Bios for the 2012 officer elections
Patricia Robertson
Patricia Robertson RN COHN CM, graduated from Jackson Memorial School of Nursing and later from Florida International University for Health Care Management. While in Miami she worked at Jackson Memorial Hospital Emergency Department and the Intensive Care Unit at Miami Heart Institute, She became a Nursing Director at Palmetto General Hospital. On relocating to Houston Texas she managed Kimberly Nurses, a temporary nursing agency. Pat began her occupational nursing career at Texas Instruments, while in Houston. Moving with her husband to Mill Creek Washington 23 years ago, she took the position with Providence Hospital as a nursing supervisor. When Providence decided to begin its occupational medicine clinic, Pat assumed the management position. Providence Occupational Medicine Clinic provided occupational medical services to numerous businesses, fire departments, and police departments. Pat developed the largest influenza immunization program in Snohomish County. She worked closely with clients such as Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, Scott paper, (now Kimberly Clark), Everett Fire Department, Everett School District, and Monroe Correctional Facility, consulting with them for their occupational health and regulatory needs. In 2001, Pat joined the Boeing Company in Everett Washington where she is currently a Health Services manager for both the Everett facility as well as the Vision Screening and Hearing Conservation programs for all of Boeing's Puget Sound facilities.. Pat believes that occupational health is a very important field that is under recognized. She is particularly interested in promoting continuing education programs for occupational health nurses,
Director at Large - Debbie Fuller
Debbie has been an RN for over 30 years in a variety of hospital nursing specialties; for the past 15 years in the field of occupational health nursing. Occupational health nursing is her passion. She became Certified Occupational Health Nurse 7 years ago and then went on to become certified as an Occupational Health Nurse Case Manager. Debbie believes if one is in a nursing field such as occupational health, you not only need to be able to provide evidence that you are highly qualified and knowledgeable but you also need to be involved in other aspects of this field. In the great Pacific Northwest, we, as Occupational Health Nurses, are not as visible as our colleagues are in other regions of the country, such as east of the Rockies. Debbie believes each of us have great wisdom and valuable contributions if we just simply got more involved in our association.
Director at Large - Geraldine Bauer
Geri has been working as an Occupational Health Nurse since 1994 in the TriCities out on the Hanford Site, and also almost 2 years at PeaceHealth in Bellingham, WA. In 1999, she obtained the COHN-S. Currently, she works at Washington State University in TriCities in the Nursing Learning Lab. She is looking for additional education/ certification along the lines of Safety and Environmental Health. Geri looks forward to promoting Occupational Health Nursing as a Director at large and helping anyway she can from the East Side!
Director at Large - Linda Blevins
Linda has been a member of WSAOHN since 1995, and has previously served the organization as Director at Large, member of the Nominating Committee, and member of the Professional Affairs Committee. Linda holds an MN from University of Washington, specializing in Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing, and a BSN from Eastern Washington University. She works as Occupational Health Nurse at University of Washington Employee Health Clinic. Additionally, Linda serves as Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychosocial and Community Health at University of Washington School of Nursing. She has also been a Lecturer in the Department of Psychosocial and Community Health Nursing at UW. Previously she worked in the Occupational Health Program at Public Health- Seattle & King County. In addition to her experience in Occupational Health Nursing, Linda has worked in school nursing, research, hospital nursing, and was Nurse Manager of an Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery outpatient practice for many years. Linda welcomes the opportunity to serve an organization that has contributed so much to her career.
Director at Large - Michelle Kom-Gochnour
Ms. Gochnour has been a member of WSAOHN and AAOHN since 1993. She has served on the WSAOHN board as part of the nominations committee, with governmental affairs, President-elect, President and as a Director. Ms. Gochnour has also served on committees at AAOHN, including governmental affairs and educational committees. She developed several educational courses for AAOHN, and has taught at national conferences. Ms. Gochnour currently holds the position of Senior Occupational Health Consultant at Seattle Children's Hospital. She has been involved in occupational health and safety for over 20 years, serving in roles as educator, researcher, safety director, manager, and consultant. She has worked in academia, government, private industry, and for the military. Ms. Gochnour holds a master's degree with a specialty in occupational health from the University of Washington and has her COHN-S certification from ABOHN. She hopes to use her experiences and education to further support her colleagues and the profession of occupational health nursing by serving on the WSAOHN board.
Director at Large - Sharon Tanberg Mickelson
Sharon currently holds the position of Citywide Safety & Health Manager at the City of Seattle, Personnel Department. She is a graduate of Occupational Health Nursing Master's Program at the University of Washington and has held many of the offices of the WSAOHN. She values WSAOHN because each and every occupational health nurse performs such valuable work, has to have such broad yet specific nursing and management skills, and each is so valuable to the employer.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Susan Matt
Susan Matt is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing, teaching both undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Her clinical background is in neuro/rehab and she is also an attorney whose practice focused on disability law prior to engaging in her teaching career. During her doctoral education, she became active in occupational health nursing, specifically with respect to her research on nurses with disabilities and disability climate in hospital workplaces. She also has a strong interest in legal and ethical issues in health care. In addition to her work, she is an active volunteer with the King County Public Health Reserve Corps and the American Red Cross.
Officers
2011 Officers
President - Betsy Gilbert, PhD, RN
I have served on the board of the Washington State Association of Occupational Health Nurses as a Director at large and the chair of the nominating committee. I am a second year Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing at Seattle University. I earned my doctorate from the University of Washington, School of Nursing (Occupational Health Nursing), Seattle, in 2005. My dissertation studied taxi cab drivers and identified, from drivers’ perspectives, the characteristics of their work that increase their risk for occupational violence. A registered nurse for over 30 years, my interest and focus on occupational health/stress has spanned over 15 years, starting during my years working in the employee assistance field at a large health care organization. My knowledge and experience extends to general practice of occupational health nursing, community health, mental health and illness across the life span, health disparities, and social justice. It has been my privilege to serve as a provider, teacher, mentor and trainer to clients, students and workers. I have provided expert consultation, developed programs and administered initiatives related to occupational and mental health in a variety of settings. My article "Employee assistance programs history and description", published in AAOHN Journal (AAOHN Journal, October 1994, Vol. 42, No. 10), workshops offered and posters presented at AAOHN Symposia & Expos 2006, 07, 08, and presentations to students in the UW’s Occupational Health Nursing Masters program as affiliate faculty are among my contributions to the OHN field. I am excited to be serving as your chapter vice-president and continue to contribute positively to the Occupational Health Nursing profession. I can be reached at betzgilbert@comcast.net.
Betsy Gilbert, PhD, RN
Vice President - Annie Bruck
Treasurer - Judith Davies
Secretary - Sharon Ballard, MN, BSN, RN