Supporters of the Lois Price Spratlen Foundation supporters and members of the Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses celebrated our profession at the inaugural Scholarship and Awards Breakfast on October 5, 2024.
Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, we were able to expand the number of scholarship recipients this year!
Kayla is driven by a profound passion for equity and empowerment, particularly for marginalized communities such as LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals. In addition to her academic and work experience, Kayla has given back to the community, such as in creating a crowdfunding campaign for the Loveland Foundation, aiming to provide therapy for Black women and girls.
A colleague at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma praises Kayla as “extraordinarily sensitive to the needs of those in her care and seeks to create a nonjudgmental space where each individual feels heard and valued. She is truly passionate about providing whole person care.”
Working in various acute inpatient psychiatric and behavioral treatment facilities in Pierce, King, and Thurston counties, Carol has gained valuable insight into the complex challenges faced by individuals with mental health and substance abuse disorders. As a volunteer at a free clinic, she was a daily witness to the discrepancies in access to care among vulnerable populations.
A faculty member at WSU notes that her 10 years of clinical experience and her “passion for those who are most vulnerable,” Carol “has a strong commitment to improving access to mental healthcare for vulnerable and other populations.”
Kimberly was drawn to the profession as an intern shadowing an NP at a hospital, and later as volunteer at a local clinic, translating for NP students serving Vietnamese patients. She is pursuing a DNP to “take part in destigmatizing and redefining mental health, especially within Southeast Asian immigrant communities. The ways in which marginalized individuals experience, understand, and seek treatment for illnesses, especially mental illnesses, are complex and heavily coded.”
A Seattle University faculty member participated with Kimberly on the student-led Equity and Justice Committee. She said Kimberly’s “ability to relate to people from diverse backgrounds with grace is remarkable.”
Eric is an active volunteer. He has served as a co-lead or member of groups such as the UW School of Nursing Diversity and Awareness Group, and the Future Nurses Club. He also participated in the UW School of Nursing Honors Program, where he worked on a research project evaluating the effectiveness of a clinical mentoring program on the quality of HIV care in Tanzanian healthcare facilities.
“In both academic and clinical settings, Eric has shown himself to be a great team member,” said a UW faculty member. “This dynamic ability to switch roles is invaluable in team settings, as he can work well with others regardless of their work style.”
With more than 20 years as an NP in addiction medicine, urgent care, and emergency medicine, Alessa brings a wealth of knowledge to the profession. She has had the opportunity to work with area behavioral health inpatient programs and provide “bridge” provider coverage. Alessa also participates on community and state panels to educate about the barriers to care that providers face on a daily basis.
“I have never worked with someone who is so driven to advocate for those patients who do not understand the healthcare system or for those who have been mistreated within our healthcare system,” said a colleague. “She sees the unjust in many cases and works diligently to go to the top to decrease the barriers to care.”
As an LICSW in private practice and at Navos, Kate has worked primarily with individuals who are survivors of childhood relational and sexual abuse, and with birthing people across the perinatal period. She has also volunteered with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and the Seattle Asylum & Forensic Evaluation Network, providing pro bono mental health evaluations for youth and adult asylum seekers.
A Seattle University faculty member praised Kate’s “ability to think through challenging ethical issues related to nursing practice,” saying she “has excelled as a student and as a future practitioner.”
Thanks to our Scholarship Committee members for reviewing applications and selecting our scholars: Elaine Walsh (Chair), Christina Chacon, Laura Frantz, and Carol Kottwitz.
“After receiving the Lois Price Spratlen Foundation Scholarship, I was given the opportunity to attend the Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses 2023 conference and served on their Legislative Committee during this past congressional session. I am about to start my summer clinical rotations and move into my final year of schooling. I am so grateful to everyone on the Board of Directors for their support in my educational journey and hope to pay it forward.”
“I've completed year two of my DNP program with a 4.0 GPA, the non-profit I founded has attained 501(c)3 status and received some grant funding, I'm midway through my doctoral project to institute MOUD in a rural ED, and I am preparing for a practicum starting in June with Dr. MaryAnne Murray, DNP, PMHNP.”
“Since receiving the scholarship, I have completed my Doctor of Nursing Practice project and presented my poster internally within UW, titled Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Posters, Improving access to Japanese Immigrants. I graduated in March [2024] and passed my PMHNP boards in April [2024]. Thank you again for this scholarship opportunity as it supported me through the last year of my academic journey.”
“I am currently approved to complete my doctoral PMHNP program at Pacific Lutheran University on May 23, 2024. The scholarship has been pivotal in facilitating my financial stability, especially considering the substantial costs associated with the project. It funded the execution and completion of all the necessary materials, without which this endeavor would have been challenging to pursue. This opportunity has not only enabled the commencement of this research but has also spurred a significant transformation in the clinic where it was implemented. Following this project, the clinic director has actively advocated for further research into integrating mindfulness-based therapies within TMS to amplify treatment outcomes. My aspiration is that this research will extend its benefits to countless individuals grappling with treatment-resistant depressive disorders.”
“Since receiving the scholarship, I've been focused on my studies and have finished school. I've also been looking for new job opportunities with my new degree. I really appreciate being given the opportunity to receive that scholarship; it was very helpful in alleviating my financial burden.”
“What I think is different about the Lois Price Spratlen Foundation is that it has always felt like more of a family. I try to remember that being a scholarship recipient means that people believe in you and that you have professional support to fall back on.”
Emma Oswald, DNP, ARNP, PMHNP-BC, 2016 Scholar
You are a member of that family of advanced practice psychiatric nurses and mental health advocates that has made a difference in the lives of countless vulnerable members of our community.
Through your support, the Lois Price Spratlen Foundation has awarded more than $50,000 in scholarships to 32 nurse scholars. Those past scholars are today’s providers. They work in community mental health, private practice, and in critical need areas such as the Department of Corrections and Veterans Affairs.
“I’m really grateful for the scholarship I received through the Lois Price Spratlen Foundation, especially for the connections I was able to make through the Foundation. I love working in community mental health. It is messy and complicated and very rewarding.”
Melanie Kristoferson, MSN, ARNP, PMHNP-BC, 2017 Scholar
This week, the Foundation asks for you to contribute with a GiveBIG donation. Donations made through May 8 will be counted to help match a $1,500 GiveBIG challenge.
“My education pursuit and career goals would not be possible without your relentless support from scholarship sponsors like Lois Spratlen Foundation. I hope one day I will be able to help other students achieve their goals as you have helped me.”
Jane Nwankwookoye, DNP, ARNP, PMHNP, 2018 Scholar
The PMHNP students who will receive scholarships in 2024 and beyond need your support. Their future is the future of the profession, and the future of mental health care.
“I really appreciate being given the opportunity to receive that scholarship; it was very helpful in alleviating my financial burden.”
Anteneh Woldeselassie, 2024 PMHNP Program Graduate, 2023 Scholar
Your donation is a response to Lois Price Spratlen’s call for action. It builds upon her commitment to education, her pursuit of social justice, and her determination to challenge our perceived limitations.
“It’s so huge, what Lois believed in and what she stood for. LPSF is meaningful for me because it is a group of experienced mental health nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse leaders, who have supported my career development and can provide a community of engagement, education, and support beyond my years in school.”
Emma Oswald, DNP, ARNP, PMHNP-BC, 2016 Scholar
The Board of Directors deeply appreciates the support from the MultiCare Community Partnership Fund for our Scholarship Program.
The Fund, which focuses on building partnerships to advance initiatives, programs, and projects that improve our community, awarded the Foundation $5,000.
This grant will help ensure that the Foundation can continue to provide scholarships to the next generation of psychiatric ARNPs who demonstrate the character, energy, and courage exemplified by Lois Price Spratlen.
Zoe Evans-Agnew
Zoe Evans-Agnew is in the Seattle University PMHNP program.
Zoe is following a family tradition in nursing which includes her great-grandmother, her grandmother, and her father.
“I see firsthand that underserved communities have poorer health outcomes due to inequities in our healthcare system,” she wrote. “I want to dedicate my career to serving the homeless population, those with low socioeconomic status, those who are incarcerated, and those disabled by addictions.”
In addition to her studies, Zoe works as a mental health nurse at Swedish Medical Center. She has also served as a family group facilitator with NAMI and as a scholar of the Washington Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program.
Derek Greenwood
Derek Greenwood is in the PMHNP Program at Washington State University Tri-Cities.
Derek’s path is rooted in his own recovery from substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health struggles.
“I have experienced many of the same afflictions as my patients,” he wrote. “These experiences help me empathize with the difficulty of achieving change and allow me to model recovery to those who still suffer.”
“As a doctorally-prepared PMHNP,” wrote José A. Parés-Avila, WSU Clinical Professor and Associate Dean for Community Engagement, “I have no doubt he will be a state leader on innovative approaches to SUD treatment. His vision could easily place him on a national spotlight.”
Sarah Kuramoto
Sarah Kuramoto is in the University of Washington PMHNP program.
Sarah has extensive clinical experience as a Registered Nurse in medical-surgical and mental health. She also served as a volunteer nurse mentor to high school students pursuing a nursing career, addressing the need to increase access and opportunities in nursing to a more diverse population.
Her goals as a PMHNP include offering English and Japanese bilingual services in adult psychiatry and cycling her practice experience back into the classroom.
“I chose a doctoral degree [because] the pathway further prepares me for leadership positions, including educating the next generation of nurses and nurse practitioners,” she wrote.
Carly Williamson
Carly Williamson is in the PMHNP program at Pacific Lutheran University.
In addition to being a 4.0 student and working as a psychiatric RN at Navos Involuntary Adult Inpatient Unit, Carly gives back to her community.
Carly is working with a clinic in Kitsap County, a designated geographical health professional shortage area (HPSA) for mental health, to donate their transcranial magnetic stimulation machine to the community for use by Medicare and Medicaid patients.
She also volunteers with Port Orchard Helpers, which assists those without a home, and with Peninsula High School by providing free health evaluations for sports physicals to those without insurance.
Anteneh Woldeselassie
Anteneh Woldeselassie is in the University of Washington PMHNP program.
Anteneh co-founded a nonprofit which works with communities and governments to support communities in Africa in areas such as immigration and resettlement, community development, educational empowerment, and mental health development.
He has worked as a nurse with Schick Shadel Hospital, Auburn Medical Center Inpatient Psychiatry, and Swedish Medical Center, and Cascade Behavioral Hospital.
“Covering topics of mental health such as anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder,” he wrote, “these family-centric interactions have deepened my understanding of the pivotal role of preventative measures in maintaining familial well-being, further igniting my passion for impactful service.”
“The Foundation is a nice way for me to feel connected and contribute in my small way to the future of the profession”
“Congratulations to all scholarship recipients! Past awardees as well.
Absolutely lovely stories!”
“Keondra was so refreshing and inspiring and I particularly liked her call to action.”
Thank you for your support and thank you for helping to provide scholarships to the next generation of psychiatric ARNPs.
We exceeded our goal of $6,000 – raising more than $8,000 in gifts and pledges!
Thanks for the generous support of everyone who donated, shared, talked about us or even sent good thoughts our way.
We couldn't do it without you.
Because of you, we can rest a little bit easier knowing that together we have identified, encouraged, and cultivated excellence in Advance Practice Psychiatric Nursing through scholarships and community grants. Because of you, the Foundation has now awarded 27 scholarships and two community grants, increasing scholarships from $2,000 to $2,500 each this year.
You can meet our scholarship recipients by visiting our Scholars webpage and hear directly from this year’s scholars by watching the 2022 Gala recording here. Viewing the recording, you will also hear Dr. Deidre McHugh’s inspirational words on Expanding Our Reach to Advance Inclusive Excellence in Nursing.
We have also expanded our collaborations and community engagement. You can read more about recent community conversations and grants by visiting our Program webpage and following the links.
As always, the Lois Price Spratlen Foundation can only achieve our goal of expanding the reach of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing within our communities through your continued support - whether that support is shown through volunteering, attending events, forwarding our communications to your friends and family, or making financial contributions.
Deidre McHugh, DNP, PMHNP, BC, began her career as a nurse in community health in Portland Oregon, and graduated as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Oregon Health Sciences University.
She has worked as a psychiatric provider in public health, inpatient and outpatient pediatric clinics, primary care, corrections, and adult outpatient mental health specialty clinics.
In addition to her current position at Lavender, Dr. McHugh is Adjunct Faculty at Seattle University. Her research is in providing equitable, trauma-informed, whole-person health care.
