The Medical Advisory Board
There have been many influential people that have helped shape the foundation and direction of Project NICU.
The Medical Advisory Board consists of passionate people close to our project, and we thank them for their time, expertise and support.
Dr. Jessica Madden
Dr. Jessica Madden is a neonatologist at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital and has many years of experience working in both NICUs and NICU follow-up clinics. She was born and raised in the Cleveland area (Lyndhurst) and lives in Willowick with her husband and four children.
Dr. Madden is available for home visits for former preemies in the Cleveland area through her home visiting practice, Primrose Newborn Care. Services available include well exams, feeding and lactation support, jaundice checks, colic treatment, and screening for postpartum depression and anxiety. Visits can be arranged around parents’ schedules, including evenings and weekends, and multi-visit packages are available for NICU graduates upon consultation.
Connie Eggleston, MSM, BSN, RN, CNML
Connie Eggleston, MSM, BSN, RN, CNML
Connie has been an RN for 31 years, and has been the Nurse Manager in the NICU for MetroHealth in Cleveland Ohio since September of 2011. Prior to that, she was the ANM of the MetroHealth NICU from 2002 -2011, and a staff NICU RN from 1991-2002. Connie has also been a staff RN at Medina Hospital from 1990-1991. Connie earned a BSN from the University of Akron and a Masters Degree in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Connie is a Certified Nurse Manager Leader, a member of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, and the American Academy of Critical Care Nurses. She holds seats on and is the Co-Chair of many in-unit and hospital wide committees. Over her vast tenure, she has been actively involved with the March of Dimes, served as a Neonatal Resuscitation Instructor, STABLE Instructor, and a Resolve Through Sharing mentor.
Connie lives in Medina, Ohio with her husband Steve of 32 years. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at her church, cooking and traveling with her husband, and most importantly spending time with her 6 grandchildren!
Lisa Vagi- BSN, RN
Lisa is an Assistant Nurse Manager in the Neonatal Intensive Care at Fairview Hospital. A NCU Nurse since 2012, She is passionate about education of and advocacy for premature babies and their families. She also feels strongly about supporting the nursing staff who cares for the NICU population and have worked on several projects for the Primary Nurse initiative, and employee engagement. Lisa sits on several unit-based committees that work toward improving outcomes for the premature population and is currently enrolled in the Midwifery and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Programs at Frontier Nursing University where she will earn my Masters of Science in Nursing.
Lisa and her husband Billy are from Cleveland and welcomed their first child Isla in 2016. In her free time she enjoys paddle boarding, traveling, and spending time with family.
Nicole Olicker MSN, APRN, NNP-BC
Nicole Olicker is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner who works at Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron Ohio and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. She prides herself on being a patient and family advocate while maintaining a high level of procedural skill and being part of a collaborative team that practices using the latest research based treatments.
Nicole has been serving on Project NICU’s Advisory board for 2 years. Nicole is also the President-Elect of the Northern Ohio Association of Neonatal Nurses, and a Member of the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners. She has been published in Neonatology journals and textbooks. She also teaches Neonatal Resuscitation Skills to healthcare providers.
Nicole’s daughter, Julia, spent the first week of her life in the NICU. While perspectively, a short time compared to some NICU families, it served a transformative purpose for Nicole professionally and personally. In their spare time, you can find Nicole and her wife Arielle, a neonatologist at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland (NICU runs in the family!), spinning on their Peloton Bikes, cooking something delicious in the kitchen, cheering Julia on at the softball field, or snuggling their two dogs, Daisy and Rosie!!!
Sheri Ricciardi, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC
Sheri is a Neonatal Developmental Clinical Specialist and Certified Neonatal Therapist at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland Ohio, with over 25 years of diverse experience and leadership in the NICU. Her embedded role in a Level IV NICU means she is responsible for developmental programming, facilitating collaboration of nurses and therapists, staff orientation, training competencies. Her specialty certifications include Board Certified Neonatal Therapist (CNT), Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapy Certification, Developmental Care Specialist Certification from NANN, and CITI certified/IRB Primary Investigator Credentialing. Sheri is a graduate of Cleveland State University Occupational Therapy Program and also received a Bachelor of Science from Youngstown State University.
She has presented at Northeast Ohio Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners Regional Conference (NANN) and The Ohio Occupational Therapy Association State Conference (OOTA), and has participated in and contributed to numerous research publications and projects both past and ongoing. Sheri is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, National Board of Certified Occupational Therapists, National Association of Neonatal Therapists,and the NICU Developmental Care Team at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital.
Sheri is the recent recipient of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT) 2022 Excellence in Clinical Practice
Award!
Sheri is described by her peers and all those who meet her in the NICU, as deeply committed to her work, a compassionate listener, and a professional who truly has a passion for supporting the overwhelmed parents of her tiny patients.
Sheri lives in Brunswick, Ohio with her husband and is the proud mother to 3 beautiful daughters.