About Us
We are a group of volunteers dedicated to the mission, vision, and goals of AWHONN. Volunteers provide invaluable ideas, energy and support to AWHONN’s programs, projects and services to help us achieve our mission. Are you ready to volunteer? We're looking for volunteers passionate about their work and the advancement of their nurse colleagues. We've got positions open to fit your desires. Email us at [email protected] for more information. Specifically, we're looking for Chapter Leaders and Conference Committee Members.
Meet Your Elected Leaders
Meet Your Elected Leaders
Elected leaders hold 3-year terms of office for a maximum of two terms. Our next election cycle will be held in 2022. If you're interested in learning more about either of these elected positions, please contact us at [email protected].
Michelle Hirschkorn, MSN, RNC-OB, CNS
Michelle Hirschkorn, MSN, RNC-OB, CNS
Chair || [email protected]
2020 - 2023
Michelle is a Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist supporting Women’s and Newborn Services at Legacy Health. She has 17 years of perinatal nursing experience and has cared for patients in both high risk urban and rural health care settings across the country. Her professional interests include evidence-based practice, quality improvement, health equity, maternal morbidity and mortality, obstetric hemorrhage, and staff resiliency. Outside of work Michelle enjoys spending time with her family and cooking!
Donna Talain, C-EFM, RNC-OB, BSN, MBA
Donna Talain, C-EFM, RNC-OB, BSN, MBA
Secretary / Treasurer || [email protected]
2017 - 2023
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.
Meet the Rest of Your Leadership Team
Meet the Rest of Your Leadership Team
Jen Atkisson, BSN, MSN, IBCLC, RN, RNC
Jen Atkisson, BSN, MSN, IBCLC, RN, RNC
Legislative Co-Coordinator
Legislative Co-Coordinator
Bio coming soon...
Kathryn Dailey-Deaton
Kathryn Dailey-Deaton
Legislative Co-Coordinator
Legislative Co-Coordinator
Bio coming soon...
Megan Ludeña, MN, RNC-OB, NPD-BC
Megan Ludeña, MN, RNC-OB, NPD-BC
Membership Chair
Membership Chair
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.
Sara Mosher, RN, BSN, MHA
Sara Mosher, RN, BSN, MHA
Conference Co-Chair
Conference Co-Chair
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.
Randa Bates, MSN, RN
Randa Bates, MSN, RN
Conference Co-Chair
Conference Co-Chair
Randa has been a NICU nurse for 18 years in various roles. These include bedside nursing, charge nurse, perinatal and pediatric/neonatal flight nurse, Nurse manager (for NICU, Neonatal transport, Family Birthing, Pediatrics, and Lactation). Currently she is a Clinical Professional Practice Development Specialist working to ensure quality education and professional development for Women’s and Children’s Caregivers. This education and professional development often extends in the rural emergency departments. Randa has always had a passion for education, especially when it had significant impact the outcomes for women, neonatal, and pediatric patients. Randa earned her Masters of Nursing from Western Governors University and her Bachelors from Montana State University.
Deidre Miller, MSN-Ed, RNC-NIC
Deidre Miller, MSN-Ed, RNC-NIC
Evidence-Based Liaison - Neonatal
Evidence-Based Liaison - Neonatal
Bio coming soon...
Kara Johnson, DNP, RNC-OB, CNS
Kara Johnson, DNP, RNC-OB, CNS
Evidence-Based Liaison - Women's Health
Evidence-Based Liaison - Women's Health
Kara has over twenty years of experience as a staff nurse, charge nurse, and clinical educator for high-risk labor and delivery, antepartum, and postpartum. Currently she is a Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist and Regional Program Manager Clinical Standardization-Perinatal at Providence Health and Services. Kara earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), a Master of Nursing, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Washington in Seattle. Her focus is to support clinical teams with current practice, quality, and research so that they can provide evidence-based care to families throughout their pregnancy and entire birth experience.
Donna Talain, C-EFM, RNC-OB, BSN, MBA
Donna Talain, C-EFM, RNC-OB, BSN, MBA
Communications Director
Communications Director
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.
Rosemary Clark, RN-BSN, RNC-OB
Rosemary Clark, RN-BSN, RNC-OB
Social Media Director
Social Media Director
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 over 7 years, and has recently trained to be a resuscitation nurse for newborns. This has given her a great respect for every aspect of a person's birth experience. She has a wonderful husband and two wild fur-babies at home.
Meet Your Chapter Leadership Team
Meet Your Chapter Leadership Team
Debbie Castile, MN, RNC-OB, CNS, NE
Debbie Castile, MN, RNC-OB, CNS, NE
Chapter Liaison
Chapter Liaison
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.

Mary Hanson, MSN, RNC-OB
Mary Hanson, MSN, RNC-OB
Portland Metro
Portland Metro
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, MSN, RNC-OB, C-ONQS, C-EFM
Jennifer Jamieson, MSN, RNC-OB, C-ONQS, C-EFM
Portland Metro
Portland Metro
Jennifer is a Nursing Education and Practice Specialist at Legacy Health with 20 years of experience in perinatal nursing. She is passionate about providing care throughout the Women's Health continuum. Her professional interests include education, documentation, and quality improvement. In her personal life, Jennifer enjoys knitting, cooking, and gardening.
Andi Lowe DNP, RNC-OB, C-EFM, NE-BC, C-ONQS
Andi Lowe DNP, RNC-OB, C-EFM, NE-BC, C-ONQS
South Central Oregon
South Central Oregon
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.
Randa Bates, MSN, RN
Randa Bates, MSN, RN
Central Oregon
Central Oregon
Randa has been a NICU nurse for 18 years in various roles. These include bedside nursing, charge nurse, perinatal and pediatric/neonatal flight nurse, Nurse manager (for NICU, Neonatal transport, Family Birthing, Pediatrics, and Lactation). Currently she is a Clinical Professional Practice Development Specialist working to ensure quality education and professional development for Women’s and Children’s Caregivers. This education and professional development often extends in the rural emergency departments. Randa has always had a passion for education, especially when it had significant impact the outcomes for women, neonatal, and pediatric patients. Randa earned her Masters of Nursing from Western Governors University and her Bachelors from Montana State University.
Meet Your Conference Committee
Meet Your Conference Committee
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].
Name | Role |
---|---|
Sara Mosher | Conference Co-Chair |
Randa Bates | Conference Co-Chair |
Michelle Hirschkorn | Moderator |
Donna Talain | Communications |
Jennifer Jamieson | Registration |
Rebecca Johnson | Vendor Coordinator |
Rosemary Clark | Audio/Visual Coordinator |
Megan Ludeña | Membership Table |
Deb Castile | AWHONN Store & EWEB |
Mary Hanson | Photographer and Diaper Drive Coordinator |