2021-2022 Board of Directors

President


Jessica Borges RT(R)(VI)

Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL

Jessica graduated from Mayo School of Health Sciences Radiologic Technologist program in 2015. She began working in Diagnostic Radiology, and also began the IR internship offered at Mayo Clinic right out of school. She was then hired and has been working as an VI certified technologist in IR for 6 years, assisting in exams within IR, NeuroIR, and assisting the vascular surgeons in the OR. Jessica has most recently became the Associate Program Director for Mayo Clinics VI internship, precepts new employees, participates as the Wellness Champion, and is a member of the Commitment to Safety team in her department.

 

Jessica has been a member of AVIR since 2018. After joining, she started a local chapter in Jacksonville, Florida and joined the Website Committee as well as the Educational Committee and continues to help create the Directed Journal Readings for CE credits. In 2020, Jessica became the Program Chair and planned our virtual meeting for March 2021. In 2021-2022, Jessica took the role of Vice President and now serves as the President of AVIR for the 2022-2023 year.

Immediate Past-President

Sandra Strycker, BS, RT(R)


UW of Wisconsin Health Hospital & Clinics
Madison, WI

Sandra A. Strycker graduated from Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin Program of Radiology at the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin in 2008. She was employed at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin for 10 years, where she received the Spotlight Award in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. In 2016, she pursued her career as a Neuro and Body Special Procedures Technologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Hospital where she is currently employed. 

She has been a member of AVIR since 2016. In 2017, she joined the Association of Vascular and Interventional Radiographers as the Secretary Treasurer. She served one term as the Secretary Treasurer before moving forward as a member on the Outreach Committee. The Outreach Committee is composed of various members who collaborate together to develop promotional/marketing material, as well as grow Chapter start-ups and AVIR membership. Since that time she has joined the Website Committee, chaired the Education Committee, and most recently served as the Vice President of the organization. 

Sandra's dedication to the Interventional Radiology field is evident through her commitment over the years with AVIR, her commitment to patient care, and her commitment to our members past and present. "AVIR is a wonderful organization that I am proud to say that I have been a part of for several years. Our profession as a whole is nationally and internationally rather small. AVIR allows IR Technologists to receive educational material and collaborate with others in the field not only at Chapter levels but also at a national level at our Annual Meeting which is held in March. 2021s Annual Meeting was our 1st Virtual Meeting which allowed the organization to reach technologists on an international stage. And for that we are really proud and hopeful for what the future will hold not only as technologists but also for our patients."

Corporate Liaison

Dana Bridges Kanfoush


Greensboro, NC

I started my own company a few years ago and am selling for multiple manufacturers, including several wonderful companies that I have represented since 2004. In this arena, I have tried to use my experience as a sales rep to create custom sponsorship programs and build AVIR's base of corporate support. A few of my professional accomplishments include being a published author in journals (i.e., Developmental Psychology & The Sport Psychologist), periodicals (i.e., Nephrology News & Issues), and a developmental psychology text book (Social Development in Childhood and Adolescence: A Contemporary Reader). I have been a proud AVIR board member for many years and hope I can continue to support the people who have supported me throughout my career.

Vice-President / President Elect

Shelby Schepis, RT(R)(VI)


Riverside Methodist Hospital
Columbus, OH

Shelby graduated from Reid School of Radiologic Technology in Richmond, IN in 2016. After graduation, she started her career as an interventional radiology technologist for Ohio Health in Columbus, OH. While there, she began working to complete the Vascular Interventional certification. Shelby became VI certified in 2018 and is very passionate about educating and mentoring technologists in this field. In 2019, She was presented with the opportunity to be a part of the Tanzania IR Initiative where she traveled to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to help educate the  the first IR techs in Tanzania. After returning, She became involved with providing educational resources for vascular and interventional technologists and joined the AVIR Education Committee, where she has been involved with the revamp of the website and educational resources for the association. Shelby says she "is excited to take on the position of Director at Large to help build a strong community within AVIR".

Secretary/Treasurer

Diane Forbes, RT (R)(VI)(RRA)(RDMS)


Emory University
Atlanta, GA

Radiologist Assistant and Experienced Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiographer and Sonographer with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in X-ray, Central Lines, Medical Devices, U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Healthcare Information Technology (HIT). Strong healthcare services professional with a Master of Imaging Sciences focused in Radiologist Assistant from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Publication Chair

David Douthett, RT(R), CV


Chesapeake, VA

I have been involved in Interventional Medicine since X-Ray School when we were using Schonander Film Changers and had to pull the patients on a wood board, which was sitting on the X-ray table. It has been many Angios ago. After working at 3 different Hospitals and several different clinics for 20 some years, I ended up in the commercial end of the business. Again 3 different commercial companies, to be currently working at W.L. Gore & Associates with in the Endovascular end of the business doing the EVARs and TEVARs. I keep my license current as you always want to leave a back up plan at hand. I have been active in the AVIR since 1993 and have been the Publication Chair since 1995. I have had the pleasure of working with alot of great folks over the years and look forward to every year. This is hands down the best thing I have ever done and I love doing it.

Director at Large

Jennifer Eklund R.T. (R)(CV)(M) CIRCC

Milwaukee, WI

I graduated from Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology in 1996. One rotation in Interventional Radiology sparked my interest and my continued passion for this specialty today. I started out as an R.T. that did it all; from IVPs, to afternoon mammography, and occasional biplane cut film cerebral angiography.  I wanted to get more experience and work only in interventional radiology.  I began working in interventional radiology at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1998. After 4 years I took an opportunity to move back to my home town and was able to get 5 years of cardiac cath lab experience where we performed diagnostic cardiac catheterizations and pacemaker procedures in addition to interventional radiology procedures. I took a break for a couple years to raise my 3 wonderful children.  In 2011 it was time to get back to work. I have been a member of AVIR since it was introduced to me at Froedtert, and now that I was back at Froedtert, it was time to join as a co-chair for the Southeastern Wisconsin chapter. I obtained my certified interventional radiology cardiovascular coder (CIRCC) certification in 2017. I am thrilled that I can be a small part of advancing interventional radiology for our patients.