About the Presenters:
Rachel Steury, MSN, C-FNP, has worked at Children’s National Heart Institute and with the Washington Adult Congenital Heart (WACH) Program for more than five years. She’s co-authored a chapter on ACHD for the American Academy of Pediatrics Common Cardiac Issues in Pediatrics. Her interests include Fontan outcomes and transition programs for youth with congenital heart disease.
Vicki Freedenberg, PhD, RN, is an Advanced Practice Nurse in Electrophysiology at Children’s National in Washington, D.C., with extensive clinical and research experience with pediatric and adult congenital heart disease patients with arrhythmias and cardiac devices. Vicki received the 2022 ACHA Meil Family Foundation Research Award for "Neurocognitive Studies for her study, Exploring Mind Body Resilience and Coping/Cognitive Exercises-(EMBRACE): A Psychoeducational Intervention for Adult Congenital Heart Disease, a Randomized Control Trial." Her research interest is in using non-pharmacological methods to decrease stress and anxiety in patients, families, and staff. She has completed two studies with her adolescent patients using a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction intervention and recently has developed and implemented a stress-reduction program for the staff using mindfulness-based techniques.