PRESIDENT | Jordan Howe, MS, BSN, RN, CCRP
Jordan is the Director of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation at North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) in Tupelo, MS, and has been working with this team the past four years. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Mississippi, as well attaining an Accelerated BSN from the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Prior to moving into the role of Director, she developed and served in the department's Liaison role, assisting patients with outpatient recruitment and insurance authorization. She maintains membership with the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) and holds current Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) certification.
jnbrown@nmhs.net
PRESIDENT - ELECT | William Langston
Brent Langston is the Assistant Director of the Beacon Wellness Center at North Sunflower Medical Center (NSMC) in Ruleville, MS. He is an Exercise physiologist. He has been with NSMC Cardiac Rehabilitation program since 2015. Brent is an adjunct professor at Delta State University in the Health, Physical education, and Recreation department. He has assisted in obtaining American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) program recertification for the past two recertification periods. Brent earned both a BS degree in Exercise science and MS degree in Sports and Human Performance from Delta State University. He holds memberships with AACVPR.
William.Langston@northsunflower.com
PAST PRESIDENT | Sylvia Dunn, RN, CVRN-BC
Sylvia Dunn is a Registered Nurse at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery, AL. She has been with Baptist Health since May of 2004. Sylvia has held several positions during this time. Currently she is the manager for the cardiac rehabilitation department. She received her associate degree at Troy University in Montgomery in 2005. She earned her CVRN certification in 2013 from the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine. Prior to her nursing career, Sylvia was a zookeeper for 11 years.
Sylvia is a member of American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). She volunteers on the Certification Review Team as well as the Member and Affiliate Relations Commitee. She is married and has three grown children and one granddaughter. She enjoys the outdoors, gardening and traveling. Cardiac Rehabilitation is her passion as she is a bypass survivor herself.
sddunn@baptistfirst.org
MEMBER - AT - LARGE | Kathleen Drew, MSN, CRNP, ANP-BC
Kathleen Drew is a Nurse Practitioner serving patients as a Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinician at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical West Hospital (UAB Medical West). She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri; later a Master of Science in Nursing at Vanderbilt University; and returned to post graduate study at the University of Florida to complete their Adult Health Nurse Practitioner Curriculum. This educational journey partnered with nursing experience in a variety of areas such as general telemetry floor, critical care, flight nursing, cardiac rehabilitation, case management; and advanced practice nursing experience with pre-surgical evaluations, cardiology, primary care, preventative health, home chronic disease management, and quality/risk adjustment. She obtained the Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) certification in 2021.
Kathleen and her husband moved from Florida to Alabama to enjoy time with their daughter’s growing family, and feel so fortunate to live one mile away from grandchildren. Their son and his wife remained in Florida, so traveling back for a visit is always fun.
Kathleen.Drew@uabmw.org
TREASURER | Lori Walters, BSN, RN
Lori is a Registered Nurse currently employed with Huntsville Hospital in the Cardiac Rehab Department since 2013. She graduated with a BSN from The University of North Alabama in 1998. Her background includes roles as a staff nurse for family practice and cardiac step down unit. She just celebrated her 20th anniversary with Huntsville Hospital.
She is a member of American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). She is married and has a standard poodle. She enjoys living downtown Huntsville, hiking in the mountains and visiting New Orleans. She enjoys working in Cardiac Rehab and encouraging others to get moving.
lori.walters@hhsys.org
STATE REP - ALABAMA | Kathe Briggs, MS, ACSM - CEP, FAACVPR
Kathe is a Past President of the Southern Association for Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and currently serves on the SACPR Board as the Alabama State Representative. She is on the AACVPR Membership and Affiliate Relations Committee and has served on the AACVPR Leadership Committee. Kathe works for East Alabama Health as Director of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services at East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) in Opelika Alabama. In this role, she manages multiple programs including inpatient and outpatient cardiac rehabilitation, heart failure telehealth services, and outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation.
Since coming to EAMC in mid-1999, Kathe has managed many different outpatient departments and physician practices, along with implementing tobacco cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation, medical nutrition therapy and diabetes disease management services, and achieved ongoing AACVPR program certification for the EAMC cardiac rehabilitation services since 2000. For 11 years she managed the hospital's diabetes and clinical nutrition services and led a multidisciplinary hospital team that successfully achieved Advanced Inpatient Diabetes Certification by the Joint Commission. She also serves as a board member for the Alabama Wellness Alliance (formerly the Alabama Obesity Task Force) and co-wrote an Alabama Physical Activity and Nutrition Plan.
STATE REP - MISSISSIPPI | | Jeanne Carlson, MS, BSN
Jeanne is the Director of CardioPulmonary Rehabilitation and Outpatient Nutrition at the LiveWell Center at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She has her BS degree in nursing and her master's degree in exercise physiology, both from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her nursing background is in orthopaedics and cardiac/telemetry for 8 years at Forrest General Hospital, and then with Cardiopulmonary Rehab for 11 years before becoming Director in 2005 until the present. At LiveWell she works to promote secondary prevention, especially cardiovascular risk factors. She is frequently asked to speak at community and hospital events with regard to those risk factors and management of them.
She is a member of American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), She is also serving as a board member, presently the Member at Large, for the regional organization Southern Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (SACPR). She is on the advisory board for Spirit of Women – a national organization that focuses on promoting women's health.
Jeanne has previously served as President for SACPR.
jcarlson@forrestgeneral.com