Recipient of “Falcon Award for Nursing Excellence” from New York Presbyterian Hospital – 2002

Recipient of Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program 2013 – 2015

Recipient of Association for the Advancement of Nursing Science and Research (AANSR) Athalie Award June 2015

Recipient of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) Board of Directors Scholarship 2015

Elected to American Psychiatric Nurses Association – California Chapter, Board of Directors as Member-at-Large, Oct 2015-2016

Appointed to California State University of Long Beach (CSULB) Institutional Review Board (IRB) in role of Medical Expert

Featured Interview in Working Nurse magazine - Waszak, D. (August 7-Sept 4, 2017). 1,2,3,4,5 DNP & Me: Five Reasons to Pursue a Nursing Doctorate. Working Nurse

Elected to American Psychiatric Nurses Association – California Chapter, Board of Directors as President, term - Oct 2017-2018 (3-year term 2016-2019 as Pres. Elect, President, Immediate Past President)

Appointed to the 2019 American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) Nominating Committee

Appointed to Hands for Healing Founding Board of Directors  non-profit organization providing support services to victims of sexual assault

Former Elected Delegate and current member of California Association of Nurse Practitioners (CANP) 

Member of International Society of Psychiatric – Mental Health Nurses (ISPN)

Member of American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA)

Member of Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL)

Nationally Board Certified via American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) since 2002

California State Licensed Registered Nurse & Nurse Practitioner in Mental Health and Psychiatry

New York State Licensed Registered Nurse & Nurse Practitioner in Adult Mental Health and Psychiatry RN, NP, NPI and DEA License numbers current LPS Designated and CPR / First Aid Certified

California State University, Long Beach – Long Beach, CA (1/2016 – 12/2020)

Clinical Faculty, California State University, Long Beach – Long Beach, CA (1/2019 – 12/2020)

Tele-Health Education & Learning in Psychiatry (T-HELP) Grant Clinical Faculty supervising graduate-level psychiatric nurse practitioner students in learning and utilizing telehealth technologies through

simulation, curriculum design and active practice. Two-year multisite pilot project ($1M) with research and funding parameters in collaboration with Latino Health Center to address underserved populations. Curriculum adaptation, interface with strategic partners, publications in process.

Adjunct Faculty, California State University, Long Beach – Long Beach, CA (1/2016 – 12/2020)

Teach graduate level psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner students Psychiatric Theory for Adult and Elderly for Advanced Practice Nursing II course and Psychiatric Mental Health Across the Lifespan Clinical Simulation including study of pathology, diagnostic methods, motivational interviewing techniques, psychological stages of adulthood, and management of medical, psychological, and social problems of adult and elderly clients in psychiatric facilities and community mental health agencies. Tasked with developing curriculum, interactive learning activities including clinical simulations, designating course objectives, establishing learning outcomes, and methods to achieve learning outcomes.

March 2014 – California Association for Nurse Practitioners (CANP) Annual Education Conference, Co-presented refereed podium presentation on Treating Substance Abuse in the Primary Care Setting

April 2015 - American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) Annual Statewide Conference, Refereed podium presentation, Integrating Care in a Community Mental Health Center: A Case Study

June 2015 – Recovery Workforce Summit Annual Conference Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, Refereed podium Presentation, Promoting Health and Wellness Using Concepts of Integrated Healthcare and Psychosocial Recovery Principles 

October 2015 – American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) 29^th Annual National Conference, Refereed podium presentation, Integrating Care in a Community Mental Health Center: A Case Study

January 2016 – 10^th Annual Promising Practices: Shaping the Future for Mental Health and Aging, Refereed podium presentation, Integrating Care for the Elderly in a Community Mental Health Center

January 2016 – Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) 38^th Annual Conference, Referred poster presentation of Integrating Care in a Community Mental Health Center: A Case Study

April 2016 – International Society of Psychiatric Nurses (ISPN) Annual Conference, Refereed podium presentation, Integrating care in a Community Mental Health Center

July 2017 – Sigma Theta Tau International's 28th International Nursing Research Congress: Dublin, Ireland Refereed podium Presentation, Whole Person Wellness: Integrating Care to Improve Physical Health of Persons with Serious Mental Illness

April 2018 - American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) California State Conference, Referred poster presentation of Integrating Care in a Community Mental Health Center: A Case Study

October 2018- American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) 31^st Annual National Conference, Referred podium presentation, Educator Challenges to Facilitate Nurse Practitioner Student Clinical Placement: Lessons Learned

November 2018 – Sigma Theta Tau International, Iota Eta Chapter, 9^th Annual Dialogue of Caring, Presentation/Moderator, The Opioid Crisis & Nursing’s Response

March 2019 - California Association for Nurse Practitioners (CANP) Annual Education Conference, The Art of Successfully Engaging Veteran’s in Community Care Settings: Learn the Language of VA Culture

September 2019 – International MHNR Conference 2019. London, England at the Royal College of Nursing, Refereed podium presentation, Training Advanced Practice Nurses in the Use of Telepsychiatry

June 2020 - International Society of Psychiatric Nurses (ISPN) Annual Conference, Refereed podium presentation (virtual), Telehealth: Lessons from a Pilot Telehealth Clinical Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Training Program.

November 2021 – Nurse Practitioner Association of California, Regional (virtual) presentation, UC Multi-Campus PMHNP PM Certificate Program

July 2022 - Sigma Theta Tau International's 33rd International Nursing Research Congress: Edinburgh, Scotland, Refereed Petch Kucha Presentation, Novice to Expert: A 12-month Adaptable Clinical Seminar for PMHNP Role Development

March 2023 - International Society of Psychiatric Nurses (ISPN) 25^th Annual Conference, Refereed podium Presentation, Advancing Structural Awareness in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Education

October 2023 - American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) 37^th Annual National Conference, Referred podium presentation / pre-conference workshop, Design Workshop for Adopting Competence-Based Curricula for PMHNP Training: Using Competence to Unify Didactic and Clinical Learning

November 2024 – Los Angeles County Psychological Association, Regional (virtual) presentation, Demystifying Psychiatric Medications: A Therapist’s Guide to Referrals, side Effects m, and Effective Collaborations