Board & Staff

Rebecca M. Patton

DNP, RN, CNOR, FAAN
President

Becky demonstrates her service to the profession in numerous ways. She has held numerous positions at the local, state, and national level. During the two-term as president of the American Nurses Association (2006-2010) she focused on and advanced solutions that impacted nurses and the public we serve. Her service and leadership have resulted in numerous local and national honors and awards. Twice selected, Becky was one of Modern Healthcare “Top 100 Most Influential Persons in Healthcare” in 2009 and 2010. One of her favorite awards was in 2015, she received Ohio March of Dimes Nurse of the Year.

She earned her BSN from Kent State University and her MSN and DNP from Case Western Reserve University.

Kurt Kless

MSN, MBA, RN, NE-BC
First Vice President

Kurt Kless MSN, MBA, RN, NE-BC joined UTMC as the Chief Nursing Officer in 2021 after moving back to the Midwest from Atlanta, Georgia where he served as the interim chief nursing officer, assistant vice president of nursing and professional practice at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.

A native of Cleveland, Kless earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Case Western Reserve University. He also holds a master of science in nursing and a master of business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. In addition to being a licensed RN with over 15 years of experience, including a wide range of leadership roles, Kless holds a Nurse Executive certification from the American Nurses Association Credentialing Center. He is a business focused clinician with experience directing operations across a seven-hospital system and nursing enterprise of over 5000 nurses including finance management, leadership development, clinical operations, system integration, process improvement and implementation of Lean principals.

Deb Arms

PhD, BSN, MS
Second Vice President

Deb Arms has been practicing nursing since 1974. She has a BSN (1974), MS (1976), and PhD (1987) from The Ohio State University. Her special area of expertise includes working with children with disabilities,

Genetics, public health, health policy and administration. Deb has experience as a clinical nurse specialist, faculty and administrator. For 15 years She was Chief of the Division of Prevention at the Ohio Department of Health. She has special expertise in the areas of strategic planning, health policy development, emergency preparedness, health promotion and risk reduction, environmental health, genetics and leadership and management. She recently retired from Wright State University College of Nursing and Health as an Assistant Professor. She has recently been appointed as Second Vice President after acting as a liaison to the Nominations Committee. She serves on the Finance, Public Policy, and Conference planning committees and also is a member of the Governance Task Force.

Debbie Cannon Freece

MS, RN
Secretary

Debbie received her BSN and MS in Nursing at The Ohio State University. Debbie is a career-long member of ANA, having served as Executive Director of their local affiliate for 23 years. Debbie has been employed as a Director of Nursing for a Long-term care facility, Project Director for the Ohio Department of Health Nursing Home Area Training Centers and self-employed Geriatric Nursing Consultant. Her belief in mentorship, education, volunteerism and health advocacy drives her commitment to the nursing profession. She serves on several community health boards and is secretary of a civic organization. Debbie is a member of our Community Engagement Committee and Legacy Special Interest Group.

Barbara Daly

PhD, RN, FAAN
Treasurer

At the start of my career I worked as a critical care nurse for 15 years, then pursued my interest in ethics and earned a doctorate in moral philosophy. Since then I have been a faculty member in the Schools of Nursing and Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, teaching and conducting research. I also was the Director of Clinical Ethics at University Hospitals for many years.

Shanina Knighton

PhD, BSN, RN
Director

Dr. Knighton’s mission is to support nurses throughout their careers by promoting equitable policies, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and developing practical, evidence-based solutions to address complex healthcare challenges. As the inaugural Executive Director of the APIC Center for Infection Prevention and Control Research, Practice, and Innovation (CIPCRPI), she championed research priorities and created initiatives connecting healthcare professionals with industry leaders. She has also led international efforts as an ISO convener, coordinating infection prevention standards across 27 countries.

In addition to serving on the advisory board for MedPage Today and the City of Cleveland’s Lead Testing Commission, Dr. Knighton’s work has been instrumental at the state and national levels. She has collaborated with organizations like the American Nurses Association and the State of Ohio, translating infection prevention science into accessible tools for communities and healthcare systems. Her expertise has been featured in prominent outlets such as Forbes and Fox News, and she remains dedicated to public health through consultative roles, mentorship, and leadership development.

As a member of the ANA-Ohio Board of Directors, Dr. Knighton actively supports initiatives that promote excellence in nursing through leadership development, policy engagement, and public health advocacy. She is committed to shaping the future of nursing by driving diversity, fostering innovation, and upholding the highest standards of care across Ohio.

Barb Welch

DNP, MS, RN, EBP-C
Director

Barb has been a nurse for over 29 years and in the medical field for over 34 years. She earned her nursing diploma from the St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in Youngstown, Ohio in 1995. She earned a BSN and an MSN from Excelsior College of New York in 2013, as well as a DNP from Mount Carmel College of Nursing in 2021. She has served her profession in a variety of capacities, including many positions in local, district, and state associations. Barb worked in the Emergency Departments of The Ohio State University Medical Center and Fairfield Medical Center for several years. She also worked as an Informatics Nurse in the Emergency Department at Fairfield Medical Center before joining Mount Carmel College of Nursing (MCCN) as the college’s Simulation Education Coordinator. Her additional roles at MCCN included teaching Health Policy, Disaster Nursing, and Emergency Preparedness courses. Barb has also served in the Army National Guard. She served as the head medic for the 838th Military Police Company in Youngstown, Ohio. During the Bosnian Conflict in 1996, she was deployed to Germany with the MP Company for a nine-month tour.

Corrin Steinhauer

DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CPPS
Director

Dr. Corrin Steinhauer, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CPPS is a nursing leader with 2 decades of experience in the nursing profession, both at the bedside and in formal leadership positions. Dr. Steinhauer holds a BSN and MS in Nursing Administration from Purdue University, and a DNP in Systems Leadership from Rush University in Chicago. As the Chief Nursing Officer at The Ohio State University Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Center, Corrin is responsible for helping the exemplary nursing staff continue to elevate their commitment to Relationship-Based Care with a focus on community, diversity, equity and inclusion, evidence-based practice, research, care-delivery models, support for new nursing graduates, and support for acute and ambulatory growth. Through collaborative leadership, she led The James nursing community to their third Magnet designation. Prior to joining The Ohio State University Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Center, Corrin served as the Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital.

Melissa D Cole

DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, CENP
Director

Dr. Melissa Cole has over 20 years of experience in the nursing profession to include areas of practice, academia, and leadership. Dr. Cole received her DNP in Executive Leadership from CWRU Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, her MSN from the University of Tampa, and her BSN from Ursuline College. As the inaugural interim Dean at John Carroll University’s College of Health and Associate Professor in the Nursing Department, she has a vision to forge interdisciplinary healthcare education that addresses the evolving healthcare needs of the future. Clinically active as an Adult Nurse Practitioner in Emergency Medicine at the University Hospital Health System, she also guides healthcare innovation with her expertise in delivery and technology. Dr. Cole’s research is enhancing nursing science on innovative care models and partnerships. Her board appointments recognize her commitment to community health as Vice President at New Directions and Crossroads Health centers that care for mentally ill and addiction populations. Dr. Cole is a “multiplier” who has an exceptional relationship-building skill set that is critical in change management.