Greetings to all Kappa Theta members:
Upcoming Activities
Several opportunities to participate in Kappa Theta chapter activities are listed below. Please mark your calendars and engage with one or all these activities.
- Kappa Theta is collaborating with the Reach Chapter of KNA to offer a 1-hour continuing education program addressing leadership skills needed when serving on a health-related board. This program will be held on April 20th from 5:30-7:30 pm.
Nurse Member Continuing Education - Please register for the 1-hour CE using this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C49A4AD2CABF49-knareach4
Zoom meeting link:
Meeting ID: 998 5911 8691
- Mark your calendar for 5 pm on May 18th and attend the Annual Meeting and Research Day. Contact Dr. Liz Sturgeon at sturgeon@wku.edu to submit an abstract or nominate someone for an annual award.
- Mark your calendars for a service opportunity scheduled for July 10th, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at The Foundry located on the West End of Bowling Green. They will be hosting a “Fit and Fun” event to prepare children and their families for the upcoming school year. Several volunteers will be needed to assist with school vaccinations, measuring and recording height, weight, BMI and more. To volunteer please contact Kim Vickous at vickous@wku.edu
Special Congratulations: Mark Flener, RN, MSN Ed., CCRN
Please join me in congratulating Mark Flener for his recent professional achievement. Mark is a faculty member in the WKU School of Nursing and working on his PhD degree at Indiana University (IU). Mark’s abstract titled, “Looking Glass”: A Grounded Theory Study in Transgender and Gender Diverse Children Navigating Gender Discovery” was recently selected to represent the IU’s School of Nursing as a rising Star in Research and Scholarship at the 32nd Sigma Nursing Research Congress, July 22-26, 2022. Congratulations Mark!!!
Spotlight on Leadership: Anne Popel Leonard, RN, BSN, MBA
This month we recognize an outstanding nurse leader. Anne Popel Leonard began her nursing career as a LPN in 1982. Anne continued her education graduating with a ASN degree from Parkland College in 1985, a BSN degree from the University of South Alabama in 1999, and a MBA degree from William
Carey College in 2004. Anne has maintained her certification in Medical/Surgical Nursing through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Anne has been a member of Sigma since her induction in 2007.
In addition, she has supported the following professional organizations: American Nurses Association, KNA REACH Chapter, and the American Organization of Nursing Leadership. While serving as the CNO at
TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital, Anne served as a Board Member of the United Way of Southern Kentucky and the South Central Kentucky Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Anne has held numerous positions throughout her nursing career and has enjoyed the experience each one brought. Anne began her career in Medical/Surgical nursing then expanded her experience as a Performance Improvement Coordinator, Case Manager and holding various managerial positions. Anne has always enjoyed researching ways to improve patient outcomes, patient experience and providing opportunities for nurses to gain confidence in their profession. Kappa Theta salutes Anne for her nursing career and the contribution to healthcare in south central Kentucky.
Spotlight on Service: Miranda Peterson, DNP, RN, CNE
It is a pleasure to spotlight Dr. Miranda Peterson for her outstanding service role. Dr. Peterson is an Instructor in the School of Nursing and Allied Health (SONAH) at WKU where she currently co-chairs the Program Evaluation Committee. Her contributions to the Kappa Theta Chapter are many as she currently serves as Treasurer and a member of both the leadership team and Induction Committee. Dr. Peterson has been a registered nurse for 26 years and has been in nursing education for 12 years. Her clinical practice background includes obstetric, pediatric, and medical-surgical nursing. Dr. Peterson has a passion to ensure the success of each of her students. She serves as a faculty advisor for the Kentucky Association of Nursing Students (KANS) and enjoys participating in student events/activities. In 2019, Dr. Peterson led a Study Abroad Study to Ireland providing an opportunity for students to engage in a diverse global experience. She also enjoys mentoring DNP students from Regis College in their Scholarly Practice Projects and WKU Nursing Honors students in their Capstone Experience/Thesis projects. In addition to her service to students, Dr. Peterson finds time to serve both the nursing profession and her community. She is an active member in the local Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA) chapter and volunteers at local community organizations such as United Way and Hotel INC. Her favorite service opportunities include the Warren County Services Fair, which provides health screenings to the refugee/immigrant community and the Community Action of Southern Kentucky poverty simulation.
Spotlight on Research: Dr. Liz Surgeon, RN, PhD
Dr. Liz Sturgeon is a professor in the WKU School of Nursing Baccalaureate nursing program where she teaches Research & Evidence Based Practice and Pharmacology courses. She received her ASN, BSN, and MSN from WKU and her PhD from the University of Kentucky. She holds the National League of Nursing’s certified nurse educator credential. She serves as the Chair of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and participates in the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. Professionally, she is currently the Vice-President of Kappa Theta Chapter and she serves on the finance committees for the Kentucky Nurses Association and the Kentucky Nurses Foundation. Liz’s research focus is occupational health nursing, infection prevention, and nursing education. She enjoys working with students on honors projects with the hope of instilling her love for research in them. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging with her five “grands”, working Sudokus, and doing counted cross stitch needlework.
Closing Remarks
Please let me know of your accomplishments and ways the chapter can best serve you. We invite you to share the rich stories of your colleagues as many of them are most deserving of recognition for their contribution in leadership, research, or service.
May you continue to spread joy in all you do!
Respectfully,
Susan Jones, President of Kappa Theta Chapter