Resilience and Personal Experience Drive Passion for Patient Advocacy: Meet Jessica Prothe Meet Jessica Prothe, a remarkable individual who has proven her commitment to nursing through her active involvement with ANA-Illinois. Jessica is a registered nurse and a graduate nursing student at Northern Illinois University, located just outside of Chicago in the greater Chicagoland area. Living…
Member Highlight: Ashley Whitlatch – A Trailblazer in Nursing and Advocacy
Introducing Ashley Whitlatch, a trailblazing figure in the nursing community. Ashley holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Registered Nursing, specializing in Family Practice, and a Doctor of Nurse Practice. In addition to her nursing degrees, she earned a Master’s in Business Administration. With more than a decade of experience in nursing, Ashley understands…
Member Highlight: Tanya Friese on Patient Advocacy & the Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love
Dr. Friese is Assistant Professor at Rush University. “I teach nurses in Rush’s Doctor of Nursing Program and the generalist intro master’s program.” “My major areas are LGBTQIA+, veterans with disabilities—that includes veterans who might identify with the transgender population,” says Tanya “Doc” Friese, DNP, RN, CNL USN (Ret.). Along with courses in the College…
Member Highlight: Natalie Loops on Empowering Patients & Students
“I’ve had a couple of different careers before this” says Natalie Loops, MSN, RN, CNL. She is now a clinical instructor at Rush University, but she took a path less traveled to get there. After graduating with a degree in biology from the University of Illinois-Chicago, Natalie knew she wanted a career in healthcare, but…
Member Highlight: Dr. Roxanne Spurlark, the “Nurses’ Nurse” in Her Own Words
Recently, we caught up with ANA-Illinois member Dr. Roxanne Spurlark, DNP, APRN-FPA, FNP-C. She is a doctorally prepared nurse practitioner with over 30 years in healthcare at multiple levels. Her doctorate is in healthcare systems leadership from Chamberlain University. She is also a nurse scientist whose research resounds in the voice of advocacy amongst 100 nurses…
Member Highlight: Sarah Ailey: Dismantling Disability Discrimination Through Participatory Action
Sarah Ailey, PhD RN FAAN, is a professor in the College of Nursing at Rush University Medical Center, which “has a history of being on the forefront of healthcare for people with disabilities.” “I’m a mother of a 46-year-old son with intellectual disabilities, so there’s that aspect of it. I have that family advocate role.…
ANA-Illinois Member Highlight: Dana Merk on Using Survivorship for Good
Dana Merk was completing her bachelor’s in theatre at DePaul University when her life took a dramatic turn. “My senior year I’m applying to ABSN programs and in December of my senior year, December 2003, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. I had to withdraw from school, have my treatment. Thankfully, I’m here. It’s…
Member Highlight: Madison Morgan on Finding Her Path & Prioritizing Wellbeing
Madison Morgan, BSN, RN, graduated from Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri, in May 2021. Culver-Stockton College offers their BSN program through partnership with Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing. Madison was able to complete her nursing requirements from Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and received her pin in May 2021. “I did have a little hiccup where I…
Our Voice: Jeannine Haberman on seizing all opportunities
Jeannine Haberman, DNP, MBA, MSN, RN, CNE, has been a nurse for over 35 years. Haberman’s career started from humble beginnings, graduating from a small liberal college in central Illinois before beginning work in a small community hospital. She quickly transformed from a fresh grad to an ICU charge nurse, ED manager of a Chicago…
Our Voice: Holly Farley on enhancing diversity and inclusion in the nursing community
Holly Farley, EdD, MSN, RN, received her Associate’s in Applied Science from Lake Land College in 1994 and achieved her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mennonite College of Nursing in Bloomington two years later. Farley mostly worked in surgery, spending time as the first assist for a general surgeon for several years, where she…