Our Educators

Meet Your Diabetes Educators

We want you to live the life you want, with your diabetes under control. We have teams of highly skilled diabetes educators throughout our service area to help you, either in a classroom setting or one-on-one.

Meet the team in your community below.

Albany

Barbara George, RD, LD, CDE

Barbara earned a bachelor’s degree from Russell Sage College and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Sage Graduate School. She has been a dietitian for 24 years and has counseled diabetes patients in Albany for the past 10 years. Her specialties are integrative nutrition, weight management and gastrointestinal disorders.

In her free time, Barbara enjoys working on ceramics, gardening, quilting and going on walks with her dog.

Eileen Schramm, RN, CDE

Eileen has been a diabetes educator for more than 30 years. She also specializes in foot care.

In her free time, Eileen enjoys painting as well as other arts and crafts.

Jeana Van Dyke, RD, LD, CDE

Jeana earned a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University. She counsels diabetes patients and helps lead education classes.

In her free time, Jeana enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, working out, reading and cooking.

Jennifer Sylvester, BSN, CDE

Jennifer earned her nursing degrees at Linn-Benton Community College and Linfield College. She counsels diabetes patients, helps lead education classes and does foot care for patients.

In her free time, Jennifer enjoys traveling, horseback riding, scuba diving, hiking and volunteering as teacher of English as a second language.

To speak with one of our educators, call 541-812-4839.

Corvallis

Debbie Pauls, RN, BSN, CDE

Debbie leads the Diabetes Education team at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Oregon Health & Science University and has a broad experience treating patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as diabetes in pregnancy.

In her free time, Debbie enjoys hiking, gardening and traveling.

Cathy Beyea, RNC, CDE

Cathy’s interest in diabetes stems from family experiences with diabetes, and she specializes in treatment of type I diabetes, gestational diabetes, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring.

In her free time, Cathy enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and animals, as well as quilting. 

Jessica Hoehne, RN, CDE

Jessica earned her nursing degree from Linn-Benton Community College. She 

In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, arts and crafts, and home do-it-yourself projects.

McKenna Parker, RD, LD

McKenna earned her bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University. She counsels diabetes patients and helps lead education classes.

In her free time, McKenna enjoys spending time with her family, crocheting, baking, officiating youth basketball and playing volleyball.

To speak with one of our educators, call 541-768-6973.

Lebanon

Angie Frederic, RD, LD, CDE

Angie leads the Diabetes Education team at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Oregon State University. In addition to counseling patients with diabetes, she has special training in weight loss counseling, insulin pumps and elimination diets.

In her free time, Angie enjoys hiking, gardening and reading.

Donna Keen, RN, CDE

Donna earned her nursing degree from Linn-Benton Community College and is pursuing her certification as a diabetes educator.

In her free time, Donna enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.

Kate Newkirk, RDN, LD

Kate earned a bachelor’s degree from Central Washington University. She counsels diabetes patients and helps head education classes.

In her free time, Kate enjoys outdoor activities with her husband and dog, as well as weightlifting and canvas painting.

Heidi Womack, RN

Heidi earned her nursing degree from Linn-Benton Community College. She counsels diabetes patients, helps lead education classes and does foot care for her patients.

In her free time, Heidi enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and playing the piano.

Amber Brueggeman, RN

Amber earned her nursing degree at Rogue Community College. She counsels diabetes patients, helps lead education classes and does foot care for her patients.

In her free time, Amber enjoys outdoor activities like bicycling, hiking and camping with her family.

Lindsay Spurlin, RN, CFCS, CDE

Lindsay earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and a nursing degree from Weber State University. She counsels diabetes patients, helps lead education classes and does foot care for her patients.

In her free time, Lindsay enjoys cooking, gardening and spending time with her dogs, which she adopted in their senior years.

To speak with one of our educators, call 541-451-6313.

Lincoln City

Mica Ward, RD, LD

Mica leads the Nutrition Services Department at Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital. Part of this role involves counseling inpatients and outpatients about diabetes. Mica earned a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and has been with Samaritan Diabetes Education since 2008. Mica was born and raised in Lincoln City and was happy to have the opportunity to join Samaritan Health Services and move home to be near family.

 

In her free time she enjoys playing with her two children, gardening, crafting, cooking and camping.

 

Tricia Harper, RN, BSN

Tricia joined the Diabetes Education team at Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in November 2016. She earned an associate’s degree in nursing from Lower Columbia College and obtained her bachelor of science in nursing from Western Governor’s University. Tricia worked as a nurse in Washington and Wyoming before coming to Lincoln City in August 2014. Along with her work as a diabetes educator, she also works in the hospital’s ambulatory infusion and wound care department.

In her free time, Tricia enjoys reading, spending time with her children and walking the beach.

To speak with one of our educators, call 541-557-6414.

Newport

Kandice Abramson, RD

Kandice earned a master’s degree in dietetics at Illinois State University. She counsels diabetes patients and helps head education classes.

In her free time, Kandice can be found exploring the coast and its water, mountains and green spaces.

To speak with one of our educators, call 541-574-4682.