Nursing Practice and Professional Development Staff Bios
Christy Simila, BSN, RN, CMSRN, HNB-BC, HWNC-BC
She/Her
Director of Professional Practice
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1305
Christy has been a registered nurse and ONA member since 2012, with experience working in acute care. Her passion for nursing and for leadership have made her a strong advocate for her patients and for her profession. In 2020 Christy joined staff at the
Oregon Nurses Association, where she has been committed to advocating for appropriate staffing within a healthy work environment for all healthcare professionals. Her passion for the wellbeing of her patients and her colleagues led her to pursue certification
in both holistic nursing (HNB-BC) and nurse coaching (HWNC-BC). When Christy is not looking for ways to advocate to improve healthcare in the state of Oregon, she could likely be found sitting somewhere cozy, reading a novel. She also enjoys staying
active, cooking, and snuggling her two French bulldogs, Tucker and Gizmo.
Emily Cronan, MSN, RN, CWCN, CHPN
Nurse Practice Consultant
Phone: (503) 293-0011
Emily has a Masters of Science in Nursing with a focus on healthcare administration. She has been an RN since 2012, working in home health and hospice across several states with over 15 years of experience in both direct patient care and administrative
leadership with interdisciplinary teams. Emily has a passion for excellence and evidence-based practice in wound care (CWCN) and palliative care (CHPN). Currently, she is working on becoming board certified in geriatric wellness (GERO-RN). She
is originally from Key West, Florida, and with her free time she loves to cook, explore farms, orchards, and farmer's markets across Oregon.
Therese Hooft, MHS, BSN, RN
Nurse Practice Consultant
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1329
Therese Hooft has been a registered nurse since 2011 and has experience in rehab, ICU, telemetry, and global health. Prior to joining ONA, she worked as a telemetry nurse at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Idaho while also working at Boise State University’s
Center for Health Policy. In health policy research, she was a member of a team whose primary research focused on the effects of home visiting as an early intervention strategy in promoting maternal, infant, and early childhood health and development.
She currently teaches as adjunct clinical faculty at University of Portland and serves on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Public Health Association. In her spare time, she enjoys running, skiing, yoga, and spending time with her German Shepherd,
Eddy.
Jesse Kennedy, BSN, RN
Nurse Practice Consultant
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1309
Jesse joined ONA in the Professional Services department in May 2019. He has been involved in the Professional Services of ONA since nursing school. His ventures in professional development have taken him to service as President of the Lane Community
College Student Nurses Association, as President of the National Student Nurses Association, and as Director-at-Large of the American Nurses Association. He has been directly involved in national initiatives focused on acceleration to practice initiatives
for student nurses and empowering practicing nurses to reaching the pinnacle of their practice. Jesse’s role includes professional development outreach, education content development, and empowering our nurse staffing committees to build the best
working environment possible.
PK Troope, BS
She/Her
Continuing Education & Research Coordinator
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1335
PK has provided support to nurses pursuing their nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) goals since joining ONA in 2008. Her primary responsibilities include administration oversight of OCEAN online CE and coordination of ONA’s ANCC-accredited
NCPD program. She acts as the lead facilitator of many planning committees for CE programs offered by ONA, NPO and other groups within the organization. Her research efforts include assisting with the statistical analysis of research data and supporting
the overall presentation of research findings. PK has a strong passion for helping nurses and other healthcare workers achieve their professional development goals. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon. Go Ducks!!!
Dennis West
He/Him
Program Assistant
Phone: (503) 293-0011
Dennis West joined ONA in 2022 as part of the Professional Services Team. He comes to ONA with a background in pediatric research and data analysis. His research primarily focuses on healthcare and healthcare administration from a society-wide lens. Dennis
holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Mass Communications from the University of Delaware and a master’s degree in Social Research and Practice from American University.
