Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine asks all individuals involved in the development and presentation of Accredited Continuing Education activities to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies. This information is disclosed to all activity participants prior to the start of the educational activity. Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine has procedures to mitigate all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies. In addition, faculty members are asked to disclose when any unapproved use of pharmaceuticals and devices is being discussed. 

In accordance with the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, all relevant financial relationships that faculty, planners, authors, and anyone who may be in control of content have with ineligible companies have been mitigated.

Faculty

Aubrie Galinis, BA

Aubrie Galinis, BA, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Aubrie Galinis (she/her/hers) is a 24-year-old, first-year, Health Informatics master’s student studying remotely at the University of Pittsburgh. She is a collaborator and presenter at this year's Clinical Update: Equity at the Heart of Care: Supporting Students with Diverse Medical Needs with Dr. Brenna Morse. At 9 months of age, Aubrie was diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disability called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Due to her complex condition, she uses a wheelchair full-time and has 1-on-1 skilled nursing. As an individual who relies on skilled nursing to be active within the community and her education, Aubrie is passionate about educating current and future nurses—specifically about patient/family autonomy and collaboration. In her free time, Aubrie likes to play video games, do crafts and 3D printing projects, and explore local places.

Brenna Morse, PhD, FNP-BC, NCSN, CNE, PMGT-BC, FNASN, FAAN

Brenna Morse, PhD, FNP-BC, NCSN, CNE, PMGT-BC, FNASN, FAAN, is a Clinical Advisory Board Member at NenHealth. 

Brenna Morse is an associate professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions and a nurse practitioner at Boston Children's Hospital. She is board-certified as a family nurse practitioner, nationally certified school nurse, nurse educator, a pain management nurse, and is a fellow in the National Academy of School Nursing and American Academy of Nursing. Recognizing a significant gap in nursing science and resources for children with complex conditions in pain, Brenna has been committed to ensuring equitable and inclusive pain care for this population. Additionally, her efforts have centered on empowering parents as recognized experts in their children’s care and fostering meaningful team partnerships between parents, clinicians, and school professionals. Brenna leveraged her national affiliations and leadership roles to drive positive change and create more inclusive school nursing organizations. In this area, she has led courageous conversations to address controversial topics in pursuit of organizational actions and policies that facilitate justice and equity in school nursing. Brenna holds a BSN and MSN from UMass Lowell (2011, 2021), and an MSN and PhD from UMass Boston (2013, 2015).

Heather Engholm, MPH, BSN, RN, CPN

Heather Engholm, MPH, BSN, RN, CPN has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Heather Engholm, MPH BSN RN CPN, is a nurse with MASSTART, a Title V program funded through the MA Dept. of Public Health that provides consultation services to families and schools on health care planning for children with special health care needs (including children supported by medical technology) to ensure their well-being and safety while attending school. 
In addition to her role as a MASSTART nurse, Heather works with the Community Education Initiative at Boston Children's Hospital to plan professional development for school staff and community providers on clinical, wellness, and mental health topics. Over the past 8 years, Heather has given numerous presentations regionally on “Health Care and Emergency Planning for Students With Special Health Care Needs” and “Supporting Students with Medical Technologies in the School Setting”. 
In 2019, Heather co-authored a chapter on “Children Assisted by Medical Technology in Educational Settings” in the National Association for School Nurses most recent edition of their textbook: School Nursing A Comprehensive Text.
In 2022, Heather began working as a nurse faculty member for the LEND (Leadership Education for Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she was previously a fellow from 2017-2018. 
Heather’s previous nursing experience includes working in school nursing, a pediatric homecare, and in a NICU/Special Care Nursery. Heather received her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing from the University of Connecticut in 2012 and her Master's in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2018.

Luz Eneida Garcia

Luz Eneida Garcia has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Luz Eneida Garcia, Puerto Rican, single mother of 3 adult men, moved from Puerto Rico to Northampton, MA 30 years ago to access better healthcare services for her son Freddy who has moderate to severe cerebral palsy. Motivated by the desire to offer Freddy a better quality of life, Eneida went back to college to learn English to be able to advocate for Freddy’s rights in the school system, the health care services, and the community where he belonged. After advocating for Freddy’s rights for many years, Eneida realized that her heart was in human services and not in business administration.  At the present, Eneida is a care coordinator for the Department of Public Health. She informs, coordinates services, makes referrals to appropriate programs, supports, and advocates for families with children and youths with special needs.

George Gorton, PhD

George Gorton, PhD has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

George Gorton is the Northeast Market Director for Strategy and Business Development at Shriners Children’s, where he has dedicated over three decades to enhancing healthcare services for children with special health needs. In his current role, George oversees comprehensive business development efforts across the health system’s northeast market, utilizing sophisticated data systems to evaluate and implement initiatives aimed at expanding access to care and improving treatment outcomes.

Since joining Shriners Children’s in 1991, George has progressed through various key positions, including Director of the Motion Lab and Business Development Director. His extensive experience in clinical gait analysis has positioned him as a leader in the field, contributing significantly to advancements in patient care and research.

George holds a Ph.D. in public health and epidemiology and possesses a strong foundation in biomedical engineering. He directed the Movement Analysis Center at Shriners Children’s New England for 25 years, where he played a pivotal role in analyzing and improving the movement patterns of children with conditions such as cerebral palsy. As a co-investigator in numerous studies over the last 15 years, he has focused on treatment outcomes for pediatric patients, authoring or co-authoring over 35 peer-reviewed publications.

In addition to his research endeavors, George is skilled in patient-reported outcome measures, including the PROMIS measures, and has specialized training in clinical research administration, data management, and statistics. His expertise not only enhances the strategic planning process within Shriners Children’s but also aligns with his commitment to addressing the social determinants of health that impact children with special health needs.

Lael M. Luedtke, MD

Lael M. Luedtke, M.D., serves as the medical director of Shriners Children’s New England. She is an accomplished pediatric orthopedic surgeon with 23 years of experience. Prior to joining Shriners Children’s New England in 2022, she served as medical director of Shriners Children’s Twin Cities.

Dr. Luedtke earned her medical degree and completed her residency in orthopedic surgery from the University of Minnesota. She completed a fellowship in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Luedtke is a member of the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America, the Scoliosis Research Society, and the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. Areas of special interest to Dr. Luedtke include early onset scoliosis, surgery for cerebral palsy, hip replacement surgery, and limb deficiencies.

CNE Nurse Planner

Erin Sivak, MSN, BSN, RN

SHIELD Assistant Director

SHIELD Program Manager: Lesly Zapata, MPH