Presenters

Heather Brand | Co-Presenter, Co-Author

Heather.Brand@state.mn.us;
Heather Brand is a Management Analyst within the Operations Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health’s Newborn Screening program. She is responsible for the project management of the newborn screening blood spot laboratory information management system (LIMS). Heather’s other responsibilities include working on interoperability initiatives for the program, assisting with the business development and operations of the newborn screening program as well as some short term follow-up activities and customer relations. Heather has worked for the Minnesota Department of Health, Public Health Lab for eighteen years and has been with the Newborn Screening Operations Unit since it began in 2013.

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Trenna Lapacinski-Ludens | Co-Presenter, Co-Author

trenna.lapacinski-ludens@state.mn.us;
Trenna Lapacinski-Ludens is a research scientist with the Minnesota Department of Health Newborn Screening Laboratory. She has been with the Newborn Screening Program for 10 years and is currently working on her Master of Professional Science degree in Research Methodology at Winona State University. Trenna was a key MDH contributor to the federally funded study with the University of Minnesota and the CDC titled, “Diagnosing Congenital CMV Infection in Newborns as a Model for Universal Newborn Screening and Early Intervention.” She was part of the team responsible for optimizing, validating, and implementing universal CMV screening for all newborns in the state of Minnesota.

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Sondra Rosendahl | POC-Point of Contact, Primary Presenter, Co-Presenter, Author, Co-Author

sondra.rosendahl@state.mn.us;
Sondra is a licensed genetic counselor who has been with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Newborn Screening Program since 2011. Sondra is the coordinator of MDH’s Advisory Committee on Heritable and Congenital Disorders whose role is to provide advice and recommendations to the Minnesota Commissioner of Health concerning tests and treatments for disorders found in newborn children.

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Kirsten Coverstone | Co-Presenter, Co-Author

kirsten.coverstone@state.mn.us;
Dr. Kirsten Coverstone is an audiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Newborn Screening Program. As a coordinator of Minnesota’s EHDI program, Kirsten has worked at the local, state, and national levels to support best practice for universal newborn screening, timely & complete audiologic follow-up for hearing, and early access to intervention. In addition, Kirsten implemented the statewide hearing instrument loaner program for infants and young children in Minnesota. Universal screening, education, and follow-up for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) has been a longstanding aspiration as cCMV is the leading cause of non-genetic hearing loss and is intricately related to EHDI. She has served as Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH), & Co-Chair of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) EHDI Data Committee.

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Gina Liverseed | Co-Presenter, Co-Author

gina.liverseed@state.mn.us;
Gina Liverseed is the CMV Nurse Specialist in the Children and Youth with Special Health Needs section at the Minnesota Department of Health. In this role, she is responsible for coordinating the longitudinal follow-up of children identified with congenital CMV and providing education about CMV to public and provider audiences. She holds Bachelor and Master of Nursing degrees from the University Minnesota and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of North Dakota. Gina has over 20 years of experience working as a maternal-child health nurse and a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. She has a special interest in perinatal infectious disease.