Ohio Directors of Nursing Administration in Long Term Care (ODONA/LTC)

Select one of the options below for more information!

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Judith A. Bender began working with the elderly in 1991 as an LPN at Westminster Thurber Community. She received her Associate Degree in Nursing from Hocking College in September 1992. She has served in the capacity of Clinical Staff Nurse, Unit Manager of Skilled Nursing and a Special Care Unit for elders living with dementia, Interim Director of Nursing and Program Coordinator and Primary Instructor in the Nurse Aide Training Program at WTC. She is a member of The Professional Development Committee with the Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services working on developing a Corporate University, and the Power of One Vision and Planning Committee. Judy became an Associate of the Eden Alternative in 2001 and is active in culture change at WTC where currently she is Director of Staff Development and Education Coordinator.

Sean C. Cannone is Board Certified in Family Medicine; Clinical Associate Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Medical Director of seven Long-Term Care facilities in Northeast Ohio; OmniCare National Clinical Formulary Reviewer; and serves as a medical expert in the defense of nursing homes and physicians.

Chuck Gokoo is the Chief Medical Officer for American Medical Technologies. During his 24 year career he has recognized the need for evidence-based intervention in wound management. He has conducted numerous outcome-based clinical trials utilizing advanced wound dressing products resulting in the scientific advancement of chronic wound care. He is most noted for advocating the role of external compression and ambulation in reducing venous hypertension as it relates to venous leg ulcers and developing prevention guidelines and outcome analysis for venous disease. His most recent work involves wound photography/photo-documentation, its impact on wound management and its use as a means of mitigating both clinical and legal issues. Dr. Gokoo is published and has been an invited speaker at national and international wound society meetings. He is the Immediate past president of the American Academy of Wound Management and Past Chair of the American College of Certified Wound Specialists.

Jennifer Heston began working with the elderly in 1983 as an activities volunteer and then as a nursing assistant in a long-term care facility. She has an MSW from Ohio State University and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker in the state of Ohio. She has experience with Adult Protective Services as well as community based services for elders with limited income. She currently serves as the Assisted Living Coordinator at Westminster-Thurber Community in Columbus and is active in staff education efforts and the development of self-directed work teams. She recently coordinated the development of a training seminar designed to bring the culture change philosophy to all levels of staff. Jennifer became an Associate of the Eden Alternative in 2003 and supports radical change in the delivery of long-term care services for the elderly.

Steven C. LeMoine has been a licensed Nursing Home Administrator since 1991 and currently serves as Executive Director of Westminster-Thurber Community. He has written a program called "Catch Me Caring, An Employee Positive Reinforcement Program" that was designed to create effective employee outcomes with high morale and productivity standards. He has worked extensively in studying the LTC design standards and has served as a member of the board, secretary and President of the Cincinnati chapter of the National Environmental Health Association. In addition he has done a self-motivation workshop on the "Key to our Success in a Changing World" which highlights simple steps in keeping marketable. Steve is trained as a Certified Eden Associate and assists facilities in building teams to provide person-centered care to elders (older adults) by using animals, plants and children to provide companionship, spontaneity and variety, and the giving and receiving of care, creating a true human habitat for the elderly. Presently he serves as the Eden Alternative state mentor as well as a public speaker in the State of Ohio.

Shirley Wamsley is an RNC and has Geriatric Certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She has seven years of hospital based medical surgical nursing experience, has taught nurse aide training classes and was program coordinator for nine years. She was also a Director of Nursing for nine years and facilitated the Quality Improvement Program. In 2002 she began her work with the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Long Term Care Quality as a Health Care Facilities Surveyor in the Dayton District Office. Currently she is a Nurse Educator with the ODH Technical Assistance Program (TAP).

Matthew Wayne, MD, CMD, has been a member of AMDA since 1999 and a medical director since 2000. He currently is the director of the University Foley ElderHealth Center and assistant professor of medicine at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition he is president of the Ohio Medical Directors Association, vice chair for the AMDA Program subcommittee and a faculty member with AMDA's core curriculum. He has worked with AMDA and CMS on the development of the revised F-Tag 329 and education of surveyors and long term care communities in culture change.

Joel Wrobbel began working with the elderly in 1985 while guiding an intergenerational ministry with Elders and high school youth. He holds a BA in Public Administration with a concentration in Health Services from Roosevelt University in Chicago and an MBA North Park University in Chicago. Joel has experience serving older adults through his work as a nursing home Psycho-Social Director and providing leadership as a General Partner for a senior living company. He has served as a Director of Resident Services for an independent living community and as a Marketing Director for two continuing care retirement communities. He currently serves as the Marketing Director at Westminster-Thurber Community in Columbus. Joel became an Associate of the Eden Alternative in 2005 and is passionate about spreading the message of culture change.