Lead Nurse PractitionerMichelle Churchill, MSN, CRNP, ACHPN

Michelle Churchill is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner and is the Lead Nurse Practitioner for the Section of Palliative Medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital. With 18 years of nursing experience, including 8 years as an advance practice provider, she has specialized in caring for patients who are suffering not only from their diagnosed medical conditions, but also from the emotional and psychosocial distresses that accompany serious illnesses. After starting her nursing career in oncology at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, Michelle pursued her MSN graduate degree at Loyola University Chicago, becoming an Adult Nurse Practitioner. Prior to moving to Maryland, Michelle worked as a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner at NorthShore University Health System in Chicago. Since joining Johns Hopkins, Michelle has been a clinical leader in caring for cardiac patients requiring advanced therapies as well as has worked operationally to grow and expand the footprint of palliative care services within the Hopkins community. In addition to clinical work at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Michelle is an adjunct faculty member at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and a key interdisciplinary leader within the JHU Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physician Fellowship.  

Palliative Care Nurse PractitionerMarc Epstein, MSN, ANP-BC, ACHPN

Marc Epstein is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner and nurse ethicist. After getting his initial undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, he pursued a career in urban planning. However, he soon realized this career track was not personally fulfilling, switched gears, and set course on becoming a nurse. He completed his BSN at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and then moved to Chicago where he became a board-certified oncology nurse at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Marc found he was especially drawn to the precious and vulnerable experience of patients and their families as they approached the end of life and worked to ensure excellent symptom management. Following completion of an ethics fellowship at the University of Chicago McLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, he decided to advance his career to become a nurse practitioner. While working on his MSN at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Nursing, he worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center as a bone marrow transplant patient intake coordinator. As part of his master's program, he completed a palliative medicine certificate program. Upon completion of his master's, Marc decided to make the pivotal decision of going into palliative medicine after years of experience in oncology.  He then worked for Midwest Palliative and Hospice Care Center (now Journey Care), and after several years, built a palliative program from the ground up at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. Enticed by the opportunity to work in management, he pursued an opportunity at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in California, where he oversaw an inpatient palliative medicine program and began the development of an outpatient program. Looking to be closer to family, and put down roots, he decided to move back to Baltimore where he joined the palliative medicine team at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Mental Health Nurse PractitionerMarshall Gold, MS,RN,PMHNP-BC

Marshall Gold is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with the Palliative Medicine Service at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He has 22 years of clinical experience serving adult and pediatric patients in intensive care, acute care and home care settings. His passion is advocating for vulnerable and underserved populations, including the homeless and the incarcerated. Marshall is currently pursuing doctoral study at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, with the goal of improving mental health outcomes in chronic and life-limiting illness. 

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTMelissa Henderson, PA-C, MSPAS

Melissa Henderson obtained her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Loyola College in Maryland and originally sought a career in social work. After some years, she decided to become a Physician Assistant (PA) to combine a passion for serving others and a love of learning medicine. She has 11 years of experience as a surgical PA in abdominal transplant and colorectal surgery. In 2023, she changed her focus to provide patient-centered care as a member of the Johns Hopkins Palliative Care Team providing consultation within the hospital. In addition to medicine, she enjoys spending time volunteering in her community and church, hiking and raising awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation.

Nurse practitionerSusan Miller, CRNP

Susan Miller is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner. She completed the Ohio State University (OSU) Health System’s Advance Practice Provider Fellowship and was OSU’s inaugural palliative care fellow. She is a 2022 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s family nurse practitioner program. She also received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Maryland in 2015. Her nursing background includes work in medical intensive care, the emergency department, and inpatient hospice.

Acute Care Nurse PractitionerJill “Jae” Patton, MSN, CRNP

Jill “Jae” Patton, MSN, CRNP is an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with over twenty years of experience in cardiology, cardiac surgery, and most recently palliative medicine. She received her BA from Emory University and her MSN from Yale University School of Nursing. She has specialized training in heart failure and cardiac rhythm management devices. She is an active volunteer leader in the American College of Cardiology, where she currently serves on the Cardiovascular Team Council, the Heart PAC Advisory Council, and the Geriatric Section’s Palliative Work Group. Jae joined the Johns Hopkins Palliative Medicine team in April of 2021. 

NURSE PRACTITIONERKim Savage, MSN, FNP-BC, ACHPN

Kim is a Palliative Medicine Nurse Practitioner with 35 years of nursing experience, starting as an LPN out of high school. She utilized her initial nursing experience, enlisting in the U.S. Army and worked primarily in intensive care units following an internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. She served both active duty and reserve, to include serving in Operation Desert Storm where she earned the U.S. Army National Defense Service Medal and Southwest Asia Service award with 2 Bronze Stars. Kim was commissioned as a U.S. Army Officer following her BSN education and continued her education at Wilmington University, Delaware, to obtain her master’s degree in Nursing Leadership. Kim took on the role of hospice director with Amedisys Hospice, Rosedale, Maryland, and an Amedisys Hospice start up location in Elkton, Maryland. She found end-of-life care both rewarding and challenging. Kim developed an interest in helping patients with serious illness navigate their health care, support patients and families, as well as open up dialogue about patient end-of-life issues. She chose to further her education and obtained a post-graduate family nurse practitioner degree. She went on to obtain palliative medicine board certification for nurse practitioners – ACHPN. Kim provided palliative medicine care to patients at Christiana Care Health System and the Baltimore VA Health System prior to joining the Palliative Medicine team at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She is a member of AANP and HPNA.

Nurse PractitionerKristen Tweedy , NP-C, ACHPN

Kristen Tweedy is a Nurse Practitioner on the Palliative Medicine team. She has been in nursing for 28 years, thirteen of which as a nurse practitioner. Kristen spent eight years in oncology before coming to Palliative Medicine. Kristen cares for patients in the inpatient setting, especially within the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. Her interests include family centered nursing and patient education. 

Nurse CoordinatorCaitlin McGeehan, RN, BSN, CCRN

Caitlin McGeehan is a Palliative Care Nurse Coordinator at Johns Hopkins Hospital. After initially receiving her BA in English from Bucknell University and traveling with the Peace Corps, she completed a BS in Nursing at The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. Her nursing practice started and advanced in the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU). Her experiences in the ICU coupled with her love of communication and patient advocacy culminated into her role within the Palliative Medicine program. Her clinical strengths and interests include advanced heart failure, nursing resiliency, and medical ethics.  

Nurse CoordinatorMarylou Zyra, RN, BSN

Marylou Zyra has been a nurse for 35 years. The majority of her practice has been in the Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit caring for patients who have had varying cardiac and vascular surgical procedures including heart/lung transplants and ventricular assist devices. Most recently Marylou has been with the Palliative Medicine team for over two years and is thoroughly enjoying this opportunity as it has been an interest of hers for many years. In addition, she is looking forward to the experiences that lie ahead as a palliative nurse and to working with such a wonderful group of people on her team. 

Lead clinical social workerAmy LaMoure, LCSW-C

Amy LaMoure, LCSW-C is the Clinical :ead for Social Work in the Palliative Medicine Department at Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH). Prior to coming to JHH, Amy worked at Gilchrist Hospice providing social work support on the inpatient unit for almost 26 years. In addition to her work with patients and families, Amy has lectured to community and professional groups about Advance Care Planning, courageous conversations and issues related to grief and loss.

Clinical social workerAllyson Mitchell, LCSW-C

Allyson Mitchell is a Clinical Social Worker with Palliative Medicine. She received her BA in Psychology from Indiana University in 2008 and her MSW from University of Maryland – Baltimore in 2015.  Allyson is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C), holds the Advanced Palliative & Hospice Social Work certification (APHSW-C), is a member of the Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network, and has completed coursework and leadership workshops with Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care. Allyson joined the team in 2021 after serving seven years as the Transplant Social Worker with the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center. She remains engaged with the Transplant Social Work community as an active member of the Society for Transplant Social Work’s Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support Leadership Committees. At Johns Hopkins, Allyson is an active member of the Ethics Committee and facilitates caregiving groups within in the Department of Medicine. Areas of clinical interests are the intersection of palliative care & transplantation, Advanced Care Planning and decision making, and advocacy for elevating the patient & family voice in the plan of care.

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERMelissa Rizzolo, MSW, LCSW-C

Melissa Rizzolo is a Clinical Social Worker in Palliative Medicine. She received her BSW from Hood College in 2010 and her MSW from the University of Maryland School of Social Work in 2011. Melissa is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical and holds the Advanced Palliative and Hospice Social Work certification. Melissa began her social work career in care management working in the medical intensive care and medical oncology units. Prior to beginning at JHH, Melissa worked in hospice and has previous experience providing inpatient palliative medicine consults at a community hospital in Baltimore. Her clinical interests including medical ethics, Advance Care Planning and grief and loss.

CLINICAL PHARMACY SPECIALISTTiffany Michalowski, PharmD, BCGP

Tiffany Michalowski is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, specializing in pain management and palliative care. She is board certified in geriatrics through the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties with experience as a clinical pharmacist in inpatient and outpatient palliative care and geriatric oncology. She earned her PharmD degree from the Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy and completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at Aultman Hospital and a Pain Management & Palliative Care Residency at The Ohio State University/Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services. She is passionate about providing individualized, patient-centered pain and symptom management.

Clinical Pharmacy SpecialistSuzanne Nesbit, PharmD, FCCP, FASHP

Suzanne Nesbit is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Nesbit is currently on the Palliative Medicine Service and the Neuroscience Pain Resource Team at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. She is a Clinical Specialist in Pain Management and Palliative Care with the Department of Pharmacy. She has been practicing in pain management for over 30 years. During her tenure at Johns Hopkins, she has participated in several research protocols and pain initiatives. Dr Nesbit is Co-Chair of the Johns Hopkins Hospital Pain Management Committee that is charged with reviewing current pain protocols and making any recommendations for improvements in clinical care and staff education regarding pain management. More recently, she Co-Chairs The Johns Hopkins Health System Opioid Stewardship Clinical Community. 

Clinical Pharmacy SpecialistJulie Waldfogel, PharmD, BCGP, CPE

Julie Waldfogel is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital specializing in pain management and palliative care. She is board certified in geriatrics through the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties and is also a certified pain educator. She specializes in the pharmacologic management of pain and other symptoms. 

CHAPLAINAngela D. Palle, MDIV, MBA, MA

Angela D. Palle has served as the Palliative Care Chaplain for The Johns Hopkins Hospital's (JHH) Palliative Medicine Program since December 2023. Prior to joining the team at JHH, she worked at another institution in the Baltimore area holding a clinical role as the Palliative and Oncology chaplain, as well as a supervisory role for the entire Spiritual Care Department. She also served as a visiting Pastor for Valley Assembly of God in Hagerstown. Angela graduated from Lancaster Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree, and completed her Clinical Pastoral Education training with JHH in 2018. She is currently pursuing board certification by the Association of Professional Chaplains. Angela also holds an MBA in Human Resource Management from the University of Lincoln UK and an MA in Linguistics from the University of Buea Cameroon.