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Diane Carter, RN, MSN, CS
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President and CEO |
In 1999, Diane Carter saw the need, and was the creative force behind the development of the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators (AANAC). AANAC provides support for the work life of Nurse Assessment Coordinators. Since then she has provided the leadership and management to bring this start-up organization to national prominence with 8,000 professional clinicians receiving the most accurate, current information daily to support their professional work day. In addition, AANAC offers nationally recognized certification to Nurse Assessment Coordinators. With the launch of The American Association of Nurse Executive (AANEX) in 2007, materials, services and support are now available to Nurse Executives.
Prior to forming AANAC, Diane held positions as the Associate Director of the Colorado Association of Home and Services for the Aging, RAI/MDS Coordinator for the State of Colorado and was instrumental in successfully implementing the Colorado beta test for MDS automation and transmission. In addition, she conducted provider training throughout the state and nationally on a variety of regulatory issues. Diane was a HCFA instructor and advisor on Quality Indicators.
Formerly, the Deputy Director of Support and Analytical Services for the Health Facilities Division of the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, she worked extensively in survey and certification, complaint investigations and regulatory analysis. She is SMQT certified in survey and complaint investigations by CMS (formerly HCFA). Diane has been a provider trainer since 1990, when she was the Director of Regulatory Affairs for the Colorado Health Care Association where she has provided more than 300 programs in Colorado and nationally on a variety issues including Federal regulation, survey and certification, OSHA regulations, Train the Trainer for Certified Nursing Assistants and a variety of other regulatory issues.
Diane worked for more than five years at the Center for Health Services Research, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, where she assisted in conducting the national Swing Bed Study; the Cost, Quality and Case Mix Study; the Teaching Nursing Home Study; and the Colorado Case Mix Study. She began her nursing career as a nursing assistant in Colorado nursing homes in the 1960s. She holds a Bachelors Degree in English and Nursing, and a Master in Nursing Administration. She is also a Clinical Specialist in Psychiatric Nursing. She began her career as the Director of Nursing in a Denver nursing home.
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Maria Arellano RN, BS
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Executive Vice President of Education and Regulatory Affairs |
Maria Arellano RN, BS is the Vice President of Education & Regulatory Affairs of The American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators (AANAC). Maria has served the long term care industry for over 25 years and has held positions at all levels. She started as a nursing assistant and continued her career in nursing as a staff nurse, nurse educator, Director of Nursing and Nurse Consultant.
In 1995, Maria started her own company as a consultant to families who were struggling with the needs of an elder or disabled adult. As a care manager and legal nurse consultant, she continued to advocate for resident directed care. She is the co-author of "The Consumer's Guide to Colorado Nursing Homes".
Maria conducted statewide workshops for the long term care industry in Colorado as a consultant to the Quality Improvement Organization and has a tremendous passion for working with C.N.A.'s. She is the co-founder of the C.N.A. Leadership Coalition in Colorado and continues to promote their essential role in long term care. Currently, Maria is pursuing her graduate degree in Health Care Informatics.
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Vice President of Operations |
Susan joined AANAC as Vice President of Operations in March 2007. Her primary responsibilities involve financial management, human resources, facility management and information technology. She is excited to be working with a health-related non-profit organization, having been in non-profit management in the Denver area for 20 years, with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and with the Gamma Phi Beta Foundation. Her experience is in many facets of the non-profit world, including program management, public policy, fundraising, and organizational development. Susan received several national awards from the Arthritis Foundation, including the Chapter Administrative Staff Professional Achievement Award.
A Colorado native, Susan applies her professional experience in a variety of volunteer activities, including serving as chair of the Finance Committee for her church. She enjoys music, both singing and playing the piano, nature photography, horses and being in the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains.
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Vice President of Marketing |
Michele joined AANAC in November of 2008. Her passion has always been as an advocate promoting health and wellness for older adults and elders. As Vice President of Marketing Michele's primary role is to develop, implement and oversee all of AANAC's marketing efforts! She'll help keep our members, business partners, training partners and corporate sponsors up to date on all the exciting things happening at AANAC. Prior to joining AANAC, Michele started her long-term care career as a Regional Marketing Director for a privately owned long-term care company in Fort Lauderdale where she successfully implemented a case management program system for capturing referrals. Since moving to Colorado in 2004, she has continued her career as a Regional Marketing Director working for both local and national companies such as Piņon Management, Inc. and SavaSeniorCare, LLC. Originally from the east coast by way of New York, Boston and Ft Lauderdale Michele enjoys riding her Harley Davidson in the mountains, dining downtown, card crafting and taking her two Toy Fox Terriers to Chatfield State Park.
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Creative Director |
Ted Robertson is the Creative Director for the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators (AANAC). Ted's professional experience includes owning his own creative design shop as well as the development of in-house design teams and creative marketing departments in the aviation and homebuilding industries. This experience conceptually focused on strategic initiatives and the integration of creative design into the global strategy, and he is utilizing this background within the AANAC structure. Ted has a bachelor's degree in Journalism/Public Relations from Stephen F. Austin State University and has held leadership positions in several national organizations.
Ted is currently expedition planning/training for a personal first ascent of the second peak of the Karakoram range (K2) in the Himalayan range, as well as training for the 2008 NAtional STAndard Race championships (NASTAR SKIING).
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Office Manager |
Kay has been with AANAC since October of 2005. She is currently our Office Manager/Receptionist. She does her best to keep the office running smoothly. When you call AANAC, you will most likely be greeted by the cheerful, helpful voice. She delights in assisting our members and students, and finds so much gratification in doing so.
She has worked in an office all of her career, working for Farmers Insurance Group, Ash Grove Cement Company, RMH Electrical and Mechanical Contractors, Concentra Health Services and Intermap Technologies. Kay was born in Iola, Kansas, and spent the majority of her teen years in northeastern Kansas before moving to Colorado.
Thought she has never worked in long-term care, she does live with and care for her 88-year-old mother.
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Accounting and Human Resources Manager |
Sheryl has worked at several non-profit organizations in the Denver area over the last thirty years she has lived in Colorado (originally from South Dakota), including eight years at Mile High United Way. She has also managed apartment buildings in metro Denver for Fuller Realtors. Most recently, she has done accounting for two CPA firms who specialize in tax preparation. She enjoys crafts, reading, and spending time with her two children and three grandchildren.
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Annette Grabenstein
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Education Manager |
Annette is the Education Manager for AANAC. Her chief responsibilities include the training programs and Certification process. She makes sure that AANAC members receive the quality education and credit they expect.
She came to AANAC from another membership nonprofit, where she worked in the Trademark Department as a legal assistant. Annette holds a certificate in medical transcription and is working on her BA in history.
When not working, Annette spends time with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys being a mom, gardening, and reading.
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Membership Services Manager |
Burke is Membership Services Manager for AANAC. He assists individual members, corporate members, and business partners to achieve their full complement of member benefits. He has bachelor's degrees in health care management and social science, with previous work experience as a legislative analyst for another specialty nurses' association, a program manager for health care organizations, a patient representative for a post-acute rehabilitation hospital, and a substitute teacher for Denver Public Schools. He is active in local civic events and has run for public office in Colorado.
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Heather Christensen
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Conference and Events Manager |
Heather is the Conference & Events Manager for AANAC. Her goals are to produce highly organized AANAC conferences and workshops, provide a positive atmosphere for our members to meet their need for education and provide AANAC members with a platform for networking with their peers.
Heather holds a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Kansas State University. She began her career in hospitality with Marriott hotels in Nashville, Tennessee and then transferred with Marriott to Dallas, Texas.
The Wild West beckoned her and Heather soon called Colorado home. She joined International Tourism Marketing in 2004, where she served as the Association Manager for two tourism development associations for Colorado and the Four Corners region. While at International Tourism Marketing she became Director of the Go West Summit, a tourism development tradeshow for the American West. Heather enjoys the daily adventures that are shared with her wonderful husband, Jason, and their Golden Retriever, Jerry.
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Business Development Director |
Sophie brings over 25 years of meeting planning, sales and marketing, fundraising and business development experience to AANAC. Her responsibilities include helping to select city and hotel locations and negotiating all hotel contracts for ANNAC Spring & Fall Conferences and Workshops. Additionally, you will always find her on the telephone selling exhibiting space and sponsorships for conferences. Sophie travels all over the United States and attends tradeshows, conferences and conventions to solicit a potential new company in becoming one of our many Business Partners.
Sophie's background in the non-profit and event arena has afforded her several exciting careers with companies as diverse as Coors Brewing Company, the American Red Cross, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and the Colorado Convention Center.
Cooking is her passion; she is an accomplished chef/instructor. She and her husband John are avid travelers and have been all over the world - a benefit of having a son in the airline industry. Additionally, she enjoys sailing, golf, tennis, skiing, fly fishing and antiquing.
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Program Assistant - Membership |
Carolyn brings over 26 years of convention services and office administration to AANAC. Here, she has responsibility for administrative support and completion of all clerical functions for individual and corporate membership, and assists with business partners and other related association activities.
Carolyn's background at MultiChannel News, the first newspaper for the cable industry, helps her in providing backup and clerical support for all areas of conference and meetings, as well as in the development of fliers, brochures, and related marketing materials.
At her church, she is a music director, plays the piano and organ. Her husband, Calvin Patrick, is a truck driver and they have traveled throughout the United States. She enjoys her children and grandchildren.
Carolyn is customer-focused and values people!
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Program Assistant - Education |
Marcie is Program Assistant for AANAC, where she is responsible for implementing the certification program. She might be grading your exam, and she certainly is the one sending out your certificate and RAC-CT pin. You might even speak to her as she assists in answering our phone.
Marcie recently moved from Chicago to Denver, where she grew up, although she is a native of Mexico City. She has worked for several non-profit organizations including the Legal Assistance Foundation, the Principal Provider in Chicago and Suburban Cook County Free Legal Services in civil law matters. Most recently, she worked for the Chicago Transit Authority (the nation's second largest public transportation system).
She loves living in Denver, but whenever she has an opportunity, she likes to go home to Chicago and visit with family.
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Program Assistant - Marketing |
Alysha recently joined AANAC in May of 2007 and is the Program Assistant for Marketing. Alysha handles the technical editing our educational materials and supports the marketing, conference and events departments. Prior to joining AANAC, Alysha worked as a licensed cosmetologist and enjoys doing hair in her free time. She and James are also new parents of a baby boy.
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Key Consultants
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MHA, RN, FACDONA, RAC-CT |
AANAC founding Chair and Clinical Editor.
President of RRS Healthcare Consulting Services in San Diego , providing consulting and training services to long term care facilities, corporations, and attorneys nationwide.
Serves as a consultant to several of CMS' MDS-related projects, including the MDS 3.0 Validation project and to California 's Quality Improvement Organization.
Director of Nursing Services in skilled nursing facilities for 14 years, with expertise in all aspects of long term care.
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President, Robin Technologies, Inc.
AANAC Web Developer |
Gary is a former U.S. Marine with 21 years experience as a nurse in Long Term Care. He's held positions as a staff nurse, nurse aide trainer, assessment coordinator, and director of nursing.
A computer programmer, Gary has written software for service and financial industries as well has pharmacies and nursing homes. Naming it after his wife, he founded Robintek in 1999 to focus on web technology. His first website, careplans.com has become a popular destination for nurses and nursing students. He has worked with the AANAC team almost from the beginning and is responsible for developing the technology framework behind membership and education services.
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