Executive Director


JUNE HALPER, ANP, FAAN, MSCN
CMSC/IOMSN
Hackensack, New Jersey


June Halper is a certified adult nurse practitioner who has specialized in multiple sclerosis since 1978. She was a founder of the Gimbel MS Center in Teaneck, NJ and has been the Executive Director since 1989. With the Multiple Sclerosis Research and Treatment Center of the New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ, the Gimbel Center established the Multiple Sclerosis Network of New Jersey in 1998. In 1993, the Gimbel MS Center was named the administrative seat of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, the largest organization of MS healthcare professionals in the world. Ms. Halper was president of the CMSC from 1995-97 and has been the Executive Director since 1997.

 Ms. Halper spearheaded the development of a national task force on disabled women's health issues which culminated in a nationally attended conference in June 1996 which focused on autoimmune diseases and women. She has published and lectured extensively on multiple sclerosis and its ramifications and is the editor of Comprehensive Nursing Care in Multiple Sclerosis and Advanced Concepts in Nursing Care in Multiple Sclerosis, and co-editor of Staying Well with Multiple Sclerosis: A Self-Care Guide. Ms. Halper chaired the first Multiple Sclerosis Nurse Specialist Consensus Committee's development of a monograph on the nurse's role in adherence to complex protocols; the impact of cognitive impairment in MS nursing care; and the nurse's role in patient's and family's quality of life. She chaired the second such committee which published Multiple Sclerosis: Best Practices in Nursing Care, Disease Management, Pharmacologic Treatment, Nursing Research. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the founding director of IOMSN, the International Organization of MS Nurses, and the recipient of the IOMSN's first June Halper Award for Excellence in Nursing in Multiple Sclerosis. She was inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing in November 1999.

President


MARIE A. NAMEY, RN, MSN, MSCN
Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research
Cleveland, Ohio


Marie A. Namey received her Master of Science degree in nursing from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve. She received her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Villa Maria College, Erie, Pa.

Marie Namey has been part of the interdisciplinary team a the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation since its inception in 1985. She is a member of the local MS Society Chapter Professional Advisory Committee and the Chapter Program Committee. She is a popular speaker for patient and professional groups on aspects of MS care. She is a member of Advisory Groups for pharmaceutical companies. She is on the Editorial Board for Real Living with MS.

She has published on topics of bladder and bowel function and adherence. She has been a member of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (1986). She has served as secretary, vice president and chair of the Education Committee and participated on the Education Committee and Abstract Review Committee.

President - Elect


Patricia Kennedy, RN, CNP, MSCN
Can Do Multiple Sclerosis
Gainesville, Virginia


Patricia Kennedy, RN, CNP, MSCN worked as a Nurse Practitioner in the field of MS since 1987. She has worked at the Rocky Mountain MS Center as an NP, established an innovative outpatient evaluation program utilizing a wide range of medical and rehabilitation professionals and was the Director of Out Patient Services.

Ms. Kennedy has worked in a private practice as an NP and established a “Center Without Walls.” She has worked as a consultant for the Jimmie Heuga Center for MS (now Can Do Multiple Sclerosis) for 22 years. Most recently she has worked full-time on their staff as Nurse Educator and Program Consultant during a year when they changed their brand, name and focus. Additionally she has served on the Heuga Center’s Board of Directors.

Ms. Kennedy currently works for Can Do MS part-time as Nurse Educator and is the liaison with their national programs staff. She was co-founder of Mt. Evans Hospice in 1982 and served 4 terms on the board, one as President. She was co-founder of Gunnison Valley Hospice and served on its board for 1 term.

Patricia has been involved in IOMSN since it was formed, and has served on the Board of Directors. She received the June Halper Award in 2007 and was a finalist for the Nightingale Award for the State of Colorado in 2003.

Ms. Kennedy is a frequent speaker on the subject of MS to audiences consisting of nursing students to patients to physicians. She serves on the Client Education Committee for NMSS and as a consultant to them as needed.

Secretary


BEVERLY LAYTON RN, CCRC, MSCN
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama


Beverly Layton is A Nurse Coordinator/Neurology for the multiple sclerosis patient population at the Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama and has been working with MS patients since 1987. She is a certified clinical research coordinator, as well as a multiple sclerosis certified nurse.

Ms. Layton completed her pre-nursing studies at the University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama. She earned her BSN from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

With a chief research interest in the treatment of MS, she has served as Research Nurse Coordinator on numerous therapeutic drug trials. Ms. Layton is a frequent invited lecturer on topics including nurses’ role in management of patients with MS, current approaches in managing MS, and intimacy and MS.

Ms. Layton works closely with the Alabama Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society and serves on the Client Services Committee. She has received the Client Programs Hall of Fame and Norman Cohn Hope Award from the Alabama Chapter.

Ms. Layton is a member of a number of professional societies and organizations, including the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, and the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses.

Treasurer


MARY FILIPI, PhD, RN, FNP-C
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska

Mary Filipi received her advanced degrees in nursing and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has an appointment as Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing and Adjunct Professor at the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

Mary, as a nurse practitioner, has specialized in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis since 1997. She is certified as an MS provider, providing patient care through Neurology Associates, P.C. and St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. She is currently the primary investigator on three investigator initiated MS research protocols and has participated in MS research for 12-13 years. Mary is a current Executive Board Member of the International Organization of MS Nurses. She is highly regarded as a speaker in neurology and multiple sclerosis.

Past - President


AMY PERRIN ROSS, APN, MSN, CNRN, MSCN
Loyola University of Chicago MS
Chicago, Illinois


Amy Perrin Ross is a neuroscience program coordinator at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood Illinois. She’s the coordinator of the MS clinic at Loyola. She was the past president of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses and former vice president of the National Federation for Specialty Nursing Organizations. She’s also an international lecturer on MS and other neuro topics and author of several book chapters and journal articles.