Meet The Team
Meet the Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Bart Darrell
Chancellor
Bart Darrell is an attorney and former President of Kentucky Wesleyan College, based in Owensboro, Kentucky. He has a diverse background in law and higher education, having represented various entities throughout Kentucky. Darrell is also the Vice-President of the Commonwealth West Healthcare Workforce Innovation Center at Owensboro Health, where he focuses on improving healthcare education and workforce development. His commitment to the community is evident through his active involvement in civic and volunteer roles, including serving on boards for the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce and the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Board. Darrell's dedication to education and healthcare is reflected in his efforts to enhance access to quality health care and education in the community.
Bruce Williams, MSN, RN,CHSE, CHSOS
President/CEO
Bruce Williams’ extensive experience in healthcare and education gives him a unique advantage when it comes to leading Healthforce Kentucky’s simulation education. Not only does he have a strong background in simulation technology – he has worked in some of the most challenging but rewarding areas of healthcare. Bruce became a registered nurse in 1994 and has completed 3 degrees in nursing (ASN, BSN, MSN) with additional degrees in computer-aided industrial drafting (AS) and occupational safety management (MS). His role as a nurse took him inside intensive care units, emergency departments, and on a stint as a flight nurse. He’s also worked in ground transport, prehospital fire/EMS, occupational medicine, organ donation, and in academia. Bruce discovered the world of simulation in 2005 and has directed the establishment of simulation centers at universities and hospital systems in Texas and Indiana. He has worked at all levels within simulation and has a true passion for improving quality and safety. Bruce’s variety of work experiences allows a strong base to innovatively and creatively collaborate with faculty to engage learners at all levels. Bruce felt called to HealthForce Kentucky because of the unique opportunities that were designed into the plan. The concept of a single point allocating resources and facilitating experiences across a region is a novel approach to lessen healthcare educational resource disparities, along with the mission to engage and excite learners across the service areas to possibilities they might not ever have an opportunity to consider. Bruce’s hobbies are tinkering, DIY home improvement, bike riding, camping, stained glass, 3D printing, plastics, and silicone fabrication.
Amy Brasher, RT(R)(M)RDMS RVT
Assistant Director of Education & Outreach
Amy Brasher has spent many years working as a medical sonographer, where her love of anatomy and problem-solving has guided her work. She takes great satisfaction in helping uncover answers that make a difference in patient care. In 2024, she joined HealthForce Kentucky as a Simulation Education Specialist.. She looks forward to sharing her clinical experience, assisting instructors, and helping create a positive learning environment for students. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and appreciates the moments that bring balance to her busy professional life.
Jenny Shaffer, RPT
Assistant Director of Simulation
Jenny Shaffer comes to Kentucky from Utah, where she worked with Intermountain Health for nearly 18 years, beginning her career at a family practice clinic in Highland, Utah as a Nationally Certified Medical Assistant. During her time there, she played a key role in structuring and building the practice. She furthered her expertise by becoming state certified as a Radiologic Practical Technician and eventually took on the roles of Team Lead and Assistant Manager. In June 2016, she joined the Intermountain Simulation Team as a Simulation Tech, advancing to Senior Simulation Operations Specialist in 2018. She is passionate about simulation and the new opportunities it offers. Jenny believes that simulation represents a new era in learning and education that will enhance the quality of health care services in communities everywhere. Jenny has experience in Clinical and Leadership Simulation, ranging from nursing unit orientations, neonatal, flight transport, Leadership Institute, to new space opening simulations. She is an expert in manikins and simulation scenario development. Jenny has presented on creating realism in simulation at many conferences. She continues to learn what simulation has to offer and how to produce excellent simulations with best practices and standards.
Jennifer Richardson
Grants and Development Officer
Coming Soon!
Hannah Stephen, RN, BSN
Education Coordinator
Hannah’s path in health care and education has been shaped by both personal inspiration and professional passion. Drawn to HealthForce Kentucky’s mission to expand opportunities and bring advanced technology into classrooms, she offers a rare combination of clinical expertise and teaching experience that helps prepare students for future health careers. Her interest in health care began early, influenced by her grandmother’s work as a nurse. From a young age, Hannah was motivated by the idea of carrying that legacy forward and making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. She graduated as a registered nurse from Henderson Community College in 2010 and went on to earn her BSN from Indiana Wesleyan University. In 2017, Hannah expanded her career by earning her Rank I certification in Career and Technical Education (CTE) Allied Health courses at Owensboro High School. Her background in medical-surgical nursing and home care provided her with a strong foundation in both patient care and the broader health system, which she now brings into the classroom. As an educator, Hannah focuses on hands-on, immersive learning. By incorporating real-world simulations and advanced resources, she helps students explore the many career pathways in health care while developing practical skills and confidence. Beyond her professional work, Hannah is committed to her family. She and her husband, Nick, are raising three children and spend much of their time supporting them in school and extracurricular activities. Whether she’s at the ball field or relaxing by the pool, Hannah carries the same energy and dedication into her home life that she brings to her career.
Brittany Hamiltion, RN, BSN, MHA
Simulation Education Specialist
Brittany Morris brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the healthcare industry, with a career that spans clinical practice and health IT. Her journey began as a teenage volunteer, eventually leading her to become a Registered Nurse with a deep-rooted passion for Orthopedics and Joint Replacement care. As her career evolved, Brittany transitioned into the realm of clinical informatics, where she served as a Clinical Informatics Specialist. In this role, she supported physician workflows within the Epic electronic health record system, bridging the gap between frontline care and technology. Her unique blend of clinical insight and informatics expertise positions her to enhance healthcare education and delivery—particularly through her contributions to Healthforce Kentucky, where she aims to bring innovative, tech-informed approaches to workforce development. Outside of her professional life, Brittany is a devoted wife and mother of three boys. She enjoys spending quality time with her family, exploring new experiences, reading, and indulging in a bit of retail therapy.
Nathan Fulkerson
Simulation Operations Specialist
Nathan Fulkerson’s vast experience in health care and education make him a perfect fit as HealthForce Kentucky’s Simulation Operations Specialist. Nathan’s career in health care began when he became an EMT in 2005 and has had a passion for health care since then. He has completed training with local law enforcement and as a 911 dispatcher, TSA officer with the Department of Homeland Security and teaching. Nathan discovered another side to health care in 2024 and changed careers from traditional education to simulations. He felt called to make the leap to simulation education because of the unique opportunities designed into the plans for HealthForce Kentucky. The concept of a single point allocating resources and facilitating experiences across a region is a novel approach to solving issues of accessibility. He was also drawn to the mission of engaging and exciting learners across service areas and exposing them to possibilities they might not ever have considered before. His 20 years of experience working across multiple areas of health care give him advanced knowledge in helping educators create simulations that replicate real-world cases. Outside of work, Nathan’s hobbies are working on his small family farm, traveling and going to Disney World with his wife and two daughters.
Morgan Ballard
Simulation Operation Specialist
Morgan Ballard brings a strong background in field research, and technology. Originally from California, she relocated to Kentucky as a young adult and earned a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Environmental Science and Sustainability from Western Kentucky University. Following graduation, Morgan spent almost four years working as a marine biologist aboard commercial fishing vessels off the coast of Alaska, where she conducted field research in demanding oceanic environments. Her work included not only collecting biological data but also included Safety Simulation training in open water, collaboration with Coast Guard Protocols, and the calibration and maintenance of specialized equipment and measurement technologies, ensuring precision, safety, and data integrity under challenging field conditions. Motivated by a desire for greater stability and a new avenue to apply her scientific expertise, Morgan transitioned into the field of healthcare and simulation education. She provides supporting hands-on training and immersive learning for future healthcare professionals. Her combined experience and a collaborative spirit—helps bridge the gap between real-world trainings and classroom learning.
Tim Stevenson
Accounting Specialist
Growing up in Southern Illinois, Timothy enlisted in the Marine Corps immediately out of high school. He began his career as a Cryptologic Signals Intelligence professional who was trained to copy Morse code and identify and decrypt data signals. On his second tour (four-year enlistment) he was educated and trained as a Serbian-Croatian linguist through the Defense Language Institute and served at the National Security Agency in support of Bosnia and Kosovo peacekeeping missions. In his third tour of duty, he was trained to serve as a Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence Specialist and was deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. You could say it was in preparation for this tour that he got his first introduction to the clinical side of healthcare work – as he received Tactical Combat Casualty Care Course instruction for troop survivability until higher-level care could be obtained. His next role would take him to the Philippines, where he served as a Chinese-Mandarin linguist. Timothy was selected for the Meritorious Commissioning Program for the Marine Corps, which allowed him to complete his undergraduate degree focusing on Eastern Europe and East Asia. He became an Intelligence Officer, and as he prepared for his fourth tour his career path would again bring him into healthcare. He completed Combat Life Saver instruction for the same purpose of sustaining life until a higher level of care can be obtained. Timothy was promoted to Marine Corps Language Program Manager, where he began managing various contracts in support of strategic language capability development initiatives and began working on a Master of Business Administration to support planning and decision-making and to make him a better overall leader. After a tour at the Pentagon, he served as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence), Foreign Disclosure Officer, and Security Manager for a logistics organization while simultaneously deploying to support missions in support of Europe and the Middle East. Timothy is a proud life-long Kentuckian, who wanted to come back home after retiring from the Marine Corps with his Master of Business Administration (Accounting) from American Military University. In looking to return close to his Grayson County roots, Timothy saw HealthForce Kentucky as a way to best serve Kentucky in the way he’d served his nation. “HealthForce Kentucky’s purpose is aligned with my values and personal mission,” he said. “HealthForce Kentucky is charged with growing the healthcare workforce within the community, and there’s no better way to support both the healthcare needs of my community while simultaneously supporting the educational development and prosperity of its citizens.”
Lauren Calhoun
Office Coordinator
Lauren Calhoun is an eighth generation, lifelong resident of Western Kentucky. Professionally, Lauren began her career in healthcare finance, first as a registration and scheduling clerk and later as the Manager of Accounts Receivable for Owensboro Health before taking on the Office Coordinator role with HealthForce Kentucky. Lauren has been deeply involved in volunteer and civic work in the city of Owensboro and across the Commonwealth. She has served as a board member for Theatre Workshop of Owensboro, Prism Arts Alliance, New Beginnings, Owensboro Human Relations Commission, as well as the Kentucky Foundation for Women and the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange. Lauren is a proud mother of three nearly-grown children, Jack, Michael, and Katie. Spending time with them and her husband John is her greatest joy, especially when making music together. Lauren has been featured on all kinds of stages in Owensboro and regionally, from dive bars and big festivals as the front woman of several local bands to the halls of Riverpark Center and TWO in musicals such as Into the Woods, Bright Star, and 9 to 5. HealthForce Kentucky represents the culmination of all the things Lauren is especially passionate about - creativity, sustaining healthy communities, and lifting up Kentuckians. She is excited to be a part of this amazing team of professionals.
Bailey Logsdon
Simulation Operations Specialist
After serving as an EMT in Owensboro/Daviess co. Bailey transitioned into a new role as a Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist. His time in emergency medical services gave him firsthand insight into the critical importance of accessible, high-quality training in healthcare. Motivated by a desire to make healthcare learning available to everyone, he is now focused on creating inclusive, realistic simulation environments that empower learners across all backgrounds and ranks. Bailey believes that advanced simulation experiences are crucial to the healthcare providers and communities in which they serve.
Brie Murray
Simulation Education Specialist
Brie Murray joined HealthForce Kentucky as a Simulation Education Specialist after five years of experience in education and behavioral support. She brings a strong foundation in designing engaging, hands-on learning experiences and a passion for supporting diverse learners through innovative, student-centered approaches. In her role at HealthForce Kentucky, Brie develops and facilitates simulation-based learning opportunities that inspire students to explore careers in healthcare. She is dedicated to advancing the organization’s mission to build Kentucky’s future healthcare workforce through experiential and inclusive education. Outside of work, Brie enjoys reading, tending to her garden and houseplants, and spending time with her family and dogs.
Board of Directors
HealthForce Kentucky is privileged to have an incredible board of directors who believe in our mission. This passionate group of professionals are committed to our region and dedicated to making our vision a reality.