Two male graduates in cap and gown

Alumni Updates – January 2022

Lacey Shaylor, BSN ‘05, Spokane: I work in a busy cardiac cath lab at Providence St. Patrick Hospital (in Missoula, Montana) focused on everything from structural heart to STEMI acute MI cases. We have just been named one of the Top 50 heart hospitals in the US! I am double board certified in cardiac/vascular and critical care. My job can escalate quickly from basic to critical care in a literal heartbeat. It’s an awesome environment and I have wonderful co-workers and have learned so much. 

Shannon Hunter, BSN ‘10, Spokane: I work for NJ Sharing Network as a clinical donation specialist in organ and tissue donation. I manage critically ill and end of life decisions for people who have made the most selfless act of being an organ donor. I work closely with their families to provide the utmost support to them as they navigate during the hardest moments of their lives. I clinically manage the donor in the ICU, allocate new homes for their organs, and go into the OR for the recovery of their organs. The hours are long but it’s the most rewarding position I have ever done in nursing. Tragedy happens regardless of circumstances, and this is the only way to make it positive and to save lives. Out of the thousands of nurses in New Jersey, there are only 25 of us. One person could save up to eight lives. Give the gift of hope. Register to be a donor.  

Lauren Orallo, BSN ‘12, Spokane: I work in the Infusion Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. I’m CPHON certified and also act as charge nurse. The Infusion Center is at the forefront of new treatment and is always doing fun, exciting, and sometimes crazy things. We treat almost every type of disease including curing leukemia with CAR T-cell infusions and curing SMA with a one-time infusion. It’s incredible to see how medicine is improving and how much can be done in an outpatient setting! 

Haley Snodgrass, BSN ‘14, Spokane: I’m currently a bilingual nurse home visitor with the Nurse Family Partnership in Austin, Texas. I’ve been here about 3.5 years and will be starting grad school in January to get my Family Nurse Practitioner degree. I plan to continue to focus on/work in women’s health and/or adolescent sexual and reproductive health.  

Randall Wyatt, BSN ‘15, Yakima: I finished Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist school in 2021 with my Doctorate of Nursing Practice. I’m currently practicing in Indiana.  

Cameron Maleki, BSN ‘16, Spokane: After a few years of ICU RN experience, I decided mental health was my true passion. In 2019, I returned to WSU to obtain my DNP-PMHNP degree. I graduate this spring 2022 and am very excited! I have been staying busy with my DNP project, improving the care of domestic violence survivors through training and new screening tools at a local hospital. 

Amy Bakalarski, BSN ‘17, Spokane: I got my dream job shortly after graduating from nursing school at WSU and I have been working in the same unit going on four years in February! I’m a Neonatal ICU nurse and I love what I do. Every day is a learning experience filled with opportunities to grow as a nurse and as a person. What more could you ask for out of a career?  

Megan Strom, BSN ‘17, Spokane: After working at Seattle Children’s Hospital as an RN in the Acute Care Float Pool for three years, I left to take time off and convert a van into a tiny home on wheels with my husband. Now we travel full time in our camper van and I am working remotely for Flatiron Health as an RN Oncology Data Abstractor. I am just starting this position and am already in love with the flexibility, challenge, and uniqueness of this position. I abstract unstructured data from oncology medical records and turn it into structured data in order to improve the lives of every cancer patient. It is such an interesting and exciting position that I never knew about until I started travelling and looking for remote jobs! 

Claire Wineman, BSN ‘17, Spokane: I just graduated the Army’s rigorous 4-month-long Critical Care Nurses Course. I now work as an emergency nurse in the only Level I trauma department in all of the Department of Defense in San Antonio, Texas!  

Patricia Wheeler Larsen, BSN ‘19, Spokane: In the past month I changed from Med Surg in a critical access hospital to infusion and oncology nursing in rural Idaho.  

Julia Inderbitzin, BSN ‘20, Spokane: I currently work in the Emergency Department at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. I am Trauma Nurse Certified and am working toward becoming a Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse. Each shift is different, and I feel like I am still learning something new every day! I also recently became a Certified Personal Trainer, which has provided me with a good balance of nursing and other areas of my life I am passionate about. Go Cougs! 

Alex Shuherk, BSN ‘20, Spokane: I recently left my first job out of nursing school on a med/surg unit for a position as a perioperative RN in the OR. My hospital sees a lot of complex cases, so the learning curve has been steep, but I definitely feel like this new position is a match for me. Graduating into the COVID era has been mentally tough so it feels great to be excited to go to work again!  

Lacey Jones, BSN ‘21, Spokane: I have started a new position as an emergency room nurse at Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Alabama.  

Jonathan Mendoza, BSN ‘21, Spokane: I am going into my 5th month of ICU Residency at Tacoma General. My experience here so far has been amazing. From meeting awesome nurses on the floor to seeing different critical illnesses, getting this position has been a blessing. As my residency begins to come to an end next month, I am excited to see how I will fare with having complete responsibility for these critically ill patients. Go Cougs! 

Evaliz Vazquez-Estrella, BSN ‘21, Vancouver: Currently working on a medical renal unit and precepting students/residents.