2024 SC ENA Elections

  • 2024 SC ENA Elections

    State and Local Council Ballot

  • SC ENA members, please vote for one person in each category below for the state council and your local chapter. SC ENA ballots close on Friday, September 22, 2023.

    Elected members will serve a one-year term starting January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. 

  • South Carolina ENA State Council Ballot

    2024 Elections
  • State Council President, Elect:*

  • State Council President-Elect Bio:  

    Alex Kasmere: My name is Alex Kasmere, and I am from West Palm Beach, Florida. I have been in Greenville, South Carolina, since I became a nurse in 2019. I am an Assistant Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department at Greenville Memorial. I started my career in the Pediatric Emergency Department, where I served as a charge nurse. Before working as an ED nurse, I was a paramedic for about three years. I have been involved with ENA since I became a nurse and have been fortunate to receive the ENA Foundation Academic Scholarship. I currently serve as the President-Elect for the Foothills Chapter. I recently won the 2023 South Carolina Emerging Professional Award from the South Carolina ENA. I currently have my CPEN and TCRN through BCEN and hope to take my CEN within the following year. I obtained my BSN in 2021 from Chamberlain University and am currently getting my MSN specializing in Nurse Executive through Chamberlain University. Outside work, I enjoy woodworking, fly fishing, golfing, and hiking with my Golden Retriever, Maverick.  

    Disney Cuddington: Disney Cuddington is a second-career Registered Nurse at Lexington Medical Center’s Emergency Department in West Columbia. She graduated in August 2021 from Midlands Technical College. Disney has a passion for mentoring nursing students from the moment they set their hearts on nursing to their first day on the job. She has led the Student Nurses’ Association of South Carolina as former President (2022-2023), President-Elect (2021-2022), Vice President (2020-2021) and Nominations and Elections Committee Director (2019-2020) and currently holds the role as Executive Consultant (2023-2025). Over her course as President-Elect and President, SNA-SC was recognized nationally as having the highest number of new members two years in a row. She looks forward to watching the new Executive Board win a third year. Disney has aided in four years of planning and executing the State Conventions for the SNA-SC, one year having to transition to an entirely virtual event within three months. While working, Disney is a preceptor to paramedic students, new graduate registered nurses, and licensed practical nurses. She is involved with multiple committees at Lexington Medical Center’s emergency department, including the recruiting and scheduling committees. Disney makes every effort to promote a positive working environment for her peers and troubleshoot ways to improve the culture and workflow by collaborating with coworkers from other committees within the department. Disney is active in the Central Chapter of SC ENA as their President-Elect, chairing the Student Nurse Relations Committee, co-chairing the EMS Liaison and the Social Media & Communications Committees, and member of the Government Affairs and the Membership & Certifications Committee. From attending the EN22 Conference last year and the ENA Leadership Orientation earlier this year, she understands the importance of collaboration and commitment between local and state chapters and networking and connecting nationally and internationally to benefit our organization better. SC ENA has blossomed over the last couple of years, and Disney looks forward to assisting with keeping that momentum moving onward and upward as next year’s President-Elect.

  • State Council Secretary*

  • State Council Secretary Bio: 

    Ellie Encapera: Candidate for SCENA 2024 State Secretary, Ellie Encapera has served ENA in a variety of leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels since joining ENA in 1988; elected to both local and state board officer positions, served as a yearly state delegate, and chapter and state committee member and/or chairperson in both California and South Carolina. She was elected to the National Nominations and Elections Committee for five years, one year as chair. As a national board of directors, she served on numerous national committees and helped author clinical position statements and practice resources published by ENA. She has served as South Carolina ENA’s State Secretary, Membership, and Certification State Chairperson for the past five years and takes pride in accurate and timely communications with every member.

    Ellie has published several clinical articles in ENA Connection while serving seven years as a national director, lectures on the national stage regarding membership-building strategies and effective communication, and authored her second approved General Assembly Resolution GA22-02, proposing the creation of a membership-focused outreach group to support state, chapters and international member leaders to augment membership growth and the retaining members.

    Dorothy Williams: My name is Dorothy Williams, and I’ve been a nurse for 13 years, with the last 10 of them being in the ED. I currently work at the bedside, but I’ve also worked in a role that blended education, quality, and projects. I’ve had the privilege of being published in the Journal of Emergency Nursing and speaking at the 2022 Magnet Conference. I am also an instructor for TNCC. I am passionate about encouraging people to learn and reach their maximum potential. This past year, I have served as the secretary for the Foothills Chapter and have enjoyed being more involved with ENA. In my personal life, I am a wife, mother of two young children, and co-owner of Cohesive Coffee. I enjoy being outdoors and like to stay moving, whether running or taking a class at the gym. I want to be involved in my church and serve as a substitute in the preschool department. I am super excited to go on my first medical mission trip at the end of November.

  • Select an affiliation above to elect a candidate for your local chapter. 

  • South Carolina ENA Central Chapter Council Ballot

    2024 Elections

  • Central Chapter President-Elect Bio:

    Benjamin (Benji) McCollum: Benjamin McCollum has been immersed in the EMS world for many years, adding RN to his tool belt in 2019. Benjamin has been a mentor within EMS and now serves as the Program Director for the paramedic program at Midlands Technical College, where he has overseen the program's credentialing and acted as a liaison between the program and multiple Midlands area hospitals. In addition, Benjamin works in urgent care as a registered nurse. Benjamin jumps at every opportunity to grow within SC ENA and collaborate with fellow nurses. 

  • Central Chapter Secretary Bio:

    Allison Crider: Allison Crider has been a registered nurse since 2016, working in multiple roles in nursing. Allie has in-depth knowledge and experience within the emergency department. Allie now acts as a clinical mentor at Lexington Medical Center, helping manage education and certification within the department and onboarding the new graduates. Allie teaches Kickstarter classes for the new graduate nurses to help them dive into emergency medicine and guide them into independent practice. Allie is a pleasure to work with and always brings a smile and a positive attitude. 

  • South Carolina ENA Coastal Carolina Chapter Council Ballot

    2024 Elections

  • Coastal Carolina Chapter President-Elect Bio:

    Shara Rhodes: With nearly a decade as a frontline clinician and nurse leader in the Emergency Nursing specialty, Dr. Shara Rhodes is a true advocate for nurses. As a student, Shara enjoyed the fast-paced environment of the department and quickly found her niche with the Emergency Team as a nurse extern. As a new graduate, Shara excelled at caring for patients specifically with cardiac, neurological, psychiatric and surgical emergencies. As she advanced her skill clinically, Shara found a great interest in professional development. She piloted an early version of a nurse-led competency assessment and validation model for her department. With positive nurse engagement results, this model was cascaded to inpatient acute care areas under her guidance and mentoring. While working in the Emergency Department, her passion for throughput and patient safety garnered excellent care outcomes for patients. Additionally, Shara’s commitment to shared governance ensured teamwork and collaboration remained central to care delivery in her department. In 2014, she transitioned away from the bedside to impact the future of nursing as an executive.

    Originally licensed as an Associate-degree nurse, Dr. Rhodes has earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in nursing within the last 15 years. She has also gained expert nursing certification in executive nursing and nursing professional development. She was selected as a fellow of the VHA’s professional coaching and mentoring program, with over 2,500 documented hours as a coach mentor since 2017. Her affiliations with professional nursing associations continues to sustain her unique insight into contemporary nursing issues, which she uses to develop measures to help leaders address nursing needs effectively.

    Having delivered best-in-class presentations on clinical care, resilience, engagement, workforce advancement, leader development, diversity, and clinical outcomes; Shara is delighted for the opportunity to share her talents within the Emergency Nurses Association. As a candidate for leadership within the South Carolina Emergency Nurses Association, Shara plans to utilize her experience as a clinician and mentor to be a resource to nurses across their career continuum while advancing the specialty of Emergency Nursing and continuing the growth initiatives of the SCENA.

    As a fourth-generation nursing professional, Shara currently serves as the Vice President of Nursing Operations for a large Nashville-based healthcare organization. She resides in Myrtle Beach with her husband and three children. In her spare time, she and her family enjoy backyard bonfires and sunrises at the beach.

  • Coastal Carolina Chapter Secretary Bio:

    Melanie Gilligan: Melanie graduated from Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan, in 2005 with high honors, earning her BSN. Before nursing, she served seven years as a paramedic with Community EMS, a private ambulance company in the Detroit area. Melanie began her nursing career in the Emergency Department at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan. From there, she worked as a travel nurse for a year before settling in Myrtle Beach in 2008. In 2008, she began working at Grand Strand Medical Center in the Emergency Department until the Trauma Nurse Lead program was initiated in 2015. She then transitioned to the role of Trauma Nurse Lead. Melanie served for two years as the chair of the Trauma Unit Based Council, as secretary of the hospital-wide Professional Practice Council (PPC) for one year, and as co-chair of the PPC for one year. She is currently the Trauma Nurse Lead Supervisor at Grand Strand Medical Center, the area’s only Level One Trauma Center. She is TCRN certified as well as a TNCC instructor. Melanie first joined the ENA in 2010. On a more personal note, Melanie is mom to two grown human boys, Seamus and Zack, and one boy doggo named Ghost. She loves spending time with her family, listening to eighties' hair band music, and traveling whenever able.  

  • South Carolina ENA Foothills Chapter Council Ballot

    2024 Elections

  • Foothills Chapter President-Elect Bio:

    Savannah Perschke: I'm Savannah Perschke, a registered nurse in the pediatric emergency department at Greenville Memorial. I am originally from Wisconsin but moved to Greenville in 2019 when I started in the Peds ED. I just finished my master's degree in nursing education and am currently teaching at Greenville Technical College. I am also a SANE for Prisma Health. I recently added a few letters to my name with two certifications (CPEN and SANE-A). I enjoy connecting with nursing students and supporting nurse residents as they explore nursing, sort through their interests, and enter this profession. When not doing all things nursing or education, I chase around my sassy yet sweet, almost three-year-old daughter, reading, kickboxing, or traveling. 

    I want to be the next Foothills President-Elect because I love to be a part of the emergency nursing profession and enjoy sharing that at the local level with students and new nurses and connecting with professionals on a state and national level at conferences and events. I have previous experience sitting on a state board in multiple positions. I have planned statewide conferences and events through these roles, increased recruitment, and enhanced member participation. I think I can bring these past experiences and my passion to fuel the growth of the Foothills chapter in the next 2 years. 

  • Foothills Chapter Secretary:*

  • Foothills Chapter Secretary Bio:

    Joanne Edwards: My name is Joanne Edwards, and I currently work full-time in the Adult Emergency Trauma Center and PRN in the Children’s Emergency Center at Greenville Memorial. In addition, I work for USC as a clinical instructor during the spring and fall semesters. I wanted to run for a leadership position because I continually seek ways to improve my nursing practice while engaging with my colleagues and future nurses. Attending the National ENA conference this past year in Denver made me feel empowered to take a further step in my nursing career by seeking leadership and educational opportunities. I look forward to seeing what this next year brings to my nursing practice and career.

    Laura Rentz: Hi, my name is Laura, and I'm a nurse in the Pediatric Emergency Department in Greenville. I moved here from New York in 2021 and have loved every minute of being involved in ENA. I am running for secretary for the Foothills chapter because I enjoy being organized and providing everyone with the necessary information. I am passionate about encouraging more nurses to get involved with ENA by attending meetings and conferences. I have learned so much and gained amazing friends through this organization, and I look forward to helping others do the same. I'm very involved in my unit as the Unit Council Co-Chair, where one of my roles is to keep meeting minutes and update the group as we host monthly meetings, talk about process improvement ideas, and think about suggestions to better the care we provide to our patients and their families. Last year, I attended the national ENA conference in Colorado and recently became a Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse. I'm excited for this opportunity to share my skills and learn more about being an Emergency Nurse as the Foothills ENA Secretary! 

    Joy Ann Privett: Hi! My name is Joy Ann Privett. I have been in the medical field for 13 years. I started my career as an EMS, then 8.5 years as a nurse in the ER. I am passionate about the ER and keeping up-to-date on new education to better our patients. I love being involved with the ENA and feel like the ENA (local, state, and national) is a haven for any ER nurse, no matter their years of experience. I want to be involved with the Foothill chapter since it always makes me feel re-energized in my passion for ER nursing, and I want to help others feel the same way.

  • South Carolina ENA Lowcountry Chapter Council Ballot

    2024 Elections

  • Lowcountry Chapter President-Elect Bio: 

    Joseph Stocking: 

    Hi, my name is Joseph Stocking. I have over 24 years of medical experience working for multiple High-Reliability Organizations in dangerous and diverse environments. I’m a Lean Six Sigma - Master Black Belt and graduated from FEMA's National Emergency Management Academy. With a background in “Shock Trauma,” I spent 20 years in the Navy as a Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Corpsman, NREMT, and respiratory therapist. During my tenure, I worked on the Forward Resuscitative Surgery System (FRSS) with the 3rd BN, 6th Marines, and 2ndMarDiv, in the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and as part of a Fleet Surgical Team during Operation Unified Response helping victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. My last deployment was on the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), where I spent eight months on a humanitarian mission to nine countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean. I retired in 2014 and currently work as a Clinical/Triage nurse for the United States Air Force at Joint Base Charleston. I completed the ABSN program at MUSC in December 2015, following which I earned my Doctorate in 2018. Over the years, I have worked in MUSC’s NICU, PICU, PCICU, and Adult and Children's Level 1 Trauma Centers and was a member of their Specialized Medical Team (SMT). I also worked at Trident Medical Center’s ER and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. I’m a dedicated member of ENA, taking on increasing levels of responsibility within the organization. I currently serve as the Co-Chair of the SCENA Student Nurse Relations Committee, teach TNCC, and was selected as a 2023 ENA Delegate. Furthermore, I have submitted my application to join the 2024 ENA Emergency Management and Preparedness Committee. If elected, I promise to bring the same enthusiasm and passion that I have throughout my career and maintain the high level of excellence that the Lowcountry ENA Chapter is accustomed to. Thank you for your time; being considered for this position is truly an honor!

  • Lowcountry Chapter Secretary Bio:

    Aileen Decker: Aileen Decker is the current secretary for the Lowcountry ENA chapter, has been an active ENA member since her time in nursing school, and has been an ER nurse for three years. She holds her CEN certification, received Roper Hospitals' "Rising Star" award for 2021, and is ultrasound IV trained. While at work, Aileen is an active participant and secretary for her unit's Shared Governance, as well as participates in precepting student nurses and orienting new nurses. 

  • South Carolina ENA Pee Dee Chapter Council Ballot

    2024 Elections

  • Pee Dee Chapter President-Elect:

    Chris Daivs: Chris became an emergency nurse in 2007 after years of EMS service. He is also certified as a Family and Emergency Nurse Practitioner.  Chris is an officer in the United States Public Health Service and is assigned to the Department of Justice.  He has responded to multiple Public Health Emergencies, including COVID-19, to assist the Border Patrol and hurricanes.  He was previously a Bureau of Prisons' Disturbance Control Tactical Team member.  He has also been a member of the United States Public Health Services Rapid Deployment Team 5 and the Opioid Response Team. He served in the development of the disaster medicine certification examination.  He has participated in training with the Air Force's Critical Care Transport team, the Army, and the Center for Domestic Preparedness.  Chris has been a featured presenter for emergency medical care at a Department of Justice symposium and the SC Rural Health Conference. Chris has volunteered as a youth leader in his church, as a mentor for healthcare workers, as a reviewer of medical journals, and as an admissions partner for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Chris has been honored with the Palmetto Gold Award for excellence in nursing.  He has also been honored as a Kentucky Colonel and an honorary citizen of Hazard, KY, for working with underserved populations there. Chris holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing and a postgraduate certificate in Global Health. 

  • Pee Dee Chapter Secretary Bio:

    Kelly Lawson: My name is Kelly Lawson. I have been an ED nurse since 1985.  Active in the Emergency Nurses Association since 1986. Former State Council Member, current chapter leader, prior chapter leader. TNCC Course Director and Instructor. Former Affiliate faculty for ACLS in SC and ENPC Instructor.  Currently employed as a travel nurse.  2004 recipient of the Palmetto Gold Award. I am running for secretary of the Pee Dee Chapter of the Emergency Nurses Association.

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