NAPNAP-LA Board Members

Elissa is a board-certified acute care pediatric nurse practitioner who currently works at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles in the division of infectious diseases. She has been a chapter board member since 2019 and enjoys collaborating with pediatric nurse practitioners at the local and national levels.

Kaaren is a board certified pediatric nurse practitioner with an ongoing interest in supporting achievements in education. She has been a member of the chapter board since 2015 and currently works at Children's Hospital Los Angeles in the Division of Hematology and Oncology. 

Shannan is a CPNP who has been practicing at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center's Kids Involved in the Dependency System (KIDS) Hub Clinic since it was established in 2007. The Hub clinics in Los Angeles County serve as a medical home for this underserved community and provide evaluations for child maltreatment. Shannan is also a certified Primary Care Mental Heath Specialist and is the nurse practitioner for the Adolescent Clinic at Harbor-UCLA. In her free time, she enjoys surfing, snowboarding, yoga and relaxing with her husband and their 3 retired racing greyhounds.

Dr. Ibarra is a dual-trained nurse practitioner specializing in both family nurse practitioner and acute care pediatric nurse practitioner roles. She is an urgent care provider and recently opened her own wellness clinic. She is passionate about educating the community and providing resources for patients and parents, especially in underserved areas. As regional representative and president-elect, she aims to lead by example, advocating for pediatric nurse practitioners across the Los Angeles area. Collaborating with fellow chapter leaders, her goal is to unite efforts and address national issues, fostering support within the community.

Karen a board certified pediatric nurse practitioner currently working as the Associate Director of Clinical Operations at RubiconMD, a multi-specialty eConsult platform providing access to specialty care nationwide. 

She has worked in the field of Pediatric Pulmonology since 2018 with a recent appointment to Affiliate Associate Program Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Pediatric Diagnostic Center in Ventura, California. She also serves as the Secretary of the NAPNAP Asthma & Allergy Specialized Interest Group. 

Melanie is an experienced pediatric nurse practitioner with a passion for advanced practice provider empowerment and professional development. She specialized in pediatric pain management and palliative care in Seattle before moving to Southern California to work at Children's Hospital Los Angeles a the Senior Advanced Practice Professional Development Specialist and APP Fellowship Director.

Kristen is an acute care pediatric nurse practitioner at Children's Hospital Los Angeles in the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute. She got involved with the LA NAPNAP chapter this year after making a transition from Children's Hospital Colorado in 2024. She was previously a member of NAPNAP in Colorado and is looking forward to meeting and collaborating with nurse practitioners in the LA area.