Meet The Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers Instructors

OWNER & INSTRUCTOR

Carolyn L. Gegor, CNM, MS, FACNM, has had an extensive career in obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound. Carolyn is currently an ultrasound instructor at Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers.

Carolyn Gegor began her career in ultrasound as an RN in 1972. She learned ultrasound from a physician on-the-job, as no courses were available that early in the development of ultrasound as a diagnostic test. Ms. Gegor then established several courses for new providers to be able to learn the new skills. Carolyn was one of the founders of the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) and executed the first nation-wide exams in 1975. She established the first affiliate of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine in Washington, DC and Maryland. For several years, she worked full time in ultrasound, the went back to her love of labor & birth, while continuing to teach ultrasound skills in obstetrics and gynecology. 

Once she became a CNM, Carolyn was very active teaching nurses and midwives to do the Biophysical Profile, and full scope scanning. During that time, she was the Clinical Director of Fetal Assessment at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital. She lectured on ultrasound topics at the ACNM annual meeting for many years during her 25 years of clinical practice and as midwifery academic faculty.

Currently, Carolyn is a member of the ACNM Ultrasound Education Subcommittee.  She also represents ACNM as a member of the Midwife Exam Group for the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. “In 2021, Carolyn earned the Midwife Sonography Certificate from the ARDMS.

After retiring from clinical practice, Ms. Gegor created Ultrasound for Midwives, now Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers, to be able to offer highly sought-after hands-on scanning and the necessary background knowledge for doing OB/Gyn Point of Care ultrasound. Now, there is an online course that shares basic information on clinical OB/Gyn ultrasound as well as Physics of ultrasound and varied business topics including practice development, billing and coding, documentation, and liability. She travels to individual practice sites to conduct hands-on scanning education for groups of 4 or more providers.

INSTRUCTOR

Gay Hull was born and raised in Texas where she began an extended career in Ob/Gyn nursing and ultrasound. She attained her BSN from the University of Texas and her MSN as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner from the University of Colorado Health Science. 

Early in Gay’s career she became engaged in learning Ob/Gyn ultrasound with the goal to provide women with the best experience possible in the practice setting. 

Gay attended Thomas Jefferson in Philadelphia for ultrasound education and became a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer in Ob/Gyn. Gay participated as a practice reviewer for Ob/Gyn and MFM practices for AIUM. 

In her early career, Gay practiced nursing and ultrasound with a private Ob/Gyn practice in Texas where she developed an ultrasound program for the practice. After relocating to Denver, CO, Gay transitioned to Maternal Fetal Medicine using her ultrasound experience to increase skills in fetal diagnostics. Gay worked principally as a WHNP and Sonographer in MFM practices in Colorado, New Mexico, and South Carolina. 

In her spare time Gay enjoys traveling and the outdoors with her husband, Jerry and her two young Labs, Bevo and Zuzu. She also relaxes with needle crafts and sewing quilts for donation to kids and families. 

Gay is also currently an ultrasound instructor at Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers.

INSTRUCTOR

Michele's passion for teaching health providers for over 25 years at prominent United States academic maternal-fetal medicine departments, with heavy emphasis on cutting-edge technologies in the medical imaging field, makes her experience an asset for point-of-care ultrasound certification.

As a holistic individual who birthed her first child naturally over 36 years ago, she has a special interest in holistic medicine and unique personal experience with both natural as well as emergent cesarean section delivery with her second delivery. She can share all the innate knowledge both personally and as an expert imaging health professional in the wondrous medical imaging field.

Michelle is also currently an ultrasound instructor at Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers.

INSTRUCTOR

Nona Smith, RDMS, MSN, CNM, is an experienced Nurse Midwife, Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, and a dedicated educator in the field of obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound. With a career spanning over three decades, Nona brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her work with Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers.

Nona earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her Master of Science in Nursing with a certificate in Nurse Midwifery from East Carolina University. She became a Registered Nurse in 1983, a Certified Nurse Midwife in 1999, and a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer in Obstetrics & Gynecology in 1993. Nona has held various roles, including clinical positions in hospitals and private practice, as well as leadership roles in Nurse Midwifery and Women’s Health.

Throughout her career, Nona has had the opportunity to work across various states and settings, including as a Certified Nurse Midwife at Novant Health and as a Lead Nurse Midwife at Wake Forest Baptist Health. She has also been a clinical preceptor for programs at institutions such as Wake Forest University, East Carolina University, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Nona is deeply passionate about both clinical practice and education. She has contributed to numerous professional organizations, including the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the American College of Nurse Midwives, where she served as Vice President of the North Carolina Affiliate. She is a frequent lecturer and has published abstracts in well-known medical journals on topics related to fetal development and ultrasound.

INSTRUCTOR

Meredith started her nursing career at LAC/USC School of Nursing   in Los Angeles California where she received a diploma in Nursing. Followed by a BSN from California State University in Fullerton CA. She spent 20 years as a Labor and Delivery nurse, High-Risk Clinician and Fetal Monitoring instructor while also achieving a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer certificate. She has taught Midwives, Nurses and Physicians Ultrasound basics and Point of Care Ultrasound and developed learning programs for several University Programs.  She is an active member of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and served as an officer in the Sonography Community at AIUM. She has also served on the Education Committee at the Society for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.  She is a current member of the ARDMS Midwife Sonography Assessment Item Workshop.

Meredith is currently the Supervisor of Perinatal Ultrasound at Vanderbilt University.

Meredith is also currently an ultrasound instructor at Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers.

INSTRUCTOR

Nora Elizalde, APRN, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, IBCLC, is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, a Certified Nurse-Midwife, a Board Certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) with extensive experience providing care for women. She believes that providing care for women is essential and provides care using the nurse-midwifery management process while incorporating cultural influence and psychosocial factors that help women adjust to pregnancy, labor & delivery, postpartum, motherhood, and reproductive life. Her work is aimed at increasing access to care in underserved rural areas.

Nora received her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree with a focus on Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She obtained her Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) from Oklahoma State University and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from the Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Nora has a Certified Nurse-Midwife certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board, and a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Certification from the National Certification Commission.

Nora has gained expertise in Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) with an ARDMS Midwife Sonographer Certification and as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®).  

Nora is also currently an ultrasound instructor at Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers.

INSTRUCTOR

(Associate Professor-Clinician Educator. HSC IPE Champion. University of New Mexico College of Nursing

Ostrem-Niemcewicz earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from New Mexico State University, a Post Masters Certificate and Master of Science in Nursing with concentrations in family nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery from the University of New Mexico and earned her BSN from Dominican University of San Rafael. In 2019 she completed all exam requirements and was awarded a midwife sonography certificate from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. Kristen is chair of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Ultrasound Education Subcommittee.  She represents ACNM as a member of the Midwife Exam Group and the Simulation Task Force for the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine writing team, which published an OB Practice Parameters and Training Guidelines for advanced clinical providers in 2018. Kristen is a volunteer and associate program manager for RAD-AID International, assisting with a global midwife ultrasound curriculum, hands-on education and certification pathways. Kristen is also currently an ultrasound instructor at Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers.

ONLINE SUPPORT

Casey Messmer handles online support at Ultrasound for Women's Health Providers. Need help with event registration, tech issues, or online course questions? Casey ensures everything runs smoothly, whether it's navigating online courses or making sure you've completed the registration paperwork for our events. You might also see Casey behind a camera at some of our hands-on scanning events, capturing the moments to share online.

In addition to this role, Casey runs Messmer Marketing, a marketing company dedicated to women's health providers. Specializing in creating content, pay-per-click advertising, and building websites. The goal is to empower providers with the tools and strategies they need to effectively reach and support more women.

With a decade of experience working with women's health providers, Casey is committed to exceptional support. Every interaction with Ultrasound for Women's Health Providers is made positive and productive, from quick tech questions to in-depth course assistance, Casey is ready to help every step of the way.

EVENT COORDINATOR

Elizabeth Baden works as the Event Coordinator for Ultrasound for Women's Health Providers. From booking the event venue, assisting with recruiting, reserving catering with attention paid to dietary and nutritional restrictions, as well as lodging, Elizabeth ensures that each event runs smoothly. Elizabeth will also be present at each event registering participants, preparing instruction space, and assisting with sanitization during and after the event.

Elizabeth holds a BS in Business Administration, Management and Leadership. Currently Elizabeth has devoted her professional career to people management in the philanthropic sphere. Prior to that she had several managerial roles where she increased productivity and teamwork.

If you have any questions, concerns or need support before, during, or after an event, Elizabeth is your go to person.