2008 Board Candidates
All ITNS members who are currently active and in good standing (i.e. dues are up to date) under the RN Category are eligible to vote for the ITNS Board of Directors. Associate members are NOT eligible to vote. ITNS will again be conducting the election process electronically. The ballot will be sent to you via email at the email address you have provided to ITNS. Additional instructions regarding your email response will accompany the ballot. Ballots will be sent out the week of June 1, 2008 and must be returned by 5 pm (17:00) EST on Monday, June 16, 2008. If you have not received a ballot by June 4, 2008, and believe that you are eligible to vote, contact the ITNS office immediately by email itns@msn.com or via phone 412-343-4867.
ITNS is pleased to present the candidates for the 2008 Board of Directors election. The Nominations Committee has found theses candidates to meet the criteria established in the ITNS bylaws and thus qualified to run for the respective offices. Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the nominees by reading the biography provided by them.
President –elect
The positions is for a term of 3 years
Beth Kallenborn, RN, BSN, CCTC
Strazl Transplantation Institute Pittsburgh, PA, USA
My name is Beth Kallenborn and I am nominated for president elect of ITNS. I am honored to be considered for such a position. I currently serve as the secretary/web site director for ITNS. ITNS has provided me wonderful opportunities for professional growth and development. I feel it is now time to pay it forward and offer those opportunities to other transplant nurses. If elected I would be following in the footsteps of wonderful nursing leaders and could only hope to fulfill their shoes and continue to propel ITNS forward in the transplant community. Professionally I am employed as the supervisor of the liver candidate service at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. I have also worked as a staff RN in the transplant ICU for almost 10 years, and a total of 8 years as an outpatient liver transplant coordinator. No job is beneath me and I'm not afraid to get down and dirty to get the job done! I love to teach both nurses and patients, but I also try to learn something new everyday. I attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing and graduated with honors in 1983. I was a member of Sigma Theta Tau. I am a member of the Golden Triangle Chapter of ITNS and have served as secretary on the local board of directors. I am born and raised in Pittsburgh and reside with my family – my husband and 2 sons.
International Director
The position is for a term of 2 years
Fiona Burrell, RN
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney, Australia
I am a Registered Nurse with over 14 years experience in the transplant specialty. I hold a Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing and also an English National Board Course I Renal & Urological Nursing. I have also completed a Clinical Leadership Program. I am currently employed as Nursing Unit Manager of the Transplant Ward at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney Australia which incorporates two of the largest Transplant Services in Australia, including The National Liver Transplant Unit. We perform approximately 60 liver and 70 renal transplants per year. I am currently Treasurer for the New South Wales branch of the Transplant Nurses Association.
Australia has a well established Transplant Nurses' Association and Transplant Coordinators Association which run very like the ITNS, holding annual conferences and local educational sessions. I would love to play a role in developing the profile of the ITNS in Australia as I feel both groups could form a collaborative partnership with great networking opportunities. Having attended two ITNS annual symposiums, I have found these to be excellent forums to meet with Transplant professionals and share knowledge and ideas with like minded people who are passionate about providing high standards of care to their patients and ensuring optimum patient outcomes.
Marjo van Helden, RN
University Hospital Nijmegen The Netherlands
I work as a transplant and research nurse with renal transplant patients for 14 years. I meet renal patients in their first year after transplantation. In this out clinic I focus on adherence and advice patients about a healthy lifestyle. Recently I started a project to try to improve the amount of exercise after renal transplantation. In cooperation with a colleague in children's department I took a first step to improve transition in our hospital. Again I'm involved in organizing a conference with ITNS members, this time in London, and again I'm excited about the boost I get from working with these inspiring professionals. As secretary of the LWTV (the Dutch transplant nurses organization) I 'm an active member of our organisation. I would like to expand my activities aboard. Not only developing a network with our Belgium colleagues, but to expand this network in Europe.
Secretary/Web site:
The position is for a term of 2 years
Lynette Fix, RN, BSN, CCTC Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, USA
My name is Lynette Fix and I am a Mayo Clinic registered nurse with twenty-four years of experience at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. I have served as a pretransplant kidney transplant coordinator for twelve years. In that role my primary responsibilities are coordinating, educating, and guiding patients and their families through the process of evaluation for both kidney transplantation and living donation. I have been a member of our local chapter since 2000. I have served as its secretary, treasurer, president-elect, and president. I have also served on the local chapter annual conference planning committee and have helped plan every local conference. I am very organized and enthusiastic. I have experience in the writing and production of posters and abstracts, patient education material, staff educational material, and have experience in oral presentations at professional conferences and meetings. I have also been actively involved at a national level as a representative on the UNOS Transplant Coordinators Committee. I was honored to have received the Mayo Clinic 2008 Surgical Specialty RN Achievement Award. If selected as Secretary/Web site Director I would be committed to carry on the ITNS excellence in providing transplant education and communication to the organization's membership.
Newsletter Director
The position is for a term of 2 years
Renee Bennett, RN, BSN, CCTC, CCTN
Cleveland Clinic Cleveland, Ohio, USA
As a BSN graduate from Bowling Green State University/ Medical College of Ohio, my nursing career began at Cleveland Clinic (1987) in the Cardiothoracic ICU. In 1991, I transitioned to Transplant Nurse Specialist in the Cardiothoracic OR and scrubbed for heart / lung transplant surgeries and assist device cases. From there, I became the Donor Coordinator for the Heart / Lung Transplant Program and with program growth, the position evolved into Lead Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Coordinator. In 2004, I became the Clinical Manager for the Liver Transplant Program and am excited to have become Manager of our newly introduced Intestinal Transplant Program.
Involvement with ITNS began during the development phases of our local Buckeye Chapter. We were chartered (2001) and I was the second chapter president elected, participating in the organization of our first Annual Transplant Day. Among many other activities, I assisted with the development of our chapter newsletter 2 years ago and I currently hold the Activities Chairperson position. Other professional committee involvement includes Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Transplant Growth Management Collaborative (TGMC) faculty, Region 10 Collaborative Co-Chair, local TRIO Board Member, and American Liver Foundation (ALF) Education Committee.
As a venue to share transplant best practices, ITNS plays a strong / vital role to further education / collaboration among transplant professionals. I foresee organizational growth and expansion locally and internationally over the next years. Having enjoyed ITNS involvement on a local level, I look forward to an active role internationally. Thank you for your consideration as I look forward to serving you as Newsletter Director!!
Education Director:
The position is for a term of 2 years
Michelle James MS, CNS, RN, CCTN
University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview Minnesota, USA
As a Solid Organ Transplant Clinical Nurse Specialist, I am in a unique position to provide a bridge between the outpatient and inpatient environments in which transplant patients receive care. This offers the opportunity to improve care across the continuum. Through direct patient care and education of patients and staff, I have been able to influence practice in a way that reflects my passion about transplant nursing.
In my 6-year membership in ITNS, I have had the opportunity to witness the contributions our Society makes to the field of transplant nursing. My involvement in teaching CCTN review classes for the Society, as well as presenting at and attending the International conferences have enhanced my awareness of how ITNS promotes evidence-based practice and furthers nursing knowledge. Being co-chair of the 2008 APN Workshop and helping to plan our local ITNS conferences have allowed me to participate in developing educational programs for Society members.
It would be my distinct honor to serve the Society as its Education Director. I believe that education of staff and patients is one of our most effective tools to achieve the overarching goal of giving transplant patients the highest quality care.