Section Chair

Michelle Hirschkorn, MSN, RNC-OB, CNS

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Michelle has 12 years of experience as a perinatal nurse. She has worked as a postpartum and labor and delivery staff nurse in both high risk urban and rural health care settings across the country. Currently, she is the perinatal clinical nurse specialist at Salem Health.

Secretary / Treasurer

Donna Talain, RNC-OB, BSN, MBA

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Donna’s obstetric experience spans multiple years. She began her nursing career as a Staff Nurse in Women’s Services at Legacy Emanuel Hospital working both in the Family Birth Center and Labor & Delivery. She then became a nurse at Legacy Medical Group -- Maternal-Fetal Medicine helping women with high-risk pregnancies navigate this joyous yet nerve-racking time of their lives. After a short stint in Clinical Informatics, she returned to her passion of patient care in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She recently started a new adventure in Perinatology at Kaiser.

Legislative Coordinator

Jen Atkisson, BSN, MSN, IBCLC, RN, RNC

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Membership Chair

Megan Ludeña, MN, RNC-OB, NPD-BC

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Megan is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. She has been a nurse since 2005 and her direct care experience was most often as a Labor & Delivery nurse or Neonatal Resuscitation Specialist. She has a special interest in nursing education and has taught in both academic and clinical settings. Megan’s special interests outside of perinatal nursing include nursing workforce diversity, racial and ethnic healthcare disparities and transitions to practice. 

2019 Oregon Section Conference Co-Chairs

Sara Mosher, RN, BSN, MHA

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Sara has been a NICU nurse for 15 years in various roles. These include bedside nursing, NI/Peds charge nurse, clinical educator, Air Link Neonatal Flight nurse, and NICU manager. Sara also had the privilege of working as a NICU Family Support Specialist with the March of Dimes and served on their National Family Support Training Faculty. Sara's passion has always been to support families and improve the family experience in traumatic birth and NICU experiences. Currently Sara manages the Care Coordination/Nurse Navigation programs at St. Charles Health System and also runs her own business, Patient+Family Care, which offers education and support to both staff and families on the topics of Family Centered Care.

Amy Brase, MSN, RN, CNE

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Amy is a Professional Development Specialist for Women's and Children's Services at Salem Hospital. The majority of her clinical nursing career had been with Pediatrics and Women's Health. For the past several years, the focus has been on teaching -- instructing nursing students in the academic environment and professional development of nurses in the clinical environment.

Nominating Committee Chair

Debbie Castile, MN, RNC-OB, CNS, NE

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Deb is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with 20 plus years experience in High Risk Obstetric care. Deb's passion is on patient safety and quality of care. She offers NRP and Fetal Monitoring education but finds her most rewards with direct patient care. Deb is an independent perinatal nurse consultant and she holds a Resource Nurse position in Labor and Delivery at OHSU.

Evidence-Based Practice Liaison - Neonatal

Deidre Miller, MSN-Ed, RNC-NIC

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Evidence-Based Practice Liaison - Women's Health

Kara Johnson, DNP, RNC-OB, CNS

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Kara has over 19 years of experience as a staff nurse, charge nurse, clinical educator, and Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist in high risk obstetric and newborn care. She currently works for Providence Women and Children’s Services as Regional Program Manager Clinical Standardization-Perinatal focusing on clinical practice and education for the Oregon region.

Communications Director

Donna Talain, RNC-OB, BSN, MBA

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Donna’s obstetric experience began in 2011. She began her nursing career as a Staff Nurse in Women’s Services at Legacy Emanuel Hospital working both in the Family Birth Center and Labor & Delivery. She then became a nurse at Legacy Medical Group -- Maternal-Fetal Medicine helping women with high-risk pregnancies navigate this joyous yet nerve-racking time of their lives. After a short stint in Clinical Informatics, she returned to her passion of patient care in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She recently started a new adventure in Perinatology at Kaiser.

Social Media Director

Rosemary Clark, RN-BSN, RNC-OB

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Rosey grew up in Oregon, graduated from OHSU School of Nursing- Portland campus in 2013 and fell into labor and delivery nursing. She has been practicing L&D nursing for 4 and half years, and just within the last year has taken a new job on an LDRP-style floor, learning the ins and outs of postpartum nursing as well. This has given her a great respect for every aspect of a woman's labor and recovery process. She has a wonderful husband and a wild fur-baby at home. 

Chapter Liaison

Debbie Castile, MN, RNC-OB, CNS, NE

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Deb is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with 20 plus years experience in High Risk Obstetric care. Deb's passion is on patient safety and quality of care. She offers NRP and Fetal Monitoring education but finds her most rewards with direct patient care. Deb is an independent perinatal nurse consultant and she holds a Resource Nurse position in Labor and Delivery at OHSU.

Portland Metro Co-Leaders

Mary Hanson, MSN, RNC-OB

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Mary is an Associate Nurse Manager in Labor and Delivery at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. Her nursing career started as a postpartum nurse in 1994 and the year following she became a labor and delivery nurse. She has experience in low and high risk antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care as well as Level II nursery. In 2017, she took on her current role at Kaiser Sunnyside. She is passionate about caring for the long term antepartum patients and their unique needs.

Jennifer Jamieson

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Mid-Willamette Valley Leader

Kelsie Powell

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Kelsie is a current nurse in Labor and Delivery at Salem Health, starting her nursing experience just under 2 years ago. She is originally from Massachusetts and got her BS in Medical Biology in Maine. She later received her MSN degree at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland before moving to Oregon to start her nursing career. She has always been passionate about research, and continues to be involved in different projects and committees. She is extremely passionate about AWHONN and is excited to serve as Co-Leader to the Mid-Willamette Valley Chapter.

Southern Willamette Valley Leader

Bonnie Root

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Bonnie started her career in nursing in 2007 and has always had a passion for maternal, newborn, and pediatric nursing. She is currently working as an RN, IBCLC for Eugene Pediatric Associates as their feeding specialist. She also teaches breastfeeding and newborn care for Pacific Women’s Center and newborn care for Women’s Care.  

South Central Oregon Leader

Andi Lowe, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, NE-BC

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Andi is the Director of Maternal Child Health at Sky Lakes Medical Center. She has 15 years of experience in obstetrics with focus in High Risk Labor and Delivery, Postpartum, High Risk Antepartum, NICU, and Women’s Health. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University in 2013 and is currently completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Chamberlain University. Andi recently relocated from Georgia where she was Co-Leader of the Central Georgia Chapter. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to start a new chapter in South Central Oregon and provide education and resources to rural communities.

Central Oregon Leader

Eastern Oregon Leader

Northeast Oregon Leader

Southern Oregon Leader

The chair positions for each of these chapters are currently open

Contact Deb Castile with questions or if you are interested in one of these positions.

[email protected]

Our annual Fall Conference is put on by an amazing group of people who volunteer their time to ensure all of you benefit from our premiere event. If you have questions about the Fall Conference or would like to learn more about volunteering, please contact us at [email protected].