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We'd love to be able to update your fellow alumni, or even just to get your latest contact information so you stay connected to your alma mater. Please send your news to the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@rush.edu, by phone at (312) 942-2569, or by mail at 1700 W. Van Buren St., Suite 250, Chicago, IL 60612.
St. Luke’s
MARYALICE FLECKSTEIN JONES, 1944B, of Upland, Calif., has moved 12 times during the more than 62 years that she and her husband have been married. She worked in industrial and student health nursing until joining her husband’s travel business in 1975, when they began to tour the world together.
MARY SCHROEDER HESS, 1953B, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., writes that she and her roommates from Schweppe and 1953B classmates RUTH VAN ORT BROWN and JOAN WOLFF HALLA, along with their husbands, have an annual luncheon get-together. Classmate DIANA VESPA PERSCHKE often joins them. Hess also recently ran into 1945A alumna MARTHA SCHEELER HORTON, who was vacationing near Hess’s home. Hess, a class agent, is very much looking forward to attending her class’s 55th anniversary celebration at this year’s Homecoming.
Presbyterian
CATHERINE KRATTEBOL LITT, 1935, of Antigo, Wis., writes that after her two children were grown, she worked part-time at Rush as a float and assistant head nurse on 2 Pavilion until 1971.
ELIZABETH KINZER O’FARRELL, 1942, of Tallahassee, Fla., has written a memoir about the more than seven years she served in the United States Navy Nurse Corps during and after World War II. The book, “WWII … A Navy Nurse Remembers,” is available for purchase on www.amazon.com.
MARGARET MYERS RIEDEL, 1945, of Lombard, Ill., is retired and living in the Beacon Hill retirement community.
PHYLLIS CAFFEE ECKMAN, 1947, taught nursing from 1967 to 1984 and then worked as a part-time librarian in the late 1980s. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, a master’s degree from University of St. Francis in 1967 and a master of library science degree from Indiana University in 1980. She and her husband, Charles, live in Fort Wayne, Ind.
SHERLIE BENNETT LAPPIN VANGSNES, 1947, of Bandera, Texas, was instrumental in starting a clinic for the underinsured and clients at poverty level. The clinic celebrated its grand opening in February. Vangsnes has been on the clinic’s building committee from its inception and is now a member of the advisory board.
JOANNE SCHULTZ OLSON, 1955, is a sales representative for Stewart-Taylor Printing in Duluth, Minn.
Presbyterian-St. Luke’s
JOELLA HYNES, 1961, of Aurora, Ill., is a nurse at Edward Hospital, where the nursing staff has received the prestigious Magnet designation.
JEANNE BLUNDY, 1966, of Chicago, is manager of patient relations at Rush University Medical Center.
MARILYN JOYCE JOHNSON TATEIWA, 1966, and her husband, Toshiro, live in Japan, where they moved after her husband, a former fellow at Pres-St. Luke’s, completed his fellowship. There he opened an ob/gyn hospital. A few of the couple’s children became physicians. Tateiwa and her husband have many fond memories of their time at Pres-St. Luke’s and toured the Medical Center during a visit to Chicago last October.
COLONEL BARBARA HUGHES WILDER, 1966, is a retired U.S. Air Force pediatric nurse practitioner and a self-described master gardener. During the school year, she leads nature hikes for children in grades three through five.
SANDRA CASHMAN, 1967, of Fox River Grove, Ill., has been appointed director of hospice at Family Home Health and Family Centered Hospice Services, Inc. Cashman will be responsible for program growth, operations, business profitability, oversight of clinical staff and the delivery of high-quality patient care services.
RONALD INSKEEP, 1967, and his wife, Judith, have moved to a Quaker retirement center in Pennsylvania.
Rush
MARCA BRISTO, BS 1976, NAA Distinguished Alumna 1995, was featured in the 2007 “Chicagoans of the Year” issue of Chicago Magazine for her role as a national leader in promoting disability rights and a local champion of persons with disabilities. Bristo is president and CEO of Access Living, an advocacy group for people with disabilities. Additionally, Bristo was recently elected to the Rush University Medical Center Board of Trustees.
MAGDELENE IGLAR, MS 1976, of El Paso, Texas, is retired and enjoying the desert southwest.
MARGARET WASZKIEWICZ, BS 1976, MS 1990, of Chicago is the unit director of 6 North and 7 South Johnston R. Bowman Health Center’s rehabilitation services at Rush.
L. KATHLEEN “KATE” COBB CERBIN, BS 1977, of South Bend, Ind., works in the medical department of United Airlines in Elk Grove Village, Ill.
ANN YOKOTA GASPARI, BS 1978, received her MN from University of Washington with an ARNP-BC in adult/older adult in 2003. She is now a faculty member teaching maternal/child health at Bellevue Community College in Bellevue, Wash.
JUDY MCCANN, MS 1978, DNSc 1991, of Northbrook, Ill., was elected to the Institute of Medicine Chicago.
KATHLEEN POTEMPA, MS 1978, DNSc 1986, NAA Distinguished Alumna 2003, has been elected to serve as president-elect of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Board of Directors. Potempa is dean of the University of Michigan School of Nursing.
DEBBIE GIST, BS 1979, MARGARET WASZKIEWICZ, BS 1976, MS 1990, and NANCY FOWLER, MSN 2004, were recently honored with The Mary Beth O’Holleran Mentorship Award by Rush University Medical Center. All are nurses at Rush.
JANE PERRY PHILIPS, MS 1979, of Granger, Ind., is coordinator of the Lymphedema Treatment Program for Memorial Hospital of South Bend.
VIRGINIA MARKVART, BS 1980, was recently honored with the Gerontological Nursing Clinical Excellence Award by Rush University Medical Center.
JEAN RANGE, BS 1980, is executive director of disease-specific care certification for the Joint Commission. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
LAURA BRADFORD, BS 1981, MSN 2003, of Chicago, retired from the faculty of Rush College of Nursing in February 2008.
RICKI MOSS RUBINSTEIN LOAR, BS 1981, MS 1984, of Edmond, Okla., earned a PhD from the University of Illinois in 2007. She is currently an assistant professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
KATHRYN PAYNE, BS 1981, of Nashville, Tenn., is a nurse-attorney, directing the ethics program at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville. She completed her law degree at Pepperdine University in Malibu and her fellowship in clinical medical ethics at the University of Chicago.
MARIANNE BERENS HUML, MS 1982, of Wheaton, Ill., is director of oncology education and multidisciplinary care at Central DuPage Hospital. Huml was profiled in the March 2008 issue of the Chicago edition of Nurses’ Lounge magazine.
MARJORIE GADSON ROACHE, BS 1982, of South Holland, Ill., is dean of nursing at South Suburban College in South Holland. Her colleagues in the college’s Department of Nursing include HOLLY JANSSEN, BS 1980, of Frankfort, Ill., coordinator of the practical nursing program, and faculty member NANCY E. HAYDA MILLS, PSL 1963 and RUSH DNSc 2003, of Hinsdale, Ill.
KATHLEEN RYAN DELANEY, DNSc 1983, Cert. 2005, associate professor of nursing and clinical nurse coordinator at Rush University Medical Center, and MARY C. BASOLO-KUNZER, DNSc 1984, associate professor of nursing in the Division of Nursing and Health Professions at Indiana University, South Bend, both serve on the editorial board of the Archives of Psychiatric Nursing.
PAULETTE KLARIN, BS 1983, of Chicago is a nurse at Rush, working in geriatric psych in the Johnston R. Bowman Health Center.
RUTHANNE REICHERT TAYLOR, BS 1983, MS 1989, of Freedom, Wyo., is a former assistant clinical professor at Yale University School of Nursing and a former program director of Air Idaho Rescue. She began professional figure skating in 1977 and is an international judge for the sport. She is active in camping, is a member at large of Bauen Camp, Wyo., and is a docent at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyo. Taylor was the recipient of a Superior Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State in 2007.
ROSEMARY WHITE-TRAUT, DNSc 1983, professor and head of the Department of Maternal-Child Nursing at University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing, received a $4-million, five-year Research Project Grant (RO1) from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The award will support her project, “Feeding and Transition to Home for Preterms at Social Risk.”
PHYLLIS KORPAN, BS 1984, and BEN INVENTOR, MSN 2003, presented “Journey to Person-Centered Dementia Care in an Acute Care Setting” at the 14th National Evidence-Based Practice Conference, sponsored by the University of Iowa Hospitals. Korpan was also recently honored with the Geronotological Nursing Leadership Award from Rush University Medical Center.
BARBARA MARTIN, MS 1984, of Naperville, Ill., is director of nursing for gerontology and psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center.
KIMBERLY SKINNER ROHAN, BS 1984, is the recipient of the 2007 Oncology Nursing Society Excellence in Oncology Nursing Health Policy and Advocacy Award in recognition of her achievements and involvement in oncology nursing health policy and advocacy. Rohan is an advanced practice nurse at Edward Cancer Center in Naperville, Ill.
DANA DOMBROWSKI BRACKNEY, BS 1987, is a diabetes educator at Mountain Family Medicine in Boone, N.C. She is also a student at Eastern Tennessee State University.
COURTNEY LYDER, BS 1989, MS 1990, ND 1991, NAA Distinguished Alumnus 2006, has been selected to be the next dean of the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Nursing. Since 2003, he has been on the faculty at the University of Virginia and in 2006 was appointed director for diversity initiatives for their School of Nursing and Medical Center. Lyder is also a senior consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he has influenced federal regulations and policies related to elder care throughout the U.S. Lyder’s term as dean of UCLA School of Nursing begins August 1.
BETTY RAMBUR, MS 1988 and PhD 1991, of South Burlington, Vt., dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Vermont, was selected from a national pool as an American Council on Education Fellow, a leadership development program preparing select individuals for senior leadership in university administration. As a fellow, Rambur is spending the 2007 - 2008 academic year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, under the mentorship of the provost, chancellor and other senior leaders. In November, she was also honored by Sigma Theta Tau International with the Best of Journal of Nursing Scholarship for Profession and Society award.
FREDERICK BROWN, BS 1989, MS 1994, DNP 2007, of Chicago, works at Rush as a teacher-practitioner in orthopedics. He recently graduated from the DNP program at Rush, and in 2006 he retired from the Navy Reserves after 22 years of military service. Brown and his wife, Kathy, have been married 13 years.
CATHY CATRAMBONE, MS 1989, DNSc 2000, of Oak Park, Ill., received the Herbert C. DeYoung Medal from the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago on Nov. 17, 2007, in recognition of extraordinary service and leadership in promoting the lung health mission in Chicago. Catrambone is the Adult Health & CE Coordinator for Rush College of Nursing.
LORNA ROZANSKI DUDZIK, BS 1989, MS 1992, has taken a faculty position at Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Ill.
MARIA CONNOLLY, DNSc 1992, of Oak Forest, Ill., was inducted into the Academy of Nursing Education/National League for Nursing in September at its annual Educational Summit.
KAREN KILEY, BS 1992, MS 1996, is immediate past-president of the Chicago Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society.
RENE CATALANO, MS 1994, is staff educator in the coronary care unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Catalano was part of a group of seven nurses — all alumni of Loyola University, class of 1988—featured in a story in the November 2007 issue of Nurses’ Lounge magazine’s Chicagoland edition.
RENEE C.B. MANWORREN, MS 1994, of Dallas, Texas, just returned from Shanghai, China, where she was the head gymnastics coach for Team USA at the Special Olympic World Games. Manworren is director of clinical practice development at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. For information about the team and their experience, visit www.specialolympicsteamusa.org.
MARIA REYES, BS 1994, MS 1996, Cert. 1997, of Chicago, is a clinical coordinator for the Rush Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Program. Reyes is a nurse practitioner specializing in high-risk obstetrics and women’s health care.
SEAN BARNAWELL, BS 1995, of Lancaster, Pa., earned his MSN and CRNA degrees from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2007.
BETH BOLICK, MS 1995, Cert. 1995, of Evanston, Ill., was selected as one of the Illinois Nurse Educator Fellows by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
TRENDA BUSSEY KLINSKY, ND 1996, lives in Nashville, Tenn., with her husband, Dr. Lawrence Klinsky, and their three children. She works part-time as a PNP in the pediatric acute care clinic at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
SHARON TUCKER, PhD 1996, is nurse administrator and clinical nurse researcher in the Division of Nursing Research, Department of Nursing, at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Tucker is also a fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program.
NICOLE MOHIUDDIN, BSN 1997, College of Health Sciences MS 2001, of Lake in the Hills, Ill., has been inducted as a nurse leader into the Gamma Phi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. She has worked in the field of nursing informatics and received ANCC board certification in nursing informatics in 2003. She is an active member of the HIMSS Nursing Informatics Task Force and works as manager of performance enhancement services for Hospira Worldwide, Inc. Her work centers on the design and management of medication safety software utilized in infusion pumps.
KATHLEEN KILLEEN, MSN 1999, was recently honored with the Luther Christman Clinical Excellence Award by Rush University Medical Center.
CONNIE NELSON-LEMME, BSN 1999, was recently honored with the Bobbie O’Brien Award for Clinical Excellence in Oncology Nursing by Rush University Medical Center.
ANCY ZACHARIA, MSN 1999, Cert. 1999, of Addison, Ill., a nurse practitioner with HomeCare Physicians of Wheaton, Ill., recently celebrated making her 10,000th home visit since joining the practice in 1999. In October 2007, Zacharia was appointed to Illinois’ Older Adult Services Advisory Committee.
CHERIE HOWK, DNSc 2000, of Clinton, Ind., is returning to Indiana State University in advanced practice and as a professor for some undergraduate distance courses.
KEVIN LETZ, ND 2001, and his wife, Michelle, have moved to Buckeye, Ariz.
KELLY CROWLEY, BSN 2003, and ERIK McINTOSH, BSN 2004, were both recently certified by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses.
ABIGAIL MATOS-PAGAN, DNP 2003, was primary investigator for a study on “Creating an Organization of Volunteer Nurses,” for which she organized a group of volunteer nurses in Puerto Rico to be trained to assume leadership in the event of a large-scale disaster. Matos-Pagan is an educator at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez and also project director for the Coalition of Nurses for Communities in Disaster of Puerto Rico.
JENNIFER NORRIS-ROSAS, ND 2003, is a certified nurse practitioner with South Park Pediatrics.
REBECCA ZAPATOCHNY-RUFO, DNSc 2003, is eICU operations director for Resurrection eICU Partners. Resurrection Health Care recently implemented an eICU for their critical care units. With eICU technology, an offsite team of physicians and critical care nurses, including Rufo, monitors ICU patients at multiple Resurrection Health Care hospitals via an elaborate telemedicine video and audio monitoring system. Rufo’s eICU team is located at Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines, Ill.
JOYCE KILPATRICK, BSN 2004, was recently honored with the Maternal-Child Nurse of the Year Award by Rush University Medical Center.
MARIZA MARCILI, MSN 2004, CERT. 2006, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Heartland Alliance and has begun working toward her PhD at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
MARY VAL REGINA PALUMBO, DNP 2004, of Hyde Park, Vt., is adjunct associate professor of nursing and director of the Office of Nursing Workforce Research, Planning and Development at the University of Vermont.
MAREN WISEHEART, BSN 2004, was recently honored with the Professional Nursing Staff Community Service Award by Rush University Medical Center for her project “Team H.O.P.E.” at Camp Biloxi Clinic.
LAURA ZUCKERMAN, BSN 2004, of Chicago is a charge nurse in the adult critical care – neuro intensive care unit at Rush University Medical Center. For the second quarter of fiscal year 2008, Rush named Zuckerman Employee of the Quarter. Rush University Medical Center has more than 8,000 employees.
DEBRA BERRY, MSN 2006, has accepted an ACNP position, which she began in January, with Lee Memorial Healthsystem in Fort Myers, Fla.
ARTHUR HACKET, BSN 2006, is the chronic care program supervisor at Lawndale Christian Health Center on Chicago’s West Side. He oversees patient education for the diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular disease programs.
JOY ELWELL, DNP 2006, received the Dr. Nancy J. Macintyre Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award from the Nurse Practitioner Association of New York last October. Elwell is a family nurse practitioner and director of Concordia College’s College Health Service, which she established in 1994. Elwell also serves as director of the parish health ministry for Village Lutheran Church and maintains a private nurse-practitioner practice at Concordia.
ALYSON KAPLAN LIPPMAN, BSN 2006, of Chicago, was married in April 2007. She is a staff RN on labor and delivery at Prentice Women’s Hospital.
MARY MAGUIRE McNAMARA, BSN 2006, lives with her husband, John, and two sons in Rockford, Ill., where she works as an ER staff nurse at Swedish American Hospital.
DEBORAH TIMMINS, BSN 2006, works in the intermediate care unit, which is part of the critical care unit at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downer’s Grove, Ill.
ALLISON DUNCAN, MSN 2007, of Fox Point, Wis., works at Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee.
ERIN MIKOS, BSN 2007, of Homer Glen, Ill., works on 11 Kellogg at Rush in oncology. She began working on her master’s degree at Rush this spring.
