Our Incredible ACLS Academy Instructors
At ACLS Academy, the mission is simple, but powerful: better training, better outcomes. Behind that mission stands a remarkable team of 27+ certified American Heart Association instructors who don’t just teach life-saving skills—they live them. These are nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, and healthcare professionals who spend their days saving lives and their free time training others to do the same. From veteran clinicians with decades of critical care experience to rising stars fresh from the front lines, ACLS Academy’s instructors bring real-world knowledge, steady hands, and unmatched dedication to every course they teach. Whether you're taking your very first CPR class or advancing your trauma care skills, you’ll learn from the best. Expect consistency. Expect excellence. And walk away feeling empowered, confident, and ready to be the hero someone else may one day need.
Meet the Founders: Dr. Shelley Lynch & Chad Lynch
ACLS Academy was founded by a powerhouse duo: Dr. Shelley Lynch, DNP, NP-BC, APRN, CCRN, and her husband, Chad Lynch, whose combined expertise in medicine and operations helped shape the Academy into what it is today, a leading force in life-saving education.
Shelley brings over two decades of clinical experience and a deep passion for advancing healthcare practice. In 2022, she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was honored as The Diane Kjervik, JD, RN Scholar. Her academic journey is nothing short of extraordinary—25 years of continuous education, including:
● A Bachelor of Science in Nursing
● A Master’s in Nursing Education
● A Post-Master’s Certificate as a Nurse Practitioner
● And three additional years completing her DNP
Driven by a commitment to elevate clinical practice, research application, healthcare leadership, and policy, Dr. Lynch envisioned a training center that would empower professionals to meet the highest standards of care and save more lives.
Meanwhile, Chad brought 15 years of operational expertise and leadership training from the United States Coast Guard to the table. With a keen eye for structure and strategy, he built the business framework that supports ACLS Academy’s rapid growth and smooth execution.
Together, Shelley and Chad began recruiting a dream team of sharp, experienced, and compassionate instructors, physicians, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and healthcare managers. Their shared mission? To deliver gold-standard education that helps healthcare providers perform with excellence when it matters most.
Learn from Real Heroes: Our ACLS Academy Team
The team that makes up ACLS Academy are not only instructors, but they are lifesavers, mentors, and motivators. All with their credentials, these instructors bring real-world experiences and a passion for teaching to inspire and lead others who strive to do the same. Courses taught by our team are more than just a certification; they are a hands-on learning experience from people who have been there and done that, providing valuable insights and antidotes, enabling you to remember and apply the skills you learn.
Meet the superheroes that make up the ACLS Academy team:
Jenny C. MD
● Physician in the ED at Winchester Hospital.
● Attended Boston University’s School of Medicine.
● Interned with the US Navy.
● Attained PALS and ACLS certifications.
● CTLC instructor
● Read more about Jenny C. here!
Peggy L. MSN, MBA, RN, CCRN
● Registered nurse for over 40 years with over 20 years in critical care and in perianesthesia nursing.
● Currently a resource nurse in a PACU community hospital.
● Received her AD in 1974, BSN in 1986, MSN in 1999, MBA in 2018
● AHA instructor since 2002.
● Read more about Peggy L. here!
Sheila S. DNP, RN, CEN, TCRN
● A staple in the Boston community and expert in trauma care.
● A past president and trauma chairperson of the Massachusetts Emergency Nurses Association.
● Decades of experience both practicing and teaching emergency medicine
● Actively participates in the American College of Surgeons STOP THE BLEED program
● Course director for TNCC and ENPC.
● Read more about Sheila S. here!
Christopher G. PHD-C, CRNA, RN
● Clinical coordinator/staff CRNA in Boston.
● Graduated from Wayne State University Anesthesia Program in Detroit, Michigan and obtained his Master’s of Science in Anesthesia.
● Experience in the trauma unit of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
● A Practicing paramedic.
● Chief Credentialing Officer for the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).
Kristine D. DNP, RN, NPD-BC
● Clinical Nurse Education for a Maternal Newborn Unit.
● Over 18 years of experience as a maternity nurse.
● Board certified in Nursing Professional Development and certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing.
● Attained a masters degree in Nursing Education in 2017 and recently finished her doctorate.
● Has taught NRP and AHWONN Fetal Heart Monitoring for over 10 years.
● Learn more about Kristine D. here!
Jenna S. BS, RN
● Registered Nurse at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center since 2005 after graduating from Salem State University.
● A Bachelor of Science in Nursing and joined the Cardiovascular ICU in 2007.
● Certified ECMO specialist and educator of the PACU.
● BLS, ACLS, PALS instructor.
● Learn more about Jenna S. here!
Sarah B. MSN, RN
● Emergency room RN at Newton-Wellesley Hospital.
● Experience as an ICU nurse.
● Completed her MSN in Nursing Education.
● BLS, ACLS, and PALS instructor.
Julyanne P. BSN, RN
● Registered nurse at St. Luke’s Emergency Department.
● Started working for ACLS Academy before her senior year of nursing school.
Kara C. DNP, MSN, RN, CEN
● Master’s in Nursing Education and received her DNP from Regis College.
● CEN, TNCC certified.
● BLS and ACLS instructor.
● Over 20 years of experience as an Emergency Department Nurse, working the night shift at Boston Medical Center since 2002.
● Full-time nursing faculty at Quincy College.
● Learn more about Kara C. here!
Jenna K. MPH, BSN, RN-BC, CEN, CPEN
● RN on the Boston Children’s Hospital Critical Care Transport Team.
● A member of the Emergency Nurse Association Pediatric Committee.
● Working towards her Master’s in Public Health at Boston University.
● Passionate about global health and social justice/human rights.
● Worked in many Haitian, Costa Rican, and Mississippi health teams.
● BLS/Heartsavers, ACLS, PALS, Stop the Bleed, TNCC, and ENPC instructor.
● Learn more about Jenna K. here!
Jessica C. BSN, RN
● Started working in September 2020
● Working in intensive care for over 5 years.
● Works in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
● Certified in BLS, ACLS, and PALS.
Jen J. MSN, RN, CEN, CCRN
● BLS, ACLS, and PALS instructor.
● Med/Surg nursing, Emergency Medicine in level 1 Trauma, and most recently Critical Care in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
● TNCC Instructor
● Jen is a professor at Curry College and holds certifications in Critical Care Nursing (CCRN) and Emergency Nursing (CEN)
Scott C. EMTP CCP
● A paramedic in the Emergency Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and Melrose-Wakefield Hospital.
● Works for East Boston Neighborhood Health Center’s Emergency Department.
● Over 20 years of experience as a paramedic working in various settings.
● BLS, ACLS, PALS, and Stop the Bleed Instructor certified.
Jessica L. MSN ED, RN
● Master’s in nursing education, an Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Certification (CNEcl).
● BLS and CPR/ First Aid instructor.
● Obtained her RN from Brockton Hospital School of Nursing, BSN from Southern New Hampshire University, and Master’s in Nursing Education (MSN Ed) from Spring Arbor University in 2022
● Has worked in long-term care, rehab, worked with adults with developmental disabilities.
● Was a nurse supervisor for a behavioral health program working with individuals with substance use and mental health diagnoses.
● Works full time as a clinical instructor at Cape Cod Community College.
● Per diem nurse at Vibra Hospital and Southcoast Health System.
● Learn more about Jessica L. here!
Lisa M. BSN, RN
● BLS and Heartsaver instructor.
● Registered Nurse for 25 years.
● Graduated from UMass Dartmouth with a BS in Nursing.
● Nationally Certified School Nurse with a passion for teaching both healthcare providers and people in the community the life-saving skills of CPR.
Jen C. BSN, RN-BC
● Clinical Nurse Educator at Beth Israel Deaconess Lahey Health.
● Registered Nurse since 2005 after graduating from UMass Dartmouth with her Bachelor’s in Nursing.
● 13 years of Progressive Care Nursing experience focusing on Cardiac.
● Board-certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Allison M., DNP, RN, CNE, CNE-CL, CHSE, CHSOS
● Professor of Practice and the Simulation Coordinator at Assumption University’s Froelich School of Nursing.
● Received her BSN at Worcester State College and continued on to get her MSN-Ed from Worcester as well. Graduated from Duke University with her DNP in the Spring of 2025.
Katie D. MBA
● Joined the team in 2022 as an administrative specialist.
● MBA from Suffolk University in Boston.
● Works behind the scenes with programming, human resources, and all operational requirements.
Olivia M. RN
● Works full-time at Franciscan Children’s Hospital in the Pulmonary and Medical Rehab Unit.
● Works as Per Diem Home Care Nurse with BAYADA Pediatrics.
● BLS and PEARS instructor.
● Learn more about Olivia M. here!
Jamie M.
● A former Boston College Women’s Basketball team and National Women’s Basketball League player
● Spent a decade at Reebok in various roles, including compliance, marketing, and Product Management, specializing in licensed products for the NFL, NBA, NCAA, NHL, MLS, and branded products for Adidas and Reebok.
● Joined the ACLS Academy team in 2024 in the office to support instructor scheduling, compliance, and student onboarding.
● Learn more about Jamie M. here!
ACLS Academy is deeply grateful to the team of influential individuals dedicated to the life-saving skills essential in the medical field. Shelley and Chad ensure their appreciation is regularly expressed to their instructors in various ways to demonstrate their gratitude and appreciation. Interested in taking a course with one of these champion instructors? Follow this link!
ACLS Academy is an authorized American Heart Association (AHA) Aligned Training Center. We have three convenient locations in Massachusetts—Quincy, Bridgewater, and Newton Center—and most of our classes include an online training component. We offer high-quality courses taught by instructors who are practicing medical professionals, including ACLS, BLS, TNCC, ENPC, NRP, PALS, PALS Plus, PEARS, ACLS-EP, ASLS, Bloodborne Pathogen, HeartSaver CPR/AED, First Aid, and Instructor Courses.