Maryland Nursing Workforce Center

Maija Anderson, DNP, APRN, FNE-A/P, serves as the chair of the Department of Nursing at Morgan State University in Baltimore. She also serves as a forensic nurse at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Maryland. She has over 30 years of nursing experience in the practice setting, professional nursing associations, and academia. An accomplished grant writer, she has secured over $12 million in federal, state, and foundation funding to improve outcomes in nursing students from populations underrepresented in nursing, in support of development for nursing faculty from populations underrepresented in nursing, and to develop a model of care and establish a research agenda for victims of law enforcement violence.

Her research for her first doctoral degree focused on evaluating characteristics of health care providers and how those characteristics impacted their prescribing practices of pain medication to African-Americans in the Emergency Department. Her present research interests align with the work that she has started on her second doctoral degree, a PhD in Applied Sociology with a focus on social justice as well as community advocacy. They include evaluating and advocating for the need to implement protocols for health care providers treating victims of excessive use of police force and strategies for improving educational outcomes in populations underrepresented in nursing.

In her free time, she enjoys making nurse cups and bracelets for her many nursing student children and hanging out with her husband, daughter, nephews, parents, and her dogs, Charlie Anderson-Connolly and Georgie Anderson.

Deborah Baker, DNP, AG-ACNP, NEA-BC, FAAN, is the senior vice president for nursing for the Johns Hopkins Health System. She also serves as the vice president for nursing and patient care services and chief nursing officer for The Johns Hopkins Hospital. As the health system’s first senior vice president for nursing, Baker partners with the chief nursing officers and leaders at Johns Hopkins Health System hospitals and outpatient care settings to ensure integration of services and alignment with the health system’s strategic goals and objectives.

Baker first came to Johns Hopkins as a student, earning her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She joined the staff of The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1992 as a clinical nurse in the Department of Surgery and spent most of her clinical career as a nurse practitioner caring for adult trauma and surgical oncology patients. Baker has served in a variety of nursing leadership roles at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, including her most recent position as the director of nursing for surgery, Wilmer Ophthalmology and the Comprehensive Acute Care Rehabilitation Unit. She is DNP faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, associate dean for health systems partnership and innovation, and a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

Lou J. Bartolo, DNP, RN, is a global leader in health care quality and regulatory affairs, specifically stem cell transplant and cellular therapy. He is the senior regulatory affairs associate overseeing global regulations at the NMDP, formally the National Marrow Donor Program, a U.S. bone marrow registry. Bartolo is the president of the Maryland Nurses Association (MNA) and immediate past-president of the Oncology Nursing Society National Capital Chapter. His leadership continues with his second appointment to the American Nurses Association Political Action Committee Board of Trustees.

Lou earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice from Loyola University New Orleans. He earned his Master of Science in Nursing from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Master of Science in Health Promotion from Northwestern State University of Louisiana, and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans. Bartolo is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, Phi Kappa Phi, and Beta Beta Beta honor societies. In May 2023, he was a member of the inaugural class of the Healing Politics Campaign School for Nurses and Midwives.

Bartolo is a director and co-chair of the Building Diverse Leadership Committee for the Johns Hopkins University Alumni Council. He is also a member of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies, the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society, the NAACP, the Sierra Club, and the Rotary Club of Potomac-Bethesda, and he continues his support of the National Student Nurses’ Association as a sustaining member.

DeNiece Bennett, DNP, RN, is an assistant professor and director of the NCLEX Success Program at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. In addition to her role as a faculty member and course director, she chairs the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Admission and Scholarship Committee, where she is leading the charge on the holistic admission initiative and curating a student success model. She has previously served as adjunct faculty at Mount Saint Mary College and the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences, both in New York.

Bennett played a pivotal role in the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center’s Next Generation NCLEX initiative, for which she authored and published NextGen NCLEX case studies. A licensed nurse in New York and Maryland, she has been honored with various accolades, including the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s New Nursing Faculty Fellowship award and the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty.

Bennett's involvement in professional committees and associations, including her position as chair of the members’ committee of the Chesapeake Bay Black Nurse Association, demonstrates her strong leadership and unwavering commitment to the nursing profession. She has previously held leadership positions with prominent health care partners dedicated to the community's well-being, such as Crystal Run Healthcare and Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall, both in New York.

Bennett holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Healthcare Systems Leadership from Chamberlain University and a Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Education and BSN, both from South University.

Kelsey Bradford, MD, MPH, is a Houston native who currently serves as the school health officer and assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Health at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Her background includes both medicine and public health with a concentration in health policy and management. She majored in biology at Prairie View A&M University, earned her MD from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston (McGovern), and obtained her MPH from the Morehouse School of Medicine. She joined UMSON in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, giving her first-hand experience in managing public health emergencies, and is dedicated to policy solutions that will address public health priorities. She is now focusing her efforts on establishing wellness initiatives for students, faculty, and staff at UMSON to create a sense of belonging and a culture of well-being.

Bonnie Cullison is serving her fourth term representing District 19, Montgomery County, in the Maryland House of Delegates. She sits on the Health and Government Operations committee, where she serves as vice chair, and is the chair of the Insurance and Pharmaceuticals subcommittee. In this role, she is responsible for shepherding policy related to the regulation of insurance carriers and prescription drug purchasing processes and consumer costs. She focuses her personal sponsorship of legislation on providing greater access to all health care, which includes programs that constrain health care cost increases, policies that expand health safety nets to all residents, and policies that allow for health care practitioners to practice at the top of their scope and standards.

Cullison is the oldest daughter of Charles and Eleanor Cullison from St. Mary’s County, Maryland. She had a 32-year career as a special educator and education union leader before becoming a politician. She retired from Montgomery County Schools and was elected in 2010. When not in Annapolis, Cullison is a consultant to support school districts and education unions to develop processes for working collaboratively for the benefit of all students and educators. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with her wife of 39 years, Marcia, and their two very spoiled dogs.

Shannon K. Idzik, DNP, CRNP, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, is a professor and the associate dean for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Prior to her current role, she served as the director for the DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings and currently maintains a faculty practice as a nurse practitioner at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in the Comprehensive CARE Center, where she cares for medically complex patients. Idzik is the president of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and previously served as president of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland.

Jane Krienke is a senior analyst and registered lobbyist on the Government Affairs and Policy Team at the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA). She joined MHA in 2015 and leads the workforce development portfolio. Krienke supports MHA’s Task Force on Maryland’s Future Health Workforce and coordinates the monthly meetings of Maryland’s chief nursing officers.

Kimberly B. Link, JD, is the senior advisor for health boards at the Maryland Department of Health. She served as the chair of the Commission to Study the Healthcare Workforce Crisis in Maryland. 

Cassie O’Malley, DNP, RN, OCN, CENP, is the director of nurse wellbeing at MedStar Health Center for Wellbeing. In this role, she is responsible for the wellbeing strategy of over 9,000 nurses, leading initiatives related to peer support, professional fulfillment, and a particular focus on the wellbeing development of nursing leadership. In addition, she serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, where she focuses on teaching leadership. O’Malley is also president-elect for the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders, focusing on the wellbeing and development of nurse leaders across the state of Maryland.

Ajani T. Pierce, BS, is the labor market economist for the Maryland Department of Labor. One of his primary functions is to support workforce development through accessible economic analysis. 

During Pierce’s tenure at the Maryland Department of Labor, he has worked on many projects assisting our state’s policymakers. He worked on policy concerning the minimum wage under the Hogan administration, which later became the Fair Wage Act of 2023 under the Moore administration. Other projects include layoff aversion during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Worker Retention/Support Program for the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. He also uses his geographical information systems expertise to visualize data. 

Pierce has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and minored in business finance at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Benjamin Quintanilla, MSN, RN, NRP, is a native of Texas. He was an Air Force Independent Duty medic and paramedic from 1985 - 2009. He retired from the Air Force and went to college. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science with an education focus from the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

Quintanilla’s nursing career started in the Cardiac Critical Care Unit at the University of Maryland Medical Center in 2011. He transitioned into this role because of his experience in the military as a paramedic and independent duty medic. In 2014 he accepted the position of nurse manager of the Critical Care Transport team at UMMC, and he also managed the Rapid Response and PICC teams there.

In 2018, Quintanilla accepted the position of nurse educator for the Critical Care Response Team at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He also accepted the position as a nurse consultant for the Health Services Cost Review Commission for Maryland. His primary duty with the state of Maryland is to manage the Nurse Support Program Grant I for 48 acute-care hospitals in the state. The program provides $19 million in funding to all acute-care hospitals to help with nurse recruitment and retention by offering programs that educate nurses to render the best possible care to the citizens of Maryland.  He is still active as a critical care transport nurse, transporting critically ill patients by ambulance.

Quintanilla is a member of Sigma international honor society, the American Nurses Association, the Maryland Nurses Association, and the National League of Nurses. While in the military, he was recognized as Senior IDMT of the Year, Air Force Material Command, and with the Lewis L. Seaman Senior Enlisted Award of Outstanding Operational Support. He was also recognized as Employee of the Month for Shock Trauma Center, the Nursing Excellence Award at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and the Nurses in Action Award. He has been awarded the Iraqi campaign medal, Defense Meritorious Service Award, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal (2 oak leaf clusters), Air Force Commendation Medal (3 oak leaf clusters), Air Force Achievement Medal, AF Outstanding Unit (4 oak leaf clusters), AF Good Conduct Medal (6 devices), and National Defense Service Medal (with device).                                                                          

Karin Russ, JD, MS, RN, is an assistant professor and interim director of legal affairs at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She was previously the course director for community and public health nursing courses at UMSON at the Universities at Shady Grove, taught classes in health policy and advocacy, and developed electives on health policy engagement and climate change and health. She is active in the Maryland Nurses Association’s Legislative Committee, writing and delivering testimony for the General Assembly. Russ earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, master’s degree in Health Services Leadership and Management, and graduate certificates in Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions and Environmental Health Nursing from UMSON. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, with dual specialty certificates in Law and Health Care and Environmental Law.

Modupè Savage, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, is the system director for academic-practice partnerships at MedStar Health, overseeing strategic academic collaborations across diverse clinical settings. With a versatile career in clinical operations, human resources, and talent acquisition, she also serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She is a board member of the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders and an advisory member of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center, actively contributing to nursing education and practice. Savage holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Maryland School of Nursing and dual master's degrees in nursing and business administration, as well as a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University.

Erin Schurmann, MPA, PMP, serves as the chief of provider alignment and special projects at the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC). In her role, she oversees a variety of strategic initiatives, including management of the Nurse Support Programs I and II as well as programs to advance the goals of Maryland’s Total Cost of Care Model. She earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to joining the HSCRC in 2015, Schurmann worked in development, research, and communications for various nonprofit organizations.  

Rhonda Scott, JD, BSN, CRNI, SD-CLTC, was appointed executive director of the Maryland Board of Nursing in September 2023. Prior to taking on that role, Scott served as the deputy director for more than four years and was responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the board. She is a registered nurse and an attorney. Her nursing career spans 31 years. She has a Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI) certification and she a national certification for staff development in long-term care. She has held several nursing leadership positions over the last 15 years and has been instrumental in developing nursing orientation programs and nurse preceptor and infusion therapy training in long-term care. She is skilled in both nursing and legal research as well regulatory compliance. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Coppin State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law. 

Laura Smith, MS, RN, is a nursing practice and professional development specialist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Her work focuses on nursing student placements, student engagement, and increasing opportunities to increase nursing and student collaboration. She is very active in the Maryland/D.C. Clinical Placements Collaborative, which is a statewide collaborative of clinical placement professionals to maximize opportunities for students. 

Danielle Wilson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, is the interim senior vice president/chief nursing officer at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health. Shore is a two-hospital system with two free-standing emergency departments and multiple ambulatory offices covering the five counties of Maryland’s mid-shore: Queen Anne, Kent, Talbot, Caroline, and Dorchester.  Wilson held nursing leadership positions at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, University of Maryland Capital Region Health, and George Washington Hospital before joining Shore. She is a member of the Maryland Nurses Association and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and is a past at-large board member of the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders. Wilson earned her BSN from the University of Maryland School of Nursing and her MSN from Notre Dame of Maryland University. 

Patrick Zarek, MA, is an economist who joined GlobalData’s Health Workforce team as a consultant in 2021. His primary focus has been modeling health workforce supply at the state level, and recent projects include developing supply projections for the Texas Department of State Health Services, Maryland Hospital Association, and Kentucky Hospital Association. He has also assisted GlobalData in modeling the health workforce of physicians, nurses, and oral health providers at the national level for the Hearth Resources and Services Administration. Prior to joining GlobalData, he worked within the health sector as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho and earned his master’s degree in economics from Vanderbilt University.