ISONG Candidate Biographies 2015
Secretary (Three candidate biographies listed in alphabetical order. View all pages.)
Catherine Read, PhD, RN
Kim Subasic PhD, RN, Associate Professor
I am pleased to be on the ballot for Secretary of ISONG. I
have been a continuously active member since 1997 and
served on the Education Committee for most of that time. As
co-chair of the Education Committee (2010-2013), I helped to
spearhead the profitable ISONG webinar initiative that
disseminates genetic/genomic information to professionals;
my present contribution to the webinars is as a nurse planner.
Other highlights of my work with ISONG have included
reviewing abstracts submitted for annual congresses, serving
on a task force to explore a credential as genetic nurse fellow,
and representing the organization throughout the 2008 revision
of the AACN’s Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for
Nursing that resulted in the inclusion of numerous genomic
competencies.
I have been a member of ISONG since 2009 and have served
on the Abstract committee, as a Pre-conference chair,
Communications co-chair, and I am currently serving as a cochair for the 2015 ISONG Conference. My interest in genetics
is evident with my engagement in ISONG as well in my
attainment of furthering my education about genetics and
genomics through various educational routes. I am a graduate
of the 2013 Summer Genetics Institute and the 2009 Faculty
Champion in Genetics and Genomics. The focus of my
doctoral dissertation was a qualitative study aimed at
understanding what it is like to live with a genetic
cardiovascular disorder. In addition, I have completed webbased genetic courses, attended numerous genetic-focused
conferences and webinars. My application of genetics and
emphasis of its use in healthcare is evident in my role as a
teacher for graduate and undergraduate nursing students. As
an instructor, I serve as a genetics resource faculty member
and I have been instrumental in curricular changes that include
threading genetics throughout our nursing curriculum. I am a
member of the Geisinger Genomic Return of Results Clinical
Oversight Committee whose focus is aimed at the return of
incidental genetic findings following participation in genome
research. I am interested to serve for the position of secretary
for ISONG because I believe in the mission of ISONG. I
consider ISONG to be unique in its membership of nurses
from around the globe who represent a broad range of
expertise and practice roles. If elected for the position of
secretary, I intend to focus my involvement on the ISONG
Board in a manner that contributes to continue growth for the
organization.
I have made contributions to genetic nursing in other arenas as
well. I served as a portfolio score team member for the
Genetic Nurse Credentialing Committee for eight years. I have
been fortunate to work closely with nurse colleagues at
NIH/NHGRI on several initiatives aimed at faculty and
nursing workforce development; highlights include
participating in the development of a toolkit for nurse
educators on genetics and genomics, serving on the
editorial board for the NIH Genetics/Genomics Competency
Center (G2C2), and presenting as a faculty expert in the
summer nurse faculty genomics “Short Course.”
I have authored numerous publications and presentations on
the integration of genetics/genomics into nursing curricula,
genetic technology, psychological adaptation to genetic
information, and reproductive decision-making. I recently
completed a national survey of the current genomic
knowledge among nursing faculty and I hope to be able to
share those results in the next few months.
I have been on the faculty at the Connell School of Nursing at
Boston College since 2001, where I am a tenured associate
professor teaching adult health and pathophysiology. I served
as associate dean for the undergraduate program from 2005
through 2014, so I am an experienced administrator with the
organizational skills essential to the role of secretary for an
organization like ISONG. I pride myself on being a reliable
and hard-working member of a group, and if elected to the
position of secretary, I will fulfill all of my obligations in a
timely and accurate manner. Serving as Secretary for ISONG
would allow me to contribute to the organization and to the
profession in a unique way, increasing public and clinician
awareness of ISONG and its many resources. Thank you for
your support.
Susan Watters Wesmiller, PhD, RN
My name is Sue Wesmiller and I am an assistant professor at
the University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing where I teach
the undergraduate genetics/genomics class. I often teach the
undergraduate ethics class as well, two courses that go nicely
hand in hand! All my nursing degrees are from the University
of Pittsburgh, BSN, MSN and PhD. I am a Summer Genetics
Institute alum, an incredible experience that I now cherish;
mostly for the many ISONG friendships that have flourished
from that month spent together. SGI also provided for me a
strong foundation from which I am able to pursue my research
in the genomics of nausea and vomiting experienced by
women with breast cancer. I am convinced that there is a
genetic risk that will help us identify why some women do not
respond to antiemetics in the very near future.
I have been an active member of ISONG since 2008. I am
currently a co-chair of the Program Committee for several
years, and currently am the Co-Chair of the Research
(Continued on next page.)
Committee. In the past two years our committee has reworked
the review guidelines and also successfully launched the
ISONG research initiative – a nursing research directed
donation campaign to provide ISONG members the
opportunity to support pilot studies. We look forward to
giving out our first award this fall, and hopefully to continue
to grow this funding source for pilot studies.
I am passionate about ISONG and believe that I have the
energy, enthusiasm and organizational skills to help us grow.
I would truly welcome the opportunity to serve on the board as
secretary.