Agenda
Friday, March 13
5:30 p.m. | Blackstone Foyer
Registration / Networking Reception with Appetizers, Cash Bar and Mingle Bingo / Exhibits
6:30 p.m. | Blackstone A and B
Dinner Buffet
7:00 p.m. | Blackstone A and B
Welcome, Overview and Introductions
Jill Fliege, MS, APRN-NP – Nurse Practitioner and Program Coordinator, Adult CF Program, Nebraska Medicine
Alexandra (Ali) Love, BSN, RN, CPN – Program Coordinator, Pediatric CF Program, Children’s Nebraska
Heather M. Thomas, MD – Associate Professor, Division of Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, UNMC; Pediatric CF Program Director, Children's Nebraska
7:15 p.m. | Blackstone A and B
Devina Griffith - Pediatric CF Parent Artwork Spotlight and Raffle
7:30 p.m. | Blackstone A and B
Plenary Session: Mother/Daughter Duo – A Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Life
Emily Bonnell – Patient, Chicago, IL
Laura Bonnell – Patient (Family), Royal Oak, MI
8:30 p.m.
Wrap Up and Announcement of Mingle Bingo Winners
Tonya Wagner, RN – Registered Nurse, Adult CF Program, Nebraska Medicine
Megan Shaw, LCSW – Social Worker, Pediatric CF Program, Children's Nebraska
Saturday, March 14
7:30 a.m. | Blackstone Foyer, Blackstone A and B
Registration / Breakfast Buffet / Exhibits
8:30 a.m. | Blackstone A and B
Welcome, Overview and Introductions
Jill Fliege, MS, APRN-NP – Nurse Practitioner and Program Coordinator, Adult CF Program, Nebraska Medicine
Alexandra (Ali) Love, BSN, RN, CPN – Program Coordinator, Pediatric CF Program, Children’s Nebraska
Peter (Jim) Murphy, MD – Associate Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, UNMC; Adult CF Program Director, UNMC/Nebraska Medicine
8:45 a.m. | Blackstone A and B
Stella Guthmann – Adult CF Patient Artwork Spotlight and Raffle
9:00 a.m. | Blackstone A and B
Plenary Session: From Pediatrics to Adult Care – Navigating Diabetes Across the CF Lifespan
Marie Couldwell, MD – Associate Professor, Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
Katie Kaput, DO – Endocrinologist, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Sugar House Health Center, Salt Lake City, UT
10:00 a.m. | Blackstone Foyer
Break / Exhibits (Beverages and Snacks Provided)
10:30 a.m. – BREAKOUT SESSION 1
- Breakout A | Prague Room
Alyftrek / Vanzacaftor-Tezacaftor-Deutivacaftor in Practice – Clinical Data, Real-World Outcomes, and Access Trends
Stephanie Duehlmeyer, PharmD, BCPPS, AE-C – Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Pulmonary Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
Lindsey Fitzpatrick, PharmD, BCPS – Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacist, University of Kansas Health System, Kansas City, MO - Breakout B | Murray Room
Screening and Beyond – The Role of Physical Therapy in Comprehensive CF Management
Andrew Clendenen, PT, DPT – Physical Therapist, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE
Samantha Rasmussen, PT, DPT – Physical Therapist, Children's Nebraska, Omaha, NE - Breakout C | Herndon Room
Recent Advances in Gene Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis
Ashley Cooney, PhD – Assistant Professor, Professor of Pediatrics – Pulmonary Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA - Breakout D | Merchants Room
Advocating for High-Quality Care for CF in the Midwest
Leslie Powell, MPA – Senior Director of Public Policy, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Washington, DC - Breakout E | Cozzens Room
Why Weight? Reasons to Consider a Paradigm Shift to Weight-Inclusive Care
Kristine Kittridge, MS, RD, LD, CNSC – Clinical Dietitian Supervisor, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME
11:20 a.m. | Blackstone Foyer
Grab and Go Lunches
11:30 a.m.
LUNCH & LEARN: DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC BREAKOUTS
Providers (MD, DO, APP) | Prague Room
Topic: “Long Term Impact on Lung Function and CF Care in the Highly Effective Modulator Era”
Moderators: John D. Dickinson, MD, PhD and Jen Rounds, APRN
Nurses | Murray Room
Topic: “So, What Do You Do Again? The Role of the Nurse at CF Centers”
Moderators: Alexus (Lexie) Nelson, RN, Haley Friesen, RN, and Tonya Wagner, RN
Physical Therapists/Respiratory Therapists | Herdon Room
Topic: “Airway to Activity: Integrating PT & RT in CF Care Across the Lifespan”
Moderators: Samantha Rasmussen, PT, DPT and Amy Melville, RT
Pharmacists/Pharmacy Technicians | Merchants Room
Topic: “Medication Access and Barriers in 2026, Managing CF Patients’ GI Symptoms and Optimizing Use of Technicians in Multidisciplinary Clinics”
Moderators: Tara Blesh-Boren, PharmD and Greg Gui, PharmD
Dietitians | Cozzens Room
Topic: “Maintaining Nutrition Throughout Transition from Pediatrics to Adult/Use of Body Composition Scales in CF Care”
Moderators: Jamie Mercado, RD and Heidi Klasna, RD
Social Workers/Mental Health Providers | Table in Blackstone A and B
Topic: “Navigating Challenges in the Context of CF Care”
Moderators: Genevieve Maliszewski-Slocum, PhD, Laura Romero, MSW, CSW, and Megan Shaw, LCSW
Research Coordinators| Table in Blackstone A and B
Topic: "Research Coordination Exchange"
Moderators: Jill Fahner, RC and Michel Veit, RC
12:30 p.m. | Blackstone Foyer
Break
12:50 p.m. – BREAKOUT SESSION 2
- Breakout A | Prague Room
Navigating Off-Label CFTR Modulator Through Patient Case Scenarios
Tara Blesh-Boren, PharmD – Clinical Pharmacist, Children’s Nebraska, Omaha, NE
Greg Gui, PharmD – Pharmacist, Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center and Specialty Pharmacy, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE - Breakout B | Murray Room
Gastrointestinal Issues in Persons with Cystic Fibrosis (PwCF)
Sirish Kumar Palle, MD, CFF DIGEST – Associate Professor in Pediatrics, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK - Breakout C | Herndon Room
The Life of a Respiratory Therapist – Still in our Airway Clearance Era
Marci Mulloy, AE-C, RRT – Respiratory Therapist, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO - Breakout D | Merchants Room
Understanding and Managing Suicidal Ideation in Patients with CF
David Cates, PhD – Clinical Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE - Breakout E | Cozzens Room
CF or Not CF? That Is the Question (And Always Has Been)
Christopher Oermann, MD – Director, Cystic Fibrosis Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital; Professor of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, MO
1:40 p.m. | Blackstone Foyer
Break (Beverages and Snacks Provided)
2:00 p.m. | Blackstone A and B
Introductions
Sherri Jones – Adult CF Patient Artwork Spotlight and Raffle
Jill Fliege, MS, APRN-NP – Nurse Practitioner and Program Coordinator, Adult CF Program, Nebraska Medicine
Ashley R. Deschamp, MD – Associate Professor, Division of Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, UNMC; Pediatric CF Program Associate Director, Children's Nebraska
2:15 p.m. | Blackstone A and B
Plenary Session: Sexual Health and Reproduction
Jennifer L. Taylor, MD, MSCS, ATSF – Professor, Adult and Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
3:15 p.m. | Blackstone A and B
Wrap Up and Announcement of the 2028 Midwest CF Consortium!
Alexandra (Ali) Love, BSN, RN, CPN – Program Coordinator, Pediatric CF Program, Children’s Nebraska
3:30 p.m.
Adjourn - Safe Travels Home