Meet the ACLS Academy Team
Certified AHA Instructors and Dedicated Staff
-
Shelley founded ACLS Academy and has been teaching AHA courses since 2001. Shelley has over 20 years of critical care experience and practices in Boston. She received her Master's in Nursing Education and a Certificate after Graduate Studies as a Nurse Practitioner. She completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Shelley is a 2018 recipient of the Nurse Hero Award at Fenway Park in Boston for saving a life at Boston Logan Airport. Along with an ACLS, PALS, and BLS instructor, Shelley is also AHA Training Center Faculty for all disciplines and teaches instructor classes.
-
Jenny is a physician in the ED at Winchester Hospital. She attended Boston University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Chen did her internship with the United States Navy. Jenny works with PALS and ACLS certification and recertification courses. She is also a CTLS instructor.
-
Peggy has been an RN for over 40 years, with over 20 years in critical care and another 20 years in peri-anesthesia nursing. Peggy has certifications in both critical care and peri-anesthesia nursing. Her current role is resource nurse in a PACU for a community hospital. She is a lifelong learner, receiving her AD in 1974, BSN in 1986, MSN in 1999, and an MBA in 2018. Lucky for us, she has been an AHA instructor since 2002 and is one of our top instructors. In her free time, Peggy enjoys spending quality time with her grandchildren.
-
Sheila is a staple in the Boston Community and a true expert in trauma care. She was the past President and Trauma Chairperson of the Massachusetts Emergency Nurses Association. She has multiple decades of experience both practicing and teaching emergency medicine. Sheila has provided leadership in the education of trauma nurses throughout the state. She actively participates in the American College of Surgeons STOP THE BLEED® program and has taught the program to nurses, students, and laypersons. Sheila is the course director for both TNCC and ENPC.
-
Christopher is a Clinical Coordinator/Staff CRNA in Boston. He graduated from the Wayne State University Nurse Anesthesia Program in Detroit, Michigan, where he obtained his Master of Science in Anesthesia. His critical care experience was completed in the trauma unit of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. His professional interests include pharmacology and health policy. Besides being a CRNA, Chris is also a practicing paramedic. He is the chief credentialing officer for the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).
-
Kristine is the Clinical Nurse Educator for a Maternal Newborn unit. She has over 18 years of experience as a maternity nurse. Kristine is Board Certified in Nursing Professional Development and Certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Nursing Education in 2017 and recently finished her Doctorate of Nursing Practice. She has been teaching NRP and AHWONN for over 10 years.
-
Jenna has been a Registered Nurse at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center since 2005 after graduating from Salem State University. Jenna has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and joined the Cardiovascular ICU in 2007. Jenna is a certified ECMO specialist and the educator of the PACU. Jenna is a BLS, ACLS and PALS instructor.
-
Sarah is an emergency room RN at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and has experience as an ICU Nurse. She completed her MSN in Nursing Education and is a BLS, ACLS, and PALS Instructor. Sarah is recently married and has nothing but 5/5 feedback for her classes!
-
Julyanne started working for us before her senior year of nursing school. She was a natural leader and educator. She is a Registered Nurse at St. Luke’s Emergency Department.
-
Kara has over 20 years of experience as an emergency department nurse. She has worked the night shift at Boston Medical Center since 2002. Kara is very involved in precepting and onboarding new nurses. Kara enjoys teaching and is currently a full-time nursing faculty at Quincy College. Kara has a Master's in nursing education and received her DNP from Regis College. She has her CEN, is TNCC certified, and is a BLS and ACLS instructor.
-
Jenna is an RN on the Boston Children’s Hospital Critical Care Transport Team and has experience as an ED nurse. She completed her Master’s in Public Health at Boston University and is currently enrolled in a BSN to DNP program in a FNP track. She is passionate about global health and social justice/human rights. She has worked in many Haiti, Costa Rica, and Mississippi health teams. In addition, Jenna is a member of the Emergency Nurse Association Pediatric Committee. Jenna is a BLS/ Heart Savers, ACLS, PALS, Stop the Bleed, TNCC, and ENPC instructor. In the rare event Jenna is not working or studying, she travels.
-
Jessica started working for ACLS Academy in September 2020. She has been working in Intensive Care for over 5 years. Jessica works in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She is certified in BLS, ACLS, and PALS. Jessica loves bringing her experience to the classroom.
-
Jen is an emergency room educator and RN. She is a BLS, ACLS, and PALS Instructor.
-
Scott is a paramedic in the emergency department at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital and works for East Boston Neighborhood Health Center’s emergency department. He has over 20 years of experience as a paramedic working in various settings. Additionally, Scott has earned many teaching certifications, including BLS, ACLS, PALS, and Stop the Bleed. Scott thoroughly enjoys using both his in-hospital and pre-hospital experience when teaching classes to give his students a great learning experience. When he is not working or teaching, you can find him doing what he loves to do best—traveling and staying busy with his young, active family.
-
Jessica has been working in Healthcare for 20 years. She started as a behavioral specialist with people with Traumatic Brain injuries. Jessica went to Cape Cod Community College for her Medical Assistant degree and worked in cardiology as an MA. Jess 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. She has worked in long-term care, rehab, worked with adults with developmental disabilities, and was a nurse supervisor for a behavioral health program working with individuals with substance use and mental health diagnoses. Jessica is currently working full-time as a clinical instructor at Cape Cod Community College and as a per diem nurse at Vibra Hospital and Southcoast Health System. She has a Master’s in nursing education, an Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Certification (CNEcl), and is a BLS and CPR/ First Aid instructor.
-
Lisa is one of our BLS and Heartsaver Instructors. Lisa has been a Registered Nurse for 25 years. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Most of her experience has been in the Emergency Department. She has held leadership roles at community hospitals and a Level 1 Trauma Center. Lisa is currently a Nationally Certified School Nurse with a passion for teaching both healthcare providers and people in the community the life-saving skills of CPR.
-
Jen is currently a Clinical Nurse Educator at Beth Israel Deaconess Lahey Health. Her teaching style can engage all students and make a boring topic fun and memorable. You are bound to have at least one laugh in her class. Jen likes to use real-life scenarios to enhance student learning. Her goal is to have each student retain as much information as possible to be used in the future to save a life. Jen has been a Registered Nurse since 2005 after graduating from the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth with her Bachelor’s in Nursing. She has 13 years of Progressive Care Nursing experience focusing on Cardiac step-down and loves a good adrenaline rush. She continues to be board-certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). She recently completed her Master’s degree in Nursing with a specialization in Administration and Management.
-
Allison is a Professor of Practice and the Simulation Coordinator at Assumption University’s Froelich School of Nursing. She believes training and certification courses should allow students to practice and learn in a psychologically and physically safe environment. No question is ever too silly! Allison received her BSN at Worcester State College and continued on to get her MSN-Ed from Worcester State as well. Allison’s clinical background is in critical and acute cardiac care. She prefers to share anecdotes within the group she is working with to help solidify topics covered in class. She is enrolled at Duke University and begins classes for her DNP at the end of August. She loves the work that she does and believes that everyone should have some degree of CPR training!
-
Oliva works full-time at Franciscan Children’s Hospital in the Pulmonary and Medical Rehab Unit. She also works as a per diem Home Care Nurse with BAYADA Pediatrics, which allows her to support some of her pediatric Franciscan patients as they transition to home care, ensuring continuity of care and helping families adapt to home-based medical routines. She is a BLS and PEARS instructor.
-
Kathleen is an ACLS Academy instructor with decades of experience in critical care nursing, clinical education, and hospital-wide nursing leadership. She brings deep expertise in cardiac intensive care and resuscitation training to every ACLS and BLS course she teaches at ACLS Academy. Kathleen is known for creating a supportive, psychologically safe learning environment where students gain both technical skill and real-world confidence. Her teaching philosophy centers on clear communication, adaptability, and preparing students to respond calmly and effectively when it matters most.
-
Tanya MSN, RN, CEN is a Clinical Nurse Educator and Certified Emergency Nurse with over a decade of experience in high-acuity Emergency Department care. She has worked in hospitals across the country as both a staff and travel nurse, building deep expertise in trauma, cardiac, and critical patient care. As an instructor for BLS, ACLS, PALS, and TNCC, Tanya brings real-world emergency experience into the classroom, helping learners build the confidence and skills to respond when seconds matter.
-
Chad has a 20+ year career in business operations in Boston and is currently in the United States Coast Guard. Chad grew up coaching and instructing in various capacities and has a passion for marine protection and safety. Chad’s experience makes him a natural fit as an instructor for both Heartsaver and BLS. When Chad is not working, you can find him chasing his 3 boys or out on the water.
-
Katie joined our team in 2022 as our administrative specialist. She has an MBA from Suffolk University in Boston. She has been working behind the scenes with programming, human resources, and all operational requirements. Her work with the company includes creating databases and information systems.
-
Jamie Mutschler joined ACLS Academy in 2024, bringing a unique background in athletics, corporate product development, and operations. A former Division I basketball player and NWBL athlete, she spent nearly a decade at Reebok in compliance, marketing, and product management before transitioning into healthcare education. At ACLS Academy, Jamie supports instructor scheduling, compliance, and student onboarding—and enjoys connecting directly with learners during trainings. She’s passionate about details, teamwork, and helping others thrive. Jamie lives on the South Shore with her husband and four children.