Nursing Leaders
The Thoracic Center
(732) 235-7802 • (732) 235-8150 (fax)
Nursing Leaders
Joanie Sapienza, RN, MSN, CCRN, ACNP
Advanced Practice Nurse for the General Thoracic Surgery Program
Joanie received her Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN) at Salve Regina University, Master of Science in Nursing at Seton Hall University, and her Post Master's Certificate for Critical Care Nurse Practitioner at Columbia University. Joanie came to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in 1999 with extensive experience in all areas of critical care nursing. She started here as a team member on the Heart Failure/Transplant Team and then in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department until 2004 when she joined the General Thoracic Surgery Program.
Joanie is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). Her publications include “Management of the Heart Transplant Patient in the Emergency Room” in Journal of Emergency Nursing, and “The Impact of Technology-the Use of Mechanical Ventricular Assist Devices” in Critical Care Nursing Quarterly.
Mary Kelly MA, APRN, AOCN, PCM-C
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Oncology
Mary received her RN from St. James Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. She received her BSN from Kean University and graduated with a master's in nursing from NYU, specialty palliative care nurse practitioner. Mary has worked in oncology at Robert Wood Johnson since 1997. She began as a staff nurse then was promoted to head nurse, nursing director and now CNS. She is an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse and also certified in Palliative Care Management. Mary is a member of the Oncology Nurses Society national and local chapter as well as a secretary for the local chapter. She belongs to the National Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) and the Lambda Lota chapter of Sigma Theta Tau.
Tracey Malast, RN, MSN
Nursing Director, Surgical Oncology
Tracey received her BSN from Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, New Jersey and her MSN from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, New Jersey. Tracey has been in the nursing field since 1985. She began her nursing career as a staff nurse in the surgical oncology unit at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. She was promoted to Assistant Head Nurse and then again to the Director of Surgical Oncology at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Tracey is a member of the Oncology Nurses Society and international member of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society.
Rachel Behrendt, RNC, BA
Oncology Nurse Educator
Rachel received her Diploma in Nursing from Muhlenberg School of Nursing in Plainfield, New Jersey, Associates Degree in Nursing from Union County College in Cranford, New Jersey, and Bachelor of Arts in English from Douglas College at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Rachel is a member of the Oncology Nurses Society and the New Jersey State Nurses Association.
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