Meet Our Committee Chairs
Accreditation Committee, 2015-2027
Kathleen McLaughlin, DNP, RN, CWOCN
Kathleen McLaughlin has been a member of the WOCN Society for 20 years. She has worked as a wound, ostomy and continence nurse in acute care, and regional trauma center. Her educational background includes a BSN from Immaculata University, webWOC WOCNEP, a MSN in Nursing Education and DNP from West Chester University.
Strategic Corporate Partnership Program Director
Laurie McNichol, MSN, RN, CNS, GNP, CWOCN, CWON-AP, WOCNF, FAAN
READ BIOStrategic Corporate Partnership Program Director
Laurie McNichol, MSN, RN, CNS, GNP, CWOCN, CWON-AP, WOCNF, FAAN
Laurie McNichol is an Advanced Practice Nurse at Cone Health in Greensboro, North Carolina. Her career has focused on the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries, prevention of peristomal skin complications, incontinence-associated dermatitis and medical adhesive-related skin injuries. She co-edited the core curriculum textbooks on wound care, has published widely and contributed to each of the WOCN Society’s electronic decision support tools. Ms. McNichol served as the President of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB), President of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN®) and President of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP, now NPIAP). Laurie is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and was the 2017 Magnet Nurse of the Year® for New Knowledge, Innovations and Improvements. Ms. McNichol received her BSN from D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York and her MSN in gerontological nursing and post master’s certificate as a geriatric nurse practitioner from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Education Committee, 2026-2027
Meghan Smith, MSN, AGACNP-BC, CWOCN
Fellows Committee,
2025-2027
Kevin Emmons, DrNP, APN, AGPCNP-BC, CWCN, CFCN, WOCNF, FAAN
Finance Committee,
2026-2028
Joyce Pittman, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, CWOCN, WOCNF, FAAN
Joyce Pittman, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, CWOCN, FAAN has been a member of the WOCN Society for over 25 years. She works as an Associate Professor at the University of South Alabama, College of Nursing in Mobile, AL. Her educational background includes: Indiana University- PhD & MSN; University of South Florida- BSN; Palm Beach Junior College- ASN; Emory- WOC Education.
Leadership Development Committee, 2025-2028
Leah Abecassis, MSN, RN, CCRN, CWOCN
Leah Abecassis, MSN, RN, CCRN, CWOCN, has been a member of the WOCN Society for over 6 years. She works as a Nurse Practice Specialist II at Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston, MA. Her educational background includes WOC education at Emory University and a Master’s in Nursing from Samuel Merritt University.
Membership Engagement Committee, 2026-2028
Erin Testerman Mitra, MSN, RN, CWOCN
Erin started her nursing career at the Burn Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview where she practiced the latest research findings on complex wound treatments for traumatic injury and rare skin infections. She furthered her education as a Certified Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurse and moved to New York City to work with complex surgical wounds and develop a continuum of patient care from inpatient to outpatient with the Colorectal division at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Erin recently completed her Masters’ degree at The Columbia School of Nursing, educates as a clinical nursing instructor, volunteers with the WOCN National Member Engagement Taskforce and was elected as President-Elect for the Northeast Chapter (NY, NJ, PA) of the WOCN Affiliate. Erin was recently interviewed by the WOCN Society’s podcast, “WOC Talk”, to discuss her unique role in continent ileostomy, K-Pouch, practice and is active in social media collaboration to promote positive ostomy awareness and methods to enhance quality of life.
National Conference Planning Committee, 2026-2028
Holly Vance, DNP, ARNP, AGACNP-BC, CWON-AP
Public Policy and Advocacy Program Director
Kate Lawrence, MSN, RN, CWOCN, WOCNF
Scholarship Committee, 2025-2027
Melanie Jacobs, BSN, RN, CWOCN
WOC Extender Advisory Committee, 2026-2028
Jennifer DeLegge, CWOCN
Jenna is a highly experienced CWOC Nurse Coordinator with tri-specialty certification, specializing in home health and hospice. She consults on acute care at a local community hospital and is actively involved in multiple healthcare councils and task forces, including the Illinois Home Care and Hospice Council and the Catheter Acquired Urinary Tract Infection Prevention Task Force. Jenna plays a key role in the Wound Ostomy Continence Membership Engagement Committee, focusing on member recruitment and retention. She has developed significant tools such as the Wound Score Communication Tool and the ACE acronym to combat Catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Jenna has also contributed to the education of over 395 OCA/WTA students since 2016 and co-authored enhancements to the Wound Treatment Associate Program. Her previous experience includes a commendable tenure as a firefighter, recognized for her contributions in technical rescue and emergency response.