Pam Farris, RN, BSN, OCN
President
Pam Farris is the Nurse Manager of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Nursing where she received her Bachelors Degree and is currently enrolled in the Masters Program at UMC. Pam has worked as a staff RN at UMC and Baptist Medical Center and was a clinical coordinator for South Mississippi Home Health earlier in her career. She has served as Director, Council on Organizational Affairs for four years planning MNA's conventions. In 1999, she was recognized as District 13's Nurse Administrator of the Year.

Carl Mangum, RN, MSN, PhD(c), CHS, FF
Vice President
Carl Mangum lives in Byram and currently is an assistant professor and an Emergency Preparedness and Response Specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing.

Linda Todd, RN, BS, MS
Secretary
Linda K. Todd is the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian. She has served JARMC in that position since 1992. Linda was educated at the Methodist School of Nursing (RN), Arkansas State University (BS Ed), and Memphis State University (MS Community Health).

Donna Williams, RN, MSN
Treasurer
Donna lives just outside of Amory in the Northeast corner of Mississippi. She retired from Gilmore Memorial Hospital in 2004 after 29 wonderful years. She has experience in all areas of nursing including management and administration. Donna is now living her dream as Nurse Faculty at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, MS. She received her RN-ADN from Northeast Ms. Community College in Booneville in 1975, BSN from MUW in 1995, and MSN from USM in 2000. She was recognized as Administrative Nurse of the Year in 1999, MS Top 50 Business Women in 2001, and Employee of the Century in 2004. An active member of MNA, she has served in multiple positions including President of District 25. She has been active with the MS. Organization of Nurse Executives, MS Infection Control Practitioners, as well as the Quality Assurance Professionals. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society for nurses. Donna is blessed to have a wonderful family and two grandchildren; Austin and Kalynn.

Ann Barns, BSN, RN
Director of Council on Organizational Affairs
Ann Barnes is president of Prime Care Nursing in Jackson, will serve as Director of the Council on Organizational Affairs. is president of Prime Care Nursing in Jackson. She has worked as an assistant administrator for the Sta-Home Health Agency, in marketing for South Mississippi Home Health and director of the Oxford Health Care. She received a bachelor degree in nursing from the University Mississippi School of Nursing. Ann was selected as one of Mississippi 50 Leading Business Women in 2005 and is a graduate of the Leadership Jackson and Leadership Madison County programs. She has served as president of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce.

Laura Schenk, RN, BS, MSN, CNNP, PhD
Director, Council on Nursing Research
Laura Schenk serves as an Assistant Professor with an Associate Graduate Appointment at the University of Mississippi School of Nursing, where she has been employed since 1992. Laura was educated at the College of Saint Teresa (BS), the University of Mississippi School of Nursing (MSN, CNNP) and the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing (PhD). She has served on the Public Affairs Committee for the Mississippi March of Dimes and is currently serving on the Closing the Gap Initiative on Infant Mortality with the Mississippi State Health Department. Laura has presented her research on national and international levels. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, as well as MNA. She has served MNA in the past on the Council on Nursing Research and as District 13 Legislative Chair.

Marilyn Ellis, RN, MSN
Director of Council on Nursing Education
Marilyn Ellis is from Gulfport where she is employed by the Gulf Coast Veterans Healthcare System in Biloxi. She is an Adult Nurse Practitioner and has served MNA as Chair of the Provider Unit for several years. She has been active in the South Mississippi NP SIG group for many years. She was elected Director, Council on Nursing Education in October 2005. She obtained her ADN from Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA., and BSN from Northwestern Louisiana State University, Natchitoches, LA, and her MSN was from USM School of Nursing. She became a nurse practitioner through the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Marilyn has been active in continuing education activities through MNA for many years and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau. She was also a member of the American and Mississippi Association of Diabetes Educators. She was named MNA's Nurse of the Year in 2004.

Bess Blackwell, MSN, RN, CNA, BC
Director, Council on Health Affairs
Bess C. Blackwell is an assistant director of Hospital Education in the Department of Hospital Education at The University of Mississippi Medical Center. As a graduate student from UMC SON, Blackwell was honored with the Nursing Alumni of the Decade Award — Bess C. Blackwell Nurse Executive Award. She has been a nurse for 31 years. She is a member of the American Nurses’ Association, the Mississippi Nurses’ Association, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi, the University of Mississippi Alumni Association, Sigma Theta Tau - Theta Beta Chapter, National Black Nurses’ Association, and the American Association University Women. She served on the Advisory Board for LPN students, Hinds Community College and Mississippi Board of Nursing. She serves on the MNA Board of Directors as director of the MNA Council on Health Affairs. She and other council members participated in the legislative initiative this session that brought about the passage of the second phase of a two-year pay raise for nursing faculty and the implementation of a pilot program to train additional LPNs.

Tearsanee G. Carlisle, RN, MSN, OCN, FNP
Director of Council on Nursing Practice
Tearsanee G. Carlisle is a Family Nurse Practitioner at Durant Primary Care Clinic in Durant Mississippi. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi School of Nursing, Master of Science/Family Nurse Practitioner from Alcorn State University School of Nursing. Tearsanee is also an Oncology Certified Nurse. She has served three years on Convention Planning committee and is beginning her second year as Director of the Council on Organizational Affairs for MNA. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society for Nurses. Her career includes staff nursing at Central MS Medical Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Intelistaff Flying Nurses as a travel nurse.

Jackie Williams, MSN, NPC
Director of Council on Advanced Practice
Jackie Williams received her Bachelor of Nursing degree from the University of South Florida and her Masters in Nursing from the University of Mississippi. She currently practices as a nurse practitioner and the Director of Non-surgical Rehabilitation in a private specialty practice at Southeast Urogynecology at the Women's Specialty Clinic in Jackson, MS. She also has a clinic for patients with interstitial cystitis, pelvic and vulvar pain, recurrent vaginitis and sexual dysfunction. Jackie is the current Mississippi State representative to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, past president of the Mississippi Nurses Foundation, Chairperson of the MS Statewide Women's Conference 2001 and 2002, MNA Prescriptive Authority Task Force 2002, MNA liaison for MNA Development Committee 2001, 2002, 2nd Vice President of the Florida SNA and president of the SNA at the University of South Florida.

Ricki R. Garrett
Executive Director - MNA

Ricki Garrett has been the Executive Director of the Mississippi Nurses Association since July, 2004. She comes to the position following a twelve-year term on the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, where she was president from 1999 until 2000. During her term on the College Board, Ricki was instrumental in developing the annual College Fair, legislative lobbying, and creating partnerships between the educational and business community.

A graduate of Mississippi University for Women and of the University of Mississippi, Ricki holds a Master of Arts degree in English and has taught on both the secondary and university levels. She is a businesswoman and currently co-owns Etiquette and Protocol Associates, a company that designs and presents training seminars in business etiquette and international protocol.

Ricki has held membership in numerous civic and community groups, including the Council of Board Chairs, National Association of Governing Boards; vice-president, Mississippi EdNet Board; president, Mississippi Stadium Commission, commission member, Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service, national president, Mississippi University for Women Alumnae Association, and president, Junior Auxiliary of Clinton. She is currently serving as a gubernatorial appointee to the Mississippi Humanities Council.

Ricki is the recipient of numerous awards, including being named to Who's Who in the South and Southwest; Medal of Excellence, Alumnae Achievement Award, and Woman of the Year 2004 from Mississippi University for Women, and a finalist for the 2005 Mississippi Business Journal's Business Woman of the Year.

As Executive Director of MNA, Ricki represents nursing at regulatory meetings of the State Health Department, the Board of Nursing, and the Board of Medicine. She represents nursing interests to legislators and other public officials and advocates for the best interests of the nursing profession and the health care of Mississippians.