LEAP

Program Description

The Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) is pleased to offer the   
Leadership and Education for Allied Professionals (LEAP) program.  

HRS is the leading membership society and the voice for the electrophysiology ecosystem. Our membership boasts nearly 7,500 practitioners in more than 90 countries.

Allied Professionals provide essential services that promote health, prevent diseases, and deliver health care services to individuals, families, and communities alike.  The healthcare industry is demonstrating high growth rates in both developing and developed regions around the world.  As the healthcare industry evolves, today’s best practices will continue to change drastically. That’s why allied professionals must regularly expand their knowledge and skills – which means continuous education is not a passive option but an absolute necessity for any allied professional who wants to provide high-quality patient care.  

The HRS Leadership and Education for Allied Professionals (LEAP) Program offers HRS allied professional members an opportunity to enhance and revitalize their leadership and career development skills through education, coaching, and building professional networks. The purpose of LEAP is to provide the knowledge and skills needed to augment the path to leadership within HRS and academic or private practice medicine. Topics covered will range from strategic communication skills, and negotiation practices to address management issues, and conflict resolution skills.  LEAP will provide a safe environment to forge long-lasting collegial relationships, exchange information and elevate best practices.  

The LEAP program touches on the opportunities and challenges that allied professionals face in their heart rhythm career and allows participants to employ effective, collaborative methods of leadership within their organizations and HRS. Participants will focus on developing their leadership skills and personal influence as well as explore strategies for goal development and advancement strategies.   As the leading organization for EP leaders, the value of being a part of this career shaping experience is unparalleled.

The 2023-2024 LEAP program is led by Chairs  Julie B. Shea, MS, MSN, FHRS, CCDS and Aileen M. Ferrick, PhD, ACNP, RN, FHRS

LEAP Class of 2024

Tiffany Andrade German Brigham and Women's Hospital	Sarah Benak Mayo Clinic	Sirena Bridges Centennial Heart	Erin Gillen Hudson Valley Heart Center
Sabina Hadziabdulahovic Cedars-Sinai	Jamie Harris Boston Children's Hospital	Jamie Howard AZ	Heidi Huber UCHealth-University of Colorado Hospital
Megan Labreck OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital	Javed Legacy	Catherine Marshall Brooke Army Medical Center	Renny Mullins Carient Heart and Vascular
Madeleine Oster Stanford Healthcare	Rachel Schreier Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute	Lauren Sell Children's Hospital of Orange County	Tracey Shannon Westchester Medical Center
Anna Streeter University Of Virginia Health System	Jeromane Tenido-Ng The Valley Health System	Deepthy Varghese Northside Hospital	Rebecca Yapejian Lifespan Health

LEAP Class of 2023

Aimee L. Bollentin, MSN, ACNP	Melissa R. Brown, PAC, FHRS, CCDS	Madison Hawkins, PAC	Amy Kleinhans, DNP, NP, FHRS, CEPS, CCDS
Aimee Lee, ACNP, CNS, CCDS	Hyun Joo Lee, MBA, CCDS	Jennifer J. Miller, DNP, ACNP	Nathan Miller, BSN, RN
Jessica Mullenix, ANP, CEPS	Emily E. Murtagh, BS, CVT, CEPS, CCDS	Andrea Robinson, MSN, ACNP	Lisa Roelle, PAC
Lauren Ashley Rousseau, PAC, CCDS	Monica Sanchez, DNP, FNP	Gerilynn M. Schott, ACNP	Linda J. Schwartz, BSN, RN, CCDS
Nyree Sencion-Akhtar, DNP, MSN	Christopher J. Sipala, MSN, CRNP, FHRS, CCDS	Jessica Annmarie Smith, CCT, CRAT	Anthony Trela, MSN, CPNP, RN, FHRS, CCDS

LEAP Class of 2022

Brynn Dechert-Crooks, MSN, RN, CPNP, FHRS  University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital	Erin E. Flatley, BSN, MSN, NP  University of California San Francisco	Jacqueline Forman, MSN, CNS, RN  St. Paul’s Hospital	Dana Goldense, MS, PAC, CCDS  Tufts Medical Center
Megan W. Herrington, PA-C  Cape Fear Heart Associates	Lyle W. Larson, PhD, PAC  University of Washington	Kathy A. Loveless, ACNP, CEPS, CCDS  Ascension WI	Christina L. Magnelli-Reyes, BSN, RN  Cleveland Clinic
Annie (Shelly) Michele Chancey, ADN, RN, CCDS  Alabama Cardiovascular Group	Melissa E. Middeldorp, PhD  University of Adelaide	Yolanda Huertas Nixon, MBA, MSN, CRNP  Einstein Healhtcare Network	James O'Hara, PAC, RCIS, RCVT  Virginia Heart/Inova
Monica Pammer Austin, PAC  Institution	Tara Parham, MSN, AGACNP-BC  Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania	Carissa Rose Pistilli, MSN  The Valley Hospital	Stacy M. Poe, BSN, MS, MSN, ANP  Cleveland Clinic
Mark Ryan, BSN, RN  Sutter Santa Rosa Reginal Hospital	Marie Shaner, MHS, PAC  Penn State Children’s Hospital	Stephanie Yoakum, NP  UC San Diego

Program Eligibility & Commitment

The LEAP program is open to all HRS allied professional members. LEAP will be delivered as a one-year program that includes webinars, face-to-face networking opportunities, and educational sessions. Successful completion of the program is determined by participants attending all required events outlined below.  

2022-2023 Class

• May 19, 2023:  Reception at Heart Rhythm 20232 (expenses not covered by HRS)
• July 28-30, 2023: Retreat in Washington, D.C. (all expenses covered by HRS)
• September 20-21, 2023: Half-day Meeting at HRX in Seattle, WA (expenses not covered by HRS)
• November 2023: Webinar
• January 2024: Webinar
• April 2024: Reception at Heart Rhythm 2023 (travel expenses to meeting not covered by HRS

Applications 

Successful candidates must have the potential and desire to invest time and energy into developing their leadership skills. The program will require an investment from the individual and support from their organization. Only applicants who are available to attend each in-person and virtual event will be considered. The LEAP Chair and Vice-Chair will review all eligible candidates and select up to 20 participants.  HRS reserves the right to decline application(s) based on its sole and absolute discretion. 

Completed applications will include: 

• A completed online application
• Two letters of recommendation from colleagues (ie. Fellow physicians, division chief)
• A current CV
• A recent professional photograph or “headshot”.
• All applications must be received by (insert the deadline date). 

Note: Each of the requirements above must be included/uploaded with the online application. The system will not accept an application without the required files. Please do not email any materials directly.
 

Applications for the 2023-2024 LEAP class are now closed.  All applicants will be notified of their application status by March 24, 2023. Applications for the 2024-2025 LEAP class will open in January 2024

Questions
Contact Ashley Martinez at LEAP@hrsonline.org

This program is sponsored by