Nevada Nurses Foundation

Karen Bearer, MA Ed, BSN, RN is a full-time faculty member at College of Southern Nevada (CSN). She is an active faculty advisor to CSN-SNA and helped the school pass its first resolution at the NSNA national convention. She is also an active member of NNA and AACN. Karen continues to work part-time as an ICU float pool nurse at Dignity Health in Las Vegas and is currently enrolled at Grand Canyon University for her MSN with an emphasis in Healthcare Informatics. A native of Ohio, she is a proud previous employee of the Cleveland Clinic where she worked in cardiac Step Down and CCU. She has a degree in Sports Medicine from Waynesburg College and received her Master's in Education from Walsh University.

Vicky Catlin, MSN-Ed, RN, CLE, CNE, graduated from UNR with a BS in Health Education/teaching and a BS in Nursing. She attended the University of Phoenix for her MSN with a post-graduate certification in education. She has worked for local hospitals in nursing staff development and new graduate orientation to the MCH area. Vicky joined Carrington School of Nursing to teach Perinatal and Women Health in 2013. She is currently enrolled in a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at UNR. She belongs to AWHONN, NNA, and NONL, and serves as a March of Dimes education and grant reviewer.

BreAnna Connelly, BSN, RN, graduated with her BSN from Nevada State College in 2021. Since then she has moved from the Henderson/Las Vegas area to beautiful Reno. During college she was the Historian for NSC's student nurses association. She also served on the Nevada Nursing Student Association (NVNSA) as the Communications Director. She has since transitioned to being an advisory board member in the Nevada Nurses Foundation (NNF). She enjoys helping NNF in its efforts to supply scholarships to nursing students in Nevada, and that has become a passion of hers. BreAnna started her nursing career working in behaviorial health services at Carson Tahoe Hospital. She also worked a stent in home healthcare learning to care for babies and children on ventilators. In an effort to find her nursing niche she decided to leave the hospital and home health setting and enter the field of aesthetics. She is happy with the decision to go into aesthetics because it has given her the work-life balance to go back to school. In January of 2023 she started her FNP program at the University of North Alabama. She has two years to finish her graduate degree and plans to stay in in the aesthetic realm of healthcare, but she remains open to where her education will take her.

Brian Dankowski, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, CCMA, was born and raised in Elko. After graduating high school, he moved to Reno for 12 years, then returned home. He holds ASN and BSN degrees from Great Basin College, and MSN and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees from the University of Nevada, Reno. His work experience includes geriatric care, wood care, acute care, pediatrics, mental health, and Director of Nursing at Premise Health. He is currently a member of the nursing faculty and MAPE Program Director at Great Basin College. Brian went into nursing to help those who are unable to care for themselves. He finds this work the most rewarding thing he has ever done, and he hopes to install this passion into future generations of nurses. He enjoys spending time with his husband and fur baby, as well as gardening, hiking, traveling, and reading.

Mary De La Cruz, MSN, APRN, FNP-C is a dedicated Family Nurse Practitioner with a strong background in intensive care and a profound passion for wound care. A recent graduate of the FNP program, she is committed to delivering high-quality care to underserved communities in Nevada, leveraging her clinical expertise to improve patient outcomes.
Throughout her career, Mary has gained extensive experience in the ICU, where she developed critical skills in patient assessment, complex case management, and compassionate care. Her specialized expertise and dedication to the field of wound care have become a central focus of her practice. In addition to her clinical work, Mary is deeply involved in nursing education and community service. She serves as a guest lecturer at Nevada State University, where she enjoys mentoring future nurses and sharing her real-world knowledge. She is also an active board member of the university's alumni association, working to support and advance the nursing profession.

Elizabeth de Leon-Gamboa, MSN Ed., RN, CPHQ, CCM, CMCN, is a Cum Laude graduate of the University of the Philippines where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. She is a healthcare quality practitioner who started her nursing career of 32 years as a rehabilitation nurse, medical surgical nurse, case manager, and clinical nurse educator in the Philippines, California, and Nevada facilities. Using her clinical and administrative nursing experience, she evolved into the health insurance industry landing quality and compliance roles in managed care. Liza is currently a Manager of Quality at Optum Medical Network of Nevada Medical Management. She is a Certified Practitioner in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), Certified Case Manager (CCM), and a Certified Managed Care Nurse (CMCN). Interests in nursing education, leadership, and innovation inspired her to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing, with emphasis on Nursing Education at Capella University, graduating with Distinction. She has been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success as well as the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society – Omega Chapter.
She strives to advocate for the mental health and welfare of Nevada Nurses as one of the facilitators of the MindBodyStrong classes, served as a mentor to novice nurses through PNANV's Mentorship Program, CSN Preceptorship, and UNLV Mentorship Program. Liza is a co-writer of PNANV’s Caring Starts with Me: A Culturally Sensitive Self-Care Program for the Immigrant Nurses, to be launched in 2023. She currently serves as the Academic Research Collaborator (ARC) for the FAPCOR-NV Nayon to promote positive healthcare outcomes for Filipino Americans in Nevada. Liza is an active member of the American Nurses Association, Nevada Nurses Association, University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association, Inc., and University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Nevada (UPAAN), and serves as a board of directors member of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations. She is the immediate past President of the Philippine Nurses Association of Nevada for 2021-2023, and now serves in the Advisory Board. She has established the de Leon-Gamboa Seeds of Hope Nursing Scholarship to invest in the future generation of nurses by donating to scholarship programs of various non-profit organizations such as the University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International, the Philippine Nurses Association of Nevada (PNANV), and of course the Nevada Nurses Foundation.

Kelly Farley, MS, is the Simulation Coordinator of the Nevada Clinical Simulation Lab and holds a Master's degree in Information Management from the University of Oregon as well as numerous technology certifications. Kelly comes to the simulation lab with 15 years of technical and teaching experience in the technology field as well as a background in law enforcement and photography. Kelly transitioned to the medical simulation field in 2011.

Dawn Johnson, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, has been a nurse for 36 years. Her experience has ranged from Medical Surgical, Neuro-Trauma, Oncology, Labor and Delivery, Pediatrics, and Behavioral Health including Detox and Acute Rehab. The last 17 years Dawn has been involved mostly in Leadership and Nursing Education. She has helped develop nursing programs and consulted on nursing program development. Dawn has written for a variety of nursing textbooks. She currently works at Reno Behavioral Healthcare Hospital as Chief Nursing Officer. Dawn has lived in beautiful Reno for the last 6 years.

Heidi Johnston, DNP, RN, CNE, has been in nursing for 25 years and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the last 15 years. She has been involved in the Nevada Nurses Association and the Nevada Nurses Foundation. Her scholarship areas are graduate and faculty education and rural nursing education. She enjoys the outdoors, spending time with family, and spoiling her fur babies.

Delos Jones, BSN, RN, MSN, DNP, started his nursing career with a Bachelor's degree from Idaho State University. After graduation, he worked on the telemetry unit and in the Cardiac Cath Lab for the hospital in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Later, he served as the office RN for a cardiologist for several years. It was during his time at the cardiology office that Delos completed his MSN in Clinical Research from George Washington University in Washington, DC. He then managed a clinical research department for an endocrinology practice. Following his time in management, Delos moved into education working for two schools in the Salt Lake Valley as faculty and a program director. During this time, he learned about curriculum and higher education administration. He then moved to the Roseman University Of Health Sciences Utah campus and began his higher education administration career. When possible, Delos transferred to Roseman University’s Henderson, Nevada campus. At this time, he also completed his DNP in Education and Leadership at the George Washington University. Delos now serves as the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Learning Innovation and as the Director for the Center for Innovation in Health Professions Education at the Henderson, Nevada, campus for Roseman University.

Shelley Martin, RN, has been a nurse for 7 years and served as a Board member for 3 years helping with marketing. She has worked in med/surg, telemetry, and the ER. Currently Shelley is working on her Master's degree in education and plans to earn her terminal degree and specialize in mental health. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her 5 children and husband and help others feel more comfortable in their own skin with her aesthetics business.

Janai McFarland, LPN, is a full-time, undergraduate, TRIO McNair scholar at Nevada State University majoring in Human Health Sciences/Pre-Nursing with a Psychology minor. Janai is passionate about leadership development and actively participates in six professional organizations related to school, community, and nursing. She excels academically, maintaining a stellar GPA of 3.9, which recently earning her a place on the prestigious President's List.
Additionally, she is a well-rounded research scholar having completed research presentations at local and national conferences on undergraduate chronic illness and exploration of a microbial niche. Her keen and enthusiastic attitude during her two-year election as the Southern Regional Director for the Nevada Nursing Student Association, led to recognition by the Nevada Nurses Foundation as a nominee for the 2023 and 2024 Shining Stars of Nursing in Nevada 50 under 50 Best Nurses in Nevada.
Janai has prior clinical expertise obtained throughout over fifteen years as a nurse which spanned a variety of clinical settings including assisted and skilled nursing facilities, home health care, nursing agencies, and community health work. Currently, her academic pursuits include obtaining a doctorate in nursing with a focus on nurse education in efforts to promote positive representation for previously marginalized populations and provide support to the dwindling nurse educator role.
Outside of academics, Janai is part of the "sandwich generation" being an involved caregiver for elderly parents and a single parent to a thirteen-year-old son. In her spare time, Janai likes to go for walks that evolve into hikes, is a lover of the arts, and microbes.

Lauren B. Parker, APRN, FNP-C, IHC was born and raised in New Orleans and moved to Henderson, Nevada, in 2016. She received her BSN from Southern University and A&M College, where she graduated in the top 5 of her nursing class and was a charter inductee to Sigma Theta Tau International. She received her MN upon completion of the FNP Program from LSU and was president of her FNP class. Most recently, she received her certification as an Intergrative Health Coach from the Institute of Intergrative Nutrition in 2018. Lauren's clinical experience spans over a 16+ year nursing career, which began with 2 years of experience as a Certified Nurse Assistant and includes inpatient Med-Surg, Outpatient Surgery, HIV/AIDS Outpatient Clinic, Nurse Educator, Home Health, and Urgent Care. As a Nurse Practitioner, she has experience in Urgent Care and Primary Care. She enjoys caring for patients and teaching patients to prioritize their health and wellness on a holistic level. She is the founder and owner of two new practices: NP and Me LLC, providing primary care services, and NDO Wellness LLC, where she offers an alternative approach using modalities such as IV vitamin therapy and health coaching. Through her businesses, Lauren also offers consulting to corporations for healthcare expertise and planning for wellness programs for their employees.

Darlene White Petaway, BS/A, RN, iCNA, has over 30 years of nursing experience which includes 29 years of nursing management. Darlene began her nursing journey taking care of individuals with spinal cord injuries. Much of her career has been focused in Ortho-Neuro injuries while working and traveling with the Paralyzed Veterans of America for the PVA games. She has experience teaching the use of adaptive equipment and promoting independent living for the disabled veteran. Her robust experience has led her to begin a career educating healthcare workers. Darlene joins the Nevada Nurses Foundation Advisory Board to support and advocate for the delivery of quality healthcare in Nevada.

Lyle Pritchett, MS, BS, has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of the computing field, including programming, Webmaster, systems administration, network engineering and management, database administration, and security. He worked at the Desert Research Institute, a world-renowned environmental research organization based in Nevada, for 24 years, including 6 years as Director of IT. He is currently owner and manager of Cliffson Solutions, LLC, which provides programming, Web site development, and Web hosting services for a wide range of clients and projects, including the National Weather Service, the US Forest Service, DRI, Nevada Nurses Association, and the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement. He is a member of the IEEE Computer Society. Lyle lived in the Reno area for 34 before moving to southern Oregon where he and his wife are rehabilitating a small rundown farm with unskilled labor provided by cows, chickens, rabbits, and pigs.

Dr. Elizabeth Solomon is a dedicated nursing professional with over 35 years of experience in clinical nursing, healthcare leadership, and nursing education. She graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and holds a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix. She received a Doctor of Nursing from Touro University in 2022. She has held various roles throughout her career, including adult critical care, nursing administrator, and nurse educator. In these positions, she has demonstrated her commitment to nursing. Currently, she serves as the Director of Nursing at the College of Southern Nevada. Dr. Solomon is committed to fostering excellence in nursing education.

Dawn Taylor, MSN Ed, RN, CNN, COI, was born in Cambridge, England, and graduated nursing school with RN dip from West Suffolk Hospital in 1992. She certified in cardiothoracic nursing and worked in both a floor environment, coronary care unit, and ICU environments. She came to USA in 1998 and worked in a military facility as a pediatric tech. She passed the NCLEX exam in 1999 and completed the AACN program for Orientation to the Acute and Critically Ill Patient. She worked for one year in a critical care float pool. From 2000 to 2013 she worked in a variety of capacities as a certified nephrology nurse. She graduated with Honors from an RN-to-BSN program in 2008, returning almost immediately to complete her MSN Ed. in 2010. She completed a post-graduate certificate in nursing education in May, 2020. Dawn graduated in May, 2022, with a Ph.D. in Nursing with an emphasis in Caring Science at Colorado University Anschutz Medical Campus. Her dissertation was entitled On The Journey To Healing: Sex/Gender Diverse Female Voices On The Road To Healing After Lived Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence. Since 2014, she has been working in academia with undergraduate and RN-BSN nursing students at Nevada State College. She is certified in on-line teaching.
She has spoken at numerous nephrology conferences on a variety of topics ranging from home dialysis visits and safety to disaster and emergency preparedness for home dialysis patients. She has disseminated some work in Caring Science since beginning her Ph.D. program in 2016 at Research and Human Caring conferences. Dawn published a literature review in 2013 on The Barriers to Home Dialysis and in 2019 a manuscript on Faculty Advising Role in the International Journal of Human Caring. Finally, she volunteers in the Las Vegas community in a variety of capacities.

Julie Wagner, PhD, MSN, RN, has been active for many years as a nurse educator in health care agencies, nursing schools, and professional organizations. Her passion is to improve and advance nursing both in practice and education. Since making Nevada her home in 2006, Julie has been an active member of Nevada Nursing Association. She is a strong advocate of the "Healthy Nurse Initiative" by promoting health and wellness activities within the community.