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SAVE THE DATE:
NEC IN THE ROCKIES 2026
June 22 - 26, Beaver Run Resort
CHARTING OUR TRUE NORTH:
Navigating the Future of
Nursing Education
NEC Planning Committee
Lola Fehr
Nurse Planner
MS, RN, CAE, PRP, FAAN
Lola Fehr is a registered nurse who has worked in health care settings for more than fifty years. She is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach who is experienced in non-profit management. She has been responsible for financial and program outcomes, including leadership development for board members and executive staff. She currently serves as an organizational consultant and professional parliamentarian for several organizations. She also has years of experience in planning continuing education
events for nurses.
Darcy Copeland
Chair
PhD, RN
Dr. Copeland has clinical experience in all aspects of psychiatric/mental health nursing (acute inpatient, outpatient, ECT, adolescent, eating disorders, chemical dependency). Her master’s degree is in forensic nursing and she has worked clinically in a maximum security prison for men and in outpatient forensic psychiatry working with individuals who are dually diagnosed as they transition from jail/prison back into the community. In addition to teaching at the University of Northern Colorado, Dr. Copeand works as a hospital based nurse scientist. Her research interests include workplace violence, the psychosocial work environment, burnout, compassion fatigue, and moral distress.
Lori Cheney
MSN, RN, CNE
Lori Cheney has 31 years of nursing experience with an emphasis in orthopedics and peri-operative nursing. She has been an Associate Professor of Nursing and has been at San Juan College for 9 years. She recently accepted the Clinical Coordinator position. Lori became a member of the NEC Committee after attending an NEC conference.
Kathie Kuskie
PhD, CNM, RN, CHSE
Kathy Kuskie is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Linfield University in Portland, Oregon where she teaches introduction to nursing courses and in simulation. She first entered nursing education in 2015 as an adjunct clinical faculty and fell in love with the role, moving to a full-time faculty position in 2018. Her clinical background is in community health. In addition to teaching full-time, she continues to practice part-time as a certified nurse midwife by caring for gynecology patients at a clinic in rural, northwest Oregon. Her scholarly interests center around the mentoring and support of new nurse educators.
Oscar "Danny" Lee
PhD, APRN-BC, CNS, CNE
Talea Logan
RN, MSN
Talea Logan MSN RN WCC CWS, Clinical Scholar/Nurse Educator for Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center, and adjunct professor for CSU Pueblo. I started my career in the OR working as a CST while getting my nursing degree. I have been a nurse for 17 years working in the OR, LTACH, ICU, Med/Surg, Wound Care and Hyperbaric medicine. I am a Certified Wound Specialist with the American Board of Wound Management and Wound Care Certified through the Wound Care Education Institute. I spent 8 years working in wound care when I decided to make a change. Three years ago, tired of city life, I moved from near Kansas City, MO to rural Colorado. I completed my MSN in nursing education at Colorado State University Pueblo in May 2024. I then accepted a Clinical Educator position at my critical access hospital, a new role for our little hospital. I have rediscovered my passion in rural healthcare and education! I hope to make a positive impact on my community. I spent the last semester as an adjunct professor for a Global Health course and have enjoyed seeing my students learn about rural health! I was honored to be a recipient of the Nightingale Luminary Award in March 2024. I am a member of the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing. When I'm not working, learning, or educating, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my Belgian Malinois, Waffles or snuggling with my cat, Ninja.
Pamela Stetina
PhD, RN, CNE
Dr. Pam Stetina has been a nurse educator for more than 30 years. She has been at Northern Arizona University for more than 15 years, teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She loves teaching Introduction to Nursing as a Discipline and a Profession, Research, Theory, and Quality Improvement (to name a few!). She expects to complete a Learning Design and Technologies Certificate in Summer 2025. Her clinical background is in adult health, primarily oncology, HIV/AIDS, and musculoskeletal injuries. She has been attending the Nurse Educators Conference in the Rockies since 1996!
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Jean Yockey
PhD, MSN, FNP, RN, CNE
Dr. Yockey is an Assistant Professor with the University of South Dakota. She has over 30 years of experience as a nurse educator in Licensed Practical, Associate, Baccalaureate, RN-BSN, PhD and DNP programs. Her clinical practice includes acute and community mental health, medical/surgical, and international health care settings. Academic leadership positions have included site director and state course coordinator. Her research interests focus on student success strategies.
Erika Greenberg
CAHEC Staff
MSN, RN
Erika has been a registered nurse since 1998 with a clinical background in cardiac and trauma ICU. Her career transitioned to nursing education in 2003 teaching in an ADN program. During her time with the ADN program she taught various courses and simulation. She also served as the assistant director and interim director of the nursing program for many years. She now works as the Regional Health Connector and Nurse Educator for CAHEC.
Melissa Jensen
CAHEC Executive Director
Melissa Jensen is a native of Northern Colorado who has dedicated her career to nonprofit marketing and management. She earned her Business/Marketing degree at the University of Northern Colorado and started her nonprofit career as the marketing coordinator for President Reagan's National Commission Against Drunk Driving. Her marketing management career continued with the Union Colony Civic Center where she directed and hosted "Backstage at the Civic Center" on GTV8. She landed her first executive director position at the High Plains Library District Foundation where she implemented several new fundraising initiatives and secured a federal grant to install library substations in the rural towns of Weld County where library services were limited. She went on to serve as Executive Director of the Community Grief Center where she quadrupled the organization's assets in just 2 1/2 years before taking a hiatus from her career to take care of her husband who battled ALS for four years. She landed at Centennial Area Health Education Center in the midst of COVID and has helped grow programs and build new initiatives with the amazing CAHEC team in response to partner and community needs.
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