Nursing Department
Faculty & Staff
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Anne Davis |
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“Greener than green.” “You might not make it.” Those were words I heard from an impatient teacher in my first semester of nursing school. We all do grow and develop--thankfully! Teaching was not how I pictured my professional trajectory, but once exposed to the teaching bug, it became a life-long passion and fascination. My nursing career began in Missouri, as an Associate Degree nurse, then, in 1974, I earned my bachelor’s degree. My teaching began in 1975 as a part-time on-campus skills lab instructor while I worked as a primary care nurse and night supervisor. Both family and career decisions took us from Missouri to Montana to West Virginia, and since 1987, to Ada, Oklahoma. Along the way, I earned a Masters in Nursing which was a dual track for education and adult nursing with an emphasis in oncology. My doctorate is from Texas Woman’s University where my dissertation focused on Comanche’s current health beliefs. The most common question I hear: How did you end up in Oklahoma? Both my husband and I could teach at the same university, a university which emphasizes teaching. Kevin is an English professor; we bounced two children and two cats across the Appalachian Mountains. Twenty five years later, we have three terrific adult children, counting our daughter-in-law, and three awesome grandchildren. Greatest moments in clinical nursing: having the honor and privilege to work with families and patients on an oncology unit. Listening to patients review their life stories is unforgettable. Professionally, I have been involved with Oklahoma’s Long-term Care Ombudsman Committee and our regional and state Oklahoma Nurses Association. I am fortunate to be part of a highly skilled faculty who share a common, progressive vision of excellence in nursing. My most memorable teaching moments: having the honor and privilege to watch the “AH-Ha” moment in students’ expressions as they understand a difficult concept and, second: seeing graduates flourish as “real” nurses. When you graduate, please remember that you were once “greener than green” and lend a patient, caring hand to a student--your future colleagues! If you are a student new to nursing: Keep on reading! |
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Luann Evert |
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Ms. Evert received her Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Computer Science at Kansas State University in 1985 (when computer programs were still written via punch cards). She moved to Colorado Springs working in a large Cardiologist office from 1985 to 1987. She broadened her medical work by becoming an EMT and then a paramedic. Luann liked the medical field much better and so quit management to pursue nursing. She then received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1990 from Fort Hays State University. Her nursing career began at Hays Medical Center and included work in the Emergency Department, Intensive Care, and as House Supervisor. Ms Evert also worked as a flight nurse from 1994 to 2002. Ms Evert furthered her degree by completing a Master’s of Science in Nursing Education and as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Fort Hays State University in 2000. She moved to Ada, Oklahoma from Hays, Kansas to begin teaching in the nursing department at East Central University in 2003. She has assisted the department by traveling to two different campuses to help with student education. She has also helped by chairing various committees and helping with procurement of donated equipment. While, in Ada she has served the local American Red Cross as a member of the Board of Directors, and as a teacher of CPR and First Aide classes. She also teaches classes for the American Heart Association. She is a member of the ENA, ONA, ANA, and ONP. Her practitioner career continues at a local hospital and in various neighboring clinics. She has traveled to South Africa and to Brazil with hopes of going many more places soon. |
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Jennifer Heck |
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Ms. Heck, prior to joining the faculty of ECU, taught at Bacone College, in their two-year ADN program and their RN-to-BSN program. She has practiced as an RN in the areas of NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) and Mother-Baby (Postpartum, Newborn Nursery, and Transition Nursery). Ms. Heck graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Oklahoma, 1999. She then went on to obtain her Master of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Oklahoma, 2004. Ms. Heck maintains certification in neonatal intensive care nursing and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing and the National League for Nursing. In addition, Ms. Heck holds professional memberships in ONA, AWHONN, and ANN. |
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J. Jeffery Jordan |
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J. Jeffery Jordan holds BS in physical education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK, and a BS in nursing from Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX. His entry into nursing over 20 years ago was an associate of applied science degree in nursing from Oklahoma State University-OKC. Mr. Jordan holds a MBA and MSN degree from the University of Phoenix, and a MS in nursing education from Southern Nazarene University. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Nursing Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Mr. Jordan's nursing experience encompasses critical care, emergency, pre-hospital/Flight nursing, nursing administration, and nursing education. He is an active member of the Emergency Nurses Association, holding board positions at national and state levels. He speaks on emergency nursing and leadership issues at the state and national levels. Mr. Jordan holds national certifications as a Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) and Certified Nurse Educator (CNE). He actively works in the clinical settings in local emergency departments. |
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Wanda Martin |
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Wanda Martin began her nursing career in 2000 as a LPN. She worked in the areas of pain management and pediatrics from 2000-2006. In 2006 she graduated from the University of Oklahoma's LPN to BSN program with honors. At this time she began working in the area of Women's Health with a primary focus of Labor and Delivery nursing. In 2008 she graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a MS of nursing education. She has taught at ECU since the fall of 2009, teaching The Childbearing Family and Community Nursing and is a clinical instructor for those courses and Nursing Process. She is a member of the American Nurse Association, Oklahoma Nurse Association and Sigma Theta Tau. |
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Roberta Mowdy |
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Ms. Mowdy, prior to joining the faculty of ECU, has practiced as an RN in the areas of medical/surgical nursing, NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit), Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing (Primary Children’s Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah), Inpatient Adult Psychiatric Nursing, and Home Health/ Hospice Nursing. She was hired in 1999 by the Ada City School system to develop and implement the first School Nursing position in over 20 years. Ms Mowdy graduated Cum Laude, with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of North Dakota, 1982. She then went on and obtained her Bachelors of Science Degree in Elementary Education, Minot State University, Minot, North Dakota, 1988. In 2004, she graduated with a Masters of Science Degree in Education, with a focus on Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing from the University of Oklahoma. Ms Mowdy is a member of Delta Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Lambda at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, for excellence in service to graduate and professional school students through outstanding scholarship, character and leadership. She has been a member of Eta Upsilon, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing since graduating from the University of North Dakota. She is also a member of the American Nurses Association and the Oklahoma Nurses Association. Ms. Mowdy is currently working toward her Psychiatric Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate through the University of North Dakota. Teaching: |
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Linda Newcomer |
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Debra S. Ollila |
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Ms. Ollila began her career in nursing as an LPN in 1977, graduating with an Associate Nursing degree in 1986. She worked as a Registered nurse in the acute medical-surgical area for 15 years, and as a home health nurse in Los Angeles for 2 years before moving to OK and completing a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing at ECU in 2003. Ms. Ollila has been a psychiatric and mental health nurse since 1994; 10 years working with child & adolescents, and 7 years working with adults with psychiatric and/or chemical substance abuse issues, geriatric, and with the developmentally disabled populations. She became an instructor of nursing in ECU’s BSN program in 2006 and currently teaches Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Child Adult II Medical Surgical Nursing, and in 3 courses in the ECU RN to BSN program. Ms. Ollila graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center with a Master’s of Science degree in 2007 and is currently an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, in Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing. She completed a Post-Masters Certificate at OUHSC in Nursing Education in 2008, and a certificate in an Interdisciplinary Training Program in Child Abuse & Neglect from the OU College of Pediatrics in 2008. |
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Heather Prentice |
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Ms. Prentice earned her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from ECU in 2006. She then practiced as a Registered Nurse in a variety of settings including; the emergency department, home-health and hospice, and med-surg. She started her teaching career with East Central University in the fall of 2008 as a part-time clinical instructor. She accepted a full-time position in the spring of 2009, completing her Master's in Science with a concentration in Nursing Education in 2010. She is the course coordinator for physical assessment, teaches medical surgical clinicals, adaptation in aging didactic and clinicals, and physical assessment labs. |
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Tomi Tice |
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Mrs. Tice earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from East Central University in 2000 and her Master’s in Nursing Education from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2009. Mrs. Tice has worked as an RN in Med/Surg, ICU, Home Health, and Surgery. She has also worked as a Nurse Manager in Family Practice. She began working part-time for ECU in 2007 and full time in 2008. She is currently the clinical coordinator for ECU Nursing. She also lectures in Physical Assessment & Child-Adult I, and teaches Physical Assessment labs. Mrs. Tice is a member of ONA, ANA, Sigma Theta Tau International, the Delta Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Lambda at OUHSC, and the Nursing Honor Society of ECU. |
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Viki Saidleman |
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Viki Vogt Saidleman earned undergraduate and Masters Degrees from the University of Oklahoma. She has worked in medical/surgical and ICU areas. She has enjoyed teaching nursing for 22 years with 2 of those years at East Central and 20 years at Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton. Past focus areas for teaching include fundamentals, lab, medical terminology, obstetrics and pediatrics. Present areas of teaching include Child Adult I and II and Adaptation in Aging. |
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Charlotte Willis |
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Charlotte Willis earned her Associate’s Degree in Behavioral Science from Murray State College in 2009, and her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from East Central University in 2012. She is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology at East Central University. Her professional interests include forensic psychology, adolescent development, and social psychology. In January of 2010, she began working in the Department of Nursing as a student worker and six months later, began working as the Administrative Assistant. In 2012, she began her current position as Office Administrator. |
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Deborah Flowers |
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Dr. Flowers completed her Associate Degree in Nursing from Murray State College in 1973, Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing from East Central University in 1989, Master of Science in Community Health Nursing, CNS track, in 1991, and PhD in Nursing Research from Texas Women’s University in 1998. In addition, she has earned certifications such as ACLS, ATLS, and CNOR. Dr. Flower’s clinical background includes many diverse areas; however, her primary focus has been trauma and operating room nursing. She has been a Nurse Educator since 1991 and is a tenured, full Professor with the ECU Nursing Program. A few of her accomplishments during her career include being the first Director of Nursing for Creek Nation Community Hospital, Okemah, Oklahoma and guiding them successfully to their first full JCAHO accreditation, beginning the first fresh frozen bone bank in Oklahoma and facilitating full accreditation one year after its implementation with the American Association of Tissue Banks, writing and editing articles for nursing journals, item-writer for NCSBN, delivering presentations at a national level, grant writing, and implementing and coordinating the ECU @ Southeastern Distance Education Program, Durant, Oklahoma. |
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Jessica Hyatt |
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Mrs. Hyatt’s hometown is Durant, OK. She graduated from Durant High School, attended Southern Oklahoma State University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from East Central in 2008. After graduation she worked for 3 years as an RN at Medical Center of Southern Oklahoma and has worked part-time for ECU as a clinical instructor. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing Education degree. Mrs. Hyatt enjoys being active in youth ministry and foreign missions, including medical missions and has been happily married for three years. |
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Kristy Lankford |
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Ms. Lankford earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from East Central University (Go Tigers!!) in 2004 and her Master’s in Nursing Education from University of Oklahoma in 2010. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Nursing Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Ms. Lankford has worked as an RN in ICU, Home Health, ER, Med/Surg, and in Long-Term Acute Care. She began to teach as an adjunct for ECU in 2008 and full time in 2009. She currently teaches in Adaptation in Aging, Nursing Process, RN-BSN Nursing Research, and several on-campus labs. She resides in Durant with her 4 kids, who keep her very busy in her spare time. |
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Becky Bridges |
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Becky grew up and graduated High School in Bonham Texas. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in English from Texas A & M, Commerce, Texas. Before coming to ECU, Becky worked for the Texas Department of Human Services for 28 years. She has 2 children, 4 grandchildren, and loves to spend time on Lake Texoma with family and friends. Her hobbies include water skiing and traveling to Mexico or any warm climate with an ocean and a beach!! |
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Anna Duran |
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“The door that nobody else will go in, seems always to swing open widely for me.” Those words from Clara Barton ring familiar. As for many nurses, nursing was not a quick sprint immediately after high school, but rather a very rewarding marathon with a destination still on the horizon. An important message, it happens, as nursing truly is not a destination that ends after degree attainment, but rather a life-long journey. In my case, the journey began with a fascination for medicine, a love of teaching adult students, a belief in healthy communities and a background in diverse cultures. I was brought up both in Ardmore OK and in Aruba, a Dutch island in the Caribbean. As a young adult, I married an airline pilot stationed abroad. After intense studies at the National University in Mexico City (UNAM), I began my language teaching career in Mexico City in the early 1980’s. An airline lay-off brought us back to Ardmore after eight years, where I taught part-time and completed an Associate Degree in Nursing from Murray State College in 1996. Immediately, I went into Public Health, focusing on women’s health, communicable disease investigation, and most recently, community health program development, implementation and research of vulnerable populations. Along the way, while also continuing to teach as an adjunct, I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and a Master’s of Science in Nursing Education, both from the University of Oklahoma. I feel very fortunate to mentor students at the initiation of their individual journeys into nursing in a community that is dear to my heart. They, distinguished faculty and valuable experiences have been my best teachers. |
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Donna Urbassik |
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Donna has been a registered nurse at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City since 2008. She has a bachelor’s degree in computer science with an emphasis in management information systems from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and taught math for six years in the Public School Sector. Districts and schools included Noble Junior High School, Bethany Middle School and Western Heights High School in Oklahoma City. She decided a career change was in order and pursued nursing and earned both a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in nursing, with emphasis on nursing education, at Oklahoma Baptist University. Donna is currently a nursing instructor with ECU on the Ardmore Campus and continues to work occasional part time with Integris Baptist Medical Center on the weekends when she is not singing. |
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Becky Vladyka |
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Mrs. Vladyka received her Associates Degree in Business Management from Murray State College in 2005. She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society with a GPA of 4.00. At her previous place of employment she won the honors of Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year. Her most memorable day there was when she facilitated the computer testing of 981 contractors in one very long day. |
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ECU Nursing Faculty 2012