Teri Dreher, RN, CCRN, iRNPA
Chief Advocate and President
Teri, an RN with 36 years of experience, has always been passionate about keeping the patient at the center of the nursing care model. This passion led her to form NShore Patient Advocates, LLC in 2011. NSPA is one of the first organizations of its kind in Chicagoland.
With a background in critical care nursing and home based health care, combined with experience as a cardiovascular nurse clinician, Teri knows the complexities and challenges of obtaining premium quality care, especially in fast-paced hospital settings.
Having worked closely with physicians and ancillary health care team members at some of the country’s premier hospitals, she firmly believes in the principles of positive collaboration and the benefits of improved communication between patients and providers. She is committed to helping patients navigate acute illnesses and reducing the possibility of medical error. She has an eye for spotting details a lay person is unlikely to notice.
Teri is nationally accredited for RN Patient Advocacy through a program affiliated with the University of Arizona School of Nursing. She is a member of two national RN advocacy organizations spearheading this new but fast-growing field.
For more information, or a no-cost 30-minute initial consultation, please call 312-788-2640 or click here to schedule an appointment today.
Sheila Burke, DNP, MBA, MSN, RN
Director of Business Growth and Staff Development
Sheila Burke has an extensive background as a nurse educator and as a nurse executive in several large homecare, hospice, and community health organizations. She has expertise in caring for people with complex chronic and acute illnesses and is a member of professional organizations working to improve healthcare.
She is a specialist in holistic health care and knows the importance of empowering people to be informed and active participants in their healthcare. She is honored and excited to be joining the NShore Patient Advocates team at a time when there are so many challenges for people who need well-designed plans to maintain or improve their health. She will be working with the NShore Patient Advocates team to expand its services. She is one of a large family and has been an advocate for many people in her personal and professional life. She has a deep commitment to helping clients and their families have the best healthcare possible, always.
Sheila is a devoted fan of orchids and opera, and has a passion for horses and Ireland.
Kim F. Mann, BSN, RN, CEN
Registered Nurse, Patient Advocate
As they say, once a nurse, always a nurse. Kim has worked in Healthcare, in RN bedside care leadership and education, for over 40 years. She holds several professional memberships spreading across various parts of healthcare. Her goal is to continue to provide exceptional care to patients and their families; to be the gate keeper of safety and to always promote goodness; and to support her team and build strong lasting partnerships. In her personal life, she loves to bake, garden, kayak, travel, visit zoos, hike and snow ski. Fun fact, she is afraid of spiders!
Bettina Carlson
Director of Publishing. Care Manager.
Bettina Carlson is NShore’s first official Senior Executive Assistant, and is enthusiastic, positive, and hardworking. Originally from Germany, Bettina says she’s thrilled to be able to raise her kids in Illinois, feeling that Midwesterners are great people. The values shared here, she says, are like the values she was raised on in Germany. These same values fuel her passion for helping those in need.
Bettina brings a unique perspective to understanding healthcare. After overcoming hurdles while caring for her own father in Germany, she realized that when it comes to healthcare, some unfortunate truths are universal. Whether here in the US, or across the world, medical staff are overworked and understaffed. And for people like her father, who has dementia but is still relatively healthy, nothing can replace quality companionship and personal advocacy. With a Master’s Degree in American studies, political science, and cultural anthropology, she is well equipped to understand how communities and systems work.
Now, she uses her knowledge of them to do what she does best; help people in need by truly getting to know them. As a personal Senior Executive Assistant, she can provide the same type of assistance to seniors that she would to her own family, whether it be home organizational management, accompanying clients to social outings, or assistance with shopping, doctor appointments and errands, Bettina is one “super helper” you will want on your team!
Estelle Mare
Director: Marketing and New Business Development
Estelle Mare has moved from South Africa with her family to further her husband’s career in the USA. She has a B.Com Marketing and an LLB (Law) degree with various post graduate diplomas in law and financial markets and instruments. She has 25 years of marketing and financial services experience. Estelle is a creative person by nature and is always busy creating something beautiful. The healthcare industry in the USA is challenging and Estelle will use her knowledge to help the world know what the value is that NShore Patient Advocates will add to them.
Yvonne Atwater
Billing Administrator
Yvonne is Nshore’s Billing Administrator. She has over 15 years of financial, and bookkeeping experience specializing in providing her clients not only accurate bookkeeping services but financial reporting that allows her clients to make the best financial decisions for their businesses.
Yvonne works closely with our team of RN Advocates and our clients to ensure that our clients are able to concentrate on the care of their loved ones, and are able to trust her to take care of their loved ones billing and payment responsibilities.
Her easygoing nature, and diligence in her duties, support of her co-workers, and overall commitment to our core values, make her an invaluable asset to our team.
Yvonne was born and raised in Illinois. She has also lived abroad, and in Louisiana for many years. She currently resides in the McHenry, IL area, raising her 4 children. Her passions include cooking, baking, and supporting her children in their college and post-graduate careers. On the rare occasion that Yvonne has free time, she loves the water, boating, and sunshine!
