Meet the Team

Role: Assistant Dean

As assistant dean of Faculty Practice, Angela Moss, PhD, MSN, APN-BC, RN, is responsible for the leadership, development and maintenance of diverse faculty practice partnerships and for fiscal accountability for the operations of all faculty practice venues. She also coordinates clinical outcome analysis and student activities across all faculty practice venues, and supports scholarly activities of all faculty practice personnel.

She is a board-certified, practicing adult nurse practitioner. Her research interests include return on investment, cost analysis and patient satisfaction at nurse-managed health centers, and the impact of aging on perceptions of health and health care utilization. Moss is also interested in strategic development of new nurse-managed models of care delivery for underserved populations.

Moss’ primary teaching responsibilities are in the Doctor of Nursing Practice programs, with a focus on health assessment clinical skills and student advisement.

Site(s): St. Leonard’s Ministries

Jennifer Rousseau, DNP, WHNP-BC

Role: Faculty Clinician Liaison

Rousseau has been a women’s health nurse for over 30 years. She has worked as a staff nurse and Clinical Nurse Specialist, as the Coordinator of Practice for the professional nursing organization AWHONN in Washington, DC, as an inpatient Women’s Health NP at RUSH University Medical Center, and as an NP with a focus on breast and cervical cancer screening.

Her DNP work led to universal screening for depression in the immediate postpartum period at RUSH. Her interest in this area continues as she works to improve follow-up with outpatient mental health care for women identified as being at risk for depression.

Rousseau is a certified nurse educator who has taught at RUSH University College of Nursing since 2001 across both the pre-licensure and DNP programs. In the Department of Academic Practice Nursing, Rousseau finds partner sites for student projects and work-study opportunities and is the Program Director for Family Connects, a universal postpartum nurse home visit service. She was recently awarded with the RUSH University Excellence in Community Service award for her efforts to raise awareness of state Safe Haven Laws to reduce illegal and unsafe infant abandonment. She is a board member of the National Safe Haven Alliance and a past-President of Sigma’s Gamma Phi chapter at RUSH.

Annika Gorenz, MS, MS

Role: Senior Manager

Annika Gorenz is the senior manager for the RUSH University College of Nursing’s Department of Academic Practice Nursing (DAPN). Her principal role is to oversee the business and administrative functions of the enterprise’s 30 nurse-run clinics and community partnerships, ensuring financial sustainability, business development, and day-to-day operational efficiency. Annika is also accountable for the DAPN’s data outcomes, which involves coordinating data between clinicians, students, clinical site partners and various internal and external RUSH departments. Optimization of site-specific outcome data allows us to demonstrate the impact of our department on the College of Nursing faculty, students, and clinical site partners.

Annika has a background in business administration and research related to clinical healthcare, graduate nursing education and academic practice partnerships. She has a master’s degree from RUSH University Medical Center in both biotechnology and pharmacology.

Role: Administrative Manager

Muhammad has served as higher education professional for graduate nursing and naturopathic doctoral programs, highlighting clinical placements and student clinic operations, and in medical education. She has an MBA from Saint Xavier University with a concentration in management.

Janyce Agruss, PhD, APN/CNP, RN

Agruss is a longtime faculty member at the RUSH University College of Nursing. She has been instrumental in the development of the Family Nurse Practitioner program, which is currently ranked No. 6 in the country by U.S. News & World Report. She is also an active family nurse practitioner.

Site: Yorktown Health

Samantha Baker, MSN, RN, CNL

Baker comes to us with a background in psychiatric mental health and public health nursing. She received her master’s in nursing from RUSH University and bachelor’s in psychology and legal studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Baker has a passion for helping individuals with mental health conditions and multiple comorbidities achieve rehabilitative, health, resilience, and recovery goals.

Site: Thresholds

Elisabeth Barrett, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNL

Site: Sue Gin Health Center at Oakley Square

Margaret Bavis, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Margaret Perlia Bavis, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC is an embedded faculty at CommunityHealth, a free and charitable clinic in Chicago. In her role, Dr. Bavis provides comprehensive primary care to uninsured adults. In addition, Bavis trains RUSH University College of Nursing APRN students. Bavis is able to bring her experience caring for patients and training students back to the College of Nursing where she teaches in the DNP/FNP program.

Site: CommunityHealth

Alma Blancarte

Blancarte comes to us with a background in NICU nursing. Additionally, as a nursing student she assisted Nurse Practitioners at the Sue Gin Health Center, a CON Faculty Practice Clinic on Chicago’s West side. She is a graduate of RUSH University College of Nursing GEM program. Blancarte is passionate about sharing her Mexican culture through cooking and developing recipes to share.

Site: Connect Chicago

Elizabeth Brockland, BSN, RN

Brockland is excited to be working at Northside Housing and Supportive Services (NSHSS), a housing program that has a 72-bed men’s emergency shelter in Uptown as well as over 170 permanent supportive housing units throughout Chicago for formerly homeless adults. She works with over 100 clients a year, providing ongoing in-home health education and medical case management for clients who are housed, in addition to consulting on the health needs of clients who are currently experiencing homelessness. Since working at NSHSS since 2016, she has developed programming to educate clients and case managers on opioid overdose response and has developed policies and educational materials to support staff members on infection prevention and mental and physical health emergency response. Within the first year of having an onsite nurse, the rate of clients connected to primary care improved by 24%. Health programming at NSHSS is anchored in the principles of harm-reduction and trauma-informed care.

Site: Northside Housing and Supportive Services

Margaret Mary Butler, MSN, RN, CNL

Butler comes to us as a graduate from RUSH’s GEM program (August 2017, MSN, RN, CNL). She is interested in working in community and mental health.

Site: Congregate Testing Team 

Valerie Davis, MSN, RN, CNL

Davis works with the Family Connects Chicago at RUSH team, caring for new moms and babies born at RUSH.

Site: Family Connects Chicago at RUSH

Joshua Dueshop

Site: Congregate Testing Team

Stephanie Flores, RN, BSN

Therese Gallagher, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNL

Gallagher is a family nurse practitioner at the Sue Gin Health Center, a RUSH University College of Nursing Faculty Practice clinic that opened in 2015 in the Oakley Square community on Chicago’s West Side. Gallagher earned a bachelor’s degree in history at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a master’s in nursing at DePaul University in Chicago. She returned to the University of Illinois at Chicago for its Family Nurse Practitioner and Forensic Advanced Practice Nurse post-master’s certificate programs.

Gallagher’s doctor of nursing practice work in the Leadership to Enhance Population Health Outcomes program at the RUSH University College of Nursing focused on improving decision-making and reducing risk-taking behavior in low-income adolescents.

Sites: Center for Health and Homelessness; Sue Gin Center at Oakley Square 

Taren “TK” Hays, MSN, RN, CNL

Hays recently graduated from RUSH University’s post-licensure CNL program and has been working as a bedside nurse on neurology/neurosurgical step-down units for the past four years. Their main interest resides in community and mental health as well as providing healthcare to vulnerable and underserved populations. Hays uses they/them pronouns and has many interests outside of work, including but not limited to rock climbing, yoga, cooking and traveling. 

Site: Thresholds

Darlene Hepburn, MA, BSN, RN-BC

Hepburn comes to us with a background in pediatric primary care nursing. She is a graduate of RUSH University and enjoys baking bread and reading.

Site: Family Connects Chicago at RUSH

Jasmyn Hernandez

My name is Jasmyn Hernandez. I am the lead Community Health RN for Connect Chicago — a community initiative that provides a well-rounded visit to Chicago residents looking to get COVID-19 tested in partnership with RUSH, Esperanza Health Services, and the Chicago Department of Public Health. We currently provide PCR and rapid testing in LaVillta and have begun introducing at-home COVID-19 testing kits. Our hope is that with these efforts, we are able to build trust and create a healthier community.

Site: Connect Chicago

Margaret Horrigan

Horrigan comes to us with a background in Neurology nursing, and is a graduate of Boston College. She once walked 200 miles through Spain on El Camino De Santiago and has a passion for the great outdoors.

Site: Congregate Testing Team 

Diana Jaimes, BSN, RN

I provide nursing services, serving all areas of Chicago and Chicago suburbs. I provide nursing assessments and care coordination to ensure patients are following up with their health consistently.

Site: Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare

Shaun Johnson

Site: Bobby E. Wright

Kathryn Kaintz, BSN, RN

Kaintz started her career in community health and service with AmeriCorps: National Health Corps. She completed her BA in Anthropology and Public Health at Tulane University in New Orleans, and she recently completed an ABSN at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. When Kaintz is not working at her faculty practice site, she enjoys reading science fiction and doing embroidery.

Site: Family Connects Chicago at RUSH

Kelly Karas-Hedrick

Site: Sue Gin Health Center at Oakley Square

I have a background in psychiatric care, physical rehabilitation, and community health nursing. I have a passion for helping individuals with psychiatric conditions improve their health and overall wellbeing. I am a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago with a BSN. Some things I like to do in my free time is to travel, read, and cook.

Site: Thresholds

Jamie Knoll, MSN, RN, CNL

Knoll is currently working as an admission nurse at RUSH Oak Park Hospital. She is a graduate of the RUSH University College of Nursing and is interested in community and public health nursing.

Site: Laurance Armour Day School

Diana Krishnan, RN, CNL, MSN, LCSW

Krishnan comes to us as a recent graduate from RUSH’s GEM program.  She has a background in social work where she developed a passion for working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness.  In her free time, Krishnan likes to take music and dance classes, go to the movies, and grab tea with friends. 

Site: Thresholds

Sheila Leen, MSN, APN-BC

I am a nurse practitioner at Flying Food Group where I see patients for episodic and chronic conditions at a work site health clinic. Our services, and primary care lab tests, are free to employees. Strep, COVID, UTI, pregnancy, and instant drug testing can be done onsite. We can order screening and diagnostic testing to be performed at RUSH or other health care organizations in the area near O’Hare Airport. We complete pre-employment and random drug screening for Flying Food Group, hold yearly health fairs and flu shot vaccination days, support student projects, and engage in activities that support wellness at work.

At St. Leonard’s Ministries I serve men and women with a history of incarceration and/or substance use disorders. I work with St. Leonard’s staff, Adler school of psychology, and RUSH students to support the needs of this population. We aid in navigation of Medicaid benefits and plans and coordinate care for routine screenings, vision, dental, and specialty services. I also serve as a primary care provider while patients await utilization of Medicaid benefits and treat episodic complaints. We provide education to staff and residents through trainings sessions that include heart saver CPR and opioid reversal. I serve as source of guidance for several locations of St. Leonard’s Ministries as the organization strives to keep residents healthy and safe while providing education and future housing opportunities.

Sites: St. Leonard’s Ministries; Flying Food

Belia Llamas, BSN, RN

Belia comes to us with a background in obstetrics nursing in both labor and deliver and mother-baby. She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Site: Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare

Samantha Long

I am a Community Health Nurse and I work with one of our community partnership organizations, Heartland Alliance Health, on their Shelter-Based Service Team. I care for members of our  community who are experiencing homelessness or unstable housing. Some of my responsibilities include teaching and implementing infection control measures, COVID testing, providing education on disease prevention and chronic disease management, performing health screenings, and administering vaccinations.

Site: Heartland Alliance Health

Christina Manheimer, FNP-C, APRN

Manheimer is currently enrolled in the DNP Population Health Program at RUSH with a focus on Healthcare for Persons Experiencing Homelessness. When not at work or school, she can be found having fun with her husband and two young boys.

Site: St. Leonard’s Ministries 

Maria Martinez, BSN, RN

Martinez comes to us with a background in child care, volunteer work and community engagement. She graduated from the Chamberlain College of Nursing after earning a bachelor’s in biology from Loyola University Chicago and has been a community health nurse for the past two years. Martinez also provided public health awareness to the Chicago Lighthouse, which is a social service organization that serves the visually impaired. She enjoys being a community advocate.

Site: CommunityHealth 

Miranda received her Bachelor’s in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Soon after, she received her Master’s in Nursing through the University of Illinois at Chicago. She comes to us with a background in pediatric nursing, working as a float nurse in the acute care setting. She enjoys staying active by rollerblading on the lakefront trail during warm months and loves attending concerts with friends.

Sites: Mercy Home

Erin Miller

Miller comes to us with a background in psychiatric nursing. She graduated from RUSH College of Nursing with a masters and is a Clinical Nurse Leader. Miller’s interests include gardening, comic books, spending time with her husband and five pets, and weightlifting.

Site: RSSI

Neely is a registered nurse specializing in community and mental health. 

Site: SBST to the CHW Hub Team

Orozco comes to us with a background in community nursing and women’s health. She is a graduate of Loyola University and was a part of the Loyola Nursing Student Board. Orozco is passionate about enabling mothers to access quality healthcare and educating them on available resources. She is also a strong advocate for dog rescues and loves fostering Pit Bulls.

Site: Family Connects Chicago at RUSH

Mary Carol Racelis is an adult health advanced practice clinical nurse specialist working at RUSH University Medical Center for the past 10 years. Currently, she is working in the DAPN as a registered nurse with the community testing team while attending the RUSH College of Nursing Transformative Systems Leadership DNP program.

Site: Community Testing Team

Pamela Semanik, PhD, CNP

Semanik’s expertise is in clinical rheumatology, and physical activity measurement (survey and accelerometer) and promotion for people with arthritis. Her personal research interest in lifestyle physical activity was inspired by her clinical care of patients who are severely limited due to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. She is currently conducting a National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases-funded intervention using Fitbit to increase physical activity in people with chronic knee symptoms in an employee population.

Site(s): Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

I have a background in oncology and critical care nursing in the hospital setting. I am a graduate of Loyola University Chicago. I am excited to transition into the community setting serving on the congregate testing team.

Site: Congregate Testing Team 

Anne Slager, MSN, RN, CCRN, ANP-C

Slager received her master’s in nursing at RUSH University. She has experience as a nurse instructor at RUSH University and also provides primary care at various clinics.

Jameese Sykes, MSN, FNP-BC

Sykes received her master’s in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program from the University of Illinois in Chicago. She has experience in primary care and the emergency department and has a background in health promotion, disease prevention, health education, care management and evidence-based practices.

Carly Tribbia, DNP, RN

Tribbia completed her BS in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and earned both her MSN and DNP (Advanced Public Health Nursing) at RUSH University’s College of Nursing. She started her nursing career in pediatrics and has spent most of her career as a public health nurse across a variety of settings. Tribbia has experience in evidenced-based strategies and program development, nursing education, policy development, community partnerships, and nursing scholarship. In her free time, Tribbia enjoys trying out a new recipe, a good cup of coffee, and spending time outdoors with her family.

Site(s): RUSH University, Office of Student Health Services

Wasserman comes to us with a background in mental health and pediatric nursing.  She is a graduate of RUSH University, and enjoys staying active with her puppy Poppy.

Laura has a nursing background based primarily in community settings including outpatient clinics, school nursing, and various community wellness initiatives. She enjoys providing patient education and strives to reinforce preventative care in her nursing practice with hopes for more equitable access to health, wellness, and happiness for Chicagoans of all ages. When not working, Laura enjoys spending time with her husband and 1-year-old daughter.

Site: Congregate Testing Team