Illinois IAFN Chapter Leadership
President
Anna Candoleza, BSN, RN, SANE-A
Anna Candoleza Muglia has been a Registered Nurse for the last 22 years. She started her career in the Emergency Department at Rush University Medical Center back in 2001. As a Rush ED nurse, she had worn many hats but becoming a SANE is by far her most valued specialty. About 4 years ago Anna had been involved in conceptualizing and developing the ED SANE Program. In 2018, with the support of her leadership team, Anna assumed the role of the SANE Program Coordinator at Rush University Medical Center. She developed policies to build and support the program and had helped develop her team by mentoring, encouraging, supporting other ED nurses who wanted to become a SANE. She sought and maintained a collaborative relationship with EM Physicians, Child Protective Services Physicians, ED staff, social workers, Risk Management, and Legal Team who helped support not just the program and but the rest of the team. On July 1st, 2019, the SANE Program at Rush started a 24/7 SANE coverage. Anna had joined the IAFN Illinois Chapter Board of Directors with one specific goal in mind, that is to support all nurses who want to start their career in the field of forensic nurses.
Anna Candoleza, BSN, RN, SANE-A
Anna Candoleza Muglia has been a Registered Nurse for the last 22 years. She started her career in the Emergency Department at Rush University Medical Center back in 2001. As a Rush ED nurse, she had worn many hats but becoming a SANE is by far her most valued specialty. About 4 years ago Anna had been involved in conceptualizing and developing the ED SANE Program. In 2018, with the support of her leadership team, Anna assumed the role of the SANE Program Coordinator at Rush University Medical Center. She developed policies to build and support the program and had helped develop her team by mentoring, encouraging, supporting other ED nurses who wanted to become a SANE. She sought and maintained a collaborative relationship with EM Physicians, Child Protective Services Physicians, ED staff, social workers, Risk Management, and Legal Team who helped support not just the program and but the rest of the team. On July 1st, 2019, the SANE Program at Rush started a 24/7 SANE coverage. Anna had joined the IAFN Illinois Chapter Board of Directors with one specific goal in mind, that is to support all nurses who want to start their career in the field of forensic nurses.
Immediate Past President
Jen Kwapniewski, BSN, RN, TNS
AA-SANE / PA-SANE
After graduating from Northern Illinois University in 2002, Jen began her career as an Emergency Department (ED) nurse. Her nursing career has provided her with many, great travel and work opportunities located in Illinois, Florida, Washington, and Hawaii. Currently, she is employed by Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital ED in Barrington, IL. Her positive attitude and team-based approach to patient care has helped her be successful throughout her nursing career. In 2018, she completed the IL Adult SANE training program and in 2020 she completed the IL Pediatric SANE training program. Subsequently, she provides medical forensic care services to both adult and pediatric patients at Advocate Condell Hospital in Libertyville, IL.
As the President of the IAFN Illinois Chapter, Jen looks forward to working alongside her SANE peers and her fellow IL Chapter Board of Directors in helping the IL Chapter grow. She hopes to inspire other IL Chapter members to study alongside her and take the National IAFN certification exam this year. Jen strives to be a compassionate, detailed and educated nurse to take care of all SA patients AND THIS STARTS BY BELIEVING.
Jen Kwapniewski, BSN, RN, TNS
AA-SANE / PA-SANE
After graduating from Northern Illinois University in 2002, Jen began her career as an Emergency Department (ED) nurse. Her nursing career has provided her with many, great travel and work opportunities located in Illinois, Florida, Washington, and Hawaii. Currently, she is employed by Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital ED in Barrington, IL. Her positive attitude and team-based approach to patient care has helped her be successful throughout her nursing career. In 2018, she completed the IL Adult SANE training program and in 2020 she completed the IL Pediatric SANE training program. Subsequently, she provides medical forensic care services to both adult and pediatric patients at Advocate Condell Hospital in Libertyville, IL.
As the President of the IAFN Illinois Chapter, Jen looks forward to working alongside her SANE peers and her fellow IL Chapter Board of Directors in helping the IL Chapter grow. She hopes to inspire other IL Chapter members to study alongside her and take the National IAFN certification exam this year. Jen strives to be a compassionate, detailed and educated nurse to take care of all SA patients AND THIS STARTS BY BELIEVING.
President Elect
Kerry O'Connor MSN, RN, TNS, SANE-A
*Pending Bio*
Kerry O'Connor MSN, RN, TNS, SANE-A
*Pending Bio*
Secretary
Kaylie Gilbert, ADN, RN, SANE-A
Kaylie Gilbert is the Rural SANE Leader for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. Kaylie became a Registered Nurse in 2016 when she began her nursing career working for a Level 2 Trauma Center and attended Adolescent/Adult SANE training in 2018. She is now nationally certified as a SANE-A and is working on her Pediatric/Adolescent SANE clinical log. Since she began her role as the Rural SANE Leader in 2019, she has provided education to healthcare providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates and others throughout the West Central area of Illinois.
In her area, Kaylie has implemented a sexual assault response team (SART) with local professionals, joined local multidisciplinary teams with herlocal Children's Advocacy Network and her area's Family Violence Coordinating Council. Statewide, she has participated in the Rural Sexual Assault Task Force Subcommittee of the SASETA Implementation Task Force, and the Central Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force (CIHTTF) and its Steering Committee. Currently, Kaylie also co-chairs the CIHTTF Healthcare Subcommittee. She is a member of the Academy of Forensic Nursing (AFN) and the International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN), as well as the Illinois Chapter of the IAFN secretary for 2021 and 2022.
Kaylie Gilbert, ADN, RN, SANE-A
Kaylie Gilbert is the Rural SANE Leader for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. Kaylie became a Registered Nurse in 2016 when she began her nursing career working for a Level 2 Trauma Center and attended Adolescent/Adult SANE training in 2018. She is now nationally certified as a SANE-A and is working on her Pediatric/Adolescent SANE clinical log. Since she began her role as the Rural SANE Leader in 2019, she has provided education to healthcare providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates and others throughout the West Central area of Illinois.
In her area, Kaylie has implemented a sexual assault response team (SART) with local professionals, joined local multidisciplinary teams with herlocal Children's Advocacy Network and her area's Family Violence Coordinating Council. Statewide, she has participated in the Rural Sexual Assault Task Force Subcommittee of the SASETA Implementation Task Force, and the Central Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force (CIHTTF) and its Steering Committee. Currently, Kaylie also co-chairs the CIHTTF Healthcare Subcommittee. She is a member of the Academy of Forensic Nursing (AFN) and the International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN), as well as the Illinois Chapter of the IAFN secretary for 2021 and 2022.
Treasurer
Terri-Sue Jackson, BSN, RN, SANE-A, TNS, CEN, CCEMT-P
My career in medicine started long before I became a nurse in 2014. I have over 25 years in EMS, working as a firefighter/paramedic to a flight paramedic for helicopter and fixed wing programs, and then an Organ Recovery Coordinator for Gift of Hope before nursing school. I am currently employed by both Amita and Northwestern Medicine Health Systems. On any given day, I can be found working the floor, acting as the Charge Nurse, or responding to a hospital to care for a victim of Sexual Assault. As we NEVER know what is coming through the Emergency Department doors, I consider each day a new challenge to overcome while providing the best care to patients, supporting my coworkers, and keeping the department moving. I attended AA SANE training in 2016 to support another nurse thinking that it would be helpful for me to be able to provide better care for someone at a horrible time in their life, but what I found was my niche in nursing that has become my PASSION. I continue to receive training by attending webinars, national conferences, and local educational offerings like our Forensic Fridays. These opportunities for education have expanded my knowledge to not only include Sexual Assault, but other aspects of Forensic nursing such as: Strangulation, Human Trafficking, IPV, Elder and Child Abuse. I am a member of IAFN, The Academy of Forensic Nurses, The Emergency Nurses Association, and The American Nurses Association. I actively participate in the Illinois Chapter of IAFN, IL ENA SANE Special Interest Group, Amita SANE Group, and NM West Region SANE Group. Today, I am working towards obtaining my SANE-A Certification and am training to become a Pediatric/Adolescent SANE.
As the Treasurer, I look forward to working with my SANE peers and Board Members to expand the IL Chapter. I hope to inspire others to take a more active role in our Chapter, to mentor those who need help along the path they have chosen, and to have everyone know “YOU ARE NOT ALONE” when you have that difficult case and you just need to talk to someone. I will be that person for you to lean on as other members of our Chapter have been for me.
Terri-Sue Jackson, BSN, RN, SANE-A, TNS, CEN, CCEMT-P
My career in medicine started long before I became a nurse in 2014. I have over 25 years in EMS, working as a firefighter/paramedic to a flight paramedic for helicopter and fixed wing programs, and then an Organ Recovery Coordinator for Gift of Hope before nursing school. I am currently employed by both Amita and Northwestern Medicine Health Systems. On any given day, I can be found working the floor, acting as the Charge Nurse, or responding to a hospital to care for a victim of Sexual Assault. As we NEVER know what is coming through the Emergency Department doors, I consider each day a new challenge to overcome while providing the best care to patients, supporting my coworkers, and keeping the department moving. I attended AA SANE training in 2016 to support another nurse thinking that it would be helpful for me to be able to provide better care for someone at a horrible time in their life, but what I found was my niche in nursing that has become my PASSION. I continue to receive training by attending webinars, national conferences, and local educational offerings like our Forensic Fridays. These opportunities for education have expanded my knowledge to not only include Sexual Assault, but other aspects of Forensic nursing such as: Strangulation, Human Trafficking, IPV, Elder and Child Abuse. I am a member of IAFN, The Academy of Forensic Nurses, The Emergency Nurses Association, and The American Nurses Association. I actively participate in the Illinois Chapter of IAFN, IL ENA SANE Special Interest Group, Amita SANE Group, and NM West Region SANE Group. Today, I am working towards obtaining my SANE-A Certification and am training to become a Pediatric/Adolescent SANE.
As the Treasurer, I look forward to working with my SANE peers and Board Members to expand the IL Chapter. I hope to inspire others to take a more active role in our Chapter, to mentor those who need help along the path they have chosen, and to have everyone know “YOU ARE NOT ALONE” when you have that difficult case and you just need to talk to someone. I will be that person for you to lean on as other members of our Chapter have been for me.
Director-At-Large
Amy Signore DNP, MSN, BS, RN, SANE-A
PA-SANE
Amy Signore began her career in healthcare after graduating from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale with a BS in healthcare management in 1995. After taking time off to raise her children, Amy decided her calling was to turn to bedside patient care and returned to school to become a nurse. She graduated with her ADN in 2016 from Southwestern Illinois College and began working at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s in the emergency department. There, she saw sexual assault patients arrive with no one qualified to care for them. In 2017, Amy began training to be an AA SANE. She then began slowly building St. Elizabeth’s SANE program. She has since achieved national certification as a SANE-A and also became a PA SANE. Finding her passion in caring for this vulnerable population, she continued her education at McKendree University with her BSN and her MSN’s project focusing on how education can help increase the number of SANEs in Illinois. After discovering some mishandling of adolescent disclosures by local educators, Amy focused her DNP project on improving educator’s recognition of signs of sexual assault, their responses to student disclosures, and their reporting of sexual assaults to authorities.
Amy continues to build the SANE program at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s and works hard to recruit and train more SANEs to serve this population. Amy remains a critical care nurse in the ED and is also a clinical instructor for Southwestern Illinois College. As the daughter and granddaughter of educators, Amy believes education is a powerful tool in improving community responses and increasing SANE numbers for more positive outcomes for sexual assault survivors.
Amy Signore DNP, MSN, BS, RN, SANE-A
PA-SANE
Amy Signore began her career in healthcare after graduating from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale with a BS in healthcare management in 1995. After taking time off to raise her children, Amy decided her calling was to turn to bedside patient care and returned to school to become a nurse. She graduated with her ADN in 2016 from Southwestern Illinois College and began working at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s in the emergency department. There, she saw sexual assault patients arrive with no one qualified to care for them. In 2017, Amy began training to be an AA SANE. She then began slowly building St. Elizabeth’s SANE program. She has since achieved national certification as a SANE-A and also became a PA SANE. Finding her passion in caring for this vulnerable population, she continued her education at McKendree University with her BSN and her MSN’s project focusing on how education can help increase the number of SANEs in Illinois. After discovering some mishandling of adolescent disclosures by local educators, Amy focused her DNP project on improving educator’s recognition of signs of sexual assault, their responses to student disclosures, and their reporting of sexual assaults to authorities.
Amy continues to build the SANE program at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s and works hard to recruit and train more SANEs to serve this population. Amy remains a critical care nurse in the ED and is also a clinical instructor for Southwestern Illinois College. As the daughter and granddaughter of educators, Amy believes education is a powerful tool in improving community responses and increasing SANE numbers for more positive outcomes for sexual assault survivors.
Director-At-Large
Katie Gossett, BSN, RN, SANE-A
PA-SANE
My name is Katie Gossett. I have been an RN since 2013, achieving my BSN in 2019. I worked in my local ED and thought my heart was full. I was approached to take the AA SANE training and I agreed, not completely sure what all it entailed. I completed my AA SANE work in February 2019 and found it to be my new passion. I passed the national exam in October 2019 and became a SANE-A. I took the PA SANE training in September 2018 and completed that in November 2019, and my heart became even fuller. I quickly realized this was where I was meant to be. Taking care of these survivors, and providing them the best care possible changed me. In May of 2019 I became the SANE Coordinator for our 3 local hospitals down in Southern Illinois (about 4.5 hours south of Chicago). When I'm not working, I spend time with my husband and our 4 children! We have 2 together, Lucas is 8 and Lexi is 5. My bonus kids are Cameron who is 12 and Lucy who is 11. We stay pretty busy, especially with remote learning now as well. I am back in school to become an FNP. My goal is to obtain a subspecialty in forensics and possibly child abuse, then help improve our program and options here in our area. Taking care of people is my passion. I can't imagine doing anything else.
Katie Gossett, BSN, RN, SANE-A
PA-SANE
My name is Katie Gossett. I have been an RN since 2013, achieving my BSN in 2019. I worked in my local ED and thought my heart was full. I was approached to take the AA SANE training and I agreed, not completely sure what all it entailed. I completed my AA SANE work in February 2019 and found it to be my new passion. I passed the national exam in October 2019 and became a SANE-A. I took the PA SANE training in September 2018 and completed that in November 2019, and my heart became even fuller. I quickly realized this was where I was meant to be. Taking care of these survivors, and providing them the best care possible changed me. In May of 2019 I became the SANE Coordinator for our 3 local hospitals down in Southern Illinois (about 4.5 hours south of Chicago). When I'm not working, I spend time with my husband and our 4 children! We have 2 together, Lucas is 8 and Lexi is 5. My bonus kids are Cameron who is 12 and Lucy who is 11. We stay pretty busy, especially with remote learning now as well. I am back in school to become an FNP. My goal is to obtain a subspecialty in forensics and possibly child abuse, then help improve our program and options here in our area. Taking care of people is my passion. I can't imagine doing anything else.
Director-at-Large
Shannon Krueger, CPNP, SANE-P
I currently serve as director and medical provider of the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine MERIT (Medical Evaluation Response Initiative Team) program in Rockford, IL. The program serves 13 northwest Illinois counties providing expert forensic medical evaluations, advocacy, education and training, and expert testimony for children suspected to be physically or sexually abused and/or neglected. Prior to joining MERIT, I was an ER nurse, and after obtaining my MSN, became a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and worked at a community based health center. Realizing the need for expert pediatric medical providers lead me to join the areas only child abuse pediatrician at MERIT to expand services. I understand that each day is a new day to work harder to ensure that all child victims and survivors are given the best, evidence-based medical care with a trauma-informed lens minimizing the effects of trauma and creating a healthier future for children, families and communities. I want to give back to the IL forensic community by serving as a resource and mentor to new and practicing forensic nurses. I hope to work together with the IL Chapter Board to share my experiences and encourage growth in forensic nurse education, professionalism and support throughout Illinois.
Shannon Krueger, CPNP, SANE-P
I currently serve as director and medical provider of the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine MERIT (Medical Evaluation Response Initiative Team) program in Rockford, IL. The program serves 13 northwest Illinois counties providing expert forensic medical evaluations, advocacy, education and training, and expert testimony for children suspected to be physically or sexually abused and/or neglected. Prior to joining MERIT, I was an ER nurse, and after obtaining my MSN, became a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and worked at a community based health center. Realizing the need for expert pediatric medical providers lead me to join the areas only child abuse pediatrician at MERIT to expand services. I understand that each day is a new day to work harder to ensure that all child victims and survivors are given the best, evidence-based medical care with a trauma-informed lens minimizing the effects of trauma and creating a healthier future for children, families and communities. I want to give back to the IL forensic community by serving as a resource and mentor to new and practicing forensic nurses. I hope to work together with the IL Chapter Board to share my experiences and encourage growth in forensic nurse education, professionalism and support throughout Illinois.
Director-at-Large
Serena Valino, MSN, RN, CEN, TNS, SANE-A
Serena Valino has 15+ years of nursing experience specializing in emergency, trauma, and forensic nursing care at a level 1 trauma center. As a graduate of the MSN: Nurse Executive Leadership program at Benedictine University, Serena believes that strong leadership is the driving force behind advancing the forensic field and improving our community's response to sexual violence. Her strengths in communication, education, and collaboration within various team settings will help facilitate the growth of the IL Chapter of the IAFN. Serena's passion is developing, planning, implementing, and evaluating systems to help further advance patient care and interdisciplinary collaboration. Additionally, she has experience working with several different committees at the local, regional, and state levels. Serena looks forward to working with the other board members of the IAFN as we move forward with the current legislative changes and advocate for victims of sexual violence
Serena Valino, MSN, RN, CEN, TNS, SANE-A
Serena Valino has 15+ years of nursing experience specializing in emergency, trauma, and forensic nursing care at a level 1 trauma center. As a graduate of the MSN: Nurse Executive Leadership program at Benedictine University, Serena believes that strong leadership is the driving force behind advancing the forensic field and improving our community's response to sexual violence. Her strengths in communication, education, and collaboration within various team settings will help facilitate the growth of the IL Chapter of the IAFN. Serena's passion is developing, planning, implementing, and evaluating systems to help further advance patient care and interdisciplinary collaboration. Additionally, she has experience working with several different committees at the local, regional, and state levels. Serena looks forward to working with the other board members of the IAFN as we move forward with the current legislative changes and advocate for victims of sexual violence