Committees & Taskforces
APHON is a volunteer-driven organization led by members who lend their expertise to the association. The work of APHON committees is directed by the APHON Board of Directors and may shift based on the priorities of the association and alignment to the strategic plan. Serving on an APHON committee is a great way to get involved to further steer the future of our organization. All committee members should be current APHON members and in good standing for the duration of their term.
2026 APHON Committees
All APHON Committees begin their terms every January, with the exception of the Leadership Development Committee.
ACE Center Committee
Oversees the development of content and management and ongoing maintenance of the APHON Continuing Education (ACE) Center.
Chair: Liz Sniderman, MSN NP CPNP-AC CPHON®
Past Chair: Beth Fisher, DNP CPNP-AC/PC APRN CPON® CHPPN
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, RN BSN CPHON®
- Amanda N. Smith MSN RN CPHON®
- Mary Benson, DNP PNP AC-PC
Board Liaison: Danielle Gunter, PhD RN CPN
Advocacy
Serves as a vehicle for establishing and carrying out policy priorities identified in the APHON Health Policy Agenda.
Chair: Joan O’Hanlon Curry, DNP RN CPNP-PC CPON® NEA-BC FAAN FAPHON FAONL
Past Chair: Emily Padgett, BSN RN CPN CPHON®
Committee Members:
- Kim Arnold, DNP, APRN, CPNP, CPHON®
- Susie Burke, RN MA CPNP CPHON®
- Lindsay Cole, MS RN CPNP-PC CPHON®
- Christina Cotton, DNP CPNP AC/PC
- Jami Gattuso, MSN RN CPON® FAPHON
- Beth A Siever, CPNP CPON® MSN RN
- Stacy Whiteside, APRN MS CPNP-AC/PC CPON® FAPHON
Board Liaison: Natalie Alwin, BSN RN BMTCN®
Annual Conference Program Planning
Plans and implements the annual conference each year.
Chair: Deborah S. Echtenkamp, MSN RN CPON® FAPHON
Vice Chair: Allyson Jones, RN, CPHON, CPN
Paper and Poster Lead: Misty Evans, DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN®
Committee Members:
- Javarius (Jay) Barber-Esparza, BSN, RN, CPN, CPHON
- Kristin M. Belderson, DNP MS RN CPON®
- Whitney Cherry, RN, BSN
- Rachel Glincher, RN, MSN, CPNP-AC, CPHON
- Marika Highberger, MSN APRN BMTCN® CPNP-PC
- Paige Johnson, RN, DNP, MPH, CPNP-PC, CPHON
- Lea Mayer, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CPHON
- Denise Mills, MN NP CPHON®
- Stacy Whiteside, APRN MS CPNP-AC/PC CPON® FAPHON
Board Liaison: Amy Haskamp MSN RN PCNS-BC CPON® CHPPN FAPHON
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®
- Melissa Campbell, RN BScN CPHON®
- Christina Conley, CPNP MSN RN
- Andrew Geoffrey, MSN, RN, CPHON®, CPN
- Karen Kestenbaum, DNP APN CPHON®
- Shannon Koty, MSN-NL, RN, CPN, CPHON®, NPD-BC
- Maria Cristina Pinero, RN BSN CPHON®
- Maritza Salazar-Abshire, MED MSN RN CPON®
- Michelle Tolley, BSN RN CPHON®
Board Liaison: Mary Newman, DNP RN CPON® NEA-BC
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: Casey Hooke, PhD PCNS-BC APRN FAPHON FAAN
Past Chair: Micah Skeens, PhD PNP RN
Committee Members:
- Lei Cheng, PhD, RN
- Casey DeBias, MSN, APRN
- Kimberly DiGerolamo, RN, DNP, PCNS-BC, CPHON< CPN, EBP-C, FCNS
- Misty Evans, DNP, APRN, CNPN-AC
- Beth Fisher, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC, CPON, CHPPN
- Caroline F. Morrison, PhD, PNP, RN, BMTCN®
- Joan O’Hanlon Curry, DNP, MS, RN, CPNP-PC, NEA-BC, CPON®, FAAN, FAPHON
- Ginny Schulz, PhD, RN, CPNP-PC
- Joanie Shea, DNP, CPON
Board Liaison: Ijeoma Eche PhD MPH APN/NCS NPD-BC BMTCN® CPHON® FNP-C
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
- Liz Sniderman, MSN NP CPNP-AC CPHON®
Board Liaison: Amy Haskamp MSN RN PCNS-BC CPON® CHPPN
Global Outreach
Oversees organizational international outreach and global presence.
Chair: Colleen M Nixon, MSN RN CPHON®
Vice Chair: Kasey Rangan, MSN CPNP CPHON®
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
- Richard John Ramos, PNP MS RN CNS CPON®
Board Liaison: Mindy Bibart, DNP RN NEA-BC CPPS CBBSS CPHON®
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 Editor: Suzanne Ameringer, PhD RN
Assistant Editor: Clifton P. Thornton, PhD, MSN, RN, CPNP
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
- 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
- Kimberly Pike-Grimm, PhD RN CNS
- Deborah Tomlinson, MS RSCN RGN
- Janice Withycombe, PhD RN MN, CCRP
- Roberta L. Woodgate, PhD RN
Board Liaisons: Amy Newman, PhD CPNP-BC & Ijeoma Eche PhD BMTCN® CPON® FNP-C
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. Their committee term begins following the
annual meeting.
Chair: Dyane Bunnell DNP APRN AOCNS® CPON® NPD-BC
Committee Members:
- Misty Evans DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN®
- Holly Remington Kubaney, MSN PNP-BC CPHON®
- Kelly Laschinger, MSN RN CPNP
- Micah Skeens, PhD PNP RN
- Sharon Bergeron, RN, BSN, CPON
- Laurel Reiss, MSN CPNP-PC CPHON® RN CNP
Board Liaison: Amy Newman, PhD RN CPNP-PC
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
Vice Chair: Stacy Wolf, RN CPNP-AC CPON®
Committee Members:
- Amber Bills, MSN RN CPN CPHON®
- Jenna Gimre, BSN, RN, CPHON, CPN
- Cecelia A. Gladbach, BSN CPON® BMTCN®
- Abigail Slaven, RN CPHON®
- Tonya J Ureda MS, RN, CPNP, CPON®
- Melody Ann Watral, BS BSN MSN RN CPNP-PC CPON®
Board Liaison: Mindy Bibart, DNP RN NEA-BC CPPS CBBSS CPHON®
Patient and Family Education Committee
The Patient and Family Education Committee oversees the updating of APHON’s patient and family handbooks, as well as the Medication Fact Sheets and other educational offerings.
Chair: Suzanne Smolik, MSN RN CPNP CPON®
Past Chair: Mylynda Livingston, BSN RN CPON®
Committee Members:
- Angie Blackwell, MSN, RN, ACCNS-P, CPON®
- Cecelia A. Gladbach, BMTCN BSN CPON® RN
- Kristen Guevara, CPNP-AC
- Kelsey Liburd, DNP, CPNP-AC CPHON® CPN, BSN
- Renee Moos, MSN, MA, RN, CPNP
- Tonya Ureda, MS RN FNP-NC NE-BC
- Kari Wheeler, DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN® CPHON® CPN
Board Liaison: Natalie Alwin, BSN RN BMTCN®
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®
Vice Chair: Kim Arnold DNP APRN CPNP CPHON
Committee Members:
- Jazmine Betancis, RN BSN CPN
- Terri L. Boyce, DNP APRN CPNP-AC CPHON® BMTCN®
- Teresa M. Conte, PhD MSN CRNP
- Edith Freyer, DNP APRN CPNP-AC
- Jenna Gimre, BSN RN CPHON CPN
- Amy Kaiser, MSN CPNP-PC
- Janice Nuuhiwa, MSN RN NPD-BC CPHON-Emeritus FAPHON
- Stacy Wolf, RN CPNP-AC CPON®
Board Liaison: Mary Newman, DNP RN CPON® NEA-BC