Christian Health Welcomes New Trustees and Leaders

Christian Health recently installed several key community leaders and industry experts to its Operating Board of Trustees and clinical leadership roles.

Three new trustees were nominated and unanimously voted in to the organization’s Operating Board: Rev. Richard A. Jones, Amy E. Shotmeyer, Esq, and Elizabeth Van Dyk, DNP, APN, FNP-C, ANP-BC.

Rev. Richard A. Jones is the senior pastor at Bridgeway Community Church in Haledon, New Jersey where he also resides. Prior to coming to Bridgeway, Rev. Jones served as the pastor of the Los Angeles Community Christian Reformed Church. While there, Rev. Jones served in various denominational functions, including the committees on Race Relations and Candidacy, and was a delegate to Synod and the Multi-ethnic Conference.

Amy E. Shotmeyer, Esq., has been a member of the Christian Health Foundation board since 2016, serving in an officer capacity as its secretary. Ms. Shotmeyer is a partner in the law firm of DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP where she is a member of the Litigation, Insurance Defense, Environmental Law, and Green Practice groups. Earning her Juris Doctor from Seton Hall Law School, Ms. Shotmeyer has also received a certificate in biblical studies from Moody Bible Institute and resides in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

Elizabeth Van Dyk, DNP, APN, FNP-C, ANP-BC, has been a member of the faculty at Felician University since 2016. An advanced practice nurse since 2004, Dr. Van Dyk holds dual certifications from both the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (FNP-C) and the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANP-BC). She obtained her doctor of nursing degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and is an Associate Dean in the Graduate Department of Felician University’s School of Nursing. Dr. Van Dyk resides in Midland Park, New Jersey and is currently practicing as a family nurse practitioner APN at a primary care/urgent care center.

Sandra DeYoung, EdD, Rev. Rod Gorter, Matthew Kuiken, and David Montgomery, MD were also recently re-elected and re-appointed as Operating Board Trustees for Christian Health.

Christian Health welcomes two new clinical leaders: Patricia Drabik, DNP, RN, NEA-BC and Alexis Totaro, MSN, RN, WHNP-c, CARN-AP.

Patricia Drabik, DNP, RN, NEA-BC joins Christian Health as its new Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Nursing for Heritage Manor and Southgate. Dr. Drabik also directs Christian Health’s Nurse Executive Leadership Council and leaders in Infection Prevention and Control, Quality, Long-term Care Clinical Education, and Minimum Data Set.

Dr. Drabik previously served as the statewide COVID-19 Vaccine Director for the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). In this role, she was the Operations Director for the largest public-health initiative in state history. Her responsibilities included overseeing the creation of the infrastructure and day-to-day operations of this massive effort, involving over 100 NJDOH employees; federal partners; external consultants; other government agencies at the state, county, and local levels; all of New Jersey’s acute-care hospitals; and various other medical groups. Prior to joining NJDOH, Dr. Drabik held various nurse leadership positions as Site Director, Patient Care Services at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Wayne; Nurse Administrative Director of Patient Care Services – Finance and Resources at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston including nurse leadership roles at St. Barnabas’s Critical Care and Burn Intensive Care Service; and Nursing Educator, Manager of Emergency Services and Manager of Special Projects at St. Claire’s Hospital in Denville. Dr. Drabik holds several certifications and distinctions, including NEA-BC Advanced Nurse Executive Board Certification. Dr. Drabik also serves as an associate professor at Felician University for the Masters and Doctorate programs.

Alexis Totaro, MSN, RN, WHNP-c, CARN-AP joins Christian Health as its new Vice President/Administrator of Mental Health Services. Ms. Totaro comes to Christian Health from Hackensack University Medical Center where she recently served as the Administrative Director of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and Wellness. Ms. Totaro is board certified by the National Certification Corporation as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, is board certified as an Advanced Practice Nurse in addictions, is licensed in the State of New Jersey as a Sexual Assault Forensic Nurse Examiner, and also served as the Chief Nursing Officer for the Bergen County Correctional Facility leading many programs and initiatives for women’s programs and addiction. Ms. Totaro is also an Adjunct Professor for Seton Hall University and Saint Peters University.

“Award-winning care excellence, community leadership, and advocating for the vulnerable members in our community have always been the hallmark of Christian Health’s mission,” says Douglas A. Struyk, CPA, LNHA, Christian Health’s President and CEO. “We welcome our new trustees and clinical leaders, and look forward to better serving many individuals and families, including our staff, with compassion, safety, and strategic growth in our high-quality care delivery.

For more information please call (201) 848-5200.