IP of the Bay

IP of the Bay

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September 2025 IP of the Bay

Marlyn Sigua, 
RN, CIC

🌟 September IP of the Bay: Marlyn Sigua, RN, CIC🌟

This month, we are thrilled to recognize Marlyn Sigua, RN, CIC as our Infection Preventionist of the Bay! With over a decade of experience, Marlyn has made an extraordinary impact on patient safety and infection prevention across multiple healthcare settings in the Bay Area.

🔹 Her Journey
Marlyn began her career as an Infection Control Nurse in a skilled nursing facility, where she managed outbreaks, TB exposures, and infection surveillance in resource-limited environments.

In 2013, she joined O’Connor Hospital, partnering with leadership and frontline staff to strengthen infection prevention practices. She led outbreak responses, ensured compliance, educated staff, and supported initiatives like the colorectal bundle project.

She later brought her expertise to San Jose Behavioral Health, where she established the hospital’s infection prevention program from the ground up. Recognizing the unique challenges in behavioral health, she implemented infectious disease screening at admission, created patient-specific sessions when necessary, and worked with staff to reduce crowding during group activities.

Today, at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Marlyn continues to lead with excellence:
✅ Conducting infection risk assessments
✅ Driving urine culture stewardship initiatives
✅ Hosting deep-dive meetings with physicians and nurses to improve unit-specific practices
✅ Supporting the hospital kitchen during CDPH licensing, educating dietary staff on food safety, hand hygiene, and cross-contamination

🔹 Her Impact
Marlyn is known for her collaborative, hands-on approach and her ability to bring practical, evidence-based strategies to every team she works with. Her dedication ensures not only regulatory compliance but also a safer environment for both patients and staff.

👏 Please join us in congratulating Marlyn Sigua, our September IP of the Bay, for her leadership, dedication, and unwavering commitment to advancing infection prevention in the Bay Area!

IPOFTHEBAY InfectionPrevention PatientSafety StrengthInNumbers HealthcareLeadership

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August 2025 IP of the Bay

Debra Brice, 
MSN, RN, CIC

🌟 August IP of the Bay Spotlight 🌟

This month, we’re proud to recognize Debra Birce, MSN, RN, CIC, for her exceptional leadership and frontline perspective in infection prevention.

With nearly two decades of experience as a medical-surgical and telemetry charge nurse, Debra now serves as an Infection Preventionist at Wilma Chan Highland Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center in Oakland, CA. She is leading the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based surgical site infection (SSI) prevention bundle aimed at driving sustainable improvements in patient safety.

Her work is grounded in education, collaboration, and systems-level change, embedding prevention into everyday practice. Board certified for over a decade, Debra entered the field during the pivotal shift from “infection control” to “infection prevention”—a philosophy that perfectly aligns with her passion for proactive, upstream strategies.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Debra stood out as the sole Infection Preventionist at a small community hospital, guiding her facility through unprecedented challenges—all while completing her Master of Science in Nursing with a 4.0 GPA.

👏 Beyond her professional impact, Debra shares her home with her partner Joe, two rescued Formosan Mountain Dogs (PJ and Cooper), and three lively cats (Mia, Silver, and Oreo). When she’s not chasing pathogens, she’s chasing furballs with a vacuum!

Please join me in celebrating Debra’s dedication, resilience, and the lasting impact she continues to make in advancing patient safety and infection outcomes. 💙

IPoftheBay InfectionPrevention HAIPrevention PatientSafety Leadership HealthcareHeroes

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July 2025 IP of the Bay

Amy Kemper Valencia, 
CHSP, CIC, CPHQ, AL-CIP

🌟 JULY IP OF THE BAY 🌟

Please join us in recognizing Amy Kemper Valencia, CHSP, CIC, CPHQ, AL-CIP as our July Infection Preventionist of the Bay!

Amy is the Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and brings over 20 years of experience at Stanford Medicine. Her career began in the clinical laboratory managing CAP compliance and CLIA licensure, followed by a transition into environmental health and safety as the hospital safety officer for both the adult and children’s hospitals.

In 2014, Amy helped lead Ebola preparedness efforts, which led to her becoming the first non-nurse Infection Preventionist at Stanford Children’s. She has since continued to shape the field of infection prevention through innovative leadership, including:
✔️ Directing HAIs reduction initiatives with a people-centered approach
✔️ Establishing a robust ICRA Construction safety program
✔️ Leading enterprise-wide COVID-19 preparedness efforts
✔️ Receiving the 2022 Excellence in Leadership Award and the Stanford Medicine Integrated Strategic Plan Star Award

Amy will graduate this summer with her Master of Public Health in Applied Epidemiology from UNC Chapel Hill, where she focused her practicum on addressing health inequities in pediatric and OB SSIs. She also recently earned her Advanced Leadership Certification in Infection Prevention (AL-CIP).

Beyond Stanford, Amy continues to give back through APIC leadership, having served as Membership Director (2022–2023) and now as Nomination and Award Director (2024–2025), where she helps spotlight the incredible achievements of others—today, we spotlight her!

👏 Thank you, Amy, for your dedication, leadership, and commitment to driving meaningful change in infection prevention!

IPoftheBay InfectionPrevention LeadershipInHealthcare PublicHealth StanfordMedicine WomenInLeadership ThankYouIP APIC BayAreaIP

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June 2025 IP of the Bay

Grace Vega, 
RN, CIC 

🌟 June IP of the BAY – Grace Vega, RN, CIC 🌟

Please join us in celebrating Grace Vega as our June Infection Preventionist of the Bay! 👏

Grace is a seasoned Infection Preventionist and Critical Care Registered Nurse with deep experience across both inpatient and ambulatory settings. Her journey in infection prevention began in 2017 at Mills Peninsula Medical Center, where she quickly became a subject matter expert in HAI prevention and played a key role in multiple successful JCAHO and GACH survey outcomes.

In 2019, she was awarded an APIC scholarship and earned her Certification in Infection Control (CIC). At Mills, she served as the Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Prevention Leader, driving strategic initiatives to reduce postoperative infections. Notably, she implemented the “Nose to Toes” pre-op decolonization protocol, a comprehensive program for all surgical patients aimed at minimizing infection risk.

With her background as an ICU nurse turned Infection Prevention Consultant, Grace bridges the gap between evidence-based protocols and real-time bedside practice. As an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Coach, she has mentored nurses, led quality improvement projects, and helped embed infection prevention into daily workflows.

In 2021, Grace joined Stanford Health Care as an Infection Prevention and Control Consultant. Her proactive ICU rounding, environmental risk assessments, and frontline staff education have contributed to measurable HAI reductions, while fostering stronger interdisciplinary collaboration.

Recognizing the growing importance of outpatient care, Grace expanded her scope in 2024 to lead infection prevention for Stanford Medical Partners clinics across the Bay Area. She has since developed and implemented a comprehensive ambulatory infection control program, ensuring safe, high-quality care continues beyond the hospital walls.

Grace, your leadership, expertise, and heart for patient safety are making a profound impact. You truly embody what it means to be the IP of the BAY! 💙🦠

JuneIPoftheBay InfectionPrevention CIC PatientSafety HealthcareQuality AmbulatoryCare StanfordHealthCare NurseLeader APIC

 

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May 2025 IP of the Bay

Daniel Choi,
BSN, 
RN, LTC-CIP, CIC, CRRN

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Daniel Choi, BSN, RN, LTC-CIP, CIC, CRRN at O'Connor Hospital!

Daniel has been the dedicated infection preventionist for the Subacute unit at O’Connor hospital for approximately 2 years. Prior to starting in his current role, he spent over 8 years as a nurse in acute care setting, but his passion for patient care and safety lead him to the field of infection prevention and control where he felt he could affect change on a bigger scale. Despite being relatively new to the field, under the guidance of the O’Connor infection control team, he has grown tremendously, taking on various leadership roles and projects such as co-leading the Hand Hygiene subcommittee for the Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) taskforce at O’Connor hospital as well as successfully implementing Enhanced Barrier Precautions (formerly Enhanced Standard Precautions) in the Subacute unit.

Daniel recently obtained the CBIC CIC and LTC-CIP certifications, continuing to show his passion and dedication to the field. Daniel was one of the speaker to share his knowledge to SNF IP’s to the LTC-CIP Review Class hosted by APIC SFBA.  He continues to strive to learn and grow to reduce patient harm and increase patient safety.

Thank you, Daniel Choi, BSN, RN, LTC-CIP, CIC, CRRN for all of your contributions to our APIC Chapter and for being our May IP of the Bay! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

InfectionPrevention HealthcareLeadership PatientSafety IPoftheBay 

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April 2025 IP of the Bay

Jeri Culbertson,
DNP, RN, NE-BC, CIC, LTC-CIP, CRCST, CER, CHL

🔦 IP of the Bay Spotlight: Jeri Culbertson, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CIC, LTC-CIP, CRCST, CER, CHL

Meet Jeri Culbertson, a powerhouse in Infection Prevention with over 30 years of experience in healthcare. Jeri began her career as an Army Medic and Surgical Technician and now serves as the Manager of Infection Prevention and Control at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California.

Jeri holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Capella University, with a focus on System Management, Healthcare Delivery, and Leadership, and a BSN from South Dakota State University. She is board certified in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC), Long-Term Care Infection Prevention (LTC-CIP), and holds multiple sterile processing certifications: CRCST, CER, and CHL.

💡 A recognized leader in endoscope reprocessing, Jeri has driven innovative practices and major improvements in safety and compliance. She presented at APIC 2024 on “Infection Prevention in Sterile Processing” and was the lead author of APIC’s Issue Brief: The Science Behind Endoscope Reprocessing.


Jeri’s expertise extends nationally through her involvement with the FDA on infection control practices related to medical devices. She actively contributes to AAMI standards workgroups, including those for Endoscope Reprocessing and the newly published TIR109. She also serves as a voting member on the IICRC S410 committee, which focuses on infection prevention in the built environment.

A mentor and advocate for professional development, Jeri is the founding president of the APIC South Dakota Chapter and a passionate supporter of engaging Infection Preventionists in chapter and national activities.

👏 Please join us in celebrating Jeri Culbertson—an inspiring leader, dedicated mentor, and true champion for patient safety and infection prevention!

InfectionPrevention SterileProcessing IPoftheBay APIC Leadership EndoscopeReprocessing PatientSafety HealthcareLeadership

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March 2025 IP of the Bay

Jayasree Sureshkumar,
RN, MSN, CIC, CCRN, CPAN

🌟 IP OF THE BAY 🌟

With over 30 years of diverse clinical experience, Jayasree Sureshkumar, RN, MSN, CIC, CCRN, CPAN, is a highly skilled Infection Preventionist dedicated to improving patient care and safety.

Her expertise spans infection prevention, critical care, and post-anesthesia care, making her an invaluable leader in the field. As a Certified Infection Preventionist, educator, and mentor, Jayasree has successfully led infection control programs, ensuring compliance with CDC, OSHA, and TJC standards. Her passion for research, staff training, and policy development reflects her commitment to healthcare excellence.

Beyond her professional impact, Jayasree actively participates in APIC and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and serves as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Nursing. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, traveling, music, and volunteering, embodying a well-rounded professional dedicated to lifelong learning.

Her remarkable career is a testament to her passion for nursing, leadership, and infection prevention. We celebrate Jayasree’s invaluable contributions to the IP world! 🎉👏

InfectionPrevention HealthcareLeadership PatientSafety IPoftheBay NursingExcellence

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January 2025 IP of the Bay

Melissa Lozano,
RN, CIC

January's IP of the BAY🌄

🌟 Melissa Lozano's Journey in Infection Prevention and Control 🌟

Melissa Lozano, has dedicated 30 years to the nursing profession, with extensive experience specializing in psychiatric nursing, serving as a school district nurse, and working as a clinical instructor for local RN and LVN degree programs. Her passion for infection control grew during her time in the Quality Department at John Muir Behavioral Health, where she became deeply engaged in infection prevention and management. Recently, Melissa passed her exam and earned her Certification in Infection Control (CIC), enhancing her knowledge in this vital field.

Today, she serves as an Infection Prevention Practitioner at John Muir Behavioral Health, where she applies her expertise to ensure the health and safety of both patients and staff. Dedicated to the behavioral health community, Melissa is passionate about continuing to expand her knowledge and share her expertise with others. She actively seeks opportunities to educate colleagues and support the ongoing development of best practices in infection control, particularly within the unique setting of behavioral health. She remains committed to advancing her skills, staying current with the latest research and practices. This ensures she provides high-quality care and contributes to improving healthcare standards within her organization and the community.

Thank you, Melissa Lozano for all of your contributions to our APIC Chapter and for being our January IP of the Bay! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

InfectionPrevention Healthcare PublicHealth PatientSafety Epidemiology APIC HealthcareAssociatedInfections

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November 2024 IP of the Bay

Juan David Nino Lopez,
MSN, RN, FNP, CIC

🌟 Juan David Nino Lopez's Journey in Infection Prevention and Control 🌟


Juan David Nino Lopez began his career in Nursing, working in underserved areas to support community-level immunization programs and communicable disease control initiatives. These early experiences sparked a passion for infectious diseases, leading him to pursue a graduate degree in Epidemiology.

After completing his studies, David worked at the state level in his home country, where he supported communicable disease efforts within the public health department. Upon moving to the U.S., he was thrilled to continue focusing on infection-related health issues, beginning as an Infection Preventionist (IP) in a long-term care facility. There, he led an infection control program that successfully reduced healthcare-associated infections by 30% and addressed challenges like controlling carbapenem-resistant microorganisms among chronically bed-bound patients.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, David’s role in protecting patients and staff was essential, deepening his commitment to infection prevention and control.

Today, David is proud to serve at Alameda Health System, contributing to patient safety at Highland Hospital, San Leandro Hospital, and John George Psychiatric. Leveraging his expertise in communicable diseases, he is dedicated to reducing hospital-acquired infections and safeguarding his community. David is also an active member of the San Francisco APIC Chapter, collaborating with professionals who share his dedication to infection control.

Here’s to creating safer healthcare environments and advancing infection prevention efforts!

InfectionPrevention Healthcare PublicHealth PatientSafety Epidemiology APIC HealthcareAssociatedInfections

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October 2024 IP of the Bay

Barbara DeBaun,
MSN, RN, CIC

October's IP of the Bay: 
🌟 Barbara DeBaun, MSN, RN, CIC 
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We are thrilled to highlight Barbara DeBaun, a trailblazer in the field of infection prevention and quality improvement, with over four decades of experience. Barbara has dedicated her career to enhancing patient safety and infection control practices across the healthcare landscape.

 

As an independent consultant, she works with healthcare facilities, organizations, and systems nationwide, providing invaluable support and training. Previously, Barbara served as an Improvement Advisor with Cynosure Health and was the Director of Patient Safety and Infection Control at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

 

Her leadership extends beyond her consulting work. Barbara is a certified Infection Control Practitioner (CIC) and has held influential positions, including serving two years on the APIC Board of Directors and representing APIC as a liaison to the CDC’s Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC).

 

Barbara has lectured nationally and internationally, authored over a dozen articles, and contributed to multiple book chapters, sharing her knowledge on patient safety and infection control.

What sets Barbara apart is her passion for coaching the next generation of infection prevention and quality leaders. She thrives in environments where she can foster collaboration, spark discussions, and promote innovative ideas—even when they might fail. As she puts it, "If you’ve never failed, you’ve never lived."

 

Thank you, Barbara, for your unwavering commitment to making healthcare safer and for your dedication to mentoring the future of infection prevention.

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September 2024 IP of the Bay

Peter Kolonoski,
RN, MSN, CIC

🌟 Meet Peter Kolonoski, RN, MSN, CIC – an Expert in Infection Prevention! 🌟

With a strong foundation in Cellular & Molecular Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an M.S.N. from the San Francisco State University School of Nursing, Peter brings over 16 years of experience in the field of Infection Prevention (IP).


🔬 Certified in Infection Control (CIC), Peter began his IP journey as a graduate nursing student under the mentorship of Barbara DeBaun. After completing a preceptorship, he joined the IP team at California Pacific Medical Center and later advanced to become a Field Unit Manager for the IP department at UCSF in 2016.

Today, Peter leads as the Manager of Infection Prevention & Control at Stanford Medical Center. He also served as the President of the San Francisco Bay Area APIC chapter in 2019.

Join us in celebrating IP OF THE BAY, Peter Kolonoski's remarkable contributions to infection prevention and his dedication to patient safety! 👏

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August 2024 IP of the Bay

Alicia Antonio
MSN, RN, CIC

🌟 Meet IP OF THE BAY, Alicia Antonio, MSN, RN, CIC – Infection Preventionist Extraordinaire! 🌟


With over 30 years of nursing experience, Alicia Antonio has journeyed through various healthcare settings, including LTACH, Outpatient Dialysis, and Acute Care. She has worn many hats: LTACH supervisor, dialysis center director, and now, an Infection Preventionist (IP) at John Muir Hospital in Concord.

Alicia started her IP career in 2013 and quickly became a champion for reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), focusing on hand hygiene and C. diff reduction initiatives. Her expertise in developing and sharing best practices in infection prevention has made a significant impact on patient safety.

Beyond her role at John Muir, Alicia is deeply committed to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). As a board member of the APIC San Francisco Bay Area chapter for 8 years, she has contributed as an Educator and now serves as Treasurer.

Alicia’s passion for infection control doesn't stop at her daily work—she's a regular attendee at the National APIC Conference, always eager to expand her knowledge and network with peers.

When she's not making strides in infection prevention, Alicia loves to unwind by going on vacations with her family and friends, cherishing quality moments and creating lasting memories. 🌍🏖️

Join us in celebrating Alicia Antonio's dedication to healthcare excellence! 👏

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July 2024 IP of the Bay

Jeffrey Mantes
BSN, RN, MLS(AMT), LTC-CIP, CIC

We feel honored to feature Jeffrey Mantes, BSN, RN, MLS (AMT), LTC-CIP, CIC IP Nurse at O'Connor Hospital!

In 2020, a letter (AFL) was sent out by CDPH requiring all SNF's to have a dedicated full-time IP and Santa Clara Valley Healthcare - O’Connor Hospital (OCH) was fortunate to have Jeffrey Mantes, a compassionate nurse step up to the challenge in the middle of a global pandemic.

He took full responsibility for being the dedicated IP over the Subacute ADP and worked tirelessly to ensure the teams understood the importance of the fundamentals of hand hygiene, PPE donning/doffing, and CAUTI bundle prevention. He trained champions on all shifts on the fundamentals of IP and met with them regularly and rounded daily. Throughout the past few years, he has continued to drive several initiatives such as education on Enhanced Standard Precautions (ESP), infection surveillance utilizing McGeer’s criteria, environment of care (EOC), and MDRO for all staff and providers.

With every challenge presented to the SNF, Jeff tackled it with the team and was a tremendous leader who was always available to listen to their concerns and help implement sustainable change. At every point in the pandemic, when new information was provided Jeff stood up to the challenge and ensured the team was educated timely and circled back to ensure their comprehension. He also ensured he stayed up to date with SNF IP regulatory guidelines from CDC, State, and Local Departments of PH.

All the SNF performance improvements (PI) have shown great success, and his works were featured at the poster presentation at the 2022 and 2024 APIC Annual Conferences entitled “Implementing Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Practices including COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies in a Skilled Nursing Facility” and “Implementing Enhanced Standard Precaution (ESP) and Its Impact in a SNF” respectively and was featured and part of the press release in 2022.

Jeff has continued to soar in his role as an IP both in acute care and subacute unit at OCH and exemplify strong leadership. He initiated project implementation for CAUTI reduction as one of the CAUTI subcommittee leaders at OCH during monthly HAI Taskforce meeting. He works on improving workflows for CAUTI prevention and updating policies for SNF. He also understood the importance of construction rounding to identify risks and preventive measures during construction and ensure ICRA elements are met. Furthermore, he has obtained his national infection control certifications in both acute care and long-term care. His leadership has engaged the unit leaders and staff, and they are continuing to progress forward in their efforts to reduce HAI's.

Thank you, Jeffrey Mantes, BSN, RN, MLS (AMT), LTC-CIP, CIC for all of your contributions to our APIC Chapter and for being our July IP of the Bay! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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June 2024 IP of the Bay

Madelaine Cuevas
BSN, MSN, CCRN, PHN, LTC-CIP, CIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Madelaine Cuevas, BSN, MSN, CCRN, PHN, LTC-CIP, CIC IP at San Mateo County Local Health Department and KP in their Regional Program.

Madelaine is passionate in creating a positive impact in the world of IP by bridging the gap of acute care and SNF IP practices. She sees herself as an educator and a change agent.

Her career in the US started in 2014 with Regional Medical Center as an ICU nurse. In 2016, she joined KP, where she became a member of several committees, including healthcare-associated infection. As an ICU nurse, she became the C. diff champion where her IP manager saw her potential as an IP.

In the summer of 2020, during the time of pandemic, her previous IP manager hired her as an extra help nurse to perform IP audits at O’Connor Hospital. By September, she became a per diem ICU nurse and a full-time IP, and in July 2021, she was a certified IP nurse.

Madelaine's foundation as an IP was established at O’Connor Hospital. She created the IP daily workflow task to guide all IPs in their daily tasks. She also worked on updating and improving policies and procedures. She understood the importance of environmental rounding and its relation to IP. She collaborated with different leadership departments and understood how all departments somehow related to IP. But most of all, it taught her to never stop learning every day.

In the spring of 2022, she transferred to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. There, she was given the opportunity to initiate the hand hygiene (HH) committee. They attended as many huddles as they could and joined early morning rounds with EVS to educate the staff and leadership personnel. They even participated in several hospital farmers’ market events to disseminate as much information as possible to all staff. In just three months from implementation, they improved the HH compliance rate from 50% to 70%. Madelaine was also in charge of the NHSN data and HAI monthly graphs.

The following spring 2023, Madelaine transferred to San Mateo County as one of the Local Health Department IPs in support of 14 SNFs and 12 Hemodialysis Facilities. She thought her impact might be minimal, but after visiting all her facilities and dealing with countless outbreaks, it clearly opened my eyes on how much I can contribute to the improvement of IP in the SNFs and HDs communities.

Early this year, Madelaine became a full-time IP nurse. She left the bedside and accepted a PRN IP position at Kaiser Regional Program.

Her journey continues. She has always believed that as a good IP, she's not just helping keep our patients to be safe, but I am also helping our healthcare workers working directly and indirectly with our patients.

Thank you, Madelaine Cuevas for all of your contributions to our APIC Chapter and for being our June IP of the Bay! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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May 2024 IP of the Bay

Panna Tailor
RN, BSN, PHN, CIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Panna Tailor RN, BSN, PHN, CIC Infection Prevention Manager at Washington Outpatient Surgery Center, LLC which is a part of Washington Hospital Healthcare System in Fremont.

For the last 13 plus years Panna has been working in patient safety, employee/occupational health and infection prevention. She was a environmental services staff manager while continuing her work as a post anesthesia recovery room RN as needed.

In her current position at the Ambulatory Surgery Center, Panna finds herself changing several hats of position throughout the day or week. Panna's work experience also includes establishing / developing infection prevention department at new and existing Ambulatory Surgery Centers, developing new policies, education, training, regulatory preparation for surveys, continuous quality control improvements audits & studies. All the ASCs that Panna work with are AAAHC certified.

During the Covid 19 pandemic, Panna worked as an occupational infection prevention nurse at Stanford. She mentioned it was a challenging time for all of us (all IP professionals) with ever changing infection prevention practices with guidelines. She worked as a consultant to surgery centers during tje pandemic.

Panna graduated from the University of Phoenix with a BSN and Public Health Nurse in 2010. Graduated in 1981 with AAS and worked as an RN in critical care, emergency room, transitional care unit, medical / surgical units and post anesthesia recovery room.

Thank you, Panna Tailor RN, BSN, PHN, CIC for all of your contributions to our APIC Chapter and for being our May IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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April 2024 IP of the Bay

May Riley
MPH, MSN, RN, ACNP, CCRN, FAPIC, CIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature May Riley, MPH, MSN, RN, ACNP, CCRN, FAPIC, CIC Infection Prevention Consultant at Stanford Health Care!

May has been practicing in the field of infection control and hospital epidemiology since 2005. She has extensive nursing experience, including medical/surgical, neurosurgery, trauma, liver transplant, and critical care nursing.

May holds two master's degrees: an MSN in acute care from the UCLA School of Nursing and an MPH in epidemiology from the UCLA School of Public Health. She is currently a doctoral student at San Jose State University.

May's influence in the field of infection prevention and infectious disease control is profound. Her contributions extend beyond her role as a subject matter expert on the ANA/CDC Work Group for Engaging Nurses in Antibiotic Stewardship.

May's impact is also evident in her numerous publications, including articles, books, book chapters, online education modules, and presentations. Her dedication to the infection control community is commendable.

May is also a Consulting Editor for the Journal of Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America, published by Elsevier, and a Peer Reviewer for the Journal of AORN (Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses).

May served as secretary of the CA APIC Board from 2016 to 2018 and as secretary of the Board of Directors of Comprehensive Cancer Care Infection Control (C3IC) from 2018 to January 2024.

Thank you May Riley, MPH, MSN, RN, ACNP, CCRN, FAPIC, CIC for all of your contributions to our APIC Chapter and for being our April IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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March 2024 IP of the Bay

Tammy Carter
LVN, CIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!!

We feel honored to feature Tammy Carter LVN, CIC Infection Prevention Control Coordinator at Sutter Lakeside Hospital!

Tammy began her career in nursing 46 years ago. Over the last four decades, she has worked in the ICU, tele units, med/surg, SNF, clinics, pediatric care, and even helping manufacturer testing of early trial modules for cardiac and invasive modules now found at every ED and ICU/CCU bedside.

She took on the role of infection Preventionist in 2013 and found it has been the most rewarding specialty she has experienced, noting how her work impacts the safety of patients and staff. As a sole IP in a busy Critical Access Hospital, Tammy is responsible for implementing and managing all facets of an IPC program. Being a part of the Sutter Health system allows for support with regulatory requirements, and implementing best practices related to infection prevention.

Although Tammy left front-line nursing in 2009, she is still advocating for patients. She served on the San Francisco AOHP Board of Directors/Secretary for five years, was a past president of Wine Country APIC chapter, and is currently a member of the San Francisco APIC chapter. She brings a unique perspective, as the last 23 years of her career have been at Sutter Lakeside Hospital, a rural Critical Access Hospital in Lake County, one of the most economically challenged counties in California.

Thank you Tammy Carter for all of your contributions to our APIC Chapter and for being our March IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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February 2024 IP of the Bay

Rebecca T. Alvino
RN, MS, CNS, CIC, CNOR, CRCST, FAPIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!!

We feel honored to feature Rebecca T. Alvino, System Director for Sterile Processing at UCSF Health.

Rebecca Taylor Alvino is an experienced perioperative/procedural infection preventionist and surgical nurse, providing a unique background that serves her well in her current role as the System Director for Sterile Processing at UCSF Health in San Francisco. She is a clinical nurse specialist in California, certified as a perioperative registered nurse, certified in infection control, certified by the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association as a sterile processing technician, and is recognized as an APIC Fellow.

As a member of the APIC COVID-19 Task Force, Rebecca was recognized with her Task Force peers as a 2023 APIC Hero of Infection Prevention. She is a voting participant of several AAMI workgroups that support healthcare disinfection and sterilization, and was a member of the APIC Annual Conference Committee and the APIC 50th Anniversary Task Force.

Rebecca is a co-author on a number of publications in AJIC and the AORN Journal that emerged from work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is currently an Associate Section Editor for the APIC Text Online. Rebecca is also the Infection Prevention Advisor to the Pacific West Sterile Processing Association, serving sterile processing professionals in California, Nevada, and Hawaii, and is a member of AORN and HSPA. She is holds degrees from the State University of New York at Albany, St. Joseph’s College of Nursing in Syracuse, New York, and the University of California San Francisco.

Thank you Rebecca T. Alvino for all of your contributions to our APIC Chapter as our new President Elect and for being our February IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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January 2024 IP of the Bay

Sejal Naik
DNP, MHA, RN, CIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Dr. Sejal Naik, Kaiser Permanente Infection Prevention Leader, Northern California Region.

In the last fifteen years, Sejal has served in various quality and patient safety roles, including infection prevention, dedicated to preventing and eliminating patient harm. She is certified in infection control and currently serves Kaiser Permanente's Northern California medical centers as the regional infection preventionist (IP).

Her work experiences include consulting to prevent healthcare-associated infections, outbreaks, and risk events, developing infection prevention program documents, policies, playbooks, workflows, education and training, regulatory preparedness surveys, and data analysis.

As a patient safety advocate, Sejal firmly believes that preventing infections in patients entrusted to our care is not just her professional calling, but a personal commitment rooted in genuine concern for the well-being of others. She advocates for and develops robust infection prevention practices through evidence-based science, interdisciplinary collaboration, accountability, and influence.

Sejal believes that as we navigate this dynamic healthcare environment, one of the many key strengths of an infection prevention leader lies in embracing adaptability. An adaptable mindset allows her to embrace change promptly, respond to emerging challenges, and proactively review infection prevention practices to enhance patient outcomes. She learned that with evolving infection trends, IPs must stay attuned to national and global emerging infectious patterns and best practices; therefore, expanding their professional connections is also critical.

Sejal is passionate about advancing the infection prevention profession and professional development. She developed and implemented an infection prevention fellowship program last year, which provided mentorship and infection prevention training to seven new infection preventionists within her organization. A life-long learner, Sejal recently graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Doctor of Nursing in Population Health in December 2023. She is a registered nurse with a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry, a Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, and an AA in Nursing.

Thank you Dr. Sejal Naik for all of your contributions to our APIC chapter and for being our January IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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November 2023 IP of the Bay

Carolyn Caughell
MSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Carolyn Caughell, MSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC Infection Preventionist, Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals! UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals

In her eleven years at UCSF, she has been a lead Pediatric IP for Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco working closely with medical and hospital leadership staff to implement best infection prevention practices from current evidence and published guidelines in pediatric surgical site infection (SSI) prevention and reprocessing of reusable medical equipment per Instructions for Use (IFUs).

Prior to working in Infection Control, she worked at Children’s Hospital, Oakland, CA within their Hospital Research Institute and as a Neonatal Nurse within the NICU. Carolyn is an active member of both SHEA and APIC and currently serves on the SHEA Public Policy & Government Affairs Committee (PPGA) and CDPH Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) Advisory Committee.

Congratulations on your award as a recipient of SHEA Advance Practice IP!

Thank you Carolyn Caughell, MSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC for all of your contributions to our APIC chapter and for being our November IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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October 2023 IP of the Bay

Stephanie Leong
MSN, RN, CIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Stephanie Leong MSN, RN, CIC Infection Prevention Program Manager at Kaiser Permanente!

Stephanie Leong was born and raised in San Francisco. She developed a passion for nursing through volunteering her time at a nursing facility. She graduated from University of San Francisco with her Master’s in Nursing Science. Stephanie has been a Registered Nurse for 11 years and board certified in Infection Control with over 8 years of experience. She serves as a board member for the San Francisco Bay Area Association for Professional Infection Control Chapter. She is currently the secretary and part of the Media Committee. Her previous roles include President, President Elect, Treasurer.

Thank you Stephanie Leong MSN, RN, CIC for all of your contributions to our APIC chapter and for being our October IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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September 2023 IP of the Bay

Priya Pandya-Orozco
DNP, RN, CIC, PHN

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Priya Pandya-Orozco, DNP, RN, CIC, PHN Manager of Infection Preventionist at O'Connor Hospital!

Bernadette “Priya” Pandya-Orozco, DNP, MSN, RN, PHN, CIC, is the manager for infection prevention at O'Connor Hospital, which is part of the County of Santa Clara Hospital and Health System. She has served in several critical leadership roles in the field of infection prevention and communicable disease over the last 25 years.

Most recently, in 2019, she became the manager of O'Connor Hospital infection prevention, where she serves as a subject matter expert to hospital staff and leaders for infection prevention and control. She has worked for highly reliable organizations to reduce hospital-acquired infection rates. She encourages creative performance improvement projects that utilize evidence-based practices to engage frontline champions and leaders.

Priya attributes her successes to her ability to understand and value every member of a health care system, recognizing how each person in a hospital can affect infection prevention efforts and contribute to performance improvement.

Priya has spent her career working in Bay Area hospitals and precepted nursing students from local schools in both Public Health Nursing and Communicable Disease. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University Hayward in 1998. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from Holy Names University in 2007.

From all her collective experiences, Priya has learned the importance of waking up every day ready to share her love and passion for infection prevention. Her drive for excellence is deeply rooted in her desire to provide a safe environment for every patient who crosses through her hospital’s doors.

Thank you Priya Pandya-Orozco, DNP, RN, CIC, PHN for being our September IP of the Bay! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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August 2023 IP of the Bay

Marsha Meyer

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Marsha Meyer
Preventionist at Healdsburg Hospital!

Marsha Meyer is an Infection Prevention Leader specializing in Infection Prevention in Health Care settings. Certified in Infection Prevention for over 30 years. She brings a wealth of knowledge with her focus on prevention of Health Care Associated Infection in the various diverse healthcare settings such as adult acute care settings, surgical services, critical care, oncology, children’s and pediatric services, critical access facilities and community epidemiology. She is skilled in infectious disease detection, prevention, and outbreak management.

Her skills and achievements include communication and problem solving in complex health care environments, oversight and collaboration in project management, data relevance and system issue analysis, program surveillance, analysis, and reporting thru National Health and Safety Network (NHSN). She also has expertise in risk reduction, outbreak control and education. She has facilitated infection prevention services in pediatric and neonatal healthcare settings and Infection Prevention in ambulatory surgical services.

Marsha has completed an Antimicrobial Stewardship project with pharmacy and clinical services to decrease unnecessary antimicrobials and was a Statewide representative in UTAH for Health Care Associated Infection Prevention Services

She has had numerous successful Joint Commission Surveys in Infection Prevention and was pivotal in a system collaboration in SARS CO-V (COVID 19) pandemic response, prevention exposure management and safer practices.

She has a strong focus on Promoting Adult COVID 19 and Influenza Vaccinations and immunizations in Acute Care and Community Services and works closely on Projects to achieve and maintain zero Catheter Associated Infections and Zero Blood Stream infections particularly related Central Venous Catheter management, as well as Projects to build Hand Hygiene Improvement teams.

Some of her other work experiences include, maintaining ongoing zero catheter associated Infections and Zero Central Lines Associated Infections, setting up Peripheral Inserted Catheter Services and Infection Prevention Services and evidence-based practices as well as Maintaining Preconstruction Infection Prevention Assessments in the Various Healthcare Associated Infection Prevention.

Marsha has a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Leadership and Management. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing BSN and a Certification of Infection Prevention CIC for over 30 years!

Thank you, Marsha Meyer, for being our August IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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July 2023 IP of the Bay

Sherilyn Oribello
RN, BSN, CIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature of IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Sherilyn Oribello, RN BSN CIC Infection Preventionist at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center!

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is a 700+ bed organization, who is part of the growing Santa Clara Valley Healthcare System. She’s proud to be part of a hospital that is the community’s health care safety net. SCVMC provides specialized treatment centers that include trauma, burns, and rehabilitation that serves everyone in Santa Clara County regardless of their socioeconomic status. She has the privilege of working alongside the wonderful SCVMC Epidemiologists and Infection Prevention Team.

She has 10 years of service at Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose working as a Cardiovascular Nurse and Process Improvement Nurse. After working with Quality and Nursing Administration to improve hospital acquired infection (HAI) bundle rounds, she ventured into Infection Prevention. She learned IP would be a perfect venue to expand her knowledge of quality & patient safety measures.

An up and coming Infection Preventionist of 4 years: who jumped right into the field and hit the ground running as she learned the ropes of IP. With no better way to learn, she seized the opportunities of exposure mitigation during the COVID pandemic. Co-authoring abstracts published by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), “COVID -19 Outbreak in an Acute-Care Hospital: Lesson Learned” in 2021 and “COVID-19 Outbreak in an Acute Psychiatric Unit – unique challenges and creative solutions, ” which was presented by the SCVMC team at the SHEA 2023 Spring Conference.

She finds joy in collaborating with other disciplines to improve patient outcomes and prevent infections by standardizing evidence based pathways. Sherilyn has collaborated with the Vascular Access Committee to implement a standardized Central Line Bundle. Her current endeavors include initiating a multifaceted Surgical Site Infection Prevention Bundle for Cesarean Sections. As Co-Chair of the Hand Hygiene Committee, she’s leading efforts to improve compliance and engagement, initiate a Hand Hygiene Observer Program, and bring consistency to Hand Hygiene efforts across the Healthcare System. When she’s not brainstorming ways to improve hand hygiene, she’s educating staff on the whys behind what we do in Infection Prevention and how to incorporate them into their daily workflow. She looks forward to working with this APIC SFBA chapter, growing her knowledge, and leaning on the expertise of this wonderful network of Infection Preventionists.

Thank you, Sherilyn Oribello, for being our July IP of the Bay!! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our chapter!

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June 2023 IP of the Bay

Riley Parker III

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off another monthly feature IP of the Bay!!

We feel honored to feature Riley Parker III, CIC Infection Preventionist for Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP).

In August Riley will have completed 20 years of service at CHOMP, with 10 years in Infection Prevention. Riley also has had the privilege of concurrently working as the primary IP for Westland House, CHOMPs affiliated Skilled Nursing Facility until this year. He has gleamed knowledge in data reporting to local Public Health, CDPH, and CDC (NHSN) in his years at CHOMP.

He serves as the IP for Construction and renovation ICRAs, Environment of Care, Hand Hygiene direct observation program, data reporting, and policy management for the 250+ bed organization. He has enjoyed collaborating with the Public Health and other county hospitals (IPs) during the past several years to bring consistency in practices.

Riley completed his B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Sonoma State University. He participated in Dr. Sakanari, PhD Parasitology research project determining the seroprevelance of Ehrlichiosis and Borrelia in the tick population of the regional parks. Riley completed his CIC and has enjoyed collaborating with staff in the organization to develop an environment of IP knowledge, safety, prevention, and wellness.

At the end of the day, his main desire is to provide everyone the knowledge to stay safe. He does this by providing the knowledge for coworkers to make informed decisions on how to reduce (or eliminate) the spread of infections in their environment. He provides IP focused information to new hires in the organization, several have openly admitted to becoming germ-a-phoebes after hearing the presentation.  As with everything IP related, it is an ever-changing receptacle of information. Riley strives to be the conduit of that information to everyone in and around his network.

Thank you, Riley Parker, for being our June IP of the Bay! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our Chapter!

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May 2023 IP of the Bay

Joanna Mills

RN, MSN, CNS, CIC

APIC SFBA is excited to kick off our NEW monthly feature IP of the Bay!!

On International Nurses Week we feel honored our first feature is Joanna Mills RN, MSN, CNS, CIC, Director of Infection Prevention for John Muir Health, East Bay Area SF.

Joanna is a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Clinical Infectious/Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Practitioner with extensive experience in Epidemiology, Program Management, Education, Performance Improvement, Risk Management, Public Health, Case Management, Employee Health, and Emergency/Critical Care.

A seasoned professional for over thirty years with nursing and clinical Infection prevention knowledge and practice in a variety of health care environments ranging from Ambulatory Care, Home Health, Long Term Care/Rehabilitation to Acute Care, Teaching and professional organizations; as well as an active community, nursing leader and educator.

Thank you, Joanna Mills, for being our first IP of the Bay! We appreciate all you do and are so grateful to have you in our Chapter!

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