About The George Washington University

Crystel Farina serves as the Director of Simulation and Experiential Learning at The George Washington University School of Nursing (GWSON) Simulation and Innovation Learning Center, where she orchestrates comprehensive simulation experiences for both graduate and undergraduate nursing students. Her role extends to educating within the GWSON Ventures, Initiatives and Partnership program's newly launched Nursing Simulation Initiatives. Her impressive career includes her previous position as Director of Simulation for Health Professions at Chesapeake College, where she established the Chesapeake Institute for Medical Simulation (CIMS) and implemented innovative revenue-generating programs, including professional development initiatives, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Human Patient Simulator Network, and a unique Senior Speaker's Series focused on healthcare education for older adults. Her excellence in education was recognized with the Stuart R. Bounds Distinguished Teaching Chair award at Chesapeake College. Currently, she contributes her expertise as faculty member of the Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource Consortium (MCSRC) and serves on its Steering Committee, while conducting research on a concept-based debriefing model to enhance student learning. As Chief Financial Officer of SIMPL Simulation, LLC, she continues to advance the field of healthcare simulation education through strategic leadership and innovation.

Dr. Gregory Pawlson stands as a distinguished figure in healthcare quality improvement, academic medicine, and public policy. His current roles include serving as a Senior Medical Consultant at Saxton Stump and SE Healthcare Quality Consulting, where he specializes in patient safety and quality improvement. At George Washington University, he holds positions as both a clinical professor in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and an adjunct professor in the School of Nursing, while also working as a Hudson Institute certified executive and life coach. His illustrious career includes significant leadership positions such as Executive Director for Quality Innovation at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Executive Vice President at NCQA, where he pioneered the development of HEDIS clinical performance measures. His 25-year tenure in academic medicine at George Washington University Medical Center included roles as Senior Associate Vice President for Health Affairs and Department Chairman. As a Robert Wood Johnson Policy Fellow, he contributed to crucial healthcare legislation on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. His leadership extends to serving as President and Chairman of the American Geriatrics Society and holding board positions across numerous prestigious medical organizations. With over 100 peer-reviewed publications, board certification in internal medicine, and fellowship status in multiple medical societies, Dr. Pawlson's academic credentials include a cum laude B.A. from Penn State, an M.D. with Distinction from Pittsburgh, training at Stanford, and an M.P.H. from the University of Washington. His comprehensive expertise spans healthcare quality measurement, policy development, and medical education reform

Dr. Jean Johnson stands as a transformative figure in nursing education and healthcare quality improvement as the founding dean (retired) of the George Washington University School of Nursing (GWSON). Her distinguished career encompasses significant achievements in advancing nursing education and healthcare quality standards. As a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in healthcare education. Her expertise spans quality improvement and patient safety, having served as a consultant to the American Health Care Association and conducted pivotal research on nurse staffing and care quality in nursing homes. Dr. Johnson's contributions to nursing education include leading the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She pioneered the first Master's degree in healthcare quality improvement and continues to share her expertise internationally, teaching quality and safety to graduate nurses in South Africa through a University of Cape Town partnership as a Fulbright specialist. Her leadership roles include serving as president of both the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and the American College of Nurse Practitioners, while also contributing to the Institute of Medicine Committee on the Future of Primary Care. Currently, she continues her impact as a certified executive coach and professor, focusing on advancing healthcare quality and nursing education

Dr. Karen Lewis is a pioneering figure in medical education and healthcare simulation, currently serving as Director of SP Program & Clinical Skills at The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine. Her extensive career includes serving as Administrative Director of the Clinical Learning and Simulation Skills (CLASS) Center at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. With over two decades of experience in medical education since 1998, she has made significant contributions to simulated patient methodology and education. Her leadership in the Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) includes serving as President and Chair of the Standards of Practice Committee, where she led the development of the ASPE Standards of Best Practice. Her excellence in the field was recognized with the ASPE Outstanding Educator of the Year Award in 2017. Dr. Lewis has also contributed to the Society for Simulation in Healthcare's Healthcare Simulation Dictionary through her work on the Terminology and Concepts Committee. Her commitment to improving patient safety and medical care extends globally, as evidenced by her role as Chair of an ASPE task force developing SP Educator training programs for implementation in China. Dr. Lewis holds multiple degrees, including a PhD, and is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE), demonstrating her comprehensive expertise in healthcare simulation education and standardized patient methodology.

Dr. Kristina Thomas Dreifuerst, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN, serves as an Associate Professor at Marquette University College of Nursing, where she has established herself as a leading innovator in nursing education and clinical teaching methodologies. She is renowned for developing the Debriefing for Meaningful Learning (DML) method, which has been adopted by over 500 nursing schools worldwide and was instrumental in the National Council of State Boards of Nursing's National Simulation Study. Her groundbreaking research focuses on developing and testing innovative teaching methods to enhance students' clinical reasoning skills and preparing educators to implement evidence-based clinical teaching practices. Her contributions have earned her numerous prestigious accolades from organizations including the National League for Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, the Midwest Nursing Research Society, and the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning. As Immediate Past President of the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning, she continues to shape the field through her leadership. Dr. Dreifuerst maintains influential positions on editorial boards of three respected journals and serves as an Associate Editor for Clinical Simulation in Nursing. Her expertise is widely sought after for consultation on curriculum development and clinical teaching, and she has authored numerous publications on debriefing and educational best practices. A Certified Nurse Educator, she holds the distinguished status of Fellow in both the Academy of Nursing Education and the American Academy of Nursing, reflecting her significant impact on nursing education transformation both nationally and internationally.

Pamela Slaven-Lee, DNP, FNP-C, CHSE, FAANP, serves as the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Clinical Associate Professor at the George Washington University School of Nursing. With a rich background in nursing education, she previously held faculty positions at Georgetown University and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Dr. Slaven-Lee is recognized as a Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Academy scholar and is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE), specializing in the integration of simulation into nursing curricula and its design and evaluation within advanced practice nursing education. Her current research focuses on formative simulation assessment models and the effects of simulation-based learning on student outcomes in nurse practitioner education. Beyond her academic contributions, she is a Founding Board Member of Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring fallen U.S. service members and promoting the value of freedom. As a family nurse practitioner and a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Dr. Slaven-Lee exemplifies a commitment to advancing nursing practice and education through innovative teaching methodologies and community service.

Dr. Sabrina Beroz, DNP, RN, CHSE-A, is a distinguished leader in healthcare simulation education serving as the Associate Director for Professional Programs and Initiatives at George Washington University School of Nursing's Office of Ventures, Initiatives and Partnerships. Her career in simulation education began after studying under Dr. Pamela Jeffries at the Maryland Faculty Academy for Simulation Teaching. As a former nursing professor at Montgomery College, she served as Faculty Lead for the Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource Consortium (MCSRC), where she managed a three million-dollar initiative to enhance simulation quality across academic and practice institutions

Dr. Suzan (Suzie) Kardong-Edgren, PhD, RN, ANEF, CHSE, FSSH, FAAN, is an internationally renowned expert in healthcare simulation and education research. Currently serving as faculty at the Center for Medical Simulation in Boston, MA, she previously directed the Regional Research and Innovation in Simulation Education (RISE) Center at Robert Morris University. Her significant contributions include consulting on the landmark NCSBN National Simulation Study and helping develop subsequent simulation guidelines. As past Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Simulation in Nursing, she has shaped the field through her research focusing on educational strategies, simulation, virtual reality, and CPR skills enhancement using technology. Her expertise is recognized through multiple fellowships, including the American Academy of Nursing, Society for Simulation in Healthcare Academy (inaugural fellow), and National League for Nursing. Her outstanding contributions have earned her prestigious awards from both the National League for Nursing and the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. As a respected mentor to emerging researchers and writers, she continues to advance the field of simulation education through her consulting work with various organization