Karen Holt Nodolf (BSN ’79), is a community com- plaint investigator at the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). She has had a dynamic career working in a number of settings including medical/oncology, home health/ hospice nursing, case management and geriatrics. Karen was one of the first nurses hired to work at the Pediatric Interim Care Center in Kent, Washington when it opened, caring for drug and alcohol affected infants. She ended up adopt- ing a baby from there in 1992. She has also worked in home health/hospice for critically ill pediatric patients and became certified as a school nurse and worked in the schools for several years. She returned to school and earned an MBA then worked for DSHS in a number of roles for Residential Care Services. She also became certified in parish nursing, volunteering at her local church over the years. She eventually re- turned to hospital work but in IT, then moved to a role as director of case management at the same hospital. Most recently she returned to DSHS as a community complaint investigator. Karen’s 91-year-old mother is a retired nurse (from what was then WSC) and she feels she has been an amazing role model for always serving others with a nursing heart.
“What a true blessing this degree has been for my life story! I look forward to the next chapter!”
Sharon Bradley (BSN ’91), retired, earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from University of Phoenix. She worked for Holy Family and Visiting Nurses Association, and recently retired after 20 years of service at the Spokane VA Medical Center where she served as Chief of Education Service for the 10 years.
“I am still a Coug at heart, and I am thankful for the nursing educators who helped me lay the groundwork for my career.”
Kelly Martin (Carrick) (BSN ’04), RN, worked in the NICU for the first 12 years of her career and loved it. After sustaining an injury she recently moved to school nursing and she says she loves it just as much. She is an RN for a K-6 elementary school and finds it both challenging and rewarding.
Stephanie Jaross (BSN ’04), clinical director, had the opportunity to lead the startup of an outpatient spine and total joint surgery center this past year. She led the center through inspections and surveys while having sole responsibility for the hiring of the clinic’s initial team.
Stephanie started her career in the armed forces where she spent four years serving overseas as a medical surgical nurse in Germany and as an ER nurse in a combat support hospital in Iraq.
“I hold those experiences and memories fresh in my mind and near to my heart, as they were instrumental in shaping my clinical practice, my leadership style and the overall confidence that continues to support my journey today.”
Brea McLaughlin (BSN ’06, MN ’12), is a lead advance practice provider in Cardiac Surgery at UW Medical Center in Seattle, Washington where she gets to advocate for fellow advance practice nurses as the Lead. Her career has also tak- en her into mechanical circulatory support/LVADs and total artificial hearts and heart transplantation.
Stephanie Winters (BSN ’08), RN, spent the first four years of her nursing career working in the ICU before transitioning into the Emergency Department. Most recently, Stephanie became a board certified pediatric emergency nurse. She spent some time as a clinical nurse educator but her passion lies in bedside nursing.
She and her husband have two children, ages 5 and 3.
Chelsea Dallman (BSN ’10), psychiatric nurse practitioner, worked as a psychiatric nurse for a couple of years in Spokane before returning school to become a psychiatric ARNP in 2015. She is now working in Colville, Washington at NEW Alliance Counseling Services, and is loving it!
Brianna Goodman (BSN ’10), public health nurse is working for a small county health department administering routine and travel immunizations to children and adults as well as working with children with special health care needs, maternal child health topics, disease control and emergency preparedness. She also spent time working in bone marrow transplant and surgical/tele/ICU step down. Right now she is enjoying maternity leave with her first baby and will return to work this fall.
Shannon Laux (BSN ’10), RN, started her nursing ca- reer on the surgical floor at Sacred Heart Medical Center, transitioned to the ER then to ICU. She later moved to the Seattle area and worked in the Trauma Surgical ICU at Harborview Medical Center. Now she is at UW Valley Medical Center in the Cath Lab. Shannon plans to return to school next fall for her DNP.
Rebecca Nourse (BSN ’10), is working for the Inland Northwest Blood Center in Spokane as an apheresis nurse specialist/trainer. Her work takes her to the local hospitals where she loves teaching others about blood cell separation and apheresis technology.
Danica Parkin (BSN ’10, MN ’12), is a nurse practitioner at Mt. Spokane Pediatrics, a nurse practitioner-owned pediatric primary care clinic in Spokane, Washington. The clinic is owned by Jeff Schilt, another WSU College of Nursing BSN and MN graduate. Danica also serves on the Board of Directors at Salish School of Spokane.
Anne Ross (BSN ’10), RN, is working as a PACU/SDS nurse at a critical access hospital in Colfax, Washington. She loves the unique challenge of both PACU and critical access healthcare. When she is not busy at work Anne stays busy with her two small children.
Jovan Trent (BSN ’10), CRNA, BSN, MSNA, DNAP After completing a BSN at WSU, Jovan worked for two years at the University of Washington Medical Center in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. After that, he started travel nursing in New York City, later attending Virginia Commonwealth University to complete both a masters and a doctorate degree in nurse anesthesia. Jovan has spent the last three years in California, Virginia, and is now back at UW Medical Center.
Mireya Galvez (BSN ’11), RN, worked at Virginia Mason Hospital for three years, then heard of a position as RN/Clinic Manager for a new clinic in Tieton, Washington. She grew up in that area and came from a migrant farming family, and thought it was a wonderful opportunity to serve her community. She now manages both the Community Health of Central Washington’s Highland Clinic and Naches Medical Clinic, bringing evidence-based medical and behavioral services to rural communities. She’s proud to display her WSU diploma in her office and “represent that even a lo- cal Hispanic farmworker’s daughter could go on get a bachelor’s degree!”
Scott Podruzny (BSN ’12), Hyperbaric safety director/ wound care RN, recently became certified in hyperbaric oxygen therapy and is in charge of the day-to-day operations of two Class B monochambers in Yakima, Washington.
Danielle Faverty (BSN ’13), RN, has been working at Deaconess in the Mother/Baby Unit since graduation. She completed her practicum there and was offered a job the day she passed the NCLEX. Two years into her career she cross-trained to Labor and Delivery to expand her skill set and now works in both departments. She is passionate about postpartum care and loves teaching parents how to care for their new infants. In 2017, Danielle was selected for a year- long program called the Clinical Advancement Program. The goal of the program was to improve employee and patient satisfaction, infection control, and safety through employee competency, educational packets/bulletin boards, and work- shops. She hosted numerous emergency drills through the year involving the hospitalist, CRNAs, NICU, and more. The program created multidisciplinary cohesiveness that im- proved unit safety and teamwork.
Christina Duncan (BSN ’14, MN ’16), ARNP, is a nurse practitioner at Providence Urgent Care in Spokane. She loves seeing a diverse patient group and is passionate about helping the community.
Abigail Gilmore (BSN ’15), RN, BSN, PCCN, is living in Texas with her family and is working in a cardiac day patient department while attending graduate school for her Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner degree.
Christina Van Orman (BSN ’15), case manager, CHPN started her nursing career in the Labor and Delivery Unit. She soon became a case manager at Horizon Hospice and has loved everything about being a hospice nurse.
Kortney Thornburg (BSN ’17), RN, is living in Boise, Idaho working at St. Alphonsus on a medical/oncology unit.“The education and experience I received at WSU pre- pared me so well for the real world. I have precepted a WSU practicum student every year since 2013. I still wear my WSU Cougar badge reel every day at work. Go Cougs!”
Jessie Stensgar (BSN ’17), RN is a Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum RN at Providence Holy Family’s Family Maternity Center. She also works with Inland Northwest Health Services, providing flu shots for people throughout the Spokane area.
