The KHDSP Task Force's Steering Committee
About the Steering Committee
The governing structure of the Kentucky Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force is the Steering Committee. It is comprised of:
- Task Force Co-Chairs;
- Task Force Committee Chairs;
- Representatives from the Kentucky Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program;
- Representatives from the American Heart/American Stroke Association; and
- Representatives from Emergency Medical Services in Kentucky, or an EMS Liaison.
Steering Committee meetings shall are held quarterly and as needed or as requested by committee members. Steering committee members are required to attend at least two meetings, in-person or virtually, annually.
Meet the Steering Committee
(listed alphabetically)
Gina Brien
Member Since: 2013
Organization: Appalachian
Kentucky Health Care Access Network (AKHCAN)
Title: Executive Director
Credentials: M.A.
Committee: KASH Chair
Office: 859-398-0253
Gina Brien serves as the Executive Director for the Appalachian Kentucky Health Care Access Network (AKHCAN) with the mission of increasing the number of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Kentucky through training and technical assistance. She is a member of the state CHW workgroup, KDPH Asthma Leadership Team, Kentucky Asthma Partnership, and the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Association of Community Health Workers (KYACHW). Gina has over 12 years of public health experience from previously serving as the Health Education Director with the Montgomery County Health Department.
Holly Canfield
Member Since:
Organization: American Heart Association
Title: Quality & Systems Improvement Director
Contact:
Todd Early
Member Since:
Organization:
Title:
Contact:
Todd Early has worked for over thirty years in the emergency services. Todd currently holds a Bachelors degree in Education through the University of Louisville and Associates degrees in Fire Science and Nursing. He is currently completing a Masters in Business Administration with emphasis on Healthcare Administration.
Todd spent 15 years with Jefferson County / Louisville Metro EMS. During that time he spent a significant amount of time as the Operations Captain for the Disaster Response Team and Technical Rescue Unit whose primary responsibility was Haz Mat Hot Zone entry and technical rescue. He also served as a Bomb Technician and Rescue Diver with the Jefferson County Police Department. Todd also spent 25 years as a firefighter with the Buechel Fire Department, attaining the rank of District Chief. Todd spent five years with Statcare Air Medical services as a Flight Paramedic. He is also a Registered Nurse.
In 2008 Todd was hired as the Chief of Shelby County Emergency Medical Services. While there he helped to form the Shelby County EMS Special Response Team as well as the Shelby Task Force. In this capacity Todd served on several area Boards as well as the President of the Haz Mat 6 Regional Response Team. For seven years Todd has participated in the multiagency Joint Emergency Services Unit which focuses on tactical/ hazardous materials entry and quarantine matters. While at Shelby County EMS he planned and oversaw construction of a new EMS Headquarters. He upgraded all cardiac monitors with telemetry capability and oversaw the transition to electronic patient care reporting. He also helped achieve the American Heart Association Heartsafe Community as well as upgrading protocols and cardiac care capability.
In 2013 Todd retired from Shelby County EMS and began employment with the Baptist Health System as the Director for Oldham County EMS. In this position he developed Standard Operating Guidelines and the agency was awarded the American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Silver and Gold awards as well as the Heartsafe Community designation. He assisted in forming the Oldham County EMS Special Medical Operations Group. While at Oldham County EMS he was also appointed to the Kentucky Board of EMS. With Oldham County EMS they were designated as the third agency in Kentucky to ever attain accreditation through the Commission on the Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS). He also oversaw the construction of a new EMS Headquarters and implemented unique programs such as Community Paramedics and a Sepsis Alert program.
In 2018, Todd returned to Buechel Fire- EMS as a Deputy Chief of the new ambulance Bureau. In the first year of ambulance service, the service grew to two ambulances and received the Mission Lifeline Gold Plus award for cardiac care as well as the first service in Jefferson County to achieve the voluntary Pediatric Accreditation through the Kentucky Board of EMS.
Todd has received multiple Meritorious Service, Valor and Commendation distinctions in addition to the Exceptional Service in the Public’s Interest award from the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Todd currently resides in Jefferson County, Kentucky with his wife Marci and his sons Chris and Ryan.
LYNN HUNDLEY
Member Since: 2009
Organization: Norton Healthcare
Title: Director Clinical Effectiveness – Stroke Care
Credentials: APRN, CNRN, CCNS, ANVP-BC
Committee: At-Large
Office: 502.629.3003
Lynn Hundley is the Clinical Effectiveness Director for the Stroke Program for Norton Healthcare in Louisville, Kentucky. She has over 30 years of experience in nursing and neuroscience, with a focus on providing patients superior stroke care. Lynn has her MSN from the University of Louisville and her advanced practice certification as a clinical nurse specialist.
She currently serves on the board of directors for the Kentuckiana Stroke Association. Lynn also volunteers for the American Heart/American Stroke Association and has received their distinguished achievement award for her work. She has spoken regionally and nationally on many stroke related topics, and regularly provides lectures to the community on stroke awareness and prevention.
Kari Moore
Member Since: 2009
Organization: Department of Neurology,
University of Louisville
Title: Director of Outreach and
Community Scholarly Engagement
Credentials: MSN, APRN, AGACNP-BC
Committee: SEQIP
Office:
Kari completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Western Kentucky University in 1997 and her MSN in 2015. Since 2000 she has worked with the University of Louisville Department of Neurology assisting in the development, growth, and ongoing certification of the Comprehensive Stroke Program. Kari serves on the Department for Public Health Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Steering Committee and chairs the Kentucky Stroke Quality Improvement Project focused on statewide quality improvement for
stroke systems of care. She participates in nationally recognized stroke clinical trials and independent
investigator initiated projects with her work presented at the International Stroke Conference and the American Academy of Neurology. Her clinical duties include serving as an acute stroke telemedicine provider, outpatient stroke and cerebrovascular disease clinics, and partnering with Family Health Centers Louisville to operate a Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Risk clinic focused on Blood Pressure Self-Management and lifestyle modification.
Shannon Smith
Member Since:
Organization: American Heart Association
Title: Quality & Systems Improvement Director
Contact: Shannon.Smith@heart.org
Shannon Smith is the State Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association (AHA) in Kentucky and is responsible for driving AHA’s public policy agenda at the state and local level, while also working to support the AHA’s federal priorities. Shannon’s advocacy efforts mainly focus on critical public health issues such as reducing tobacco use, improving access to healthy foods, setting early care and education standards, ensuring safe and equitable complete streets for all users, and passing comprehensive smoke-free policies to promote safe and healthy work environments. Additionally, Shannon provides strategic direction on statewide grassroots efforts while building powerful partnerships within coalitions.
Shannon was recently appointed by the Governor to serve on the State Board for Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and named one of The Kentucky Gazette’s “2020 Notable Women in Kentucky Politics and Government.”
Megan Switzer
Member Since: 2014
Organization: Baptist Health Lexington
Title: Cardiovascular Service Line Navigator
Credentials: MSN, FNP-BC, CHFN-K, AACC
Committee: STEMI Systems of Care
Office:
Megan’s has worked for over 36 years in various nursing roles including bedside RN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Manager, Director and APRN at both Baptist Health Lexington and St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, KY. Megan completed her BSN at Vanderbilt University, MSN at University of Cincinnati (Critical Care CNS) and post-masters in Family Nurse Practice at University of Kentucky. She has been board certified by ANCC in FNP since 1996. Megan is currently the Cardiovascular Services Navigator and has worked in the cardiovascular service line at Baptist Health Lexington since 2009. Her responsibilities at Baptist have included Chest Pain Coordinator, implementation of the Field STEMI program (2010), Targeted Temperature Management “Code Cool It” program (2011) and hospital lead for the AHA Mission-Lifeline Central and Southeast KY STEMI Accelerator II Project (2015).
She has been actively involved in cardiac-related registries for 25 plus years including NCDR CathPCI, ACC CP-MI Registry(ACTION GWTG), AHA Mission-Lifeline GWTG, GWTG-HF, GWTG-AF, STS Adult Cardiac Surgery and STS/TVT TAVR, where she analyzes data and assists with PI initiatives. Additionally, she has extensive experience with cardiac-related accreditations/certifications including American College of Cardiology (ACC) CP Center with PCI (5 consecutive accreditations), ACC CP Center with PCI and Resuscitation (2 consecutive accreditations), Mission-Lifeline: Heart Attack Receiving Center (first in KY, two consecutive certifications) ACC AFib and EP Services (first in the US), AHA Cardiovascular Center of Excellence (first in KY), ACC HeartCare Achievement (first in KY) and ACC TAVR (first in KY).
Megan has been an active participant in the KHDSP Task Force since 2014 and has served as assistant co-chair of Heart Systems of Care since 2017. She participates in the Kentucky Board of EMS Cardiac and Stroke Care Subcommittee, the Kentucky ACC Quality Chapter and is a member of the American College of Cardiology, American Association of HF Nurses, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association and Sigma (Sigma Theta Tau).
Kyle Williams
Member Since:
Organization:
Title:
Contact:
