SNHCL Meet & Greet

In this episode, Dr. Jingyi Li shares how her clinical experiences and personal passion for culturally responsive care have shaped her work advancing health equity in dementia care. From research and teaching to community engagement, Dr. Li discusses the importance of seeing every person living with dementia beyond their diagnosis and creating care that honors their unique story.

In this episode, UW Tacoma alumnus Rafael Saucedo shares how his passion for community, advocacy, and relationship-building shaped his journey from Healthcare Leadership student to Philanthropy Program Manager at BECU. Rafael reflects on the experiences that guided his career, the importance of embracing uncertainty, and why meaningful leadership starts with showing up for your community. 

In this episode of the Meet & Greet podcast, Dr. Jamilia Sherls shares her journey into public health leadership and her work as Director of the Washington State Office of Immunization. She discusses vaccine equity, science-based policy, and how future nursing and healthcare leadership students can help strengthen public health in their communities.

In this episode, Dimity Prenger reflects on her transition into nursing and how her graduate studies are helping her serve her community. She discusses finding her path, embracing new opportunities, and growing into her leadership voice.

From his roots in Ghana to his nursing career in the U.S., David Antwi’s journey is driven by compassion and service. Through his work, studies, and YouTube channel Healthcare Beyond Scrubs, he’s redefining what it means to care—empowering nurses, uplifting communities, and inspiring others to make a difference. 

Dr. Lucas McIntyre, Medical Director of MultiCare’s Partial Hospitalization Program, is redefining how communities support adolescent mental health. Through compassion, innovation, and collaboration, he’s helping young people and families find stability, connection, and hope in the face of serious mental health challenges. 

Dr. Weichao Yuwen, Associate Professor at UW Tacoma, explores how technology and human connection intersect in caregiving and healthcare. Her podcast highlights stories of innovation, empathy, and the ways digital tools can support families and improve well-being.

Peter Mendy is a graduate of UW Tacoma’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Nursing (MN) programs. Originally considering teaching or medicine, he chose nursing after discovering its alignment with his values and desire to make a meaningful impact. Now Senior Director of Operations at Kaiser Permanente, Peter credits the MN program with sharpening his leadership, decision-making, and community-focused care skills. He praises nursing as a fulfilling, versatile career that empowers professionals to lead, advocate, and drive change across healthcare systems.

Holly Wetzel is a graduate of UW Tacoma’s Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Leadership (BAHCL) program and a two-term student body president. Inspired by her experience as a patient transporter during the pandemic, Holly shifted her focus from clinical care to systemic change. At UW Tacoma, she led major reforms in student government, launching data-driven Task Forces that addressed food insecurity, campus safety, and wellness. Holly credits the BAHCL program for helping her develop strategic leadership skills and plans to pursue a career in public and nonprofit sectors focused on health equity and systems change.

 Dr. Sharon Laing is a faculty member in UW Tacoma’s School of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership, drawn to the campus by its mission and diverse student body. Trained as a health psychologist, she holds a Ph.D. from Howard University and completed postdoctoral work at Rutgers and the UW School of Public Health. Her research focuses on community health, healthcare worker well-being, and health disparities. Dr. Laing is deeply involved in student success through teaching, mentoring, and leading fieldwork and research opportunities in the Healthcare Leadership program. 

Don Minhas is a graduate of UW Tacoma’s Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Leadership (BAHCL) program. His fieldwork and informatics training helped him land his first role at Kaiser Permanente, where he was later promoted to trainer and backup lead. Now pursuing a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) at UW Seattle, Don has worked on health disparities research with Fred Hutch and will soon intern with Valley Medical Center’s process improvement team. He hopes to mentor future BAHCL students and pursue a leadership role in healthcare.

Shallae Hobbs is the Director of Health Services for the Tacoma Public Schools. She oversees a team of about 58 RNs and LPNs that serve students throughout the Tacoma School District. Shallae earned her Master of Nursing from the School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership (SNHCL) and Program Administrator Certificate at UW Tacoma. She is also a member of SNHCL’s Clinical and Affiliate Faculty. Shallae talks about her Master of Nursing program experience and the work she is doing within the community.

Dr. Patsy Maloney is a Teaching Professor at the UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership. Motivated by the promise of an education, Dr. Maloney joined the Army at 18. The Army promised a scholarship and a salary. Patsy thought she would do Army nursing temporarily, but it ended up being a perfect fit for her, and the Army honored its promise, so she stayed in the Army for 24 years. For 20 of those years, she was a nurse. In this podcast, Dr. Maloney shares her story and insights with us.

Madie Brown is the Health Promotion Specialist and Confidential Victim’s Advocate at UW Tacoma. Learn about her work with students in the Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Leadership program.

Kaisha Walker had always been a Husky fan. When she decided to go back to school for her Bachelor's degree, Kaisha looked up majors on UW Tacoma’s website and thought the School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership’s Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare (BAHCL) program would be a good fit for her. She shares her journey as a current BAHCL student with us.

Seydi Gueye is from Senegal, a country in West Africa and is a current Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at UW Tacoma. He shares his journey to becoming a nurse and his ties with his community in Dagana in the Saint-Louis region of Senegal.

Ryan Mahan is an alum of the UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership’s (SNHCL) Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Leadership (BAHCL) program and is on the SNHCL Advisory Board. Learn about his journey in the healthcare sector.

Dr. Carmen Lewis is a Regional Neonatal Educator for the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health System and Lecturer at UW Tacoma's School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership. She will share her story and insights with us.

Sarah Rainville is a Master of Nursing Alum from UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership. She will share her story with us and experience with SNHCL's Master of Nursing program.

Dr. Timothy Feagan has over 25 years of leadership experience in healthcare, telecommunications, high-tech manufacturing, and financial services. He will share insights gained from his healthcare leadership experience as well as advice for future healthcare leaders.

Kalea Velasco-Cosare chose to pursue the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Healthcare Leadership (BAHCL) at UW Tacoma because it fit well with her academic background and interests. Learn about her experience in the program, her leadership roles, and involvement in the community.

Cindan Gizzi has a special passion for public health but her path into this field was not direct. Find out more about her journey and work at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Janet Runbeck, RN, MN decided to become a nurse so that she could travel and knew that an American nursing license allowed her to do this. Learn more about Janet's experiences and her work with the most vulnerable populations.

Meet Kyle Compton, an alum of our Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Leadership program. Learn about the connections he made and how his fieldwork experience in the program helped him get his current job.

Listen to the story of Yvonne King-Kee, an alumna of UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership's  Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Leadership (BAHCL) program. She explains how the program gave her a foundation in healthcare which led her to find her passion in the healthcare field. She shares her insights and key takeaways of the program with us.  

Juana Gallegos graduated from UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership's Master of Nursing program at the end of March 2023. She will talk about her inspirations and current projects.

Dr. Gerianne Babbo is an alumna of UW Tacoma's inaugural Doctorate in Education program with an emphasis in Nursing Education. Find out about her educational and leadership journey.

Dori Unterseher, UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership's Master of Nursing alumna, shares her experience and insights from her leadership roles.

Dr. Lisa Davidson is a Lecturer at the UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership. We will learn about her journey and experience as both student and educator.

Dr. Christine Stevens is an Associate Professor at UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership. We will learn about her journey and research work.

Julie Benson is an alumna of UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership's Master of Nursing Program. Listen to her story and experience as member of both UW Tacoma SNHCL's clinical faculty and advisory board.

Vincent Da is an alum of UW Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership's Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Leadership (BAHCL) program. Listen to his story and find out about his experience with the BAHCL program as well as BAHCL fieldwork and what he is doing now.

Dr. Katie Haerling is a Professor at UW Tacoma’s School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership.  She will share her story and insights with us.

Susan Ramos will share her perspectives with us as a graduate of UW Tacoma's School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership's Master of Nursing program and community partner.

Meet Caterina MacDonald, current student in UW Tacoma's Master of Nursing program. She will share her experiences and story with us.

Meet Bao Nguyen, UW Tacoma's Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Leadership alumna. She will share her experiences and story with us.