2024 ISAPN Pharmacology Update - Springfield

Ms. Deck graduated with a nursing diploma, then a BSN, a master’s degree from Ball State University as a Family Nurse Practitioner, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Valparaiso University. She began a hospital outpatient diabetes program in 1986 and became a certified diabetes educator in 1989. Ms. Deck has been a member of the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists and earned board certification in Advanced Diabetes Management. She is a member of Kappa Sigma Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. She is currently practicing internal medicine in Bourbonnais, Illinois.

Karen Cotler is a Clinical Assistant Professor and FNP Specialty Program Director at the University of Illinois Chicago. She is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Her clinical expertise is focused on caring for people with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and caring and improving health outcomes of the LGBTQ+ community. Cotler recently was awarded a $1.8 million-dollar HRSA ( Health Resources and Services Administration). The aim of this grant is to train post-doc primary care APNs in caring for people with OUDs. This is a 5-year grant, and each year we will be training 2-3 Fellows. We are an interdisciplinary working group that includes the College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Department of Behavioral Heath, The Mile Square Federally Qualified Health Centers, Community Outreach Intervention Program Clinics and The Night Ministry. Our overarching goal is to provide harm reduction measures to clients across the greater Chicago area. Cotler is passionate about educating the next generation of Nurse Practitioners and want them to achieve the highest quality of didactic and clinical education.

Mary Franks MSN, APRN-FPA, FNP-C, is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Central IL. She is currently employed full-time with NetCe, a Colibri Healthcare Brand, as a lead nurse planner, content editor, and content developer. Mary is a nurse practitioner in urgent care and a skilled nursing facility provider with Graham Health Systems on a part-time basis. She is an affiliate faculty member for Bradley University in the MSN FNP program and participates as a preceptor for FNP students when able. As a provider, Mary enjoys caring for minor illnesses and injuries, prevention of disease processes, and health and wellness journeys. She is a member of the Illinois Society of Nurse Practitioners (ISAPN), participating in conferences as a guest speaker, as well as participating as a member of the bylaws committee and membership committee. She is a member of the National Association of Family Nurse Practitioners (NAFNP) on the education committee. Mary received her MSN in nursing education from Chamberlain University in 2017 and her MSN-FNP degree in 2019. She continuously advocates for educational opportunities and development for nurses and nurse practitioners. In her spare time, she stays busy with her husband and two children, serving the community as an assistant coach for her son’s community baseball team and basketball team, along with being a football mom in the Farmington Junior Football League. She enjoys running and weight training, and also participates in a local book club.

Lisa graduated with her BSN from Bradley University in 2009. She started her nursing career in Ortho/ General surgery at Advocate Bromenn and continued her nursing career in surgical/trauma and then GI procedural nursing at OSF SFMC. She completed her MSN from Olivet Nazarene University in 2020. After completing a fellowship for primary care focusing on rural and underserved populations, she transitioned to OSFMG Glen Park IM. Lisa was born and raised in the Peoria area. She has been married for 10 years to her husband Tom and together have two children, Addison (9) and Kellan (6).

Stephanie has worked in the neuro/headache center for 2.5 years after graduating with her DNP from UIC in 2021. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner she practiced as an RN for 10 years in several inpatient and outpatient settings. In addition to her full-time position she instructs clinicals on weekends for the local community college. When she is not at work she enjoys running and exercising, baking, reading and spending time with her family (husband Matt and two daughters, Maisy and Genevieve).

Kendall Vogeler received her BS in Biology and minor in Communication at Clarke College and her MS in Biotechnology and Chemical Science at Roosevelt University. She received her MD at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford. Kendall is now a rural family medicine physician working full scope outpatient, inpatient and pre/post-natal care in Rochelle, IL.