KAREN LEE BURTON, PHD, RN, CNE

Karen Lee Burton draws from extensive experiences practicing in charge nurse and staff nurse positions, focused in labor & delivery, addictions and med/surg settings. Her more recent career accomplishments include director/administrator academic roles. Additionally, Karen has taught online and in the classroom on a variety of topics that reflect her areas of interest and expertise, including: nursing ethics, women's health, and addicted nurses. Throughout her diverse work experiences, she has taken an interest in contemporary issues in today's nursing world and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge regarding the evolution of challenges that nurses and nurse leaders currently encounter.

Karen has received numerous recognitions over the years. Her keen insights are sought for presentations with healthcare audiences throughout the country and she has publications to her credit. Dr. Burton earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Brigham Young University, a master's degree from the University of Utah, and a PhD in Nursing Education from the University of Northern Colorado, completing her dissertation on addicted nurses.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Karen Lee Burton has an employment relationship with Southern New Hampshire University. She receives royalties as an author for Scholar's Press. Dr. Burton receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.

Non-financial: Karen Lee Burton is a member of the American Nurses Association; and the Utah Nurses Association.

SARA LEFKOWITZ, RN, BSN, MPA

Sara Lefkowitz has a background in acute care nursing, specializing in medical/surgical and emergency care. Sara currently teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which is a curriculum developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Additionally, she is a faculty member for a nursing college in California. She maintains balance through her own daily mindfulness and compassion meditation practices.

Sara's passion is teaching experiential mindfulness based workshops. These workshops are designed to teach nurses skills to successfully manage stress and avoid burnout. In developing these workshops, Sara has integrated her experiences from beside nursing, curriculum development and meditation practice. She is particularly influenced by the work of Rick Hanson and his use of neuroscience to explain the mind and the brain. Sara feels confident that the information presented will help nurses more optimally fulfill their desire to make a difference in the lives of others.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Sara Lefkowitz is a tenured nursing faculty for College of Marin. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.

Non-financial: Sara Lefkowitz is a member of the American Nurses Association; and the San Francisco Bay Area Tara Mandela Sangha.