Conference Presentations

   Western States Simulation Alliance BRIDGES Conference

   Building Relationships, Innovation, Development, and Growth Excellence in Simulation

   San Diego │ November 7-8, 2025

Keynote Speaker:  Jennifer Arnold, MD, MSc, FAAP, Program Director, Immersive Design Systems (IDS), Boston Children’s Hospital; Physician Leader, Harvard Medical School

Keynote Speaker:  Jared Kutzin, DNP, PhD, MS, MPH, FSSH, FAAN, President, Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH)

Panel Presentation: “The Value of Partnerships”

Moderator: KT Waxman, DNP, MBA, RN, CNL, CHSE, CENP, FAONL, FSSH, FAAN, Director, WSSA / Professor, UCSF School of Nursing

Panelists: Dan Micic, President and Founder, Medical Shipment; Glenn Ostrem, Regional Sales Manager, Laerdal Medical; Benson Yeung, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CHSE, Regional Director, Practice Excellence Clinical Education and Effectiveness, Patient Care Services, Kaiser Permanente; Jesika Gavilanes, EdD, MATESOL, FSSH, Operations Director, Simulation, Oregon Health & Science University

Sessions & Workshops

Presentation: “Simulation for Interprofessional Public Health Training”  Speaker: Pooja Nawathe, MD, FAAP, FCCN, CHSE-A, CHSOS, Medical Director of Simulation, Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Presentation: “Bridging the Gap: Debriefing Strategies for Equity and Excellence in Healthcare Simulation”  Speakers: Melissa Punnoose, MSN, RN-BC, CHSE, CHSOS, Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator;  Heidi Traxler, MSN, RN-CHSE, Regional Director of Clinical Simulation, Providence St Joseph Health System Southern California

Presentation: “Moulage: A Hands-On Workshop”  Speaker: Brian Hanlon, BS, CHSOS-A, Simulation Center Specialist, Alameda Health System

Presentation: “Designing and Evaluating Simulation Scenarios and Frameworks to Address Implicit Bias in Patients: Concepts, Challenges, and Implications”  Speakers: Leslie Catron, DNP, M.A.ED, BSN, RN, CHSE, Grant Project Manager and Faculty, Western States Simulation Alliance; Alexandra Duke, DNP, RN-BC, CEN, CHSE, CNE®cl, EBP-C, Manager and Faculty, Western States Simulation Alliance