with their purpose, regulate from within, and lead with intention. Her work integrates Caring Science, emotional regulation, and transformational coaching to shift both individuals and systems—one heartbeat at a time. She is also the author of When the Moment Chooses You: From Silence to Strength, a powerful reflection on finding one’s voice and leading with impact.
Christine Moreland, MN, RN
Assistant Nurse Manager, Perioperative Services
Christine Moreland, MN, RN, serves as Assistant Nurse Manager of Perioperative Services in Sacramento, California. With more than 20 years of experience at Kaiser Permanente, she has built a distinguished career spanning the fast-paced environment of the operating room and the specialized care of outpatient surgery settings. Drawing on her extensive clinical expertise and a deep commitment to Caring Science, Christine champions the belief that human connection is one of the most powerful tools in health care. As a Caritas Coach, she is dedicated to fostering a perioperative culture where well-being, compassion, and clinical excellence thrive together. Christine is passionate about creating supportive environments in which team members feel valued, seen, and empowered. Her work focuses on cultivating a strong sense of community, promoting resilience, and helping health care professionals find meaning and joy in their daily practice while delivering exceptional patient care.
Julie Suarez MSN, RN, CCRN, CNL, NPD-BC
Julie Suarez is a Senior Clinical Development Nurse in the Nursing Professional Development (NPD) department at Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center in Northern California. Julie has been at Kaiser Permanente for 21 years, starting with the Critical Care New Grad Training Program at Kaiser Permanente South Bay in Southern California, before moving to Northern California. She also has leadership experience as an assistant nurse manager of Intensive Care Unit at Roseville for 6 years. More recently, Julie joined the NPD department to continue her passion for professional education and has co-facilitated the KPCARES 2.0 research study at Kaiser Permanente as both an instructor and co-investigator. Julie has been a registered nurse since 2002, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from San Jose State University, and Master of Science in Nursing from University of San Francisco. She is a Caritas Coach®, HeartMath® Certified Trainer, a Resilience in Stressful Events (RISE) peer responder at Kaiser Permanente Roseville, and a Level II Reiki Practitioner. Additional professional interests include integrative wellness, nurse coaching, simulation, and inspiring professional development through life-long learning. As much as possible, Julie also enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 sons, as well as being outdoors in nature, hiking, creative arts, and always trying new things.
Anide Telfort, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Sr. Nurse Manager Transition to Practice, University of Miami Health System Center of Clinical Excellence
Anide Telfort is an accomplished nursing leader and educator with extensive experience in practice transition, professional development, and workforce readiness. She serves at the University of Miami Health System, where she leads programs focused on supporting newly licensed nurses and advancing clinical excellence across multiple practice settings.
She is best known for her leadership of the Titan ’Canes Nurse Residency Program, an evidence-based transition-to-practice program designed to help novice nurses successfully enter the profession through structured orientation, competency development, mentorship, simulation, and professional growth opportunities. Under her leadership, the program earned ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) accreditation and achieved strong outcomes in nurse retention, engagement, and readiness to practice.
Anide has also spearheaded initiatives in onboarding redesign, interdisciplinary collaboration, and educational strategies to improve both patient outcomes and employee experience. Her work has supported nursing excellence within an organization recognized through the Magnet Recognition Program with Distinction.
Passionate about mentoring the next generation of nurses and leaders, Anide is dedicated to creating supportive learning environments, fostering professional growth, and sharing best practices through presentations and national speaking engagements.
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Contact Vanderbilt School of Nursing’s Office of External Learning.