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S P E A K E R S

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Dr. Lois Greene
DHA, MBA, BSN, RN NEA-BC, CPPS 

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Sheila Caldwell
BSN, RN, CSN-NJ, FNASN 

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Jackie Baras
DNP, MBA, RN 

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Dr. Lois V. Greene 
DHA, MBA, BSN, RN NEA-BC, CPPS 

Dr. Lois Greene is the President/CEO of In Touch Educational Services LLC, where the mission is to empower individuals and communities through education. She is the Interim Chief Strategic Integration and Health Equity Officer, at University Hospital in Newark N.J. In 2022 she became a professional implicit bias trainer. She is nationally certified as: a nurse executive, a patient safety professional and a
healthcare risk manager. She is committed to leadership development and improving the health of underserved communities. Dr. Greene facilitates community health improvements both locally and internationally. She has completed Leadership Newark and Lead New Jersey public policy fellowships.

 

Her personal mission is to is to minister to those in need of healing according to the gospel of Christ and to foster the values of love compassion justice and reverence for life. She is the president of New Jersey State Nurses Association Region 3; the secretary of nursing sorority Chi Eta Phi Inc., Tau Chi Chapter; a member of the American Heart Association Northeast board of directors, a founding member of the Essex/Passaic Wellness Coalition and a former board president for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation North Jersey Affiliate. She holds a bachelors of science from Rutgers University College of Nursing, a masters in business administration from the University of Phoenix and a doctorate in health administration from the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Greene
understands she is blessed to be a blessing.

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Sheila Caldwell 
BSN, RN, CSN-NJ, FNASN 

Sheila Caldwell, BSN, RN, CSN-NJ, FNASN is a school nurse, who works in the Monmouth County and is currently “on loan” to the National Education Association for the second school year (2022-2023) as a Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Fellow in the Education Support Professionals Quality Department working to improve the health, safety, and well-being of students and educators.

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Sheila is well respected in the school nursing specialty. In June 2022, she was inducted into the National Academy of School Nursing Fellowship, received “Black Excellence” honor from the Monmouth County Diversity Alliance, Inc., and “Top Nurse” for Community Practice by Al Día News Nurse Advisory Board. 

 

Sheila has been in the nursing profession for many years. She has been the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) Community Monitor of their two major discussion communities since 2012. She is a proud to be a Johnson & Johnson School Health Leadership Fellow, Mentor, and Past Outreach Coordinator. Sheila has served on the National Institute of Health’s Network of the National Library of Medicine – Middle Atlantic Region’s Special Advisory Group. 

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Sheila is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA) – Membership Delegate to ANA, NASN, New Jersey State School Nurses Association (NJSSNA), Monmouth County School Nurses Association (MCSNA) – Executive Board Tech/Website Chair, New Jersey Chapter – American Academy of Pediatrics (NJAAP), Tau Chi Chapter, Inc. of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. and other professional and organizational committees.

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Sheila has received numerous accolades and awards including being an ANA “VaxStar” for her efforts of providing the public, educators and healthcare professions about the coronavirus and vaccination effort. During 2020-2021, you may have seen or heard Sheila in a NJ PSA promoting Covid-19 vaccinations. Sheila has twice received the NASN “Recognition Award” for Outstanding Contributions and Distinguished Service and the first and only recipient of the NJAAP “School Health Advocate Award” for all of her voluntary work. The Black community also benefits from Sheila’s voluntary efforts, and she is held in high esteem with the NJ MLK Jr. Commission, New Jersey Black Women Physicians Association, and other organizations for her continued community service.

 

Sheila has provided presentations at the national, state, regional, county and local levels concerning school health and other important health topics.

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Jackie Baras 
DNP, MBA, RN 

Jackie Baras, DNP, MBA, RN is the Director of LGBT Program, Director of Perioperative Quality and Director of Clinical Anesthesia and OR techs for RWJ University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  Jackie has more than 20 year experience of being a professional Registered Nurse. She has served the organization with multiple roles from Clinical Nurse, Head Nurse, Case Manager, Home care Planner, Nurse Educator, Quality/PI Manager and Director of Nursing in Skilled Nursing Facility. Jackie is both well respected as Nurse Leader and Transrights advocate in RWJ Barnabas Health (RWJBH) and community. She is known among various professional organizations both locally and nationally. She is a recipient of numerous awards in leadership, community outreach and scholarship. Jackie is pioneer in establishing the first LGBTQIA+ hospital based primary care clinic in the State of New Jersey-The Bab Siperstein PROUD Center at RWJ Somerset. In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, she launched the PROUD Gender Center of NJ in New Brunswick, NJ-the first of its kind in the state to offer a broad and comprehensive range of services and experts specializing in Transgender care. She is a major contributor in making RWJUH LGBT Healthcare Leaders by the Health Equality Index by the Human Rights Campaign. She is a founding member of the first Transgender Family support group called PROUD Transitions, first and one of a kind in the State of New Jersey and the Creator and Founder of the first combined Education and Support group called PROUDLY ME “EduPort”’ program. Her lived experiences and personal story have serve as an inspiration to many Trans individuals and family members, who gather to learn and support each every month. In addition, Jackie is the lead facilitator of the PROUD Community Advisory Council, a group of self- identified members of the community whose goal is to identify emerging issues that influence the current healthcare needs of the LGBTQIA community. Jackie serves as Chair of the Business Resource Group called BRG-PROUD (Promoting Respect Outreach Understanding and Dignity). She had made tremendous efforts in changing hospital policies including Patient bill of rights, visitation guidelines, equal employment opportunity, patient access registration, creation of new patient’s ID band, and inclusion of gender affirming related health care benefits and coverage among transgender employees. In 2017, PROUD BRG was awarded the Business Impact Above and Beyond award from the Diversity Best Practices’ Network & Affinity Leadership Congress. The group was selected from among 100 award nominations. 

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Jackie Baras is the 2020 NJ Biz Nurse of the Year, 2020 Wells Fargo Community MVP award, and 2020 NYC Red Bulls Homegrown Hero. Jackie was awarded as the 2021 LGBTQ Community Service Award by the PRIDE Center of New Jersey, and 2021 Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s Virginia H. Joseph Award for her significant and enduring contributions to the quality of life and pride of NJ LGBTQIA+ Community.  Lastly, Jackie is NJ’s BIZ Health care POWERHOUSE 50 and NJ Biz’s 2021 Next generation of leaders list, which she was designated as one of the most influential healthcare executive in the State of NJ. 

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Jackie serves as immediate past Board of Director of Garden State Equality, the largest advocacy organization of LGBTQIA community in state of NJ and currently the President of the Philippine Nurses Association of New Jersey.

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