Your Chapter Board

President: Rachel Falik, DNP, RN, CPNP-PC

Rachel Brana Falik, DNP, RN, CPNP-PC, is a member of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Division at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. She attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she received her Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2012 and Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2018. Her interest in infectious diseases began during her graduate education, particularly when she encountered vaccination hesitancy and refusal in the pediatric and adolescent population.  Her work has been presented nationally and published in the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Her passion for infectious diseases grew during her time as a nurse practitioner with the immunocompromised population. She was involved in monitoring and treating Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients. She has expertise in managing invasive fungal infections, adenovirus, herpes simplex virus, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in pediatric post-transplant patients. She also managed symptoms and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 in children with intestinal transplants, liver transplants, and native liver disease. Dr. Falik’s current focus at Children’s National includes managing post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC or long COVID), evaluating patients undergoing workups for kidney, heart, and bone marrow transplants, managing congenital infections such as HSV, CMV, and toxoplasmosis, and providing discharge follow-up care for pediatric patients requiring long-term outpatient antibiotic therapy.

Immediate Past President: Sarah Birch, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC

Sarah Birch is the director of hospital-employed advanced practice providers at Children’s Hospital Colorado, overseeing the strategic vision and management of more than 100 providers in neonatology and perioperative services. With over 20 years of clinical experience in both primary and acute care settings, she is also a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner in perioperative services at Children's Colorado. For the past decade, Birch has been a leader in APP roles, driving the optimization of care delivery models at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. She is a nationally and internationally recognized author with scholarly interests in advanced practice provider role development, quality improvement, health policy, program and curriculum development, nursing leadership, and global health.

Treasurer: Emily McClung, BSN, RN, CPN

Emily is a certified pediatric nurse and a doctoral pediatric nurse practitioner student at Baylor University. She works in primary care at Children’s National, The Arc in Southeast Washington, providing care to children from medically underserved populations. Her previous experience as a pediatric nurse includes work in endocrinology, allergy and immunology, and pulmonology, caring for children with complex chronic conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis and diabetes. McClung is passionate about advancing equitable, evidence-based care for all children and is excited to contribute her clinical experience and leadership to the NAPNAP DC Chapter board. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and exploring national parks with her fiancé and their golden retriever, Maggie.

Secretary: Jillian Campbell, MS, RN, CPNP-PC

Jillian Campbell is a pediatric nurse practitioner in the Department of Hematology and the advanced practice provider student/orientation liaison for the office of Advanced Practice Providers at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. She earned her Master of Science from New York University’s pediatric nurse practitioner program in 2016 and her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Boston College in 2011. Campbell joined the Hematology Department at Children’s National in 2018, caring primarily for children with sickle cell disease. She also coordinates all of the advanced practice provider students and new hires at Children’s National and runs the new hire orientation and simulation lab. She has experience in pediatric hematology/oncology, primary care, palliative care, and complex care. She has a special interest in caring for children with chronic, complex medical conditions, social determinants of health, and global health. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two young children, cooking, and exploring the Washington, D.C., area.

Legislative Chair: Kaitlin Scarpaci, FNP-BC

Kaitlin is the clinical manager in the division of urology at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. She earned her Master of Science in nursing from George Washington University and is pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Villanova University. Scarpaci has presented at numerous national and international conferences, authored key publications, and played a pivotal role in various committees and mentoring programs. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog and traveling.

Membership Chair: Kelly Winters, MSN

Kelly was born and raised in the vibrant metropolitan city of Los Angeles. Her life has been marked by a deep commitment to service, both in the medical field and on the frontlines as a member of the U.S. Army. While she cherished her military duties in Iraq, she can be found in the pediatric emergency department or behind a computer studying for her health care MBA. During her 12-year military tenure, she rose through the ranks to become a staff sergeant, serving as a noncommissioned officer and providing leadership to fellow soldiers. Deployed overseas for two tours, she experienced the harsh realities of combat first hand and shared in the camaraderie and sacrifices of her comrades. During her second tour, from 2008-09 in Kuwait, she served as a driver for the division command sergeant major. After her military career, she completed her training as a pediatric nurse practitioner, continuing her goal of helping others. As a PNP, she found fulfillment in providing compassionate care to those in need. This drive eventually led her to Washington, D.C., where she joined the Healthcare MBA program at George Washington University. Her commitment to service extends beyond the battlefield. Inspired by her grandfather, a World War II veteran, she finds strength in his example of courage and resilience. His teachings continue to guide her as she navigates the complexities of military life and upholds the values of honor, integrity, and selfless service.

Communications Chair: Lauren Arrigoni, DNP, MS, BSN, CPNP-PC, RN

Lauren is a pediatric research nurse practitioner at Children’s National Hospital, working on a $40 million NIH grant studying the long-term effects of COVID-19 in children. She completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Pennsylvania, where her doctoral work focused on parental COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Dr. Arrigoni graduated from New York University’s Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program while working as a bedside nurse in the pediatric ICU at NYU Langone. In her free time, she volunteers as a nurse at the Double H Ranch, a summer camp founded by Paul Newman for children with serious illnesses.