Board Members
Council Officers
Paul Austin, PhD, CRNA, President
CRNA Educator
Texas Wesleyan University
Laura Bonanno, PhD, DNP, CRNA, Vice President
CRNA Educator
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – School of Nursing
Michael Fallacaro, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, FAANA, Treasurer
CRNA Educator
Virginia Commonwealth University
Council Directors
Brian Andrew, JD
Public Representative
Judy Didion, PhD, RN
University Administrator
Oakland University
Claire Dixon-Lee, PhD, RHIA, CPH, FAHIMA
Public Member
Juan Gonzalez, PhD, CRNA
CRNA Educator
University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies
John O’Donnell, DrPH, MSN, CRNA, CHSE, FSSH
CRNA Educator
University of Pittsburgh
Sarah B. Held, DNP, MBA, RN
Healthcare Administrator
M Health Fairview / Fairview Health System / HealthEast Care System
Dennis J. McKenna, DNAP, CRNA
CRNA Practitioner
Medical University Hospital
Julie Pearson, PhD, CRNA
CRNA Practitioner
CarolinaEast Health System
Jerrol B. Wallace, DNP, MSN, CRNA, CDR, NC, USN
CRNA Educator
Uniformed Services Univesity of Health Sciences
Britni Tharp, BSN, RN, CCRN-CSC
Student Representative
Chief Executive Officer
Francis Gerbasi, PhD, CRNA, [email protected]
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Gerbasi has served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) for 20 years. He is responsible for overseeing the accreditation of 130 graduate level nurse anesthesia programs located throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. He is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. He completed his undergraduate and graduate education at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. He has published numerous research studies, authored several chapters and a textbook for nurse anesthetists. In 2002 he received the John F. Garde Researcher of the Year Award by the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Foundation.
Accreditation Specialists
Tom Anderson, MLIS, [email protected]
Barbara Farkas, MAdEd, [email protected]
Susan Monsen, MATD, [email protected]
Molyka Leonard, MPA, [email protected]
Kara Chlebek, MPA, [email protected]
Accreditation Operations Manager
Liza Curiel, MNA, [email protected]
Accreditation Operations Specialist
Susan Schneider, [email protected]
Accreditation Finance Clerk
Chris Ramos, [email protected]
Executive Assistant
Maria Kozicz, [email protected]
