The CPS Team

Passion Is Found Here

The team of experts at the Center for Patient Safety are some of the most passionate in the industry. With a diverse background focused on improvement methodologies and patient and provider safety practices, each member brings a robust set of skills that complements the rest of the team as well as every one of our clients. We are dedicated to adaptable practices and easy-to-implement programs. We've been where you are and we know the hurdles. We are here because we want you to be successful.

Kathryn Wire, JD, MBA, CPPS, FASHRM

Executive Director

Kathy has extensive experience managing risk and safety functions in acute care, including academic, tertiary and critical access, physician practices of all sizes, long-term care, and regional health systems, including the initiation of programs within large health systems. For ten years, she led her own consulting firm, sharing expertise in those areas. She has volunteered her time and leadership skills for numerous roles, including speaking and writing, for the American Health Lawyers Association, the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management and local chapters of those organizations. She is a certified Just Culture trainer and has worked with a number of organizations to integrate Just Culture and shared accountability into their safety culture journey.

Daniel P. Burke, MBA, NRP

EMS Safety Director

Dan is the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Safety Director for the Center. As a Nationally Registered Paramedic, he brings over a decade of experience in EMS operational leadership, policy, quality, public health, and regulation. Dan has held leadership and administrative roles with a college-campus-based EMS agency, an interfacility critical care transport organization, a municipal fire and EMS department, and most recently served as the State EMS Director for Washington DC. He also serves in numerous volunteer capacities including on the executive board of his county firefighter's association and as the Chief of his hometown ambulance service near Baltimore, Maryland. Dan has received numerous awards including recognition for his service to Washington DC during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency where he oversaw public testing and sampling operations and specimen processing. Additionally, he has presented and published work on the impacts of EMS on public health. Throughout his career, Dan has made high quality patient care and patient safety a priority though implementing process improvements and culture change. Dan holds a bachelor's degree in American studies from Franklin and Marshall College, a Paramedic Certificate from the Pennsylvania College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Alexandra Christgen, MBA, CPPS, CPHQ

Data Services Manager

Alex is the Data Services Manager for the Center for Patient Safety, and has over 20 years of strategic planning, management, process improvement, team building, and culture change experience in both non-profit and for-profit organizations. She has been with the Center since 2011, overseeing the Center’s operations as Executive Director from 2015 to 2019. Alex’s current role provides a more hands-on approach into the Center’s data functions for PSO services and culture measurement. Formerly, Alex was a safety director for a manufacturing plant where she was introduced to Six Sigma quality improvement. She has since worked in a hospital and for the Department of Health and Senior Services in the regulatory division in the state of Missouri. She has years of experience in quality and performance improvement, survey assessment development, academic research and analysis. Alex also has Malcolm Baldrige experience, developing two award-winning applications for organizational performance excellence in healthcare. Alex holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia College and she is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.

Jennifer Uhlik

Survey Manager

Jennifer is the Survey Program Manager for the Center for Patient Safety and has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare consulting, project management, and process improvement, including more than 5 years in culture change orientation and healthcare organization culture measurement support. She has been with the Center since 2015, overseeing the Center’s survey operations. She is the administrative power for all patient safety culture surveys, working closely with client organizations in every state and among every care discipline.

Eunice Halverson, MA, CPPS

Patient Safety Specialist

Eunice maintains a passion for improving patient safety. As such, in her role as Patient Safety Specialist for the Center, she enthusiastically assists organizations to improve their patient safety culture and processes. She also leads the Center’s Patient Safety Organization program by providing participants with education, data analysis, and sharing trends and practices to improve patient safety across the continuum of health care. She brings 35 years of leadership and hands-on experience working for a large health care system, focusing on patient safety, quality, risk management, performance improvement and regulatory and accreditation compliance. The last 11 years of her full-time career were spent as Corporate Vice President for Patient Safety and Quality. As a member of the first healthcare Baldrige recipient, she presented at numerous national, state, and local conferences and meetings. Eunice holds a master’s degree in Healthcare Management Services from Webster University and is a TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer. She served as a Malcolm Baldrige examiner for five years and was a member/chair of the Overseer Board for the Midwest Excellence Institute from 2001 – 2017. Known for her long-standing leadership in patient safety and quality initiatives, she was the recipient of the Missouri Hospital Association’s Quality Professional Award in 2008 and the Missouri Governor’s Award for Quality by the Excellence in Missouri Foundation in 2009.

Shelly Pierce, DBA, FACHE, CPHQ, CPHRM, CPPS

Patient Safety Specialist

Dr. Pierce serves as one of the two Patient Safety Specialists for the Center. Over her 30+ year career she has been directly responsible for malpractice and general liability claims, risk management, electronic order sets, infection prevention, medical staff, peer review, customer complaints, patient safety, policies/procedures, accreditation/regulation, and quality. She has held high level positions in hospitals and physician practices in both small and large organizations. Dr. Pierce has been involved with the Malcomb Baldrige Program since 2003 and has served as an examiner and judge in Illinois and Missouri. She has also served as an examiner at the national level and was the Lead Judge for Illinois for a number of years. Dr. Pierce has a bachelor's in Paralegal Studies, master's degree in Healthcare Risk Management and a doctoral degree in Business Administration. She holds CPHQ, CPHRM, Executive Coaching, Workforce Violence, DEI, LEAN, and CPPS certifications.

Terri DeSio, JD

Patient Safety Legal Specialist

Terri is a seasoned nurse attorney with over 38 years of experience in the healthcare industry, specializing in legal services for hospitals and health systems. Her career has been dedicated to improving patient safety, navigating complex regulatory issues, and advocating for fair and ethical healthcare practices. With a deep understanding of both clinical and legal perspectives, Terri brings a unique and invaluable skill set to the Center for Patient Safety. Beyond her professional expertise, she is an avid knitter, a devoted MiMi to her grandchildren, and a passionate advocate for continuous learning and growth.

Deborah A. Vossenkemper, MBA, CPHQ

Patient Safety Consultant

Debby is a consultant for the Center for Patient Safety with more than 40 years in patient safety and quality roles, including SSM Health System Vice President Patient Safety and Quality (18 hospitals) from 2013 until her retirement in 2018.