WoundEducators.com Founder & President

Laurie Swezey, RN, BSN, CWCN, CWS
Laurie Swezey, founder, and president of WoundEducators.com, has been a Registered Nurse for more than a quarter century, with most of those years dedicated to wound treatment. Ms. Swezey is a Certified Wound Care Nurse and a Certified Wound Specialist. In addition to her work as a Certified Wound Specialist, Laurie is a nurse informaticist and educator. She works collaboratively with leading organizations to improve their operations through innovative technology, information, and practice. Laurie has worked extensively in the home health care industry helping organizations meet the growing demand for wound management by combining the expertise of certified wound specialists with the availability of digital photography and computer technology.

Throughout her career, Ms. Swezey found that certified wound specialists dramatically improve patient outcomes and significantly reduce the overall cost of the care – a win-win for all.  She also identified a significant shortage of qualified wound care professionals and available, accessible and affordable wound care education and wound certification programs. As a result, she shifted her focus from educating a few to facilitating wound certification nationwide. Her goal, and WoundEducators.com’s mission, is to revolutionize wound care by delivering convenient, affordable wound care education, facilitating wound care certification and enhancing practitioner expertise and patient care.

WoundEducators.com Contributors and Advisory Panel

Betsy Myers, PT, DHS, CSCS, CLT, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedics 

Dr. Betsy Myers graduated from Northwestern University with a Masters of Physical Therapy. She went on to obtain both her Masters and Doctorate of Health Sciences from the University of Indianapolis. Dr. Myers became a Certified Lymphedema Therapist in 2006, a Certified Wound Specialist in 2007, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in 2019. She has worked in various wound management settings including acute care, outpatient, burn units, and diabetic foot clinics. Dr. Myers is the author of Wound Management: Principles and Practice, the fourth edition of which was published in 2020. She also contributed two chapters to Integumentary Essentials:  Preferred Physical Therapist Practice Patterns. Dr. Myers is an Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and continues to practice at St. Francis Health System. She serves on the advisory board of Why Wound Care? Dr. Myers also teaches continuing education courses in wound management, lymphedema, and orthopaedics. 

Heather Hettrick, PT, PhD, CWS, AWCC, CLT-LANA, CLWT, CORE

Heather Hettrick is a Professor in the Physical Therapy Program at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale Florida.  As a physical therapist, her expertise resides in integumentary dysfunction where she holds four board certifications/credentials.  

Heather has diverse work experience in academia and the private sector.  She is a key opinion leader and is actively involved in numerous professional organizations, conducts research and publishes, presents and teaches, nationally and internationally on integumentary related issues.  

Dr. Hettrick is a Past President of the American Board of Wound Management and is a past Board and Executive Committee member of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care.  She is currently on the board of the World Alliance of Wound and Lymphedema Care, advisory board for the Why Wound Care Campaign and Editorial Board for Today’s Wound Clinic.  Additionally, she is on the planning committee for the American Vein and Lymphatic Society and Faculty and Director of Wound Education for the International Lymphedema and Wound Training Institute.

Cynthia A. Fleck, RN, BSN, MBA, ET, WOCN, CWS, DNC, CFCN, DAPWCA, FACCWS 
Cynthia Fleck has served as past president and chairman on the ABWM board. She has presented over 350 seminars and programs throughout the world. A sought-after speaker, author, and consultant, she has been an invited lecturer at university-held, national and international programs and symposiums. She has written over 150 articles for various peer-reviewed and clinical publications including chapters in the classic wound care reference texts, Chronic Wound Care 3rd and 4th and Wound Care Practice, as well as numerous other chapters in wound care and similar texts.

Cynthia serves as immediate past President of the American Academy of Wound Management (AAWM) and Board of Directors of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC). She is certified through the American Academy of Wound Management as a Board-Certified wound specialist, the Dermatology Nurses Association as a Certified Dermatology Nurse and the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Certification Board as a Certified Foot and Nail Care Nurse. Cynthia is the Vice President of Clinical Marketing for Medline Industries, Inc. In addition to her full-time work with Medline, Cynthia is the sole proprietor of CAF Clinical Consultant, performing medical/legal chart review, deposition, and expert witness testimony.

Sharon Baranoski, MSN, CWOCN, APN, FAAN
Sharon Baranoski is a Mastered prepared Advanced Practice Nurse, who is Board Certified in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing. She is internationally recognized as an author, speaker, and consultant. She is President of Wound Care Dynamics, Inc. a nurse consultant service. She has authored two editions of the textbook, Wound Care Essential: Practice Principles and is on the Editorial Board of Advances in Skin and Wound Care Journal. Sharon has served as the Director of the Annual Clinical Symposium on Skin & Wound Care hosted by Lippincott, William, and Wilkins for 24 years. She is a Past President of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Board and is currently on the Board of Directors of the American Professional Wound Care Association. She is the 2009 recipient of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel’s Distinguished Kosiak Award. She is also a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

Chuck Gokoo, MD, CMO, CWS, FACCWS
Dr. Gokoo is the former Chief Medical Officer for American Medical Technologies (AMT). Early in his 30-year medical career, he recognized a need for science-based interventions in wound management. This led to his collaboration with medical specialists in conducting outcome-based clinical trials for the medical/wound products industry. Recognizing a need for practical application, he then transitioned from research to advancing much-needed wound management strategies by providing education to numerous clinicians in the field. Dr. Gokoo’s background in chronic wound management has led to publications and numerous speaking engagements at national and international wound society meetings. He is a member of multiple professional organizations and editorial boards, a Diplomat of the American Academy of Wound Management and a founder as well as a Fellow of The American College of Certified Wound Specialist.

Mary Ellen Posthauer, RD, CD, LD
Mary Ellen Posthauer is a registered dietitian and a consultant for SupremeCare West, Inc. She is the past President of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and is currently the Secretary. Mary Ellen is on the Editorial Advisory Board of Advances in Skin and Wound Care. She was chairman of the NPUAP/EPUAP nutrition treatment guidelines task force, which was released in February 2009. Mary Ellen has authored numerous articles/chapters on nutrition including: “Nutritional Care for the Older Adult. She is chairman of the American Dietetic Association’s Unintentional Weight Loss(UWL) workgroup which is developing nutrition evidence-based guidelines for practice in the elderly with UWL. Mary Ellen received the American Dietetic Association’s Award of Excellence in Consultation and Private Practice and the Medallion Award, one of ADA’s highest honors. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame, Department of Foods and Nutrition, at Purdue University in 2008.

Carrie Sussman PT, DPT 
Carrie Sussman, PT, DPT is President of Sussman Physical Therapy, Inc. and Wound Care Management Services Torrance, CA. She is an author, national and international lecturer on topics relating to wound management and received the World Union of Wound Healing Societies Lifetime Achievement Award for significant contribution to the development of wound care as a specialty Toronto, Canada, June 2008. Together with Barbara Bates Jensen she is editor of the textbook Wound Care: A collaborative practice manual for Health Care Professionals (Sussman, C, and Bates Jensen, B, third edition 2007, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Dr. Sussman developed, produced and sells the Sharp Debridement of Wounds DVD Series, is an alumnus and former Vice President of the NPUAP Board of Directors, and former Physical Therapy Director, Association for Advancement of Wound Care.

Denise Sadowski-Leist, RN, MSN, ACNP, CWS 
Denise is an advanced practice nurse currently working as a Nurse Practitioner in the area of wounds and surgery. She has been a nurse for over 30years, 26 of those being in advanced practice with a focus on wounds, burns, and skin issues. She has lectured extensively at university settings to advanced practice nursing students in the area of wounds and pathophysiology. She also has presented at various regional and national conferences topics on research findings and program development. She has published articles and book chapters related to wounds and burn care. Denise is a member of the Association for the Advancement in Wound Care and the American Burn Association. She holds certifications as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Certified Wound Specialist.

How can our team of wound care experts help you achieve wound care certification?