Board of Directors
Candidate For:
Heather Williams
MSN, RN, SANE-A, IVSE-C, AFN-C
Goal Statement
As a board member of the Academy of Forensic Nursing, my goal is to use my experience as a SANE-A and IVSE-C, nurse educator, and forensic nursing leader to support the Academy's mission of advancing the practice of forensic nursing through education, collaboration, advocacy, and evidence-based care.
I have worked to expand access to forensic nursing services in rural communities, educate Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner programs, and advance the recognition and implementation of comprehensive near-fatal strangulation assessment programs. I have also educated healthcare professionals, law enforcement, prosecutors, and multidisciplinary teams at the local, state, and national levels, fostering collaboration that improves outcomes for victims of violence.
As a member of the AFN Board of Directors, I also acknowledge that I would be surrounded by some of the most forward-thinking, brightest minds in the field. The opportunity to learn from them and use that knowledge to further the profession would be amazing.
Biography
Heather Williams is a Master's prepared Registered Nurse (RN) with 30 years of nursing experience in emergency medicine, orthopedics, hospice care, and education. Heather obtained her post-graduate degree and earned her Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) with an emphasis in Education from Regis University in 2013. She served in a clinical facility position for five years at Southeastern Technical College Associate in Science in Nursing (ASN) program. Additionally, Heather is a board-certified SANE-A.
Understanding the potential lethality factor of strangulation that is often seen in sexual assault cases as well as domestic violence assaults, Heather expanded The Refuge SANE program services to include Near-Fatal Strangulation focused assessments for patients in her community in 2019.
Heather attended the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention 4-day Advanced Course on Strangulation in 2019. In 2020, she attended the Strangulation Training Institute's Master's Summit, and the Expert Witness Course on Strangulation Prevention in February of 2023. With this training, she has had the opportunity to educate agency partners and her community about the dangers of strangulation and advocate for appropriate patient assessment and treatment necessary after a strangulation event. Additionally, she has served in the legal system, consulting and testifying in near-fatal strangulation cases as an expert witness. Her most recent certification is the Interpersonal Violence Strangulation Evaluation (IVSE-C) Micro-Certification through FNCB.