View our on-demand webinars featuring healthcare’s top industry experts.
Some of the topics covered at AO²uesday
Patient flow operations
Care access
Emergency management
Remote working
Full agenda
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020
11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Improve Stroke Care
Jayme Strauss, Piedmont Health
Jayme Strauss, the Executive Director of Neurosciences at Piedmont Healthcare, will share the exciting results of work done to improve stroke systems of care using artificial intelligence. In their studies, they were able to demonstrate improved time to arrival, reduced puncture times, increased access to care, and dramatic reductions in ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS).
3:00 Pm – 4:00 pm ET
Centralizing Patient Access through an Integrated Command Center (part 1 of series)
Dr. Tonora Garbutt, Virginia VA Health Care System
Dr. Colman Tom, Virginia VA Health Care System
The Virginia VA Medical Center identified a need to centralize the monitoring, tracking, facilitation, and coordination of all intra- and inter-facility patient movements, especially after the advent of the national Care in the Community program. This case study demonstrates the importance an Integrated Command Center in order to survive and thrive in today’s healthcare delivery system.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020
3:00 Pm – 4:00 pm ET
Transforming Patient Logistics to a Remote Environment
Colleen Walker, Franciscan Health | Shannon Roberson, Franciscan Health | Stephanie TenBarge, Franciscan Health
COVID-19 challenged the way we thought about how centralized access centers should function. With the direction from local health departments that people should work remotely when possible we began the journey of migrating team members in the access center to a remote environment working from home. We will be discussing the journey of moving all team members to a remote environment and how we worked through challenges associated with technology, orientation and the ongoing evolution of this model.
October 6, 2020
3:00 Pm – 4:00 pm ET
Designing a Hospital Command Center for Success
Dr. Ramin Yazdanfar, UPMC Pinnacle
Centralized hospital command centers are becoming more common across the country, each incorporating structural, design, and integrative components essential to its effectiveness. The first part of this session will examine key elements of developing and designing a centralized hospital command center. The second portion will look specifically at how UPMC Pinnacle implemented these elements in transitioning from a 3-hospital call center to a 7-hospital centralized command center. In particular, we will examine how UPMC Pinnacle Transfer Center designed itself for success during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in providing the resources needed to load balance their system during a capacity crisis.
October 13, 2020
11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET
Development of the Transfer Center Nurse Role – Improving the Transfer Process
Carol Walker, Oregon Health & Science University
Rachel Adair, Oregon Health & Science University
We’ll walk you through the creation and implementation of the Transfer Center Nurse (TCRN) role at a quaternary academic health care system, including discussion of the relevance of this role and the personal experience of nurses who helped shape the role in a growing health system. Spoiler alert: creation of the role made a measurable impact on the identification of patient service needs, improved documentation and communication between interdisciplinary teams, and increasing the patient transfer acceptance rate.
3:00 Pm – 4:00 pm ET
How Bed Control Operations Reduced ED Wait Times, Improved Patient Flow, and Expedited Patient Care Delivery (part 2 of series)
Dr. Tonora Garbutt, Virginia VA Health Care System
Dr. Colman Tom, Virginia VA Health Care System
It is important to recognize how different processes support each other and integrate them to optimize efficiency. Part 2 of this VA case study demonstrates how bed control operations facilitated patient access, improved patient flow, reduced admission and transfer bottlenecks, and expedited patient care delivery.
October 20, 2020
11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET
Discharge 2.0
Schiara Gonzalez-Parker, Wellstar Health System
Regine Thigpen, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Wellstar Health System
Schiara & Regine will share how Kennestone Hospital has developed a new model for patient discharge, steadily increased their center’s utilization rate, and fully leveraged opportunities to expand its impact, including: partnering with the local ambulance provider to stage patients preparing for transport to a lower level of care, refining inclusion and exclusion criteria in partnership with Infection Prevention leaders, adopting a “pull” model to support optimal utilization, and adjusting hours of operations to align with peaks in daily discharges.
3:00 Pm – 4:00 pm ET
Expanding Bed Management Operations to Coordinate Placement, and Facilitate Emergency Management (part 3 of series)
Dr. Tonora Garbutt, Virginia VA Health Care System
Dr. Colman Tom, Virginia VA Health Care System
Technological innovation is instrumental in optimizing patient flow operations. Part 3 of this VA case study covers how the expansion of operations enabled the VA to track and manage patient flow movements, coordinate patient care, and facilitate emergency management
October 27, 2020
3:00 Pm – 4:00 pm ET
Managing Patient Movements, and Care Coordination with Other Medical Facilities during COVID-19 (part 4 of series)
Dr. Tonora Garbutt, Virginia VA Health Care System | Dr. Colman Tom, Virginia VA Health Care System
Part 4 of this VA case study demonstrates how the first 24-hour Integrated Command Center at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center became an instrumental gateway in managing patient access, flow, admissions, transfers, and care coordination with other medical facilities and healthcare systems in the face of COVID-19.
Meet our speakers

Jayme Strauss, MSN, RN, MBA, SCRN
Executive Director of the Neuroscience Service Line, Piedmont Health

Dr. Tonora Garbutt, DNP, MSN, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, CPC, VHA-CM
Manager of Clinical Command Center, Central Virginia VA Health Care System

Dr. Colman Tom, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CPC, VHA-CM, LEAN SIX SIGMA – GREEN BELT
Clinical Patient Transfer / Flow Coordinator, Clinical Command Center, Central Virginia VA Health Care System

Colleen Walker, MSN, RN, NE-BC
Admin Director, Patient Logistics Center, Franciscan Health

Shannon Roberson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CLSS BB
Manager of Development & Process Improvement ,Franciscan Health

Stephanie TenBarge, MSN, RN
Nursing Director, Transfer Center & Patient Placement, Franciscan Health

Ramin Yazdanfar, MD
Medical Director / Hospitalist, UPMC Pinnacle

Carol Walker, BSN, RN, MSRN
Transfer Center Nurse, Mission Control, Oregon Health & Science University

Rachel Adair, MSN, RN, MSRN
Transfer Center Nurse, Mission Control, Oregon Health & Science University

Schiara Gonzalez-Parker, RN, MBA
Director of Patient Logistics, Wellstar Health System

Regine Thigpen, MSN, RN, NE-BC
Director, Hospital Outpatient Operations, Wellstar Health System
DR. TONORA V. GARBUTT, DNP, MSN, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, CPC, VHA-CM
MANAGER OF CLINICAL COMMAND CENTER, CENTRAL VIRGINIA VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Dr. Tonora V. Garbutt is the Manager of the Clinical Command Center (CCC) for the Central Virginia VA Health Care System. The CCC has oversight of all patient throughput activities, including the centralized bed management team. She has developed several innovative initiatives to promote optimization of patient access and effect flow management. Her previous accomplishment in the VA entails the establishment of the GI Telehealth program for the GI/Endoscopy Suite; a significant achievement and foremost of three telehealth endoscopy programs in the nation for Veterans Health Administration. Her initiatives
in gastroenterology enabled the Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center to be an initial federal site for the Pill Cam® procedure whereby she wrote the department guidelines for this procedure.
Dr. Garbutt’s educational journey has endured the rigors of time and testing through obtainment of multiples degrees:
- Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) – J. Sargent Reynolds Community College, 2000
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) – Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006
- Master’s in the Science of Nursing and Master’s in Health Administration (MSN & MHA) – University of Phoenix, 2014
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – Old Dominion University, 2019
- Sigma Theta Tau International membership – 2012 – present
- Certifications in nurse executive leadership, coding, coaching and mentorship
Dr. Garbutt is a licensed and ordained minister with international credentials by the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International. Her faith-based community initiatives include health promotion and education sessions, outreach programs for sex-trafficking, partnering with local women’s shelter for victims of abuse, and an annual health fair. Her aspirations include making an impact on health care policy reform and positively influencing global health care from the
nursing perspective.
JAYME STRAUSS, MSN, RN, MBA, SCRN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEUROSCIENCE SERVICE LINE, PIEDMONT HEALTHCARE

Jayme Strauss MSN, RN, MBA, SCRN is the Executive Director of the Neuroscience Service Line at Piedmont Healthcare. She is responsible for the clinical and business development for the Neuroscience service line across the 11-hospital health system.
She previously served as the Assistant Vice President of Neuroscience & Oncology Services at Baptist Health South Florida located in Miami, FL. She supported the neuroscience service line throughout the organization as Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant Services.
Jayme is also the founder of Neuroscience Strategic Solutions which is a consulting firm that focuses on Neuroscience program and service line development. She has consulted on several neuroscience strategic initiatives throughout Latin America and the Caribbean including Panama, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. She recently worked on a project consulting to help establish comprehensive stroke services for Joint Commission International Certification in Panama.
She received her BSN from Cedar Crest College in Allentown Pennsylvania, and her MSN and MBA at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. Jayme also served as an adjunct clinical professor of Nursing at Barry University in Miami shores, FL. She holds her Stroke Certified Registered Nurse.
DR. COLMAN TOM, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CPC, VHA-CM, LEAN SIX SIGMA – GREEN BELT
CLINICAL PATIENT TRANSFER / FLOW COORDINATOR, CLINICAL COMMAND CENTER, CENTRAL VIRGINIA VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Dr. Colman Tom is a Clinical Patient Transfer / Flow Coordinator at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System’s Clinical Command Center. The Clinical Command Center has 24-hour oversight of all patient throughput activities with a centralized bed management team. He has assisted in the development of several innovative initiatives to optimize flow management, promote patient access, and augment care coordination mandated by the VA MISSION ACT.
Dr. Tom’s major strengths are process, program, and systems redesign, integration, and restructuring for efficiency, efficacy, and sustainability based on high reliability concepts and practices . His previous accomplishment in the VA includes the establishment of a patient safety-aid sitter program with marked reduction in patient falls and elopements for high risk patients.
Dr. Tom has 15-years of business, banking, and financial management experience prior to his healthcare career. He held various titled positions to include Senior Margin Analyst, Assistant Operations Manager, Assistant Vice President, Vice President, Senior Vice President, and Consultant in the areas of Trading, Legal and Compliance, Corporate Investigator, Foreign Exchange Investigator, and Risk Management with different financial institutions like Shearson Lehman Brothers, Prudential Bache Securities, Reich & Co., Fahnestock & Co., Bank of America, National Westminster, and Citibank/Citicorp to name a few. Dr. Tom finds his prior experience in corporate Wall Street useful in his healthcare career; providing him with diversified experience in financial stewardship, resource utilization review and evaluation, program and systems designing, planning, development, training, implementation, management, and integration; program metric benchmarking, performance indicators, outcome evaluations, sustainability, policy development, service-line realignment, merger and acquisitions, and infrastructure reorganization.
JOHN REYNOLDS, MS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, WELLSTAR KENNESTONE HOSPITAL

John Reynolds is the Executive Director of Operations at Kennestone Regional Medical Center, the 633-bed flagship hospital of the Wellstar health system. There he leads several of the hospital’s support service departments and co-chairs the hospital’s throughput committee.
Prior to joining Wellstar, John spent fifteen years with the safety net health system of Indianapolis leading in a variety of roles within inpatient and nursing support services. There he partnered with hospital leaders to introduce an Acuity Adaptable inpatient model maximizing the hospital’s ability to care for complex patients, introduced a telesitter program, and worked collaboratively with emergency department leaders to implement cultural and operational changes to significantly improve throughput for admitted patients. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in management with a healthcare specialization. He is passionate about improving systems and processes that result in higher quality care and better outcomes for patients and communities.
COLLEEN WALKER, MSN, RN, NE-BC
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, PATIENT LOGISTICS CENTER, FRANCISCAN HEALTH

development and operations of patient access centers. She is experienced in working with predictive analytics, data intelligence and integrating data for improved operations and outcomes for patients. Colleen is a published author in the area of patient throughput. Colleen is involved at a state level with the Indiana Center for Nursing with past work on leadership and patient safety committees and also serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Indianapolis. Colleen is a member of American Organization for Nurse Executives, American College of Healthcare Executives, Sigma Theta Tau and Executive Women in Healthcare.
In her current role, Colleen is the Administrative Director for the Patient Logistics Center at Franciscan Health, for 12 Franciscan acute care facilities across the state of Indiana & Illinois. Colleen is responsible for the strategic planning and start-up of department. Colleen has led transformation of patient flow through her leadership in the Executive Capacity Management Committee which was a multi-disciplinary committee to improve patient throughput. In her role at Franciscan, Colleen has improved revenue, expanded bed capacity, positively impacted collaboration and quality patient care as well as improved measures in patient satisfaction. Colleen’s passions are to change the current model of healthcare so patients are receiving unified, collaborative and timely care.
RAMIN YAZDANFAR, MD
MEDICAL DIRECTOR, UPMC PINNACLE TRANSFER CENTER, PATIENT PLACEMENT OPERATIONS CENTER STAFF HOSPITALIST, UPMC PINNACLE HOSPITALIST SERVICES

Dr. Ramin Yazdanfar (Yaz) attended The George Washington University in Washington, DC for both
undergraduate and medical school, graduating in 2010 with his MD degree. He went on to complete his
Internal Medicine residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA, where he was able to
work with his father, a prominent interventional cardiologist, prior to his retirement. Out of residency, Dr. Yaz accepted a hospitalist position at WellSpan Health York Hospital, in York, PA.
Under the guidance of Dr. William (Tex) Landis and Dr. MaryEllen Pfeiffer, he developed a passion for patient logistics, transfer processes, and hospital throughput. In 2015, he assumed the role of Director and Project Champion of the Active Bed Management (ABM) program at WellSpan. In 2016, WellSpan’s ABM program received the Society of Hospital Medicine’s “National Excellence in Teamwork in Quality Improvement Award”, driving quality improvement for transitions of care in and out of the hospital. In 2017, Dr. Yaz took the position of Hospitalist Medical Director of UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg, allowing him to work for one of his former mentors, Dr. Steven Lilie. As the hub of a local 7-hospital health system in south central PA, UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg had an urgent need to develop a true command center for patient movement. In 2018, Dr. Yaz accepted the role of Medical Director of UPMC Pinnacle’s Transfer Center, with a goal to drive system standardization, process improvement, and decrease leakage. UPMC Pinnacle implemented Central Logic as its transfer solution in December of 2019, and continues to reap the benefits as they grow their command center.
Dr. Yaz is married to his residency sweetheart, Tarin (an ED physician at UPMC Pinnacle). They have 1 son and 3 dogs. In their “copious” amounts of free time, they enjoy golf, food, travel, and cheering on the Eagles, Sixers and Phillies. This is his 3rd Patient Flow Summit he has attended, first as a speaker.
CHARLEY LARSEN, RN, MSN, MBA, CNML, NE-BC
RN SENIOR DIRECTOR, BANNER HEALTH TRANSFER SERVICES
RN PROGRAM DIRECTOR, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES SURGE LINE

Charley has been in the healthcare industry since 2007 and leader of the Banner Health Transfer Services division since 2017. Charley graduated with his Bachelor’s Registered Nurse (BSN) degree from Arizona State University, Masters in Nursing Leadership (MSN) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Grand Canyon University, and he is now attending American Sentinel University for his Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) with an emphasis on executive leadership. Charley is a member of the 2019 class of American Organization of Nurse Executives Nurse Director Fellowship program, serves on the 55th Arizona state legislature Public Policy Committee through the Arizona Nurses Association ,
American Organization for Nursing Leadership Advocacy Committee, and is in pursuit of the American College of Healthcare Executives Fellowship (FACHE). Charley holds national certifications as a Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML) and Nurse Executive – Board Certified (NE-BC).
Charley joined Banner Health in 2007 in a clinical support role and upon graduation worked bedside in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, a major metropolitan quaternary academic medical center. Charley began his leadership journey as a RN Manager of the Cardiovascular ICU and the level 1 Trauma ICU and has progressed his way through leadership to his current executive role of RN Senior Director.
Charley led the charge from the Banner Health perspective in the partnership with Central Logic and is the operational owner of the program. Banner Health Transfer Services is situated across two offices with the primary being a 40,000 sq. ft. medical office building in Mesa Arizona and an ancillary office located in Greeley, Colorado. Banner Health Transfer Services facilitates the transfer of over 70,000 patients across 23 acute care facilities annually.
In early 2020, Charley was lent to the Arizona Department of Health Services to stand up the state Surge Line in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arizona Surge Line is a first of its kind, collaboration between public and private healthcare in which all major organizations in the state came together to respond to the anticipated patient volume surge. This program has been highly successful and a model for implementation nation wide as a CDC outlined best practice.
JASON BROWN, MD, FACP
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, BANNER PHARMACY SERVICES & BANNER HEALTH TRANSFER SERVICES

Dr. Brown currently serves dual roles within Banner Health, including Chief Medical Officer for Banner Pharmacy Services and Chief Medical Officer for Banner Health Transfer Services.
Within the pharmacy division, Dr. Brown assists with the development of clinical practices and the execution of policies across multiple pharmacy service lines; including acute care, ambulatory, specialty, and retail. He leads
care management activities for the system that focus on promoting standardization, improving patient safety, formulary management, and drug utilization practices. His involvement in opioid efforts including leading the Opioid Oversight Committee which has assisted in providing guidance on facilitating key stakeholder engagement for clinical practice development and provided support for policy development to comply with new opioid-related regulations.
Dr. Brown also serves as CMO for Banner Health Transfer Services, who receives approximately 65,000 requests for medical transfers each year to their Acute Care Hospitals. He works collaboratively with leaders across the system to provide clinical support as well as facilitates the creation of processes and protocols to improve clinical care, outcomes, and patient safety for patients requiring transfer.
Dr. Brown received his MD from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and completed a combined Internal Medicine and General Pediatrics Residency at Banner University Medical Center-Phoenix and Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He practiced as a primary care physician and hospitalist and has previously served as the Physician Lead of a Hospitalist group as well as a Hospital Chief Medical Officer. He is a graduate of Banner Health’s Advanced Leadership Program for Physicians.
SCHIARA GONZALEZ-PARKER, RN, MBA
DIRECTOR OF PATIENT LOGISTICS, WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM

Schiara Gonzalez Parker brings over 15 years experience in leadership and nursing practice in for-profit and non-profit healthcare. In her current role as Director of Patient Logistics at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta, Georgia, she has oversight of the Patient Logistics Center, PBX, and Discharge Center. She leads
patient throughput for a 633-bed tertiary trauma center –the flag-ship hospital of an 11-hospital system, with one of the busiest emergency rooms in the state and a very active transfer center. She has been recognized for improving throughput by 20%, reducing OR hold times by 15%, and managing patient placement during disaster responses for Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Irma (2017).
Since coming to Wellstar in 2006, Schiara designed and led the building of their Patient Logistics Center. This design is now being replicated at other hospitals within the system. She played a key role in developing, and now leads a nationally recognized, model Discharge Center that has achieved benchmark levels of performance for throughput, readmission and transitional care. Among her system-wide responsibilities, she serves as a Co-Lead for the WellStar Inclusion Council, and as a subject matter expert in the SOGI Initiative.
Schiara received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgia State University in 2003, a Master of Business Administration in 2016, and is currently working on her Master of Science in Nursing. She holds a Green and Silver belt in Lean Six Sigma. Additionally, Schiara plays an active role in Magnet and Baldrige work, and serves as an examiner for the Florida Sterling Council.
CAROL WALKER, BSN, RN, MSRN
TRANSFER CENTER NURSE, MISSION CONTROL, OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY

Carol Walker has been a registered nurse for 17 years, serving the entire time at OHSU. She came to nursing as a second career after spending more than ten years in the high-tech arena. During her time at OHSU Carol has held several positions in adult acute care including seven years on neurology, neurosurgery, ENT floors and another seven years in the acute care float pool, serving as charge nurse as needed on fourteen different acute care floors. Carol was one of the first nurses hired into the OHSU Transfer Center and continues to be very involved in the evolution of both the transfer center and the role of the transfer center nurse.
RACHEL ADAIR, MSN, RN, MSRN
TRANSFER CENTER NURSE, MISSION CONTROL, OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY

Rachel Adair has worked in healthcare for over 18 years, with the last seven as a registered nurse. Her career includes nursing at the Knight Cancer Institute in Radiation Medicine, charge nurse on the largest intermediate medical/surgical unit at a tertiary and quaternary care center, and as one of the first Transfer Center nurses at the only academic health system in the state of Oregon. She has assisted in the implementation and practice of the Transfer Center nurse role for OHSU Health. Special interests include systems-level nursing and throughput, with an emphasis on patient-centric care during the transfer process.
REGINE THIGPEN, MSN, RN, NE-BC
DIRECTOR, HOSPITAL OUTPATIENT OPERATIONS, WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM

Regine Thigpen, MSN, RN, NE-BC is currently the Director of Hospital Outpatient Operations at Wellstar Kennestone. She also serves in several nursing departments within Wellstar Health System. Regine has worked for Kennestone hospital for 10 years and has been in nursing for over 20 years.
STEPHANIE TENBARGE, MSN, RN
NURSING DIRECTOR TRANSFER CENTER & PATIENT PLACEMENT, FRANCISCAN HEALTH

Stephanie G. TenBarge is the System Nursing Director for the Patient Logistics Center at Franciscan Health. The Patient Logistics Center is the centralized patient placement and transfer center for the Franciscan Alliance, a 12-hospital system in Indiana and Illinois.
Stephanie has 25 years of healthcare experience that includes Nursing Administration, Staffing Resource, Nursing Operations and Critical Care. Stephanie has been instrumental in building and managing a Staffing Resource pool of over 100 employees as well as the startup of centralized Patient Placement with a focus on patient throughput and capacity management. Stephanie created and manages a successful Emerging Nurse Leader Residency at Franciscan Alliance that mentors and prepares nurses for future leadership positions. Stephanie has presented Succession Planning at the AONE national conference, highlighting the successes of her Emerging Nurse Leader Residency.
Stephanie has a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from Ball State University. Stephanie has been recognized by Franciscan Alliance for her ability to emulate patient and family centered care by encouraging, motivating and inspiring teams with joyful service and for her transformational leadership.
SHANNON ROBERSON, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CLSS BB
MANAGER OF DEVELOPMENT & PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, FRANCISCAN HEALTH

As the Development and Performance Improvement Manager for Franciscan Health, Shannon collaborates with front line staff and executive team members to communicate and implement business transformation within the 12-hospital system wide Patient Logistics
Center. In her role, she utilizes Lean Six Sigma business strategies, data analytics, strategy planning and deployment, and people development to drive value, growth, and performance improvement.
Shannon has more than fifteen years of health care experience in Nursing Leadership and Lean and Six Sigma process improvement, Shannon has been instrumental in successfully leading business transformation within a 12-hospital system. Her previous projects include decreasing inefficiencies in ED throughput, creating a “pull” process to create flow, and decreasing length of stay for observation patients using visual management. She has experience of not only working in busy healthcare environments but also creatively rolling out Lean principles strategically throughout departments that have had no prior experience with them.
Shannon has a Master of Science in Nursing Administration, she is board certified in nurse executive through the AACN. She has received her Black Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma through ASQ credentialing. These experiences enriched Shannon understanding of respect for people and driving associate engagement within the organization.