2024 Conference Speakers
Stephen K Hunter, MD, PhD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa
Dr. Hunter was born and raised in Utah. He attended the University of Utah for 12 years where he received his BS degree in Materials Science & Engineering, his PhD in Pharmaceutics and then his MD degree. Following medical school Dr. Hunter completed both his residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology, and a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal-Medicine at the University of Iowa. Following completion of his fellowship Dr. Hunter remained on staff at the University of Iowa where he has held many leadership positions including Director of the MFM Fellowship, Director of the MFM Division and Vice Chair for Obstetrics. Dr. Hunter has also served as the Co-Director of the Iowa Statewide Perinatal Care Program for the last 19 years, as well as serving on many state and national committees dealing with maternal healthcare. He is also the Principal Investigator of the current 5 year, 10-million-dollar Maternal Healthcare Initiative grant from HRSA. He has authored several articles, and recently served as Guest Editor for the journal Clinics in Obstetrics and Gynecology, where the topic was maternal healthcare in rural America.
Carole R. Myers, PhD, RN FAAN, Professor Emerita, College of Nursing, University of Tennessee
Dr. Carole Myers is a Professor Emeritus in the College of Nursing at UTK. She continues to conduct research that centers on policymaking and health services with an emphasis on access to primary care health services, rural health and healthcare disparities, Medicaid TennCare, public health programs, and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. Myers also conducts research on media engagement and competencies among nurses and other health care professionals. Myers uses policy, advocacy, and media to promote population health. Myers is the creator and host of HealthConnections, a radio show on the Knoxville NPR-affiliate, and frequent writer of OpEds.
Kristin Schuller, PhD, MHA, Associate Professor, Health Care Management Program Coordinator, Towson University
Dr. Kristin Schuller is an Associate Professor of Health Care Management at Towson University. She earned her Ph.D. and Master’s in Health Services Policy & Management from the University of South Carolina then completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at Texas A&M’s Health Sciences Center. After teaching at the University of North Dakota for two years, Dr. Schuller relocated to Ohio University where she earned promotion with tenure in 2019 then served as the Chair of the Department of Social and Public Health during the 2021-2022 academic year. In 2022, she moved to Towson University, where she is currently an Associate Professor. Dr. Schuller is a health services researcher with 10 years of experience teaching and conducting research on community-based and institutional access to care barriers with a specific focus on mental and behavioral health.
Mary Hoft, DNP, MA, PMHNP-BC, Southern Maine Health Care
Dr. Hoft received her BSN from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adams State University, Alamosa, CO and DNP, PMHNP-BC from East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. She has worked in many nursing specialties; most recently as a Locum Tenens PMHNP-BC for six years. Her permanent home is a small farm in Loveland, Ohio, a Cincinnati suburb. She is married and has five adult children, including one with severe mental illness. She hopes to provide mental health care as long as she is able; she believes being a PMHNP is a passion not a job.
Stephanie Blaine, Project Manager, School of Nursing, UT Chattanooga
Stephanie Blaine is the Project Manager for the INDEED grant and joined the team in April 2022. Stephanie completed an undergraduate degree in Human Services from East Tennessee State University in 2012. She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2022 with a Master of Education: Teacher Leadership. Stephanie is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at UTC. Previously, she was the Coordinator for the Children's Center at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Before joining UTC, Stephanie was the Director of Community Kids and Camp Ridgedale, a ministry of Ridgedale Baptist Church.
Eboni Winford, PhD, MPH, Director of Research and Health Equity, National Clinical Training and Consulting Director, Licensed Psychologist and Behavioral Health Consultant, Cherokee Health Systems
Eboni Winford, Ph.D., MPH, is the Director of Research & Health Equity & a licensed psychologist at Cherokee Health Systems in Knoxville, TN. She provides clinical care, contributes to workforce development in community health centers, & oversees research initiatives by HRSA, the TN Department of Health, and NIH. She is the Clinical Director for CHS’ National Consultation & Training Program to provide individualized training to health organizations integrating their practices. She is a co-founder of REACCH, Research & Engagement Aligned for Clinical & Community Health, a partnership between CHS & the University of Tennessee Knoxville that focuses on strengthening the health-related workforce; identifying & evaluating innovative ways to reduce health disparities & inequities; & enhancing the well-being of Tennesseans. She is on the board of directors for the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association, is the Chair-Elect of APA’s Ad Hoc Health Equity Committee, is a Section Councilor of APHA’s Community Health Planning & Policy Development section, & serves as the 1st Vice Chair of NACHC’s Committee on Service Integration for Behavioral Health & HIV. Dr. Winford holds adjunct faculty positions in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at Meharry Medical College & in the Department of Psychology at UTK. She is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Fellow, a Health Equity Scholar in Cambridge Health Alliance’s Center for Health Equity Education & Advocacy, & an alumna of APA’s Leadership Institute for Women. Dr. Winford earned her doctorate in Clinical Health Psychology from the UNC Charlotte & a Master of Public Health from the UNC Chapel Hill. She is a proud life member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
Priscilla Simms-Roberson, DNP, NP-C, SANE-A, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, UT Chattanooga
Dr. Priscilla Simms-Roberson received her Doctorate in Nursing Practice at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2016. After receiving her Master’s degree at Vanderbilt University in 2006, she worked as an adult nurse practitioner in many different settings including primary care, community health, home health, and long-term care. In addition to teaching at UTC, Dr. Simms-Roberson also works as a forensic nurse examiner at Partnership for Families, Children, and Adults. Dr. Simms-Roberson has presented her research in forensic nursing at multiple national and international conferences. Currently, Dr. Simms-Roberson is teaching in the DNP Nurse Practitioner program at UTC. She is licensed as a Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner (APRN, NP-C) in the state of Tennessee and is also certified as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE-A) through the International Association of Forensic Nursing.
Robyn Seamon, MA, BSN, RN, CTN-B, Appalachian Healthcare Training & Consulting
Robyn Seamon is a Certified Transcultural Nurse with an Advanced Certificate in Cultural Competence. Robyn is the Owner of Appalachian Healthcare Training & Consulting and regularly provides professional development workshops and consultation services. Robyn is passionate about utilizing her transcultural knowledge to continue to see improvement in health equity in marginalized, rural populations. As a Registered Nurse for over 35 years, she has had many diverse experiences, including hospital nursing, public health department, home health and hospice, a startup clinic at a homeless shelter, and various volunteer experiences.
Amber Roache, DNP, FNP-BC, Assistant Professor, Coordinator of Nurse Practitioner Program, School of Nursing, UT Chattanooga; Principal Investigator, CANDL Grant
Dr. Roache joined the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing faculty as Assistant Professor in 2007 as the Kay K. Chitty Professor. After obtaining her DNP, Dr. Roache’ moved to Knoxville to coordinate the nurse practitioner program at King University as Associate professor. She taught in the doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate RN-BSN program. In 2016 she was promoted to Associate Dean of Graduate Programs. In 2018 Dr. Roache’ returned to UTC as the Nurse Practitioner Program Coordinator and Primary Investigator of the CANDL grant—she has since secured multiple HRSA grants focused on reducing health disparities in the Southeast. She has presented simulation and health equity research nationally and co-authored a recently published (2023) book on FNP Simulation.
Farron Kilburn, MA, Project Manager, School of Nursing, UT Chattanooga
Farron Kilburn is a project manager and instructor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She has managed and co-authored several federally funded grants at the UTC School of Nursing that focus on reducing health disparities. She is invested in several community-based learning projects that focus on reducing health care disparities in East Tennessee and North Georgia. In 2019-2020 she was named a UT Chattanooga Community Equity Fellow. She holds an MA in Humanities and Social Thought from New York University and serves as Adjunct Faculty at UTC in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program.
Sponsored by the HRSA-funded CANDL grant (Clinical-Academic Network for Developing Leaders).