National Nursing Assistant Educator Conference

Vicky Castillo MSNed, RN, CNE, with over 36 years of diverse nursing experience, is the founder and CEO of FACETS Healthcare Training. Her platform is innovatively crafted to supply nursing assistant students and educators with essential training and state-specific certification resources. For the past 15 years, Vicky has devoted herself to nursing assistant education, working in various roles, including nursing assistant instructor, program director, consultant, and test evaluator for Headmaster and Prometric. She founded FACETS Healthcare Training to deliver essential resources to the training community, demystify the complexities of the certification exam, and ultimately increase the number of CNAs in the workforce.   

Wendy Deras has dedicated her work the last 29 years to safe and competent patient care, teaching, curriculum design, management and leadership in the nursing field, with the last 13 years in Southern California. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Science in Nursing from Franklin University as well as a Master’s in Science in Nursing specializing in Nursing Education, from Wright State University, both in Ohio. 

She strives to bring together the resources of funding, trainers, educational institutions, and employers to bring a more qualified workforce to Southern California and believes that the power of education can transform lives, business, and the community. She is currently an Industry Sector Manager for Health for the Inland Empire working with health partners, K12, adult schools and community colleges to increase and improve health sciences program opportunities. 

Carrie Jarosinski completed her associate degree in nursing from Mid-State Technical College, her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, her master’s degree in nursing with an emphasis in education from Bellin College of Nursing in Green Bay Wisconsin, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in Systems Leadership from Walden University. Carrie has worked as a nurse in long term care and public health. Over the last two decades as an educator, she has taught in the Nursing Assistant Program, Gerontology, and most recently in the Emergency Services Management, University Transfer and the Health and Wellness Promotion programs. Carrie is a Certified Nurse Educator through the National League for Nurses, a Certified Wellness Practitioner through the National Wellness Institute, and a certified health coach and group fitness instructor through ACE. Carrie serves on many local and national committees and boards including the Wood County Head Start program as board president, the Mid-State Technical College IRB and assessment committees, as well as the National Wellness Alliance’s Council on Wellness Certification Excellence among others. She is the author of a nursing assistant textbook series in addition to the wellness title, “Reclaim Your Story: Renew Your Health and Wellness Through the Power of Storytelling” and the soon to publish “Reclaim Your Resilience: Build Your Buoyancy and Renew Your Health and Wellness”. Carrie loves to hike, laugh, travel, smile, sing, garden, talk, and snuggle with the two remaining “furry kids” of the household, Xena and Winn Dixie. 

Dr. Sue Roe is principal and senior practice consultant of The Roe Group Enterprises, LLC, and co-manager/member of Holistic Nursing Exploration Hub, LLC. These organizations provide consulting and educational resources emphasizing healthcare workforce advancement, holistic nursing and leadership, and wellness. Dr. Roe has taught and designed academic courses and training programs in nursing, allied health, and health leadership for over 35 years using a variety of delivery formats. She serves in leadership roles in several professional associations, including leader for the Arizona chapter of the American Holistic Nurses Association, and has received recognition and awards for her accomplishments. Sue is the author of The Nursing Assistant: Essentials of Holistic Care, published by Goodheart-Willcox. She earned a doctorate in public administration, with an emphasis in administration and health policy. In addition, she completed graduate-level work in educational administration and instructional development. Dr. Roe has extensive experience in nursing and nursing education and holds Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing.

Dr. Serafini entered her nursing career as a nurse aide. Over the next 20 years she progressed through her academic journey. Her MSN is focused in nursing education and her Ph.D. is in Educational Leadership. She holds the NLN certification as a nurse educator.  Dr. Serafini is currently the Director of Assessment Services for the National League for Nursing. She speaks nationally on the topics of transition to practice, assessment of learning, and innovative solutions and pathways for advancing academic progression in nursing.

Dr. Serafini resides in Colorado. She has three grown daughters and four grandchildren who are also in Colorado. She enjoys time with family, reading, sewing, the mountains, hiking, and fishing. She also serves on the Board of Directors of a community resource center which includes a food bank, nursing services, and employment assistance.

Sue Walker spent the majority of her professional career as a Senior Employee Communications Manager in high-tech, Fortune 500 Silicon Valley companies, partnering with executive business leaders to develop and execute internal communication strategies.

In 2009, she left the corporate environment to pursue her passion for writing and storytelling. In early 2010, she completed an intensive three-month resume training and certification program—earning her Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) credential from the Resume Writing Academy. She launched Sue Walker Consulting, and today, she leverages her corporate knowledge and resume-writing expertise to create targeted and branded resumes, LinkedIn® profiles, career biographies, cover letters, and thank you letters for clients across all industries and professions.

Sue holds a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco, and an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) credential from the Resume Writing Academy (RWA).

Kimberlyn "Kim" Walthour is a dedicated healthcare professional, educator, and entrepreneur with a passion for transforming lives through education. She founded Healthcare Resources in 2017 to address a gap in skill development for aspiring healthcare professionals. Her business offers a hybrid CNA program and a Georgia Board of Nursing program that helps LPNs and RNs reenter the workforce or gain licensure.

Kim holds degrees from Augusta Technical College (LPN), Augusta State University (ASN), American Sentinel University (BSN), and Western Governors University (MSN-Ed). With a strong background in med-surg and telemetry nursing, she works with various organizations, including personal care homes and the South Carolina Department of Special Needs and Autism, to provide top-tier training.

In addition to her educational ventures, Kim founded the CSRA Nursing Gala, an event that honors and celebrates the achievements of nurses. Kim is a proud wife, mother, and grandmother, and her family is a constant source of inspiration. She is driven by the belief that "There's greatness in you."