2023 President

Celeste Meyer, BBA, BSN, RN, CHPN

Celeste Meyer is a palliative care nurse dedicated to the Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Team at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. She joined the Palliative Care Team at Methodist Hospital in January 2015 and transitioned to her current position in May 2020. She works with advanced heart failure patients being considered for Left Ventricular Assists Devices or heart transplantation to establish goals of care and advance directives. She also cares for patients with pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung diseases, including cancer.  The one thing all her patients have in common is that their diseases are progressive. They need to have a healthcare provider that can take the time to sit down, listen to their concerns, their fears, and their goals, and support them as they either fight to get better or focus only on the quality of life as they transition to hospice. Her main mission as a nurse is to make sure all her patients have a voice and that their voices are heard by both health care and family members.

Celeste has been a member of the San Antonio Regional Chapter of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association since its inception and is the current President. She previously held the positions of President-Elect and Bylaws Committee Chairman.

Education & Certifications:

Bachelor of Business Administration - Texas A&M University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - University of Texas at Arlington

Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse – December 2016 

2024 president ELECT

Julissa A.L. Deringer, BSN,RN

Julissa has been in inpatient palliative care for the last 5 years. She is currently employed as the Palliative Care Coordinator for Methodist Hospital Stone Oak.

Her personal mission is to ensure that every patient is offered dignity, respect, and advocacy during their inpatient experience whether at end of life or when a chronic disease has affected their quality of life. It is a privilege to be allowed to walk the journey of each person’s last chapter and provide compassion during a time of loss.

Education & Certifications:

Baptist School of Health Professions - RN

Secretary

Modesta Garcia-Atwater, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, ACHPN

Modesta Garcia-Atwater, or “Dr. Mo” as patients and colleagues know her, is a Family Nurse Practitioner and has worked in palliative/hospice care since 2011. She received her BSN from the University of the Incarnate Word, MSN from UT Health San Antonio, and DNP from the University of the Incarnate Word.  While completing her DNP program, she experienced the importance of advocacy at the end of life when her mother was diagnosed with stage IV Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This inspired her to pivot from her doctorate study focus on diabetes self-management in pregnancy to spreading the philosophy and promoting access to palliative care. Making connections and getting to know patients as people first is an important foundation for developing trusting relationships with them and their families. Self-determination is an important hallmark of palliative care, and people deserve to share their end-of-life wishes and see they are followed. Everyone has a story to tell – palliative care ensures the opportunity to share that story! Mo has been an active member of HPNA since 2018. Besides palliative care, Mo’s other passion is education, and she serves as a preceptor for nurses pursuing their advance practice and/or doctorate degree. Faith, family, and fun are also very important to Mo. She enjoys sharing good food, live music, or watching sports with family and friends in her spare time.

“As long as we remember a person, they're not really gone. Their thoughts, their feelings, their memories, they become a part of us.” – Justin Cronin, Author

Education & Certifications:

Doctor of Nursing Practice 2013 – University of the Incarnate Word
Master of Science in Nursing 2004 – UT Health San Antonio
Bachelor of Science in Nursing 1993 – Incarnate Word College
Certified Family Nurse Practitioner 2004
Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse 2020

Treasurer

Katrina Theis, RN, MPH, CHPN

After caring for a mother with diabetes and heart disease which was complicated by advanced Alzheimer’s disease, and a father who had cancer, I was compelled to go back to school to better understand medical care, prevention, treatments, and how best to navigate our complex medical system. I now hope to offer support to others as they also experience health concerns and loss in their lives. After completing my RN degree and working with Diabetics and Postpartum/Newborn Nursery, I completed a Palliative Care Fellowship at the Audie Murphy VA through which I became certified in Hospice and Palliative Care. I have worked for the past 7 years in Palliative Care Nursing in the hospital setting.

Education & Certifications:

BA Biology/Minor in Chemistry
BSN RN, Masters degree in Public Health - Special interest in caregiver stress and behavioral health.
Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse - Palliative Care Fellowship, Audie Murphy VA

Program Chair

Membership

Debbie James, MSN, RN, CCRN-K

Debbie James has worked in the Adult Critical Care arena for the last 44 years. Positions she has held include clinical nurse, nurse manager, nurse educator, and Clinical Nurse Specialist. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at UTHealth San Antonio School of Nursing. Debbie collaborates with MD Anderson Cancer Center, directing the End of Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Program. In addition to the degrees she has earned, she has formal and informal training in various aspects of bereavement and bioethics. She is a certified bereavement facilitator and was responsible for forming two support groups in San Antonio: one for those experiencing Near-Death and the other for families of organ donors. Ms. James lectures throughout the country on multiple topics, including Critical Care nursing, Death and Dying, Bio-ethics, and Palliative and End-of-Life Care. After completing her master’s thesis on Near-Death Experiences and Disclosure, she was appointed to the Board of the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS). In 2009, Debbie co-authored and edited the first compilation of research on Near-Death Experiences, Handbook of Near-Death Experiences: Thirty Years of Investigation. Debbie enjoys teaching and mentoring healthcare providers in Clinical Ethics. She has held numerous positions in Nursing organizations and the American Heart Association. She has received many awards and appointments in AACN, ELNEC, ANET, Sigma Theta Tau, and Texas Gulf Coast Affiliate Nursing Staff Development Organization. She also served on the editorial board for Progress in Transplantation. Debbie was identified as one of 20 Outstanding Nurses in Houston in November 2005 and recognized as a 2013 ELNEC Award Winner. In October 2018, Debbie received the Best 25 Nurses of South Central Texas Award: University Health System.

Member outreach

Regina Holmes, FNP-C

Regina Holmes currently works in San Antonio, Texas as a nurse practitioner seeing palliative care patients in their homes. She has been in this role since January 2020 after serving five years as a psychiatric nurse in the Army. She is in the process of obtaining her Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree at the University of Texas in Austin. Regina is passionate about educating people about the benefits of palliative care and encouraging providers to consider this option early for patients with life-threatening chronic illnesses.

Membership Co-Chair

Jennifer Dear BSN, RN

Jennifer Dear has over 29 years of nursing experience with focused areas in pain management, hospice, palliative, long-term, and Alzheimer's Care, community outreach, healthcare disparities, and Veterans' needs. Positions she has held include Director of Nurses, Assistant Director of Nurses, Senior Hospice Sales Representative, Hospice Clinical Nurse Specialist, Veterans Liaison, and MD Anderson Lead Lymphoma Oncology Nurse. Jennifer was recognized and awarded Pinnacle Leadership for top performing Senior Sales Specialist Nationally in 2016 and 2015, Pinnacle Leadership for top performing Clinical Liaison Nationally in 2014, and Pinnacle Leadership for top performing Long Term Care Sales Representative Nationally in 2006. Over the years, she has developed great relationships with families, physicians, case managers, and various multidisciplinary team members. She is enthusiastic about improving patient outcomes and the best possible experience for those in her care. Her commitment to excellence has driven her to continue her education full-time as a second-year Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner student at Herzing University. As an advanced practice nurse, she will be able to impact our community by educating individuals about resources and avenues to provide better holistic care for themselves and their families. She is excited about new opportunities to learn and grow as a healthcare professional.

Education & Certifications:

Master of Science in Nursing AGACNP-2024 Herzing University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing 2022- Herzing University
Associate Degree of Nursing 1996- San Jacinto College of Nursing Vocational Nursing Diploma 1994-San Jacinto College of Nursing