Clinical Team

Kaitlyn is a Nurse Practitioner who joined Kansas City Hospice in 2013. She graduated from the University of Kansas School of Nursing in the Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner program and received her MSN. She is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner in Adult Health by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Stacy is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with a strong foundation in both primary and geriatric care. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Central Missouri. With nearly two decades of nursing experience, Stacy has provided compassionate, evidence-based care in home health, hospice, memory care, and clinical settings. She is committed to improving quality of life for aging and medically complex patients through personalized care that supports physical, emotional, and transitional needs.

Deborah is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She joined Kansas City Hospice in July 2016. Deborah graduated from the University of Kansas in 2009. Her areas of practice as a nurse practitioner have included primary care, urgent care and geriatrics. Previously, she worked in intensive care, cardiology and hospice. Her special interest is pain management and supporting both patient and family on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels.

Sandra is a Family Nurse Practitioner with experience in corporate wellness, urgent clinics, and triage. She received her AA from Penn Valley Community College and her BS in Nursing from the University of Kansas School of Nursing in Lawrence. She trained as a nurse practitioner at the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing in Columbia, and she is a Certified Hospice & Palliative Nurse.

Maria has specialized in caring for patients with serious illnesses for more than 20 years and joined KCH in 2005. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with an MS in Nursing. She is board-certified as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Health. She is also an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in Palliative Care, and as an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. Maria received the American Academy of Hospice & Palliative Medicine Mentorship Award in 2007-2008.

Jeffrey received his BSN from College of the Ozarks and his MSN from Olivet Nazarene University. He worked as an RN for ten years, with four years in medical–surgical and six in ICU/PICU. As a Family Medicine APRN, he has also worked with the Palliative Care team at University Health and provides hospice face-to-face recertification visits.

Leslie is a Nurse Practitioner who joined Kansas City Hospice in 2017. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati obtaining her Master of Science in Nursing degree. She then became certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners as an Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. Leslie has over 10 years of hospice experience.

LaTeak is a dedicated and compassionate healthcare professional who earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri. She is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, with over five years of experience providing comprehensive, patient-centered care across diverse populations. In November 2024, she joined Kansas City Hospice, where she focuses on delivering high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care. Her clinical approach emphasizes empathy, dignity, and support for both patients and their families during critical stages of care.

LaKeitha is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with more than 15 years of hospice experience. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Simmons University. A compassionate and dedicated clinician, LaKeitha is proficient in prioritizing tasks, utilizing evidence-based practice, and delivering safe, patient-centered care in fast-paced environments. She brings extensive experience in adult and geriatric hospice care, including symptom management, chronic disease treatment, and end-of-life education.

Zainab is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over seventeen years experience providing compassionate, evidence-based care across diverse populations. Zainab is committed to providing comfort-focused, holistic care that honors dignity, choice, and quality of life. She works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams to ensure that each patient receives personalized support; physically, emotionally, and spiritually – during life’s most vulnerable moments.

Diana is a Nurse Practitioner with our Community-Based Palliative Care Team. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Research/Rockhurst College of Nursing and her Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Track, from Research College of Nursing in Kansas City.

Denise has more than 20 years of nursing experience. She received her BS in Nursing at William Jewell College and her MS in Nursing at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Denise joined us as a Nurse Practitioner in 2010. She holds certifications from ANCC as an Adult Nurse Practitioner and HPNA as an Advanced Certified Hospice & Palliative Nurse. In 2014, she was a March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Finalist in the Advanced Practice Nurse category.

Nancy began her career in hospice care as a CNA and later as an RN Case Manager, and then team coordinator. After many years as an RN, she earned her Adult Nurse Practitioner degree with a Palliative Care specialty from Vanderbilt University in 2008 and went on to work in primary care. While doing primary care, she continued hospice work PRN, completing face-to-face visits and maintaining a strong connection to her Palliative Care identity. It was in primary care that she recognized a significant gap in mental health services, prompting her to complete a post-master’s certificate as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at the UMKC. As an Adult NP, PMHNP, and Hospice and Palliative Care NP, Nancy continually seeks best practices to support patients, earning additional certificates in Integrative Nutrition and Mind-Body Medicine from Thomas Jefferson University. She uses every available tool to help patients improve their lives.

Tammi joined us in 2017, having worked in the field of hospice and palliative care since 2000. She obtained her BS in Nursing from MidAmerica Nazarene University and her MS in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati. She also has a business degree from Baker University. Tammi received certifications from AANP as a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and from HPNA as an Advanced Certified Hospice & Palliative Nurse.