MEET YOUR NJSSNA EXECUTIVE BOARD!

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1 MEET YOUR NJSSNA EXECUTIVE BOARD! The NJSSNA Executive Board works hard all year long to advocate for school nursing. The Board meets monthly during the school year and all NJSSNA members are welcome to attend the meetings held at NJEA in Trenton. Dates and times are posted on the NJSSNA website. At a time when there is much debate about school nursing certification and nursing education in general, the NJSSNA Executive Board is well-educated, with many holding advanced or multiple degrees and national certifications, and having years of experience in schools and leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels. Board members bring varied years of experience and knowledge to their work and represent school nursing well. Meet your Board! NJSSNA President Brenda Porter, MS, BSN, RN, NJ-CSN is the school nurse at the STEM academy in the East Orange School District and has been a school nurse for 19 years. She graduated from the East Orange School District in 1978 and received a BSN from Georgetown University in Brenda attended New Jersey City University (NJCU) for school nurse certification (1996) and completed a MS in Health Education at NJCU in She also attended Kean University to complete requirements for a Supervisor s Certificate (2008). Brenda served as the secretary of the Essex County School Nurses Association from and as president from In 2010, Brenda received the Distinguished School Nurse alumni Award from NJCU and in 2011 was inducted into the NJCU School Nurse Honor Society. Prior to becoming president of NJSSNA, Brenda served as chair of marketing for the Association. NJSSNA President-Elect Mary Ann Bacon, MSN, RN, NCSN has served as the school nurse at Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly for 23 years. She is a graduate of Einstein Medical Center School of Nursing and received her BSN and MSN from LaSalle University in Philadelphia. Mary Ann served as the legislative representative for the Burlington County School Nurses Association and as the county liaison for NJSSNA. In 1995, Mary Ann received a grant from

2 Johnson & Johnson to promote positive school climate, is a Johnson & Johnson School Nurse Fellow and has been named School Nurse of the Year. Mary Ann recently completed national board certification and is now a Nationally Certified School Nurse. Secretary Anna Tupe, BSN, RN, NJ-CSN is the school nurse at Linwood Middle School in North Brunswick. Educated at Wagner College and TCNJ, she will complete the MSN at Monmouth University in January Anna is the incoming president of the Middlesex County School Nurses Association and has served NJSSNA as corresponding secretary and public relations chair. Treasurer Donna Pleus, RN, MSN, NJ-CSN is the school nurse at the Charles A. Selzer School in Dumont. She has been a school nurse for nine years. Donna received a BSN from Boston College, a MSN from Monmouth University, and school nurse certification from NJCU. She is currently enrolled at Monmouth University in a post-master certificate program in forensic nursing. Prior to joining the NJSSNA Executive Board, Donna served as the Bergen County School Nurse representative to NJSSNA. NASN Director Mary Suessmann, MS, BSN, RN, NJ-CSN is the coordinator of school nurses for the Livingston Board of Education and serves as school nurse at Hillside Elementary School. She obtained a BSN from Seton Hall University and a Masters in Health from East Stroudsburg University. Prior to serving as NJSSNA s delegate to NASN, she served as the Essex County School Nurses Association representative to NJSSNA and also was an active member of the Hunterdon County School Nurses Association. Mary has the distinction of being named teacher of the year twice, once in Clinton and once in Livingston. Her term as NASN director will expire in January Membership Co-Chair/NASN Director-Elect Mary Blackborow, MSN, RN, NJ-CSN serves as the school nurse at North Brunswick High School and has been a school nurse for 12 years. Mary received her nursing diploma from Kings County School of Nursing, a BSN and school nurse certification from the College of New Jersey (TCNJ), and a MSN from Monmouth University. Mary recently served as president

3 of the Middlesex County School Nurses Association and as membership chair of NJSSNA. In January 2013, she will succeed Mary Suessmann as NASN Director. Membership Co-Chair: Jacqueline Matthews, RN BSN is a school nurse at the Jotham Wakeman School in Jersey City, serving Pre-K-grade 5 students and their families. Jackie is new to the NJSSNA Board this year. Standards and Practices Chair Lorraine Borek, RN, M.Ed serves as the nursing supervisor for the Hillsborough Board of Education. She has been a school nurse for 14 years. Lorraine was educated at Pace University, Mercy College and Seton Hall University and served as education chair and president of the Essex County School Nurses Association. Lorraine is returning to the NJSSNA Board this year. County Liaison Mary Ellen Bowlby, BSN, RN, NJ-CSN is a school nurse at the Clinton Public School is the Clinton-Glen Gardner School District. She has been a school nurse for 17 years and attended The College of New Jersey. Mary Ellen served as president of the Hunterdon County School Nurses Association. Legislative Co-Chair Mary Caputo, RN, MSN, NCSN is the school nurse at the Branchburg Central Middle School in Somerset County. A school nurse for 18 years, Mary attended Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University for the BSN and TCNJ for the MSN. She has served as vice president and president of the Somerset County School Nurses Association. Mary is a Johnson & Johnson School Nurse Fellow (1997) and served on the National Nursing Committee for the American Red Cross ( ). Legislative Co-Chair Gina Emge, MSN, PhD, RN works as a school nurse at Lenape Regional High School in Medford, Burlington County. Gina has been a school nurse for ten years and served as the Burlington County representative to NJSSNA. She holds a BSN from Wheeling College, a MSN from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Holistic Nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health. In 2002, Gina was awarded the American Nurses Association s Research for Practice Award. She is a new member of the NJSSNA Board. Legislative Co-Chair Carolyn Seracka, RN, MSN, CPNP, SNP has been a school nurse for 20 years. She works at the Green Brook Middle School and serves as the

4 vice president of the Somerset County School Nurses Association. Educated at Elizabeth General Hospital, Union County College, Kean University and Seton Hall University, Carolyn was named her school s Teacher of the Year in This is Carolyn s first term on the NJSSNA Board. Education Co-Chair Judy Crocco, RNC, MSN, CSN, APN has been a school nurse in Clifton for more than 12 years. Educated at Felician College, Dominican College, Seton Hall University, and Caldwell College, Judy has been active in the Passaic County School Nurses Association serving as corresponding secretary and president. Education Co-Chair Maureen Leavy Yanak, RN, BSN has been a school nurse for 22 years. Maureen recently migrated from northwest New Jersey and now serves as a school nurse in Burlington County. She holds a BSN from Niagara University and received school nurse certification from TCNJ. Very active at the local and state level, Maureen served as president of both Sussex and Warren County School Nurse Associations and previously served NJSSNA as recording and corresponding secretary, legislative chair, and membership chair. In 1997, Maureen received the Governor s Teacher Recognition Award while working in the Stanhope School District. Communications Chair Madeline Mills, RN, NJ-CSN works at Evergreen Elementary School in Woodbury, Gloucester County. A school nurse for 21 years, Madeline was a substitute school nurse for ten years. Educated at St. Agnes Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia, she holds a BA from Glassboro State College. Madeline served as president, vice president, and secretary of her county association and now manages its list serv and website. Madeline also served NJSSNA as membership chair and has been an active member of the education committee. Parliamentarian Janine Barzdines, BSN, RN, NJ-CSN is the school nurse at Port Colden Elementary School in Washington Township, Warren County and has been in school nursing for 11 years. She graduated from TCNJ with a BSN and completed certification courses at Caldwell College. Janine served as president of the Warren County Association from

5 Marketing Chair Julia Wieners, RN, NCSN works as a school nurse in the Newark Office of Early Childhood. Julia attended Clara Maass Hospital School of Nursing and Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University). Julia recently completed national certification and will serve as president of the Essex County Association for Research Advisor Laura Jannone, Ed.D, RN, NJ-CSN, FNASN is an associate professor, coordinator of the school nursing program, and director of the MSN program at the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies at Monmouth University. Laura has been involved with school nursing for 25 years. She attended Christ Hospital School of Nursing, NJCU, and Teachers College, Columbia University. She has served as scholarship chair, program chair and president of the Monmouth County School Nurses Association. In 2012, Laura was honored as a Fellow of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and as Outstanding School Nurse Educator. She is a past recipient of the National League for Nursing Nurse Recognition Award and the NJCU Outstanding Alumni Award. Research Advisor Lorraine Chewey, Ed.D candidate, MS, RN, NJ-CSN served as a certified school nurse in Monmouth County for ten years before moving to academia. She holds a BSN from Seton Hall University, a Masters in Health Sciences from New Jersey City University, and is a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University. Lorraine received the NJSSNA Recognition Award in Lorraine coordinates the NJ School Nurse List Serv. Executive Director Linda Morse, RN, MA, NJ-CSN, CHES, FASHA joined NJSSNA as part-time executive director in 2010 after an 18 year career at the NJDOE. Linda was a school nurse and health educator at Rancocas Valley Regional High School and Westampton Middle School in Burlington County before joining the NJDOE. She holds the RN diploma from the Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia and a BA in Health Education and a MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Rowan University. Linda, a nationally certified health educator (CHES), was president of the Society of State Leaders of Health and Physical Education (SSDHPER) and served on national panels for the National Health Education

6 Standards and the National Sexuality Education Standards. Linda is currently a member of a national AAP work group developing a School Health Services Index Tool. Linda received the J. Thomas Kane Presidential Award for Outstanding Contributions to Middle Level Education from the New Jersey Middle School Association and the Simon A. McNeely Honor Award for Leadership and Service from SSDHPER. In 2001, she also completed a year-long national Public Health Education Leadership Institute and became a PHELI fellow and in 2011, she was named a Fellow of the American School Health Association (FASHA). In October 2012, Linda will become president of the American School Health Association (ASHA).