Meet the Nominees up for election/Re-election for the PAPN Texas 2024-2025 Board of Directors

Dear Members,

 It’s that exciting time of the year again – Board Elections for the PAPN Texas are upon us! As we prepare to shape the future of our organization, we invite you to participate in the election process by meeting your nominees and considering the open positions available. Your vote is crucial in ensuring that PAPN Texas continues to thrive and serve our community effectively.

Meet Your Nominees

We are proud to present a diverse and dedicated group of individuals who have stepped forward as nominees for various board positions. Each nominee brings unique skills, experiences, and a shared passion for advancing the goals of PAPN Texas. Detailed information about each candidate is available.

Bios PAPN Texas Elections, 2024-2025

Toni Brent DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC

My name is Toni Brent DNP APRN PMHNP-BC born and raised in San Antonio, Texas where I currently reside. I am the oldest of two children and was raised by a single mother who was an educator for over thirty years. She stressed the value of education and knowledge. I knew I wanted to be a nurse at an early age and have been a practicing registered nurse for thirty-eight years in mental health in a variety of clinical settings. I have been a psychiatric nurse practitioner for twelve years since graduating in 2011. My goal has been to decrease the stigma of mental illness in our society. My passion for psychiatry allows me to provide compassionate, nonjudgmental, honest, and ethical quality care. I believe in a holistic approach that encompasses mind, body, and soul functioning together for optimal mental health and emotional well-being. My belief is to treat others as you would like to be treated. My love of God inspires me to be the best provider and person I can be.

As a nurse practitioner I believe in providing education, mentorship and preceptorship to future nursing and nurse practitioner students to ensure establishment of a firm foundation. I am an active and founding member of The Alamo Area Psychiatric Nurses Association (AAPNA) where we meet and network. Our mission is to form a cohesive unit to promote the advancement of nurse practitioners in Texas to independent practice. I am also a member of PAPN Texas. I desire to meet with legislators and stress the importance of independent practice which will provide needed care to persons in underserved areas. Educating communities on mental health issues and the importance of health equity and allocation of resources. Finally, the love of my profession will always propel me to go above and beyond the call of duty.

Martina Raquel Gallagher, PhD, MSN, PMHNP-BC, RN

 Dr. Martina Raquel Gallagher, an Associate Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center, has taught various courses, including nursing clinical practicum, psychiatric nursing, community health nursing, and nursing research. Students describe Dr. Gallagher's teaching style as engaging and creative because she incorporates diverse techniques when delivering course content. Because of her creativity and innovation in teaching she was awarded the Nursing Excellence Award for Teaching in the Southern Region. Initially, her research focused on the prevention and treatment of obesity within Latino communities. However, her community-based research revealed that mental health was a priority for this community, leading her to pursue a post-master’s degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. She now offers psychiatric care to community members through telepsychiatry. Her research interests have shifted towards improving psychoeducation regarding side effects of psychotropic medications. 

Dr. Gallagher has been appointed as a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association's Telemental Health Task Force and the Administrative Council Steering Committee. She serves as a merit reviewer for PCORI and has also served as a member of the Advisory Panel on Addressing Disparities for PCORI.

Sandra Hyams, APRN, PMHNP

 Sandra Hyams is a family psychiatric nurse practitioner and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania.  Following nursing school, she worked at Cook Children’s in Fort Worth for several years and then graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2016 after obtaining her Master of Science as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She has worked with adolescents with substance use and mental health at University of Minnesota, as well as at Mayo Clinic in Rochester with children and adults inpatient and on the consult service.  

Sandra presently works at Acclaim Multi-Specialty Group at John Perter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas in outpatient psychiatry clinic for children and adolescents.  She also works within the state funded program Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium (TCMHCC) which increases mental health access and care to children. 

 Sandra is a co-editor for the Carlat Psychiatry newsletter and enjoys training physician assistant and nurse practitioner students. She is currently studying at UTMB part time to obtain her PhD in nursing. 

Kayli Dozier Joachim, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC

 Kayli Dozier Joachim is a highly skilled and experienced Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over 10 years of experience in various healthcare settings. She holds a Bachelor in Nursing from Texas Woman's University (2010) and a Master of Science in Nursing specializing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Vanderbilt University (2013). Kayli is board certified by the ANCC and has additional training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. In addition to her clinical practice, she has served as a clinical instructor at Texas Woman’s University, sharing her expertise with future healthcare professionals. 

Her areas of interest include Integrative Psychiatry, Trauma/PTSD, Neurodevelopment Disorders, and LGBTQ+ health. With a passion for patient advocacy, she excels in psychotropic medication management and psychotherapy. Kayli has worked with diverse populations including children, adolescents, and adults in settings such as hospital consult, private practices, community mental health, corrections, and substance abuse recovery.

Kayli currently practices as a PMHNP at Stages of Recovery, providing medication management for adults in substance abuse recovery. In addition, she also works in private practice at Caprock Alliance for Mental Health, a Nurse Practitioner owned practice providing telepsychiatry to patients across Texas. 

 Previous organization experience includes serving as President for PAPN Houston from 2016-2017. She has also served as CE planner for educational conferences for PAPN Houston and PAPN Texas.

Gloria Tolani, DNP, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC

 Gloria Tolani is a distinguished board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with a wealth of experience in mental health care. With over 12 years as a psychiatric nurse and eight years as a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, Dr. Tolani has demonstrated expertise in providing comprehensive care to a diverse range of patients, from pediatric to geriatric demographics. Her work settings range from clinical to telemedicine. She proudly holds a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in family psychiatry and mental health nursing, showcasing a commitment to advanced education in the field. Throughout Dr. Tolani's career, she has seamlessly integrated nursing and advanced care practice in both general medical work settings at Methodist Stone Oak Hospital, and psychiatric work settings at Laurel Ridge Treatment Center, Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital, and Ikare Mood and Trauma Recovery Center. The acquired working experience and skills over the years have enhanced her ability to offer a holistic approach to patient care. Amongst the notable leadership skills of Dr. Tolani is her 6 (six) years of experience as the CEO of Insight Mental Wellness P A, a psychiatric outpatient clinic. She holds several executive board membership positions in significant nursing and medical groups in the community and is an active member of various organizations supporting mental health and the medical community at large. These commitments and active participation demonstrate exceptional stewardship, leadership, and management skills in the community and especially the mental health care sector. Her level of expertise extends to the use of advanced therapeutic treatments, including Spravato, RTMS, IV infusion treatment, and REM certification for Suboxone and clozapine, highlighting a strong grasp of progressive and innovative treatment modalities. In addition to her clinical acumen, Dr. Tolani is an active member of various nursing and health organizations such as SA-NNA, PAPN TX, and SANAP, thereby leveraging her knowledge and expertise to contribute to the advancement of psychiatric nursing. She has successfully executed roles as an adjunct professor at the graduate learning institute of University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, precepted over 30 nurse practitioner, physician assistant, clinical counselors, and medical students over the course of her experience. Insight Mental Wellness mentorship program has also impacted nursing and medical skills in about 5 high school graduates seeking clarification on the career path since its inception in 2023. As the president of the Alamo Area Psychiatric Nurse Association (AAPNA) and the chief executive officer of Insight Mental Wellness, Dr. Tolani plays a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of mental health care in the community. Overall, Dr. Tolani embodies the epitome of excellence in psychiatric nursing and psychiatric care, bringing a unique blend of clinical proficiency, leadership prowess, and a genuine passion for improving the mental well-being of individuals across the lifespan.

PAPN Texas Nominations 2024-2025

Board Officers	Name	Term Ends
	Elected
President	Lisa Anderson	2026
President-Elect	NA
Vice President	Gloria Tolani	2026
Secretary	Kayli Dozier Joachim	2026
Treasurer	Ayla Naughton	2025
Past President	Sherry Grogan	2025
Regional Representatives	Elected
Austin/Hill Country	Wanda Hilliard	2025
El Paso/Big Bend	Open	2026
DFW/Northeast Tx	Sandra Hyram	2026
Houston/Gulf Coast	Kelly Kearney	2025
Panhandle/PlainsRep	Stacy Hobbs	2025
San Antonio/South Plains	Toni Brent	2026
Positions Appointed by Board	One Year appointment by board
Communications Committee Chair	Amy Horelica
Education Committee Chair	Lola Bello
Legislative Chair	Justin Cullers  Stella Logan
Membership Committee Chair	Martina  Gallagher
Nominations Committee Chair	Linda Barloon
Student Rep	Open
Conference	William Tudor
Case Consultatoin	Denise Canchola

 

Your participation in this election is vital. By voting, you contribute to the governance and future direction of PAPN Texas.

 Thank you for your continued support and commitment to PAPN Texas. Let’s work together to elect a board that will drive our mission forward and enhance the professional lives of our members.