Board of Directors

Antonia Fowler
MSN, BA, RN, VA-BC™
President

Antonia Fowler, MSN, BA, RN, VA-BC™, has been an RN for 42 years, and a vascular access nurse for 12 years. Antonia has bachelor’s degrees in English and Nursing, as well as her master’s degree in Nursing. Currently a senior Clinical Nurse at UM St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, MD, Antonia continues to work at the bedside as a member of the Vascular Access Team. In this role, Antonia strives to educate and enlighten her colleagues on the benefits of vein preservation and standardized IV insertion practices. An outspoken advocate for patient rights as well as Nurse’s rights, Antonia will advocate for better staffing, better equipment and more robust IV education. She endorses evidence-based practices which will enhance and promote the role(s) of Vascular Access teams, including establishing the value of creating and supporting the establishment and maintenance of existing Vascular Access Teams.

Joanne Dalusung
DNP, APRN, AGACNP-BC, CCRN-K, VA-BC™
Presidential Advisor

Joanne Dalusung has been a nurse for 30 years, an intensive care nurse for 11 years, and a vascular access nurse for three years. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1993. In 2014, she earned her Master of Science in Nursing at Texas Woman’s University for Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. She completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice at The University of Texas at Arlington. Immediately after passing her AGACNP certification, she assumed an advanced practice provider role as a Proceduralist as part of the Vascular Access and Procedures Team, where she inserts centrally inserted catheters, removes tunneled implanted port, paracentesis, and lumbar puncture. She is a vascular access specialist who advocates for vessel health preservation and saving lines.

She believes in the value of specialty certification. She has held three certifications simultaneously at one point, which include Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Oncology Certified Nurse, and Vascular Access-Board Certified.

Wendy Clark
MSN, RN, VA-BC™
President-Elect

Wendy Clark, MSN, RN, VA-BC™ has over 13 years’ in nursing and 12 years’ experience in vascular access. Wendy currently works as a Vascular Access Specialist for HCA-Houston Northwest, where she works with a rapid response team providing vascular access and educating her team and hospital staff on evidence based practice and current standards related to vessel health preservation. She is also an educator for CVCHealthcare. Wendy serves as president of the Houston Vascular Access Network (HouVAN), that she worked to start in 2018. Through HouVAN, she helps to promote excellence in the vascular access profession by working with industry partners to provide educational opportunities to vascular access clinicians at HouVAN events. Wendy is an active member of the Association for Vascular Access and the Infusion Nurses Society.

Wendy graduated in 2016 with an MSN in Nursing Administration from UT-Arlington. In addition to her service to HouVAN and AVA, Wendy is an active board member of Magnificat Houses Inc., a non-profit organization in the city of Houston that serves the needs of the homeless population. As a Magnificat board member she has served in various community projects.

Lauren Elliott
NRP
Treasurer

Lauren Elliott is a Nationally Board-Certified Paramedic and has over five years of experience in Prehospital Emergency Medicine in both a public Fire-Based EMS and also a private EMS service. Lauren is currently completing her Bachelor of Science Degree in preparation for application to Medical School as she prepares to become a specialized Orthopedic Surgeon with an emphasis in hand reconstruction. As a paramedic, vascular access is a large part of Lauren’s professional practice, especially in patients with serious medical conditions such as COVID-19, sepsis, and other infections. Lauren is part of a specialized COVID-19 interfacility transport unit providing lifesaving care for critically ill COVID-19 patients in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. She is also a nationally certified instructor in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Basic Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. Lauren has a passion for clinical excellence and delivering emergency care to patients in critical need of lifesaving interventions.

Eli Babich
MSN, MBA, RN, CCRN, CMSRN, CRNI, VA-BC™
Treasurer-Elect

Eli Babich is an accomplished healthcare leader with over 30 years in nursing and with over 10 years of senior level executive leadership experience. Using evidence based practices, Eli provides progressive and critical care experience to the hospital organization he supports. He has been significantly involved in vascular access throughout his career.

In 2009, he achieved a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and then a Master in Business Administration (MBA) in 2010 from Waynesburg University. He is currently in school for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice, with an expected graduation in 2024. Eli also holds the following nursing certifications: Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN), Certified Registered Nurse Infusionist (CRNI), and Vascular Access-Board Certified (VA-BC™). He is currently the Vice President of Clinical Operations for Vibra Healthcare, a large healthcare organization in the United States. Through this, he also champions Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC) programs and teaches sites throughout the organization about placing PICC and midline catheters. His continual goal of vascular access excellence is an ongoing initiative. He also continues to serve in the United States Army Reserve as Lieutenant Colonel in Nurse Corps.

Brenda Gray
PharmD, CNSC, BCNSP, CVAA(c), VA-BC™, PRS, BCSCP, FASPEN
Director

Brenda Gray is Owner and Senior Consultant and Educator for Clinical Pharmacy Partners, Board member and Treasurer of Canadian Vascular Access Association, past Board of Director – Pharmacy for National Board Nutrition Support Certification, President of Florida Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and parenteral nutrition consumer that has practiced pharmacy since 1996 in many settings. She serves as a pharmacy and nursing accreditation surveyor, educator and consultant. Her extensive professional career in infusion pharmacy practices has been complimented by multiple publications and presentations nationally and internationally including a recent international publication on subcutaneous infusions. She has board certification in nutrition support (BCNSP, CNSC) ,vascular access (CVAAc, VA-BC™) and sterile compounding (BCSCP). Eight years ago she also gained additional expertise as she became a parenteral nutrition consumer with long term central venous access and advocate for improving patient outcomes in vascular access and infusion therapies. She is a frequent speaker for understanding patient perspectives, patient education, and emergency preparedness. She also teaches in the areas of infusion practice and sterile compounding. Her extensive professional memberships include leadership positions in state, national and international organizations.  She also served as a leader on the guideline development group for Infusion and Vascular Access Guidelines for Canada. She and her service dog have travelled the world teaching about vascular access and infusion therapy.

Lillian Harvey Banchik
MD, FACS, CNSC, FASPEN, CVAAc, VA-BC™
Director

Dr. Lillian Harvey Banchik, FACS, CNSC, FASPEN, CVAAc, VA-BC™ has been involved in all aspects of nutrition care (including vascular access) for over 30 years.  Her experience includes both the acute and the ambulatory/home settings. She is the immediate past president of the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification and has served on the board in various capacity for over 20 years.  During this time she has been intimately involved in the development, evaluation and administration of certification exams that are multi-disciplinary and re-validated by practice audits. She is board certified in surgery, nutrition support and vascular access. Her career has included multiple publications and presentations for national and international audiences.

Tracey Schartz
M.ED., RRT, VA-BC™
Director

In 2023, Tracey Schartz saw her fifth year of teaching as faculty for the Respiratory Care Program at Gateway Community College. She took over as Program Director for the spring 2020 semester. Tracey graduated with her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University in December 2017. Prior to teaching, Tracey worked in the field of respiratory care for more than 15 years at one of the leading trauma centers in the state of Arizona as a Central Lines Specialist. Shortly after teaching a vascular course at Gateway, Tracey decided to take the credentialing exam to become Vascular Access-Board Certified. In learning that a course in preparation for this exam was sought after by community shareholders, she created the first course to do so of its kind being taught at Gateway in fall 2020.

Brandi Barden
BSN, RN, VA-BC™
Director

Brandi Barden, BSN, RN, VA-BC™, obtained her BSN in 2010 and has specialized in vascular access since 2014. After seeing the positive impact that the specialty has on patients and healthcare workers, Brandi developed a full time vascular access department, which includes peripheral and central insertion and maintenance as well as a broad range of education and support for all disciplines. In addition to managing this department, Brandi also serves as the Vascular Access Leadership Chair for the healthcare system of Maine Health.

Samantha Howorka
MSN, RN, CPHON, VA-BC™
Director

Samantha Howorka has been a pediatric nurse for 15 years working at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Samantha has experience in both Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplant, as well as Vascular Access. She has been in Nursing Education for the past 8 years with her most recent position being an Education Nurse Specialist for the Vascular Access Team. In this role, she planned, created, and disseminated vascular access and intravenous clinical therapy education for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Organization. Additionally, Samantha has been actively involved in quality improvement initiatives in her organization, and she has served on leadership committees for both Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) Reduction, and Peripheral Intravenous Extravasations (PIV-E) Reduction.

Samantha has recently taken her passion for the nursing profession and education to a different position, working with new graduate nurses in her organization’s transition to nursing practice program. Additionally, Samantha has taken her love of pediatrics and vascular access to academia by serving as Adjunct Faculty for Capital University where she participates in pediatric simulations and clinical education.

Kim Schardin
MBA, CAE
Public Member

Kim serves as the Public Board Member for the Vascular Access Certification Corporation (VACC). With a passion for healthcare and serving the community, Kim brings her expertise and dedication to this important role, ensuring high standards in vascular access certification. With her MBA from Alverno College and Certified Association Executive Certification (CAE), Kim has navigated the complexities of association management with finesse. She’s not just about numbers; she’s all about building relationships. From advisory boards to regulatory leaders, she’s woven a web of connections that ensure success, growth, and advocacy.