Cedar Valley Iowa Chapter

Areas Served

The Cedar Valley Iowa Chapter of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nursing Association covers the Cedar Valley and Eastern Iowa, including Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City.

Volunteer

Contact Lisa to learn more about getting involved with the Cedar Valley Chapter.

Chapter Background

Get to Know Your Chapter Leadership Team!

Cedar Valley Iowa Chapter members are nurse practitioners, hospital and clinic registered nurses, registered dietitians, exercise specialists, and other medical professionals. Members are employed in the clinic and hospital settings and include cardiac rehab staff, cardiac telemetry and cardiac step-down floors, medical floors, and university settings. But anyone with an interest in cardiovascular disease care or prevention is welcome to join!

The Cedar Valley Iowa PCNA chapter was started by Lisa Maher, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC in 2013. Lisa is a Nurse Practitioner at Unity Point Allen Hospital Cardiovascular Center, Waterloo, Iowa. She specializes in the treatment of general cardiology, sleep apnea, weight-loss, and risk factor modification. She established the Cardiovascular Sleep Clinic in 2010 and the Center for Lifestyle Medicine in 2011. She received her Bachelor of Science in Wellness from Waldorf College and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Allen College. She went on to earn her Master of Science and Nursing from Graceland University and obtained her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Iowa. She is an ANCC board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She authored the textbook Care of the Obese in Advanced Practice Nursing: Communication, Assessment and Treatment. This book received the AJN Book of the Year award in 2016. She has also published textbook chapters on sleep apnea and cardiovascular nursing, as well as peer-reviewed manuscripts on sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease and lipoprotein a. She is a past Terry Thomas Clinical Practice award winner and PCNA Fellow. She also serves on the International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS) Regional Federation: AMERICAS as the United States representative and the American Heart Association Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Sleep Health Committee.

“My goal is to provide cardiac education and opportunities for the Cedar Valley and surrounding communities. We will strive to promote preventive medicine and awareness of cardiovascular disease within Iowa. I look forward to the growth of this chapter and all the opportunities for our community!” – Lisa Maher