Continuing Education Co-Chair (2026-2028):

Hetal Patel, MS, APRN, CPNP-PC, CPHTC, is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in primary care with extensive experience in pediatric health promotion, preventive care, and the management of acute and chronic illnesses. She currently practices with Childcare Consultants, Inc. in Columbus, Ohio, where she provides comprehensive, evidence-based care tailored to the needs of children and their families.

She earned a Master of Science (MS) in nursing from The Ohio State University, and holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees – one in Human Nutrition and Foods from the University of Houston and another in Foods and Nutrition from Maharaja Sayajirao University in India.

Before entering advanced practice, she gained extensive leadership and quality assurance experience in the pharmacy field, serving in senior and lead technician roles at Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions. Fluent in English, Gujarati, Hindi, and Swahili, she is passionate about advancing pediatric care, promoting health equity, and supporting continuing education for nurse practitioners.

A long-standing and valued member of the Ohio Chapter’s Conference & Events Planning Committee, she currently serves as Continuing Education Co-Chair for the Ohio Chapter of NAPNAP. She is deeply committed to fostering lifelong learning and professional growth among pediatric-focused advanced practice nurses.

Communications Chair (2026-2028):

Sarah Seim, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner. She previously worked as a nurse practitioner in the sedation services/anesthesia departments. Sarah earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2001.

She has worked as a nurse practitioner at Cincinnati Children’s and Dayton Children’s hospitals in various areas, including general pediatrics, urgent care, anesthesia, and sedation services. Sarah has presented on topics that include quality improvement and evidence-based practice.

Awards, Grants, and Scholarships Chair (2026-2028):

Jecika White, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC is, is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner in primary care. She graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree from Akron University in 2015. Prior to obtaining a master’s degree, Jecika worked as a pediatric trauma surgical nurse at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. Jecika is currently working as a pediatric nurse practitioner at MetroHealth caring for youth in foster care. She created a QR code for social workers in Cuyahoga County to access for assistance with scheduling future patients. Jecika also works as an Adjunct Clinical Professor at Cleveland State University.

Health Policy Chair (2026-2028):

Amy Provenzano, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, is board-certified as a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) in primary care. She is currently working as a PNP in telehealth at Cortica where she cares for children with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Amy is certified as a Level 1 and Level 2 Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) provider through PDA North America. She also teaches in the master’s degree program in the College of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati.

Amy obtained a Master’s in Nursing degree from The Ohio State University. While in the Master’s program, she completed the Keep Your Children/Yourself Safe and Secure (KySS) Mental Health Fellowship and the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Disabilities (LEND) Fellowship, in addition to helping create the Family Resource Network of Ohio website.

Throughout the years, Amy has played an active role in advocating for children and their families as well as the nursing profession. She was a contributing author to the book, Nursepreneur: Translating the Art of Nursing Into Entrepreneurship. She was a featured author in Daily Devotional: Prescriptions for the Soul. Amy has also helped develop and host several continuing education courses for nurse practitioners, and presented poster presentations at local and state conferences.

Amy is the 2020 recipient of the Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award for the Ohio Chapter. In 2023 and 2024, she received Presidential Commendation, a special recognition awarded by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. In addition, she is the 2019 recipient of Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Alumni Association Community Service Award. She previously served on the Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Alumni Society Board of Governors.

Amy served as President of the Ohio Chapter from 2022-2024.

Treasurer (2026-2028):

Michelle (“Shellee”) Halton, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner with a career dedicated to providing high-quality pediatric care across urgent care, primary care, and academic healthcare settings. For the past three years, she has cared for patients in Urgent Care and Kids Express at Dayton Children’s Hospital.

Before relocating to Ohio, Shellee practiced in Birmingham, Alabama, where she served as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Urgent Care for Children, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and Children’s of Alabama. Prior to her time in Alabama, she practiced in a pediatric primary care office in Virginia. Throughout her career, Shellee has remained passionate about partnering with children and their families to provide compassionate, evidence-based care. She especially appreciates the curiosity, resilience, and unique perspectives that children bring to every patient encounter.

In addition to her clinical experience, Shellee has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership and service. She has held a variety of committee leadership roles across multiple organizations, including New Volunteer Coordinator, Social Coordinator, and New Employee Coordinator. During her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, she served as Treasurer for her local chapter of the National Student Nurses Association and was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma).

Shellee has also been actively involved in her community through leadership roles with her church, local schools, and youth sports organizations. These experiences have further developed her ability to build relationships, coordinate large-scale initiatives, and work collaboratively toward shared goals.

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Shellee lives in Dayton, Ohio, with her husband and their two daughters.

Secretary (2026-2028):

Jennifer Stefanich, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in pediatric genetics at a leading children’s hospital in Northeast Ohio. She provides comprehensive care for infants, children, and adolescents with genetic, developmental, and complex medical conditions, with a strong focus on family-centered care, early identification, and improving health outcomes across the lifespan.

Jennifer brings a diverse clinical background that includes pediatric critical care, emergency transport medicine, and outpatient specialty practice. Her experience caring for medically complex children in a variety of settings has shaped her commitment to compassionate, evidence-based pediatric care and advocacy for children and families.

She is currently completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Ohio University, where her scholarly work focuses on quality improvement initiatives that enhance the healthcare experience for neurodiverse children and improve access to pediatric specialty services.

As Secretary of the Ohio Chapter, Jennifer is honored to support pediatric-focused advanced practice professionals across the state through leadership, collaboration, and professional engagement. She is passionate about advancing pediatric nursing practice, mentoring future providers, and promoting high-quality care for all children.

Immediate President (2026-2028):

Keeley Harding, DNP, APRN, CNS, CPNP-AC/PC, is dual board-certified as both a primary care and acute care pediatric nurse practitioner. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from The Ohio State University in 2015. During her doctoral studies, she developed OhioAPRN.com, an online educational resource designed to increase Ohio legislators’ understanding of the role and scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). She currently serves as adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the University of Cincinnati, College of Nursing. Her pediatric clinical experience includes acute and chronic pain management, urgent care, and emergency care.

Keeley is passionate about health policy and legislative advocacy, championing initiatives that improve the health and well-being of children and families while advancing the nursing profession. She is a sought-after speaker who has delivered numerous podium and poster presentations at the state, national, and international levels, including Category A continuing education programs on Ohio nursing laws and rules required for nursing licensure renewal.

Keeley has made significant scholarly contributions to pediatric nursing through peer-reviewed publications, educational resources, and professional service. She co-authored a journal article on nurse advocacy and state legislator site visits, as well as the book chapter Well-Child Visits During School-Age Years (2021). She also serves as a manuscript reviewer for several peer-reviewed nursing journals. Her leadership extends to statewide initiatives, including service on the Ohio Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force, the Ohio Chapter Board, and as Legislative Co-Chair for the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (OAAPN).

Her contributions to nursing education, advocacy, and leadership have been recognized with numerous honors, including two Outstanding Teaching Awards, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) State Award for Excellence, and selection as a 2023 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Emerging Leader.

Keeley served as President of the Ohio Chapter from 2024 to 2026. During her presidency, she provided strategic leadership to advance the chapter’s mission of supporting pediatric-focused advanced practice nurses through advocacy, education, professional development, and member engagement. The following summarizes the goals, key initiatives, accomplishments, and chapter awards achieved during her term.

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Ohio Chapter Award: Excellence in Corporate Partnership Award

The Ohio Chapter of NAPNAP was honored to receive the Excellence in Corporate Partnership Award in March 2025, during the 2024-2026 presidential term. This recognition was presented by CeraVe and La Roche Posay at the national NAPNAP conference in Chicago, highlighting the Chapter’s strong commitment to meaningful and impactful partnerships.

Chapter President’s Goals and Key Initiatives

In alignment with NAPNAP’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, Health Policy Agenda, and Research Agenda, the Ohio Chapter has focused – and will continue to focus – on initiatives that foster innovation, support ongoing growth, and expand our impact. These efforts are made possible through the collaboration and dedication of our board members, committee members, and, most importantly, our members. Together, we are strengthening the Chapter and advancing pediatric-focused care across Ohio.

The Chapter’s membership remained steady (~ 400 members) from 2024 to 2026. As the founding chapter of NAPNAP, Ohio continues to be the organization’s largest chapter excluding the e-Chapter. This stability aligns with Chapter goals focused on member retention, engagement, and sustained professional connection despite ongoing workforce and other challenges affecting the nursing profession. National trends, including nurse faculty shortages, limited pediatric clinical placement opportunities, workforce burnout, financial barriers to graduate education, and constrained pediatric nurse practitioner program capacity, likely contributed to relatively unchanged membership levels during this period.

Expanding Continuing Education and Networking Opportunities Across the State

Throughout the 2024-2026 presidential term, the Ohio Chapter has offered a diverse mix of virtual and in-person continuing education (CE) programs, along with social and networking events across the state. These opportunities promote accessibility, meaningful connection, and regional engagement, helping members stay informed, connected, and inspired regardless of where they practice.

Highlights From 2024-2026

• ✅ 2024 Annual Statewide Conference (Columbus, OH): Partnered with the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (OAAPN) from October 24-26, 2024. The Ohio Chapter played a key role in sponsoring the conference poster session.
• ✅ 2024 Annual Awards Ceremony & Educational Dinner Event (Columbus, OH): This in-person event, held on October 24, 2024, featured an educational dinner sponsored by CeraVe, followed by the Chapter’s Annual Awards Ceremony.
• ✅ 2025 CE Accreditation Renewal (3-Year Term): Successfully renewed Agency Provider Accreditation, allowing the Chapter to continue offering NAPNAP CE contact hours. This ensures high-quality educational opportunities that support lifelong learning and professional development for pediatric-focused advanced practice nurses and professionals.
• ✅ 2025 Ohio Social (Chicago, IL): Hosted a networking event during the national NAPNAP conference on March 19, 2025, at the conference hotel in Chicago.
• ✅ 2025 Annual Statewide Conference & Awards Ceremony (Dublin, OH): Held August 28-29, 2025, featuring, for the first time, a dedicated space for exhibitors and poster presentations.
• ✅ 2025 Ohio Social (Dublin, OH): A networking event held on August 28, 2025, during the Annual Statewide Conference.
• ✅ 2025 Virtual Educational Event (Sponsored by Shot@Life – United Nations): A 1.0 CE event held in partnership with Shot@Life, a global vaccine campaign through the United Nations, on September 5, 2025, titled “Raising Your Voice in Support of Global Childhood Immunization Programs.”
• ✅ 2025 Ohio Virtual Social: Cocoa Connect (Sponsored by Ohio NAPNAP): The Chapter hosted a virtual social and networking event live via Zoom on December 2, 2025, with Amy Provenzano’s leadership. Those who pre-registered were eligible to receive via mail a Christmas Grinch chocolate cocoa set. Also, during this event, member participants were randomly selected and received giveaways, such as Amazon gift cards.
• Hosted on December 2, 2025, via Zoom, featuring interactive networking, mailed cocoa kits for pre-registered participants, and member giveaways, along with special guests My Village Ministries and the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), who presented the Ohio Pediatric Psychiatry Access Line (OPPAL).
• ✅ 2025 Virtual Educational Events (Sponsored by Pelthos): Two educational sessions were held on December 4, 2025, focusing on the treatment of molluscum contagiosum using the FDA-approved medication Zelsuvmi (berdazimer).
• ✅ 2025 Virtual Educational Event (Sponsored by Kyowa Kirin): Held on February 18, 2026, focusing on pediatric endocrinology and the use of Crysvita (burosumab-twza) for X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH).
• ✅ 2026 Ohio Social (Pittsburgh, PA): Hosted a networking evet during the national NAPNAP conference on March 19, 2026.
• ✅ 2026 Virtual Educational Event (Sponsored by Biocodex): This event is scheduled for June 10, 2026, focusing on the Impact of Dravet Syndrome, and an approved therapy for patients with Dravet syndrome.

The Ohio Chapter remains committed to providing high-quality education, fostering professional connections, and supporting pediatric-focused advanced practice nurses and professionals in delivering exceptional care to children and families.

Developing and Engaging Future Leaders Through Academic Partnerships

We have increased Chapter visibility and promoted membership among students in pediatric-focused nurse practitioner, DNP, PhD, and other graduate nursing programs.

• ✅ 2025: Academic Partnership with The Ohio State University’s College of Nursing, Pediatric Primary Care and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Programs: Dr. Beth Heuer, former Continuing Education Co-Chair of the Ohio Chapter of NAPNAP, was instrumental in engaging her students who helped with conference registration.
• ✅ 2025-2026: Academic Partnership with the University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing and Department of Marketing.
• ✅ 2024-2026 Doctoral and Master’s Level Student Poster Presentations: Accepted graduate nursing student’s poster presentations, which were available for CE contact hours in 2025 at our Annual Statewide Conferences, allowing students to share their work and engage in the Chapter.
• ✅ 2024-2025: Recognized graduate nursing students and promoted professional development through annual conference scholarships and grants.
• ✅ 2025-2026 Student Membership Scholarships: Established the Chapter’s annual student membership giveaway in January 2025, which provided eight graduate nursing students enrolled in one of the eight pediatric nurse practitioner programs at colleges and universities across Ohio.

Strengthening Multi-Platform Communication

We kept members regularly informed through triannual newsletters and diverse media platforms that highlighted Chapter updates, advocacy alerts, member accomplishments, and opportunities for involvement.

• ✅ 2025: Established Chapter’s LinkedIn Account: Established a LinkedIn account for the Ohio Chapter of NAPNAP.
• ✅ 2024-2026: Newsletter Enhancements and Triannual Publications: Improved the Chapter’s e-newsletter, making it available as an electronic flip book.

Enhance Social Media and Website Engagement

With support from board and committee members, the Chapter continued to use social media, emails, and the Chapter’s website to share timely news, promote events, and celebrate our collective impact.

• ✅ 2024-2026: Increased Social Media Posts (Facebook and Instagram): Sarah Seim, Communications Chair, was the board leader who regularly posted to the Chapter’s Facebook and Instagram social media accounts.
• ✅ 2025: Established the Chapter’s LinkedIn Account (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohio-napnap/): The Chapter’s LinkedIn account is already integrated into our other online platforms, including the Chapter’s website, Facebook, and Instagram.
• ✅ 2025: Established the Chapter’s Google Workspace Account: X
• ✅ 2024-2026 Enhanced and Increased Use of the Chapter’s YouTube Channel: We began creating and sharing videos on the Chapter’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@OhioNAPNAP). Additionally, provided a link to the channel on the Chapter’s website.
• ✅ 2024-2026 Enhanced Online Conference & Event Registrations: Shannon Mattern, the Chapter’s website, IT, and online platforms consultant and founding owner of Website Academy, was instrumental in helping the Chapter update its website to allow a user-friendly and seamless integration with our website to allow attendees to complete online conference registration on our website for the Annual Statewide Conference.
• ✅ 2025-2026 Newly Created Online Conference Evaluations and CE Certificates: Again, with the help of Shannon Mattern, the Chapter
• ✅ 2026: Canva Subscription: In February 2026, the Chapter purchased an annual subscription to Canva, allowing board and committee members to create engaging content for the Chapter’s newsletters, social media sites member emails, and website.

Promote Operational Transparency, Accessibility, and Continuity

• ✅ 2024-2026: We developed a centralized, electronic system to enhance and streamline communication among board and committee members. We also established online record-keeping repositories to provide easy access to essential resources and maintain the Chapter’s records in an organized manner. This initiative will help promote accountability, support smooth transitions, and ensure that new board and committee members are well-prepared to succeed in their roles.
• ✅ 2024-2026: Continued to maintain the Chapter’s historical archive through Wright State University.

Strengthening Role Clarity and Expectations for Board and Committee Members

Refining and documenting expectations for all board and committee positions to foster accountability, strengthen collaboration, and improve onboarding so new leaders are prepared to contribute effectively from day one.

• ✅ 2026: Updated, revised, and refined expectations for all board and committee positions in accordance with Chapter Bylaws and national NAPNAP guidelines..

Conducting the 2025 Ohio Chapter Membership Survey

To ensure our efforts truly reflect the needs and priorities of our members, we are conducting the 2025 Ohio Chapter Membership Survey. (Members: Please see the Ohio Chapter’s 2025 Summer Newsletter for details and the survey link). This survey will help us better understand members’ experiences, satisfaction levels, and perspectives regarding the membership benefits and services we provide. Most importantly, the feedback will directly shape the Chapter’s future — informing our goals, initiatives, and continuing education (CE) programming, including ourAnnual Statewide Conference and other events.

• ✅ 2025 Ohio Chapter Membership Survey: Under the leadership of Shannon White, our Membership Chair, we’re pleased to share a summary of results later in this newsletter. These insights are helping us strengthen how we grow, connect, and serve our members more effectively.

President-Elect (2026-2028):

Amanda Jett, MS, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS, is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner with nearly 10 years of experience in pediatric primary care. She currently practices at Nationwide Children’s in Columbus, Ohio, where she provides comprehensive primary care to children and adolescents. Previously, Amanda practiced in both suburban and rural private practice settings, where she served diverse and underserved populations across Ohio. In that role, she collaborated with Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Behavioral Health Services to expand access to mental health care for at-risk children and their families.

Amanda’s commitment to pediatric behavioral health inspired her to earn national certification as a Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS). Through her involvement with Nationwide Children’s Behavioral Health Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) and her collaboration with Mid-Ohio Psychological Services, she has expanded her expertise in recognizing, assessing, and managing pediatric behavioral health concerns. These experiences have strengthened her ability to partner with children and families while delivering comprehensive, family-centered, and holistic care.

Beyond her clinical practice, Amanda is passionate about developing the next generation of pediatric providers. She has served as a clinical preceptor for nurse practitioner students from multiple academic institutions and actively participates in peer review and staff development initiatives. Since becoming involved with the Ohio Chapter as a graduate student at The Ohio State University, Amanda has remained dedicated to advancing the chapter’s mission of supporting pediatric-focused nurse practitioners through leadership, education, and professional collaboration.

Amanda previously served as Treasurer of the Ohio Chapter from 2024 to 2026.

President (2026-2028):

Kimberly (“Kim”) Joo, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, EBP-C, is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner with more than 30 years of experience in pediatric nursing. Throughout her career, she has also served as a nurse educator and healthcare leader. She began her career as a bedside registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where she practiced for 17 years while raising three sons with her husband. During that time, she earned a Master of Science in Nursing and a graduate certificate in nursing education, laying the foundation for a distinguished career in advanced practice, nursing education, and healthcare leadership.

For the past 13 years, Kim has combined clinical practice with nursing education. She served on the faculty at Wright State University (WSU) for seven years, teaching undergraduate and graduate nursing students and serving as Director of the Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) Program for three years while completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. She later joined The Ohio State University (OSU), where she taught undergraduate pathophysiology, graduate pharmacology, and courses within the Primary Care PNP program. Throughout her academic career, she also maintained an active clinical practice as a pediatric nurse practitioner in Urgent Care at Dayton Children’s Hospital.

In 2020, Kim was appointed Lead Advanced Practice Provider for Urgent Care and Kids Express at Dayton Children’s Hospital, where she now leads a team of 30 nurse practitioners. She has also taught in the Health Athlete Program within the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University. Beyond her clinical and academic roles, Kim contributes to the advancement of pediatric nursing by serving as an item writer for the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board’s Primary Care Updates and as an evidence-based practice mentor for the Fuld National Institute for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) where she reviews EBP certification applications.

Kim previously served as Treasurer of the Ohio Chapter from 2022 to 2024 and as President-Elect from 2024 to 2026.