Kasey Hayley, CRNA, DNP
Reorienting Ourselves: Prevention of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction
Back to the Basics: Neuromonitoring for spine surgery
Kasey Hayley is a full-time clinician at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Hayley obtained her Masters of Nurse Anesthesia Degree from Our Lady of the Lake College and her Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice from Virginia Commonwealth University. While her practice setting and patient population is diverse, particular clinical interests include promoting patient safety, the long-term effects of anesthesia, management of the chronic pain patient, and perioperative pulmonary protective strategies.
Gina Goings, MA
Legislative Update
Gina E. Goings established The Goings Group in 1999 to assist clients in the governmental and political arena. Based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Goings Group provides effective and thorough representation before the legislative and executive branches of Louisiana state government including all regulatory agencies, as well as before local and municipal governments.
Ms. Goings and The Goings Group have successfully managed strategic initiatives and advocacy for clients on diverse and complex issues. The areas of practice are the result of decisions to serve clients in targeted policy areas and deliver winning solutions. The Goings Group provides expertise in such areas as alcohol regulation, education, elections solutions, gaming, healthcare, insurance, non-profit funding, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, real estate development, taxation, tax credit programs, telecommunications, tourism funding and promotion, and zoning.
Prior to founding The Goings Group, Ms. Goings served as Deputy Director of Governmental Affairs for the Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA). During her tenure with the LRA, her duties included lobbying Louisiana’s legislative and executive branches of government, the Baton Rouge Metro Council, and Louisiana’s Congressional delegation. In addition, Ms. Goings was responsible for the design and the creation of the LRA’s overall legislative and regulatory strategy and initiatives. She also coordinated fundraising activities of the association’s political action committee.
Before joining the LRA, Ms. Goings served as Legislative Assistant to former State Representative and Speaker Pro Tempore Emile “Peppi” Bruneau of New Orleans.Ms. Goings has been an active member of the Association of Louisiana Lobbyists and served on the Association’s Board of Directors for five years.
Ms. Goings received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Louisiana State University and a Masters of Arts in Communication with an emphasis in political communication from the University of New Orleans.
Jim Kropog, CFP
Eight Mistakes CRNAs Should Avoid in Order to Build a Sustainable Retirement Income
President and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Kropog Financial Group, LLC.
Jim is a 1975 graduate of Archbishop Rummel High School, where he was a member of Rummel's first state championship baseball team. He attended the University of New Orleans on a baseball scholarship and graduated from UNO with a degree in Business Administration. He began his career as an insurance and financial advisor in 1979, which was the start of what is known today as Kropog Financial Group, LLC.
As an independent LPL Financial advisor, Jim creates unbiased, customized investment and financial planning strategies that strive to help build, manage and transfer his client's wealth. Jim has earned the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation, one of the premier designations in the financial services industry. Additionally, he holds the FINRA Series 7, 65 and 24 registrations through LPL Financial.
Jim is a member of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation. He is also a current board member of the West St. Tammany Business Alliance as well as a past board member of the Rummel High School Alumni Association. He is also an inductee into the Rummel Sports Hall of Fame. Jim has been married to his wife, Suzanne, since 1979. They have two children, Kelly and Ryan. In his spare time, Jim enjoys fishing, exercising, biking and traveling with friends and family.
Don Meyn, MD
Stabilization and Management of the Neonate
Donald F. Meyn Jr., M.D. FAAP, is a 2003 graduate of the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Meyn completed both his pediatric residency and neonatology fellowship at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Dr. Meyn is board certified in pediatrics and sub-board certified in neonatal-perinatal medicine.
Anna Polyak, JD, BSN
CRNA Scope of Practice: How CRNA Practice is Defined by State law, Federal law, and Facility bylaws;
State Legislative and Regulatory Issues Commonly Faced by CRNAS (Consensus Model: Supervision and Prescriptive Authority; Pain Management and Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAs));
Top 10 Events Impacting State Regulation of CRNA Practice
Anna Polyak is the Senior Director of State Government Affairs and Legal in the AANA’s State Government Affairs Division where she works closely with state associations of nurse anesthetists to remove barriers to CRNA practice to assure that CRNAs can practice to the full extent of their training and education. Ms. Polyak received her BSN and JD from Loyola University Chicago. Prior to joining the AANA in April 2011, she worked as the Corporate Compliance attorney for a national long-term care company and served as the associate chief counsel for the Illinois Department of Public Health. Prior to starting her legal career, Ms. Polyak practiced as an operating room nurse.
Mrs. Jennifer Wright, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
APRNs and the Louisiana State Board of Nursing
Jennifer Wright graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing in 1991. She graduated from Northwestern State University in Shreveport, Louisiana with her Master’s in Nursing in 1996 and completed the DNP program at Loyola University New Orleans in May of 2016.
Dr. Wright’s background as an FNP in direct patient care includes experience in primary and urgent care settings in Louisiana, California and New Mexico. Dr. Wright currently serves as the Director of Advanced Practice with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing where she provides services addressing credentialing and practice issues as well as consultation regarding education, practice, disciplinary actions, and investigations of complaints directly involving APRNs. Dr.Wright is actively involved with local and national organizations dedicated to initiatives for the Future of Nursing Campaign and organizations dedicated to regulatory excellence.
Terry Wicks, CRNA, MHS
CPC Program Overview
Terry Wicks is a 1981 graduate of the University of Iowa, College of Nursing and received his anesthesia education while on active duty in the U.S. Army. Mr. Wicks graduated from the US Army Nurse Corps Anesthesiology for Nurse Corps Officers Course in 1986, and in conjunction received a Master’s Degree in Health Science from Texas Wesleyan University.
Mr. Wicks has served on numerous AANA committees and task forces. Mr. Wicks was elected to the AANA Board of Directors in 2002, and served as AANA President in 2006-07. For the last four years he has served on the NBCRNA Continuing Professional Certification Committee and Chaired the NBCRNA CE/PAU Subcommittee. He is currently a member of the NBCRNA Program Evaluation Panel has recently been elected to the NBCRNA Board of Directors.
Mr. Wicks is employed as a staff nurse anesthetist at Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, N.C. and works primarily on the obstetric anesthesia service. His interests outside the workplace include running, golf, and coaching wrestling at East Burke High School. Mr. Wicks is a founding member and vocalist for the rock band Volatile Agents. Mr. Wicks is currently enrolled in the University of Iowa DNP completion program beginning in the fall of 2016.
Tracy Young, CRNA, MS, MBA
Ketamine, What's Old is New Again;
Patient Selection in the Ambulatory Surgery Setting and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Management in the Outpatient Setting
Tracy Young graduated with his Master in Science Nurse Anesthesia from Texas Wesleyan University in 2000 and immediately began providing anesthesia services to several hospital facilities in and around New Iberia, Louisiana.
In 2003, Mr. Young formed YPS Anesthesia Services, LLC and has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer for over 12 years. The group practice has grown to include over 25 facilities and 140+ providers in three states (Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi).
In 2008, Mr. Young also received a Master’s in Business Administration-Healthcare from George Washington University and continues to focus his efforts on the growth of YPS Anesthesia. His time is divided between clinical and administrative duties as he oversees the operations, finances, and growth of YPS Anesthesia and its subsidiaries.
Mr. Young is also on the Board of Directors for the Louisiana State Association of Nurse Anesthetist (LANA) and has served two years as the State Reimbursement Specialist for Louisiana and is now the President – Elect of LANA.
Larry Hornsby, CRNA, BSN
Anesthesia Mergers, Acquisitions and Take Overs; Why Now and How Does This Affect Me?
Evaluating Your Worth
Larry Hornsby has owned and managed numerous health-related companies, including an anesthesia billing company; anesthesia consulting services, specializing in management, billing and operating room efficiency; multiple anesthesia management companies providing anesthesia services to hospitals, surgery centers, and physician practices; an anesthesia recruitment/placement company; and an anesthesia continuing education seminar business. He is currently Senior VP of Operations and Vice Chief Anesthetist Officer for the Southeast Division of NorthStar Anesthesia.
Mr. Hornsby has served on numerous committees for the American and Alabama Associations of Nurse Anesthetists. He served the Alabama Association of Nurse Anesthetists (ALANA) as member of its Board of Directors from 1987- 94, serving as president from 1991-92 and also 1994-95, and on various committees including the government relations committee from 1986-1995. He was appointed by the Governor as a Representative to the State of Alabama Commission on Nursing and served from 1986-87. Mr. Hornsby served on the Alabama Board of Nursing Advisory Council to the Nursing Practice/Discipline Committee from 1996-97. He was elected as national President of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), serving from 2000-2001. Prior to being president, he was a member of the AANA board of directors from 1996–2000 and served on various committees including the Communication and Technology Committee, Finance Committee, and as Chairman of the Federal Services Ad Hoc Committee. He has served as Chairman of the AANA Commission on Anesthesia Economics and Reimbursement and as Chairman of the Anesthesia Payment Advisory Panel to the AANA Board of Directors. He is a past member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the national publication Anesthesia Coding Alert, and served on the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations Ambulatory Professional Technical Advisory Council from 2001-2006.
Mr. Hornsby is an emeritus member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for the UAB School of Health Professions and is a current inaugural member of the UAB School of Nursing’s National Advisory Council. He is author of a chapter titled "The Entrepreneurial Spirit" in Foster and Faut-Callahan’s A Professional Study and Resource Guide for the CRNA, published in 2001 by AANA Publishing Inc. He is also an internationally known speaker, lecturing on topics that include the business of anesthesia, principles of anesthesia billing, health care economics, health care management, and leadership and issues impacting clinical practice. He is a two-time graduate of the UAB School of Nursing and resides in Moody, Alabama.
Michael (Trey) Conners, MD
Abdominal Aneurysms
Michael Conners is certified by the American Board of Surgery in both general and vascular surgery. Dr. Conners is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and graduated from Louisiana State University School of Allied Health in 1990. Dr. Conners received a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1996 from LSU, New Orleans. Dr. Conners completed a residency in general surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville in 2001. He served a two-year fellowship in vascular surgery at the Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation.
Dr. Conners has a special interest in minimally invasive and catheter-based treatments for peripheral vascular disease. His areas of interest include carotid artery stenting and endovascular stent grafts for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Dr. Conners also has a very active practice in endovascular laser treatment of varicose veins.
David Kalil, CRNA, DNAP
Cardiovascular Considerations in Obstetric Anesthesia
David Kalil is currently an Instructor at the Louisiana State University Health Science Center: School of Nurse Anesthesia. In 1979, he graduated from LSUHSC nursing school and then earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in 1995. Dr. Kalil earned a Master’s Degree in nurse anesthesia from Charity/Xavier University’s Nurse Anesthesia School in 1997 and completed his Doctorate in Nurse Anesthesia at Texas Wesleyan University in 2013.
Dr. Kalil has been in nursing for 37 years and nurse anesthesia for the past 19 years. He is currently on staff as a certified nurse anesthetist at the University Medical Center and Touro Infirmary Hospital. Dr. Kalil has extensive training in obstetrics, including the management of the obstetric patient and insertion of regional anesthesia (epidural, spinal, and combined techniques). In addition, he also has an extensive background in neuro-anesthesia, having worked as a first assistant for a neurosurgical group for 13 years prior to receiving his anesthesia degree. Dr. Kalil has been involved in interpersonal simulation for the past 3 years, involving medicine, nurse anesthesia, and other allied health students.
Dr. Kalil is a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and a board member of the Louisiana State Association of Nurse Anesthetists.