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Meet the Board
Jess Hey
Membership/
Nominating Coordinator
I graduated with my ADN from WCTC in 2009 and recently with my BSN from Marian University. My first job as a nurse was in an inpatient role as a labor and delivery RN at Aurora Sinai. I transferred from there to an ob/gyn clinic and worked as both a triage nurse and the clinic supervisor. I then moved to my current role as a care coordinator in 2015 and have been in this role since. I also occasionally pick up hours with the telemonitoring department with Aurora at Home.
I was the previous chair of the Professional Development Committee for Ambulatory Shared Governance, and when my term was up found that I really missed committee and group work. So, I applied for a position on the AAACN – Milwaukee Local Networking Group. In my spare time I love to spend time with my family, baking and doing volunteer work.
Alicia Forrer
Education Chair
I was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. After high school I went to college and earned my first Bachelor’s in Business Administration degree from UW-Whitewater, in HR Management with a minor in Psychology. I started my career as a Headhunter/Corporate Recruiter in the Food & Beverage Industry.
I returned to school for nursing after the recession, while working full-time at Aurora St. Luke’s and graduated with my ADN from Bryant & Stratton. I continued working at St. Luke’s in the Coronary ICU. After five and a half years, I decided to transfer to a newly created position as a Behavioral Health Care Coordinator to help integrate BH into primary care. A few years later, I was asked to lead another pilot project and help integrate BH screening, assessment, and care throughout Aurora at Home. I also worked at their Telehealth department on the weekends.
I returned to school again and earned my BSN from Aurora University. I was contacted about another great opportunity to be an RN Care Coordinator. I had worked with this team in the past and really enjoyed it. I have been in this role since the beginning of 2019.
In total, I have been with Advocate Aurora Health since 2010 and I was just appointed to the Ambulatory Shared Governance Council. In addition to serving on the AAACN-Milwaukee Local Networking Group, I am also an active blood donor and a volunteer at Feeding America. I have a young daughter and a husband that I adore, along with two English Bulldogs and a cat. I am very passionate about improving and optimizing patient care and outcomes.
Linda Grutza
Secretary
I was born and raised in Cudahy, WI. After high school, I entered the Air Force, where I served for 8 years from 1990-1998. Although I attended nursing school while in the Air Force, it wasn’t until my late 30s when I finally finished my BSN. Before my nursing career, I worked in HR. Then, while raising my three sons, I owned and operated a licensed childcare.
As a nurse, I have worked in the OR, substance abuse, cardiac tele, utilization review, and now as an RN Care Coordinator. My favorite part of nursing is patient education. It is extremely fulfilling to see a positive change in a person’s health from our nursing education. I have board certified in gerontological nursing and have an MCG certification.
I am happily married with three sons. We frequently travel to Orlando and hope to retire in Florida. I love to bake, take walks, and read books.
Sara Olson
Technology Coordinator
I was born and raised New Berlin, WI, a suburb of Milwaukee. I graduated in 2000 from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a BBA in Marketing and worked in event marketing. After my having my first daughter, I started a new position with a company who worked on recruitment and retaining nurses in healthcare systems. The more I learned about nursing and healthcare, but more I realized I could use my marketing skills in the healthcare field and went back to Nursing School at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (class of 2011).
I started my career in nursing as an Intake Nurse at Roger’s Memorial Hospital working in the Eating Disorder clinic. After a year in Mental Health, I moved into Case Management with Milwaukee Center for Independence and Family Care, and then as a clinic RN at the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (now Vivant Health). I then took a position as an RN Care Coordinator with Aurora’s Population Health Department. Currently, I work as a Regional Project Coordinator with the Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center (MATEC).
I am looking forward to working with the AAACN-Milwaukee group to grow and connect an amazing group of individuals, who can bring unique backgrounds, and ideas to one group.
Nancy Stolte
I’ve had the gratifying opportunity to be involved in health care for 40 years – minus a 15-year hiatus in nonprofit financial management.
I started as a clinic receptionist and have worked as a medical assistant, a pre-admission/procedure testing technician, an inpatient nurse (med/surg, labor and delivery – same unit as Jess Hey!), a home care nurse in Milwaukee’s central city, a family practice clinic nurse, and currently as an RN Care Coordinator.
I have a BA in Business Management from Ottawa University as well as my Associate Degree in Nursing from MATC. I am board certified in ambulatory care nursing.
Despite the incredible technological changes in health care, I am both humbled by and proud to have the opportunity to participate in each of my patient’s health care journeys – wherever the path leads!
Treasurer
Nancy Stolte
I grew up in a small rural town in Wisconsin. I worked for 13 years in the Milwaukee and Colorado public school systems as a Sign Language Interpreter. I realized later my true passion was in caring for others as a nurse. I graduated from Bryant & Stratton’s associate degree registered nursing program in 2011 and UW-Milwaukee’s bachelor’s in nursing program in 2016.
My first nursing job was as an oncology nurse. After that I transferred to an ambulatory nursing position in an endocrine clinic. Five years later, I decided it was time for a new challenge and accepted a position as a RN Care Coordinator for population health.
I am actively pursuing my master’s degree in nursing. I have learned my love for nursing lies in educating other nurses. I am immensely proud to be a part of such an extraordinary body of individuals and look forward to growing and advocating for our practice.
Kristine Van Hecker
President
Mandy Rey
Membership/
Nominating Coordinator
I was born and raised in Milwaukee, graduated from Cardinal Stritch University with my ADN, and recently completed my BSN from UWM. I am a Care Transition RN at Advocate Aurora currently where I support patients through their transition from being hospitalized to managing their care at home and navigating the outpatient world. In this role, outside of the care I provide directly, I have found a passion for tackling “what ifs” and pursing mostly simple process changes to our care across the continuum to decrease patient risk or difficulty with access to care.
I have always, in any role I have been in, felt my calling to be closest to the description “patient advocate.” I have been in a “team” environment for much of my formative adult years playing college tennis and coaching throughout school and my now career. My start to nursing was in inpatient Med-Surg Oncology and I fell in love the impact on quality of life that Palliative care has for patients with chronic conditions. I have joined the Palliative Care Network of Wisconsin, am Med-Surg board certified, and a member of the American and Wisconsin Nurses Associations. I am trained in and working on practicing motivational interviewing every day- a skill that I am not sure I will ever master but believe is incredibly powerful. I believe fiercely that to meet each other’s needs we need to ask thought provoking questions, leave assumptions at the door, and listen. Then we can truly understand and partner with one another.
When I am not working, you will find me playing tennis and pickleball, learning new things, and spending time with my friends and family.