Spring on Hilton Head Island 2024 Encore Symposium

Cherie Burke, PhD, DNP, CRNA, APRN, FAAN

Dr. Cherie Burke, Director of the School of Nursing at Loyola University, New Orleans, has been a registered nurse for over 35 years and a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) for 30 years. She has worked in every practice setting except the military. Cherie has also taught at Rutgers University Nurse Anesthesia Program, was an Assistant Program Director at the University of New England and was Program Director of Rush University’s Nurse Anesthesia Program. Her extensive experience and years of advocating for CRNAs have afforded her the opportunity to experience both the trials and triumphs of the profession. Cherie completed an Interprofessional Patient Safety Fellowship with the Veteran’s Administration and is an advocate for CRNAs leading the perioperative patient safety agenda.

Cherie is a Ph.D. candidate at Duquesne University. Her dissertation is focusing on decreasing CLABSI. She received her DNP from La Salle University, where she developed an evidence-based teaching plan to integrate patient safety strategies into nurse anesthesia education and integrates patient safety into every course she teaches. Cherie Enjoys lecturing and engaging with other CRNAs.

Mark Talon, DNP, MSN, CRNA

Dr. Mark Talon is a graduate of the University of Texas Nurse Anesthetist program and an alumnus of the inaugural class for Doctorate in Nursing Practice at Texas Christian University in 2009. He is a clinical coordinator for Shriners Hospital, Texas Christian University Nurse Anesthetist program. Past, Director of the Texas Board of Nurse Anesthetist. Nominated to the AANA Resolutions Committee 08/2016 to 08/2017 and currently serving on the AANA Bylaws Committee.

As the Chief Nurse Anesthetist for Shriners Burn Hospital for Children in Galveston he is actively involved in the peri-anesthetic and ICU care of critically ill pediatric patients resulting from burns, trauma and other related disorders. Mark is also actively involved in critical care research involving the resuscitation, monitoring, and ventilation of critical and unstable patients. He has the privilege of being published in journals such as Anesthesia and Analgesia, Journal of Burns, and as a coauthor in the textbook of Total Burn Care.

Kimberly Westra, CRNA, DNP, MSN, APRN, MBAc

Kimberly Westra CRNA, MS, DNP, is a certified registered nurse anesthetist with 21 years of experience and a faculty member of the University of Pennsylvania. She began her career in Baltimore, Maryland with experience as a critical care nurse at Johns Hopkins University. Kimberly is the Chief Nurse Anesthetist at Tidal Health Regional Medical Center in Maryland. Kimberly is the clinical site coordinator at Tidal Health, Johns Hopkins Nurse Anesthesia, University of Maryland Nurse Anesthesia, and Old Dominion University.

Dr. Westra is a doctoral graduate of Chatham University and is an MBA candidate in Healthcare Finance and Administration at Patten University. She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau honor society at Chatham and serves in the mentoring program for advanced practice nurses.

Mrs. Westra’s extensive clinical experience includes her role as an RNFA, CNOR, and CPAN. She specializes in difficult airway program development within healthcare networks. Dr. Westra is a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania Nurse Anesthesia Program. Kimberly teaches both didactic and hands-on simulation labs to the interdisciplinary team.

Westra is a dynamic and energetic speaker who engages audiences with lively discussions on numerous topics such as CPC Exam Review, Cardiac Anesthesia, Pediatrics, and a variety of anesthesia core concepts. Kimberly speaks locally and nationally on anesthesia clinical topics and healthcare business management.