WACHSA Board of Directors | Leadership and Governance
President
Karina Purcell, MS, BSN, RN, CCHP-RN
President on leave of absence; Acting President serving during this period
Acting President
Barbara Barney-Knox, MBA, MA, BSN, RN (2026 - present)
President Elect
(vacant)
Past President
Barbara Barney-Knox, MBA, MA, BSN, RN (2026 - present)
Secretary
Niki Kelley, BSN, RN (2019- present)
Treasurer
Janita M. Becerra, BSN, RN (2025 - present)
Members at Large
Paulette Finander, MD CCHP-P (2013 - present)
Martha Tadesse, MSN, MPH, RN (2016 - present)
Heike Olafsen, DDS (2019 - present)
Samuel F. Mahoi, RN (2023 - present)
Affie Tamuno-Koko, MSQA (2023- present)
Roselle Branch, MD (2023 - present)
Tianna Hammock, RN, HSA (2024 - present)
Marc Edmundson, PharmD, MBA, MPH (2024 - present)
Vaishnavi Bahksar, DDS (2026 - present)
Ex Officio
Alexander Chyorny, MD, CCHP-P (2015 - present)
Paul Adler, DO
Coordinator
Marsha Grant, RN (2009 - present) |
The Power of Shared Knowledge True leadership lies in shaping the future of our field. By joining the WACHSA Board, you directly influence the educational frameworks and evidence-based training that guide thousands of correctional healthcare professionals. Your insights will help cultivate our annual conferences and workshops, ensuring our community remains equipped to lead through rapid industry shifts and complex clinical challenges.
A Network of Expertise Progress requires strategic collaboration, and our board is the steering committee for that change. Serving as a board member positions you at the center of a trusted network of clinicians, leaders, and innovators across the West. In this role, you will help forge vital partnerships, bridge the gap between custody and care, and build a more robust, connected professional community.
Join us to amplify your leadership, develop our organization, and shape the future of correctional healthcare conferences.
Build relationships, foster and develop the staff you have, plan for the future and be patient, because change is difficult.Wayne T. Salisbury Jr., Former Director of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections