The NAWCO Board of Directors has established and granted authority to the Certification Committee to independently make essential decisions related to the development and maintenance of the Certification Programs.
Certification examinations are sponsored by the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy® (NAWCO). Decisions of the Certification Committee are made independently of, and under no influence by, any entity within or outside of NAWCO. The independent Certification Committee has been established to develop and maintain the Certification Programs and all essential activities, including but not limited to the following:
Alexander Travers, MSN, RN, AWCC, WCC Certification Committee Chair
Alex is an experienced wound care specialist with a passion for providing patients with the best possible care. With over 5 years of experience working in acute care serving as a nurse specialist, Alex has developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges that come with wound care. Alex has focused on empowering and educating staff members to take a proactive approach to skin care. He believes that by providing staff with the tools and knowledge they need, they can help prevent and manage wounds more effectively, leading to better patient outcomes. Alex is committed to staying up to date with the latest development in wound care research and technology.
Amy Gallagher, BSN, RN, WCC Certification Committee Co-Chair
Amy has been a registered nurse since 2011 in Pennsylvania and 2013 in New Jersey, with a focus in wound care since 2016. She has managed and rebuilt outpatient and inpatient wound care programs in the past. She is currently employed at Net Health where she serves as an Implementation Specialist within the Wound Care Business Unit. Her responsibilities include training delivery and support of the Wound Care EMR to health care professionals ensuring efficiency and success in the day-to-day documentation of patient care resulting in positive outcomes. She has been part of the Certification Committee since 2023.
Kyle Krzewina, BSN, RN, WCC, CHRN, OMS, COCN
Kyle has been a registered nurse since 2014, with the majority of his nursing career in wound care, ostomy care and hyperbaric medicine. Kyle lives and works in Green Bay, WI where he is employed as a wound ostomy and hyperbaric nurse in the inpatient and clinic setting. Kyle not only works with patients, but he also works with employees to help increase the awareness and competency of the nurses and other healthcare professionals at the facility. Kyle is also employed part-time at Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College where he works with nursing students and helps them develop nursing skills and confidence.
Tammy Tatum, APRN, AGNP-C, WCC
Tammy Tatum is currently a Provider in multiple settings specializing in Wound Care . Tammy has been providing bed-side wound care education and wound care for 20 years. Her clinical experience includes many aspects of nursing in several settings including hospital, wound clinics, home health, hospice, and long-term care. Her passion is teaching and providing education in regards to wound care to those whom she serves.
Janie Hollenbach, DNP, RN, WCC, OMS, DWC
Janie has been a nurse for 38 years in a variety of settings. By far, her favorite role is in the wound and ostomy world. She has been a WCC since 2010, OMS since 2013, and DWC since 2014. Her experience also includes hyperbaric medicine, both monoplace and multiplace chambers. She has worked in home health as a wound/ostomy nurse and did consults in hospice; a wound center and was the wound/ostomy nurse for a busy colon and rectal surgery practice. She is truly passionate about teaching wound care and ostomy skills to nurses, patients, and families. Her DNP project, “Implementation of an Ileostomy Pathway Decreases Readmissions Due to Dehydration” was presented at the Spring SAWC 2022 in Phoenix and the October 2022 International Society of the University of Colon and Rectal Surgeons conference in Istanbul, Turkey. She has also presented several posters for various wound care products at local and national conferences. Janie is currently working as a nurse case manager from home due to family circumstances but hopes to get back into wound and ostomy care full-time soon.
Emily Kallen Pinchak, PT, DPT, GCS, WCC
Emily has been a physical therapist since 2013 and works in the Veterans Affairs healthcare system as an amputation rehabilitation coordinator. While working as part of the amputee clinic team she has been exposed to the world of wound care, and she became WCC in 2023. She holds a clinical specialization in geriatric physical therapy and her role allows for a combination of professional interests. She is an advocate for those living with limb loss and provides education to patients, family members, and clinicians across disciplines about the importance of early wound care intervention for limb preservation.
Maryellen I Blevins, PA-C, MPAS, CWS, WCC, DWC, OMS
Maryellen has been a physician associate for 28 years. She has practiced in internal medicine, emergency medicine, urology, oncology, urgent care, and orthopedics before settling in wound care. She obtained her CWS, WCC, DWC, and most recently OMS. She worked with another provider at a wound care center before branching out to start her own office and is head of the department for this new wound care center, which is affiliated with a local hospital. She has been published multiple times, including publications in wound care. Her scoping review for her capstone project as part of her doctorate program was accepted for publication with the Journal of Wound Care. Most recently her abstract was accepted for the 2024 fall SAWC on unique uses of dressings for abscess created wounds and will be published in the supplemental issue of Wounds.
Heather L. Taylor, PhD, MPH, LDH Public MemberDr. Heather Taylor is an Assistant Professor at the Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health and licensed dental hygienist. Throughout her career, Dr. Taylor has worked in a variety of sectors, including private-practice, public health, research, and education. Currently, her research focuses on commonly untreated conditions, including oral health and mental health. In addition, she has taught courses in Dental Radiology, Community outreach, and Health Information Technology and Management. She has been the Public Member for the NAWCO Certification Committee since 2018.
Kim Steele, RN, WCC, RAC-CT
Kim has been an RN for 22 years and has treated specifically in the geriatric population for over 26 years. In her 18 year tenure as a Director of Nursing, Kim developed and implemented a preventative skin care program and, with her staff, was able to maintain a 0% rate for avoidable pressure ulcers in her facility for well over 10 years. Her proactive management and staff education resulted in a grant from the NYS DOH for the program. Currently employed as a Regional Consultant for Harmony Healthcare International (HHI), Kim has been WCC certified since 2006 and now enjoys sharing her knowledge to help facility’s develop care plans and programs related to all areas of compliance for Medicare, Medicaid and Survey related issues across the Northeast. Kim joined the WCC Certification Committee in 2012.
Marcy Couitt RN, BSN, WCC, DWC
Marcy is a Registered Nurse in both Massachusetts & Rhode Island. She has over twenty years of experience in Home Health Care and became Wound Care Certified in 2007 which led to a leadership position developing and managing a 15 member Wound Care Team and Formulary providing best practice wound & ostomy care. In 2011 she became Diabetic Wound Certified. Marcy then spent some time in long term care coordinating & mentoring a Skilled Nursing Facility Wound Champion Team. Currently, Marcy is working in a hospital based outpatient Wound Clinic providing care & education on newly debrided and complex wounds. She first joined the DWC Certification Committee in 2012, and the WCC Certification Committee in 2013.
Stanley Rynkiewicz III, RN MSN, WCC, DWC, CCS, NHA, OMS, AWCC, CSWS
Stanley Rynkiewicz III, RN MSN, WCC, DWC, CCS, NHA, OMS, AWCC, CSWS is the Executive Director of Deer Meadows Home Health and Support Services, LLC. He is the driving force behind the agency’s 5-star rating for 15 quarters. Under his supervision, Deer Meadows Home Health and Support Services, LLC is the only 5-star rated Home Health agency in Philadelphia, a rating shared by the top 1% of all Home agencies in the US.
Stanley’s empathetic communication with clients and extensive experience in the industry has shaped his unique and simple leadership style:
Mold competent and dedicated staff Empower staff and lead by a centralized command Communicate principles Hands-on Approach Lead by Example
We are always looking to expand our group. If you feel you would like to “give back” to the NAWCO by your involvement with the Certification Committee, we would love to consider your resume or CV. No need to have prior experience in these areas…we will train you. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Amanda Slavens, Director of Certification, via email at amanda@nawccb.org or telephone at 877-922-6292.
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