Regina M. Hoffman serves as the executive director of the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). In this capacity, she administers an independent state agency, under an 11-member Board of Directors, charged with taking steps to reduce and eliminate medical errors by identifying problems and recommending solutions to promote patient safety. Prior to 2016, she served as the director of educational programs with responsibility for the statewide Patient Safety Liaison (PSL) program and education. Regina not only led the program but also worked directly with facilities to help improve patient safety. She has conducted multiple educational presentations in Pennsylvania on a variety of patient safety topics, authored articles in the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory and engaged in collaborative work to reduce Surgical Site Infections. She joined the PSA in 2012 as the PSL for the Central Pennsylvania region. In addition to her work at the PSA, she served as a volunteer faculty member with the former National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) and recently served as co-chair of the learning systems subcommittee of the National Steering Committee for patient safety. Regina was named one of fifty experts leading the field of patient safety by Becker's Hospital Review in 2018 and 2020.
Howard Newstadt joined the Patient Safety Authority (PSA), in April 2010 and serves as its senior director of Finance and Business Operations, and chief information officer. His previous positions include director of Information Technology for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, executive director of Business Affairs for the Yale University School of Medicine, and as a senior financial planner for the IBM Corporation, Entry Systems Division in Boca Raton, Florida. He received his bachelor’s in English from Dickinson College, a Juris Doctor with emphasis in health law from the University of Pittsburgh School Of Law, and a Master of Business Administration with emphasis in finance and quantitative analysis from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, University Park campus. Newstadt is admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the Supreme Court of the United States. He is also a Certified Government Chief Information Officer.
Michelle Bell is the director of Outreach and Education with the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). Bell began working with the PSA in 2010 as a patient safety advisor for the Southeast region. She joined the PSA after completing a yearlong fellowship with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a world-renowned expert organization on medication safety. She has presented and developed education on several patient safety topics and was instrumental in the development and publication of the “Drug Shortage Toolkit” available on the PSA’s website. Prior to her role with PSA, Bell practiced as an emergency department nurse, and has since filled a variety of roles in shared governance, compliance, patient safety, and quality management. She was a recipient of the Alegent Health Excellence Award in 2005.
Rebecca Jones is the Director of Data Science & Research at the Patient Safety Authority (PSA), leading a diverse team dedicated to original research and advanced analytics aimed at uncovering key insights and actionable recommendations to enhance patient safety. She oversees the collection, analysis, research, and publication of data derived from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PA-PSRS), which is widely recognized as one of the largest databases of patient safety event reports in the world. Prior to her current role, Becky acted as Director of Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, overseeing PSA’s infection prevention, project management, collaborative, and innovation programs, and as Regional Patient Safety Liaison, working directly with more than 80 Pennsylvania healthcare facilities to improve patient safety through education, collaboration, and analysis of reported events. Throughout her career, she has been instrumental in promoting patient safety at local, state, and national levels. Her contributions include authoring more than 30 peer-reviewed articles, delivering numerous professional presentations, and serving on various committees, advisory boards, and workgroups committed to advancing patient safety initiatives.
Caitlyn Allen is the director of External Affairs for the Patient Safety Authority. In this role, she sets and guides strategies for all external PSA engagement, including communications, publications, social media, patient engagement, and public relations. She also serves as managing editor for Patient Safety, PSA's quarterly peer-reviewed journal. She previously served as the project manager for Patient Safety at Jefferson Health. In that role, she was involved in many multidisciplinary initiatives to reduce harm and improve safety, including oversight of the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Survey, development of a mobile-friendly app for wound care education, and implementation of the organization's first sepsis symposium. She was also the only nonphysician elected to serve on the House Staff Quality and Safety Leadership Council and developed the organization's first quality and safety–specific annual report. Prior to that role, Allen served as project manager for Wills Eye Hospital. During that time, she worked on several initiatives to improve patient care, including assisting with the conversion of Wills Eye from an ambulatory surgery center to an inpatient hospital, participating on the Communications team, and serving as the organization's Patient Safety Officer. She received her master's in public health from Drexel University and her Bachelor of Arts in economics from The College of New Jersey. She is also certified as a master TeamSTEPPS™ trainer.
Jesse Munn is director of Transformation and Strategic Initiatives for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). In this role, he helps PSA improve patient safety by exploring and implementing new ideas, technologies, and processes, as well as leading implementation of strategic initiatives. During his mission-driven career, Munn has collaborated with and guided teams (e.g., clinical, research, information technology) delivering resources and consulting services for healthcare systems, government agencies, and other organizations. Munn’s experience includes director positions in clinical evidence assessment services. Munn previously worked with PSA through a vendor contract for nearly 13 years, serving as operations manager and managing editor. He has authored, edited, and contributed to safety publications, other media, events, and organization initiatives. Munn earned his Master of Business Administration degree with global perspective from Arcadia University and his Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Penn State University.
JoAnn Adkins is a registered nurse and infection prevention advisor for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). Adkins’ clinical experience and roles include critical care, dialysis, quality improvement, and infection prevention. Prior to joining the PSA, Adkins was the manager of Infection Prevention and Control for several years at a 315-bed acute care hospital. During that time, Adkins initiated and facilitated several process improvements to decrease hospital-acquired infections and enhance patient safety. In her role at the PSA, she works with healthcare facilities to improve patient safety through infection prevention initiatives. Adkin has provided educational programs on infection prevention topics for hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ambulatory surgery centers at the local, state, and national levels. She has authored several peer-reviewed articles and is published in Patient Safety. Adkins resides in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing. She graduated with honors with her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Eastern University. She is board-certified in infection control and epidemiology (CIC) and long-term care infection prevention (LTC-CIP) and is a Fellow of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Adkins received APIC’s Heroes of Infection Prevention Award for Education in 2019. She is a member of APIC, the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society (STTI), and the Pennsylvania Association of Directors of Nursing Administration (PADONA).
Tony “TJ” Arnold works as business operations manager with the Patient Safety Authority (PSA), assisting in financial, procurement, human resources, and other administrative roles. Arnold graduated summa cum laude from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and a minor in English. He was a scholar in the Schreyer Honors College and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. Arnold worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for 12 years, most recently as chief administrative officer for the Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services. His wide-ranging experience in budgets, grants, and administrative management in the animal health, animal diagnostics, and One Health sectors helps him understand the challenges facing the human healthcare sector and, more importantly, its opportunities for growth and innovation.
Amanda Bennett is an infection prevention advisor for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). In this role, she serves as a resource for Pennsylvania facilities through education and the development and monitoring of infection prevention and reduction initiatives. Bennett has an extensive background in infection prevention, laboratory testing, analysis and interpretation of diagnostic results, education, and regulatory standards. Prior to joining PSA, Bennett worked in acute care settings as a molecular pathology medical laboratory scientist, point-of-care coordinator, and infection preventionist. In these roles, she developed a novel assay to detect human metapneumovirus (hMPV), collaborated to streamline practices to decrease inappropriate testing and treatment of Clostridium difficile, and led key educational projects to implement clinical workflow changes. Bennett graduated from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia with a Bachelor of Science in health science and completed an 11-month internship at Pennsylvania Hospital School of Medical Laboratory Science. Bennett earned her Master of Public Health in public health practice with a focus in infection control from the University of South Florida. She is board certified in infection control and epidemiology (CIC) and medical laboratory science (MLS) and is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Denise Cutting is a registered nurse and infection prevention advisor for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). In this role, she serves as a resource for Pennsylvania facilities through education and the development of infection prevention initiatives. Cutting’s clinical experience includes medical-surgical, telemetry, and performance improvement. Prior to joining the PSA, Cutting was the regional manager of Infection Prevention and Control for the Geisinger and Penn State Health systems. During that time, Cutting facilitated navigating the COVID pandemic and assisted with opening a new hospital. Cutting resides in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of Sacred Heart University with a Master of Science in nursing. She graduated from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a Master of Health Science in nutrition. She is board-certified in infection control and epidemiology (CIC) and serves as a board member for the East Central Pennsylvania Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology chapter.
Kathleen Dohey, MSN, RN, is a patient safety advisor with the Patient Safety Authority, serving the southwestern region of Pennsylvania.
Dohey graduated from the West Penn Hospital School of Nursing in 1989 and began her professional nursing career at Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Carlow College (now Carlow University) and her master’s degree in nursing administration from Waynesburg University in 2017.
Throughout her career at Independence Health System (formerly Excela Health), she held several leadership roles in nursing, risk management, quality, and infection prevention and control. Most recently, she served as the chief quality officer for Independence Health System. She oversaw and managed the quality and safety of patient care and services within the health system and was responsible for organizational regulatory compliance for its Westmoreland County sites.
As chief quality officer, Dohey focused on the development and implementation of policies and procedures aimed at minimizing the risk of harm to patients. She also provided oversight and direction for the analysis of data related to clinical quality and patient safety. Serving as a champion for clinical excellence initiatives, she collaborated with healthcare professionals across various departments to identify potential safety issues, analyze incidents, and promote a culture of safety within the organization.
Shirley Dominick is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where she double majored in political science and French. She is multilingual, speaking French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. After her initial bachelor’s, she worked as an international flight attendant serving as a language interpreter on international flights. She later changed gears and completed her diploma of nursing from Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences. Dominick worked at the bedside with oncology medical-surgical patients and earned her certification in med-surg nursing. After obtaining her first position out of school, she continued her education, receiving her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Rider University. As a clinical nurse at Reading Hospital, Dominick was involved in many activities, including the Medication Safety Committee, where her love of patient safety blossomed. She joined the hospital’s Patient Safety Department as a patient safety process manager, where she worked closely with all departments providing education about safety and reporting. She completed a master’s degree in patient safety and quality at Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to coming to the PSA, Dominick served as the patient safety officer at Reading Hospital, working to promote safety and facilitate the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) safety assessment. She implemented many of its recommendations, including creating a system policy for Just Culture, ensuring that all meetings started with a safety story, and creating a safety dashboard to keep board members up to date on safety concerns. She additionally has obtained her certification in patient safety (CPPS). Advocating for patients has always been a passion of hers and in her role as a patient safety advisor, she will continue to share her knowledge and passion with institutions she will work with. She has many years of experience with interdisciplinary collaboration, presentations, and providing education on a variety of topics.
Kelly Gipson is a project manager with the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). She started with PSA as a patient safety liaison for the South Central region of Pennsylvania. In this role she has been involved with initiatives to decrease patient harm, such as education, webinar development, consultation, onsite observations, Patient Safety Advisory article development, and incorporation of the patient voice into the PSA’s work. Prior to joining the PSA, she worked as the associate patient safety officer at WellSpan York Hospital. In that position she was involved in many multidisciplinary initiatives to improve safety culture such as alarm management, root cause analysis, Just Culture, education, falls, No Pass Zone, and safety event analysis. Her clinical background includes medical/surgical, critical care, and recovery room. During her clinical experience, Gipson participated on and chaired multiple hospitalwide shared decision-making committees. She is a cum laude graduate from York College of Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety, certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in Healthcare, and a member of Sigma Theta Tau International.
Shawn Kepner is the data scientist for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). In his role, Kepner is responsible for providing actionable insights using data science techniques and works with staff to focus resources and research in areas that have the greatest benefit to patient safety. As a statistician, he also serves as a resource to assess the quality and validity of statistical methodologies for research and publications. Prior to joining the PSA, Kepner was a contractor with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, where he served as the data manager for a new community health initiative. Prior to that, he held several positions from Decision Support Consultant to Manager of Informatics for Novitas Solutions, the largest Medicare Administrative Contractor in the United States. He has held other analytic and leadership positions, such as bureau director for Program Support with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and program manager with Xerox Corporation. Kepner has been an adjunct instructor in mathematics at Harrisburg Area Community College as well as a presenter of the use of statistics to the Department of Public Welfare's Leadership Development Institute. Kepner received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Millersville University and a Master of Science in applied statistics from Villanova University.
Rick Kundravi has been with the Patient Safety Authority (PSA) since 2009 as the patient safety advisor for the Northwest Region of Pennsylvania. In this role Kundravi is responsible for assisting the 68 licensed healthcare facilities in his region to reduce and eliminate medical errors. He has assisted in several projects in his current role. These projects included the Hospital Improvement and Innovation Network (HIIN) Reducing Injuries from Falls and Immobility Project; The Online Education on the Value, Importance and Obligation of Patient Safety in Pennsylvania Project; and the Patient Safety Officer's Event Reporting Toolkit Project. He also served as the facilitator and team leader of the statewide Behavioral Health Falls Prevention Workgroup, and has published two articles for the PSA’s Patient Safety Advisory; "Meeting the Challenges Associated with the Morbidly Obese Patient" and "Disclosure: Understanding the Barriers to Communicating Unanticipated Outcomes." He attained his certification as a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) and is a certified TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer. Prior to coming to the PSA, Kundravi served as the director of Risk Management and Patient Safety at UPMC McKeesport as well as the facility’s corporate compliance officer, privacy officer, director of Peer Review, regulatory compliance officer and patient representative. In his role as patient safety officer, Kundravi conducted educational sessions on failure mode and effects analysis, common cause analysis, root cause analysis (RCA), and Just Culture, and served as chairman of the facility’s Patient Safety and Patient Experience committees. Kundravi was also the facilitator of the Patient Safety Staff Education team that received a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Christopher Mamrol is a Patient SafetyAdvisor with the Patient Safety Authority for the Southeast region of Pennsylvania. Christopher offers an extensive and well-rounded patient safety background to his facilities. With his experience in the behavioral health field, specializing in quality improvement, data management, and facility-wide safety, Christopher brings a distinct skill set and viewpoint to the Authority. Prior to joining the Authority, Christopher worked at Montgomery County Emergency Services, Inc., serving in multiple roles, including as a Psychiatric Technician, Registered Nurse, Risk Manager/Patient Safety Officer, Performance Improvement Director, and, most recently, managing multiple departments as the Safety and Quality Systems Director. Christopher is a graduate of the Montgomery County Community College School of Nursing and earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Drexel University. In addition, Christopher is a member of the Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and the American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety. Christopher also has a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification through Villanova University and is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety.
Karen McKinnon-Lipsett serves as the office coordinator and senior administrative specialist. She provides administrative support to the executive director, the Board of Directors, senior director of finance, director of data science and research, and director of engagement and publications. They may coordinate special projects, such as preparing official correspondence on behalf of the executive director and preparation and arrangement of all official Board meetings. She serves as the organization’s right-to-know officer, the primary travel coordinator, and the fleet vehicle coordinator. She organizes and coordinates office operations and procedures to ensure organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Prior to that, McKinnon-Lipsett provided administrative support to the director of education and patient safety liaisons (PSLs) by assisting with the coordination and preparation of educational session documentation and invitations; liaising with the state regarding travel and other information related to the PSLs; and serving as an administrative specialist to the director of collaborative programs, providing administrative support in various areas such as the Pennsylvania Hospital Engagement Network (PA-HEN) where she provided administrative support to the team leads of the Adverse Drug Events (ADE) and Falls projects, along with hospital-acquired infections (HAI) work and webinars. Prior to joining the Patient Safety Authority, she worked in various legal firms within the state of New York as a legal assistant.
Shelly Mixell serves as an administrative specialist to the Outreach and Education team for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA), working closely with the director of Outreach and Education, infection prevention advisors, patient safety advisors, and the program manager for the Outreach and Education team. She provides administrative support in various areas, such as with the coordination, preparation, and scheduling of all educational programs, session documentation, invitations, and statewide webinars. She also assists in updating material and keeping the PSA's public-facing website updated. She previously served as the communications specialist for the Engagement and Publications team, where she assisted with brand development and publications. Prior to that role, Shelly served as executive assistant to the executive director. In that role, she provided administrative support to the executive director, the PSA's 11-member Board of Directors, and other PSA leaders and staff. She also served as the agency’s open records officer, handling all Right-to-Know Law requests. She provided support to several PSA-led collaborative programs, including those for the Pennsylvania Hospital Engagement Network (PA-HEN) and the Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN). She has been instrumental in supporting I AM Patient Safety campaigns, as well as PSA’s statewide conference, the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Summit (P2S2). Prior to joining PSA, she worked in various engineering, safety, environmental, public health, and emergency preparedness settings.
Melanie Motts joined the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority (PSA) in 2015 as a patient safety advisor. She interacts with patient safety officers (and other various healthcare staff) in healthcare facilities across the eastern region of Pennsylvania in an effort to decrease patient harm. Previous to joining PSA, she worked in outpatient and inpatient settings as a manager, educator, and Registered Nurse. Most recently Motts was the director of nursing and patient safety officer for an acute care hospital in the Lehigh Valley. In that position, she led a team of nursing staff, case managers, laboratory staff, and clerical support earning the CMS 5-star rating for quality of care provided and patient satisfaction.
She is from the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of St. Luke's University Hospital School of Nursing where she received the Nursing Leadership Award. Motts also received her Bachelor and Master of Education degrees in kinesiology/exercise physiology from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, and a Bachelor in nursing from Chamberlain College of Nursing. She is a Certified Professional in patient safety.
Eugene Myers is the associate editor of Engagement and Publications for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA).
He previously served as the editor-in-chief of Communications, Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA), at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. In that role, he managed production of and provided the editorial voice for the Sidney Kimmel Medical College and Jefferson alumni magazines, as well as other print and online publications. He also established and maintained the style guide for OIA communications; wrote copy; and edited and proofread all Communications materials, including stewardship letters, brochures, pamphlets, event invitations and programs, monthly e-newsletters, webpages, and more.
Prior to that role, Myers was the technical writer and editor for Family Design Resources, Inc., supporting the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN), and a development writer for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation, where a magazine article he co-wrote, "24 Hours in the Emergency Department," won Best Feature Article in Ragan's 2012 Health Care PR and Marketing Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree from Columbia University, is a graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop, and is an award-winning author of seven novels for young adult readers.
Jessica Oaks is a program manager with the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). In this role she provides support with continuous improvement opportunities, cross-functional collaboration on strategic initiatives, and implementation of new projects and programs. Prior to joining the PSA, Oaks worked at TE Connectivity managing global projects, identifying and executing processes improvement opportunities, and providing data analysis. Additionally, she served as an analyst with Geisinger Holy Spirit in the Quality and Patient Safety Department. During her time at Geisinger Holy Spirit she helped integrate and streamline processes for the infection surveillance system and managed reporting tools and systems for the Quality and Patient Safety Department. Oaks holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Salisbury University and a master’s in information technology from Virginia Tech, and she is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
Jackie Peck serves as the communications specialist for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). As a part of the engagement and publications team, she helps create the look of Patient Safety and the journal's website; the annual report and its interactive, online portfolio; and other print and online publications and materials. She previously was the digital media manager at Graphtech. In that role, she designed and developed websites for clients and created digital magazines and publications. Peck also worked as a medical technologist at the Lebanon VA Medical Center.
She earned her bachelor's degree in biology from Shippensburg University and studied web design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
Molly Quesenberry is a regional patient safety advisor with the Patient Safety Authority (PSA), serving the north-central region of Pennsylvania. Quesenberry graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 1993 with a degree in nursing. She started her professional career in a gynecologic oncology unit at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She later returned to her hometown in rural Pennsylvania and worked for two local hospitals, now part of the Penn Highlands Healthcare system, in labor and delivery as well as maternal newborn care. She was employed by Allegheny General Hospital as a staff nurse in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. She was then appointed as the director of nursing for an outpatient dialysis center, Renal Care Partners LLC. She worked as a perioperative nurse at the Penn Highlands Elk Surgery Center and served as the patient safety officer for her facility. More recently, Quesenberry was employed by Penn Highlands Healthcare in the Quality and Safety department and Penn Highlands Physician Network as the director of Quality and Regulatory Programs. In her time at the surgery center as the patient safety officer, Quesenberry led a team effort in conducting a performance improvement project to decrease the risk of a wrong-site surgery. In 2020, she, the surgery center staff, two surgeons, and their office staff received the PSA’s I AM Patient Safety Achievement Award for their work. As a patient safety advisor, Quesenberry will collaborate with patient safety officers and other healthcare professionals to advocate for patients by improving and promoting patient safety, and support staff in their efforts to accomplish these goals.
Catherine Reynolds is a patient safety advisor with the Patient Safety Authority (PSA) for the Southeast region of Pennsylvania. Reynolds is an accomplished healthcare and patient safety professional, specializing in the analysis of adverse events and facility-wide implementation of patient safety plans and is a core team lead of the Center of Excellence for Improving Diagnosis. With over 25 years of experience in healthcare, she has a strong clinical background in critical care and emergency specialties in large academic medical centers and brings this broad patient safety perspective to the Southeast region. Reynolds has served as a registered nurse, quality improvement coordinator, patient safety manager, and patient safety officer in Philadelphia area hospitals. Reynolds received Bachelor of Science in nursing from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law and Doctor of Laws from Widener University School of Law. She is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) and an alumna of the Pennsylvania Rural Urban Leadership Program. She has been published in both the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety and the PSA’s peer-reviewed journal Patient Safety.
Myungsun (Sunny) Ro is a research scientist on the Data Science and Research team at the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). She is responsible for analyzing and synthesizing data from various sources to identify opportunities to improve patient safety. She is also responsible for writing scientific articles for publication in the PSA’s peer-reviewed journal, Patient Safety.
Ro earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral biology from Johns Hopkins University, a master’s in medical sciences from Boston University, and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Temple University School of Pharmacy. After completing her pharmacy practice residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, she trained at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation for additional fellowship studies in medication and patient safety. A native of South Korea, Ro previously taught high school math classes and behavioral skills for young adults and children with special needs in Maryland. She joined the PSA with a range of experiences in pharmacotherapy, medication safety, and research. Her former research background includes biophysics, patient care and outcomes, medication evaluation, and quality assurance and improvement.
Christine Sanchez is a research scientist on the data science and research team at the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). She is responsible for utilizing patient safety data combined with relevant literature to develop strategies aimed at improving patient safety in Pennsylvania. Sanchez is also responsible for authoring manuscripts based on the results from this research, which are published in the PSA’s peer-reviewed journal,
Patient Safety. Sanchez earned her BS in nutritional sciences and BS in toxicology from Penn State University. She then completed her master’s degree in public health from the University of New England. Christine is also a certified clinical research coordinator. Prior to joining the PSA, Sanchez worked as a research coordinator for over 10 years. She has worked in both clinical and academic research settings, with focuses on nutritional sciences and minimally invasive surgery.
Megan Shetterly is a graduate of Wilkes College, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where she received a Bachelor of Science in nursing, a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, and a Master of Science in nursing with a focus in education. She has been with the Patient Safety Authority (PSA) in the capacity of a patient safety advisor since August 2008, working with various Pennsylvania healthcare facilities to reduce medical errors. She has given multiple educational presentations and written journal articles on various patient safety–related topics. She has facilitated collaboration efforts with healthcare facilities in order to improve patient safety with projects focused on blood specimen labeling and preoperative screening. She is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS), is certified in Just Culture Training, and is a TeamSTEPPS master trainer. Previously, Shetterly worked at a Community Health Systems hospital in Berwick, Pennsylvania, assuming various roles and responsibilities including occupational health nurse; director of Performance Improvement; director of Education; director of Infection Control; director of Case Management; risk manager; patient safety officer; director of various inpatient and outpatient units (Oncology, Cardiac Treatment Clinic, Sleep Center, Respiratory Therapy, Pain Clinic); and Women’s Health director, as well as clinical responsibilities as a registered nurse in delivery of patient care.
Krista Soverino serves as a communications specialist for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). As a part of the Engagement and Publications team, she helps create graphics for use on the PSA website and social media pages, as well as other print and online publications and materials. Previously she was a project specialist for a family-owned pharmacy and durable medical supply company, where she maintained the social media, website, and marketing materials, along with organizing sponsored events for the community. Soverino also worked as a marketing coordinator for a family of private country clubs. She earned her bachelor’s in fine arts in graphic design from Colby-Sawyer College.
Heather Stone serves as people partner and strategic assistant for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA), working under the director of transformation and strategic initiatives and the executive director. She provides human resources services for staff, assists the executive director in various tasks, assists with the patient side of strategic planning, and provides journal support to the Engagement and Publications team. Previously, Stone served as the administrative assistant for Engagement and Publications. Before coming to PSA, Stone was the outreach coordinator for Schuylkill Community Action, completing speaking engagements promoting agency services, working one-to-one with clientele, and participating in health expos. Previously, she worked as a preschool teacher in a Montessori preschool; a behavioral health counselor, providing counseling to children in their school and home environment; and a children and youth caseworker, helping children and parents. She earned her bachelor of social work from Shippensburg University.
Matthew Taylor is a Research Scientist for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). He is responsible for helping improve patient safety in Pennsylvania by conducting research, which includes collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing data to identify concerns and trends related to patient safety. Research findings are disseminated through peer-reviewed manuscripts, and the data are used to develop solutions for safety issues. Taylor is also involved in development of tools and materials that are designed to help facilities and clinicians improve patient safety. In 2010, Taylor earned a doctorate in psychology. During 2010–16, he had a fellowship position at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he conducted behavioral research on topics related to health and safety. Thereafter, Taylor had a two-year patient safety fellowship at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System and then he was a scientific writer and research specialist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. Through these positions, Taylor acquired a range of data analysis and research experience on numerous topics, including patient safety, public health, employee training, process efficiency, human factors, and workplace culture/climate. Taylor holds the following degrees in psychology: Bachelor of Science (Western Michigan University), Master of Arts (Queens College), and doctorate (Graduate Center, City University of New York). Throughout his studies, he had a concentration in behavior change interventions and organizational management.
Alex Ulsh is the systems administrator and deputy chief information security officer for the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). A cum laude graduate of Susquehanna University with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, Ulsh has over 10 years of information technology experience in customer support, security, and systems administration. His past work experience with Susquehanna University and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture and Department of Community and Economic Development provides ideal knowledge for supporting the PSA. As a certified emergency medical technician, Ulsh enjoys helping others in a role that also provides him knowledge and understanding of the mission the PSA has in analyzing, educating, and collaborating for patient safety. |
