Committees & Taskforces
APHON is a volunteer-driven organization led by many wonderful and talented members who lend their expertise to the association. The following committees are seeking positive individuals:
- APHON Continuing Education (ACE) Center
- Annual Conference Program Planning
- Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Provider Program
- Evidence-Based Practice/Research
If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out our Willingness to Serve form.
Need a volunteer verification letter for your employer? Fill out the Volunteer Verification Letter Request.
Advocacy
Serves as a vehicle for establishing and carrying out policy priorities identified in the APHON Health Policy Agenda.
Chair: Emily Padgett, BSN RN CPN CPHON®
Vice Chair: Joan O’Hanlon Curry, DNP RN CPNP-PC CPON® NEA-BC FAAN FAPHON
Committee Members:
- Kim Arnold, DNP, APRN, CPNP, CPHON®
- Susie Burke, RN MA CPNP CPHON®
- Joan O’Hanlon Curry, DNP MS RN CPNP-PC NEA-BC CPON® FAAN
- Jami Gattuso, MSN RN CPON® FAPHON
- Laura Koke, BSN RN CPN CPHON®
- Jordan Nixon, DNP APRN CPNP
- Beth A Siever, CPNP CPON MSN RN
- Stacy Whiteside, APRN MS CPNP-AC/PC CPON®
- Karen Wohlgezogen, BSN CPHON®
Board Liaison: Amy Newman, PhD CPNP-BC CPHON®
Annual Conference Program Planning
Plans and implements the annual conference each year.
Chair: Deborah S. Echtenkamp, MSN RN CPON® FAPHON
Past Chair: Kathy Perko, MS CHPPN CPNP CPON®
Paper and Poster Co-Chair: Kitty Montgomery, PhD RN CNS CPHON®
Committee Members:
- Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN CPON®
- Misty Evans DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN®
- Alexandra Giralt Hughes, DNP APRN ACCNS-P CPHON®
- Marika Highberger, MSN APRN BMTCN® CPNP-PC
- LeighAnna Hutchinson, DNP APRN FNP-C
- Allyson Jones, RN CPN CPHON®
- Denise Mills, MN NP CPHON®
- Stacy Whiteside, APRN CPON®
Board Liaison: Amy Haskamp MSN RN PCNS-BC CPON® CHPPN
Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Provider Program
Ensures compliance with educational design criteria for APHON educational programs and policies and procedures for the Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Provider Program.
Chair: Terri L. Boyce, DNP APRN CPNP-AC CPHON® BMTCN®
Past Chair: Anne Marie Sterk, MSN RN CPON®
Committee Members:
- Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN NEA-BC NPD-BC CPON®
- Karen Kestenbaum, DNP APN CPHON®
- Christina Knox Conley, MSN,RN, APRN, CPON®
- Shannon Koty, MSN-NL, RN, CPN, CPHON®, NPD-BC
- Maritza Salazar-Abshire, MED MSN RN CPON®
- Michelle Tolley, BSN RN CPHON®
Board Liaison: Mary Newman, MSN RN CPON®
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force
The DEI Task Force supports the vision of APHON being a diverse and inclusive professional community that values and serves the distinct experiences and needs of members and their patients and families.
Chair: Janice Nuuhiwa, MSN RN NPD-BC CPHON®
Committee Members:
- Sara Davis, RN
- Ijeoma Julie Eche, PhD BMTCN® CPON® FNP-C
- Dennis K Gonzales, BS RN CPON® BMTCN
- Heather Hightower
Board Liaison: Dyane Bunnell, DNP, APRN, AOCNS®, CPON®, NPD-BC
Education Provider Unit
Ensures compliance with ANCC-COA Educational Design Criteria for APHON educational programs, awards continuing education credit to eligible participants completing APHON educational programs, provides expertise, advice, and consultation on ANCC-COA criteria to APHON committees and task forces developing educational programs with continuing education credit.
Chair: Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN CPON®
Committee Members:
- Terri L Boyce, DNP APRN CPHON® CPNP-AC BMTCN
- Deborah S. Echtenkamp, MSN RN CPON® FAPHON
- Beth Fisher, DNP APRN CPNP-AC/PC CPON® CHPPN
Board Liaison: Amy Haskamp MSN RN PCNS-BC CPON® CHPPN
Evidence-Based Practice/Research
Supports the development of Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines and supports research activities within the membership optimizing outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders.
Chair: Micah Skeens, PhD PNP RN
Vice Chair: Casey Hooke, PHD PCNS-BC APRN FAPHON FAAN
Committee Members:
- Lei Cheng
- Misty Evans DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN®
- Marika Highberger, MSN RN CPNP
- Gwendolyn Kimball, DNP RN CPHON®
- Caroline F. Morrison, Ph.D RN CNL
Board Liaison: Ijeoma Eche PhD MPH APN/NCS NPD-BC BMTCN® CPHON® FNP-C
Global Outreach
Oversees organizational international outreach and global presence.
Chair: Colleen M Nixon, MSN RN CPHON®
Immediate Past Chair: Linda Abramovitz, MSN RN BMTCN®
Committee Members:
- Heidi Abendroth, MSN CPNP CPHON®
- Shirley Behm, MSN RN FNP CPHON®
- Holly Caldwell, RN
- Jessica Graef, MSN MA CPHON®
- Rachael LeBeau, RN CPHON®
- Lizza Lopez, RN
- Joan O’Hanlon Curry, DNP MS RN CPNP-PC NEA-BC CPON® FAAN
- Richard John Ramos, PNP MS RN CNS CPON®
- Kasey Rangan, MSN CPNP CPHON®
Board Liaison: Sharon Bergeron, BSN RN CPON®
Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing (JOPHON)
Oversees the overall content and quality of the Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses and the overall coordination of manuscripts and content.
Editor: Kristin A. Stegenga, PhD RN CPON®
Assistant Editors: Suzanne Ameringer, PhD RN & Casey Hooke, PhD CNS APRN CPON®
Editorial Board Members:
- Laura Clarke-Steffen, PhD RN
- Deborah B. Crom, PhD RN CPNP
- Elizabeth A. Duffy, DNP RN CPNP
- Faith Gibson, PhD RGN ONC®
- Joan E. Haase, PhD RN
- Pamela S. Hinds, PhD RN FAAN
- Kimberly Pike-Grimm, PhD RN CNS
- Lauri Linder, PhD APRN CPON®
- Catherine Fiona MacPherson, PhD RN CPON®
- Belinda N. Mandrell, PhD RN PNP
- Ida M. (KI) Moore, DNS RN FAAN
- Audrey E. Nelson, PhD RN
- Amy Newman, PhD CPNP-BC CPHON®
- Deborah Tomlinson, MS RSCN RGN Dip Cancer Nursing
- Janice Withycombe, PhD RN MN, CCRP
- Roberta L. Woodgate, PhD RN
Board Liaisons: Amy Newman, PhD CPNP-BC CPHON® & Ijeoma Eche PhD BMTCN® CPON® FNP-C
ACE Center Committee
Oversees the development of content and management and ongoing maintenance of the APHON Continuing Education (ACE) Center.
Chair: Beth Fisher, DNP CPNP-AC/PC APRN CPON® CHPPN
Vice Chair: Liz Sniderman, MSN NP CPNP-AC CPHON®
Committee Members:
- Kathleen Ackerman, CNS RN
- Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN CPON®
- Karen Kestenbaum, RN
- Emily Padgett, BSN RN CPN CPHON®
- Ryan Profetto MSN-ED RN CPHON® BMTCN
- Jonna Rodriguez
- Amanda Smith
Board Liaison: Danielle Gunter
Leadership Development Committee
Oversees the selection of eligible candidates for the annual election of the board of directors and develops a leadership pipeline for future APHON leaders.
Chair: Janice Nuuhiwa, MSN RN APN/CNS NPD-BC CPHON®
Committee Members:
- Christina Baggott, PhD RN CPON® PPCNP-BC
- Misty Evans DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN®
- Kelly Laschinger, MSN CPNP
- Kathleen Montgomery PhD RN CNS CPHON®
- Micah Skeens, PhD PNP RN
- Laurel Reiss, MSN CPNP-PC CPHON® RN CNP
Local Chapter Committee
Enhances communication between chapters and the APHON Board of Directors and coordinates overall chapter activities.
Chair: Kari Wheeler, DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN® CPHON® CPN
Past Chair: Erin Friedman, BSN RN CPHON®
Committee Members:
- Amber Bills, MSN RN CPN CPHON®
- Cecelia A. Gladbach, BSN CPON® BMTCN®
- Holly Remington Kubaney, MSN PNP-BC CPHON®
- Abigail Slaven, RN CPHON®
- Tonya Ureda, MS RN FNP-BC
- Melody Ann Watral, BS BSN MSN RN CPNP-PC CPON®
- Stacy Wolf, RN CPNP-AC CPON®
Board Liaison: Mindy Bibart, DNP RN NEA-BC CPPS CBBSS CPHON®
Professional Development
The APHON Professional Development Committee provides ongoing professional development resources, tools, and learning opportunities for APHON members to advance their careers in the field of pediatric hematology/oncology nursing.
Chair: Breanne Roche DNP RN APRN CPNP-PC CPHON®
Past Chair: Meredith Foxx, MBA MSN RN PCNS-BC APRN CPON® PPCNP-BC
Committee Members:
- Kim Arnold DNP APRN CPNP CPHON
- Terri L. Boyce, DNP APRN CPNP-AC CPHON® BMTCN®
- Teresa M. Conte, PhD MSN CRNP
- Allison McNeil, BSN RN CPHON®
- Kathleen Ruccione, PHD MPH RN CPON® FAPHON FAAN
- Melody A Watral, MSN RN CPNP CPNP-PC CPON®
Board Liaison: Mary Newman, MSN RN CPON®
Steering Council
Facilitates the APHON strategic plan in the areas of education, clinical practice, and research. The Steering Council serves as a vehicle for soliciting and presenting initial ideas for projects from APHON members.
Chair: Mylynda Livingston, BSN RN CPON®
Vice Chair: Suzanne Smolik, MSN RN CPNP CPON®
Committee Members:
- Cecelia A. Gladbach, BSN RN CPON® BMTCN®
- Kelsey Liburd, DNP, CPNP-AC CPHON® CPN, BSN
- Robin Pitts, MN RN FNP-C CPHON®
- Rosa Rivera, RN
- Tonya Ureda, MS RN FNP-NC NE-BC
- Kari Wheeler, DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN® CPHON® CPN
Board Liaison: Sharon Bergeron, BSN RN CPON®