Advisory Committee
Meet the esteemed members of our Advisory Committee and Staff.
Advisory Committee Members
Chairperson
Dr. Parul Nguyen | OB-GYN, MPH
Expertise:
- Public health, health equity and maternal health outcomes
Chair-Elect
Kristin Perez | Certified Nurse-Midwife; CNM | Topeka
Expertise:
- Nurse-midwifery; maternal patient safety, Forensic nursing
Facility/Position:
- Stormont Vail Health, Topeka, KS: Certified Nurse-midwife, Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) and The Birthplace; Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), SV Forensics Team; Manage two off-site OB clinics at Grace Med Capitol Family and Topeka Correctional Facility
Past Chairperson
Dr. Cara A. Busenhart | Certified Nurse-Midwife; PhD, APRN, CNM, FACNM | Kansas City
Expertise:
- Nurse-midwifery; quality improvement and research; education
Facility/Position:
- University of Kansas School of Nursing, Director, Advanced Practice. Director, Nurse-Midwifery; Clinical Assistant Professor
- University of Kansas Hospital, Certified Nurse-Midwife
- JayDoc Free Health Clinic (student-run medical clinic), Attending; Certified Nurse-Midwife
Member
Dr. Kimberly Brey
Expertise:
- Serves on various OB committees
Facility/Position:
- Stormont Vail, Medical Staff President
Member
Emersen F. Freeman, MPH
Expertise:
- Health equity, public health, and health policy
Facility/Position:
- Stormont Vail Health, Director of Health Equity & Policy
Patient/Family Representative
Kirsten Greene | MBA | Topeka, KS
Expertise:
- Mother with infertility experience and fertility success
Facility/Position:
- Neptune Retail Solutions, Sr. Account Director
Member
Jeri Harvey | MSN RN CNL | Topeka
Expertise:
- Quality improvement, education
Facility/Position:
- Baker University School of Nursing, Instructor
- Stormont Vail Health, Maternal/Child Educator
Member
Dr. Sharla Smith | PhD, MPH
Expertise:
- Health economics, policy and management
- Founder and director of the Kansas Birth Equity Network
- Works to improve Black birthing outcomes in Kansas through community-centered approaches
Facility/Position:
- KUMC, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Population Health and Director of Birth Equity, Dept. of OB-GYN
Ex-Officio
Dr. Kourtney Bettinger
Facility/Position:
- University of Kansas, Peds
Ex-Officio
Karen Braman | RPh, MS | Topeka
Expertise:
- Quality and Patient Safety, Data/ Analytics, Pharmacy
Facility/Position:
- Kansas Hospital Association, Senior Vice President, Healthcare Strategy and Policy
Ex-Officio
Tara Chettiar | MD, FACOG
Facility/Position:
- Kansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee, Co-Chair
Ex-Officio
Jill Nelson | Topeka
Expertise:
- MCH Priorities
Facility/Position:
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Maternal & Perinatal Initiatives Consultant, KMMRC/KPQC Coordinator, Bureau of Family Health
Staff
Jill Nelson
Maternal & Perinatal Initiatives Consultant, KMMRC/KPQC Coordinator
Bureau of Family Health, Kansas Department of Health & Environment
Contact Jill:
[email protected]
Kayla Nicole Stangis, MPH, CHES
KDHE, Maternal Health Innovation Coordinator
Contact Kayla:
[email protected]
