CCDET Project Staff

Laurie Arkens, is a Professional Consultant who joined the UW Oshkosh CCDET team in August 2021. Prior to this, Laurie began working for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in 1990 where she spent her entire career until she retired in 2019. During her years in state service, Laurie worked in several positions, beginning as a Health Services Surveyor where she determined compliance with state rules and conducted investigation of complaints in Assisted Living Facilities. Laurie then worked several years as a state consultant in the Division of Quality Assurance before taking the position as the Regional Director for the Bureau of Assisted Living in the Northeast Region.  Laurie concluded her work in state service as the Director of the Office of Caregiver Quality during which time she was responsible for the administration of the Wisconsin Caregiver Program and had statewide oversight of caregiver misconduct investigations, the maintenance of the Caregiver Misconduct Registry, caregiver background checks of license holders of regulated facilities, and the administration of both federal and state nurse aide training and testing requirements. In all her roles, Laurie has conducted training for Division of Quality Assurance staff and has provided training and consultation to a variety of DQA regulated provider types. Laurie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education and Elementary Education.

Shari Klessig is a professional consultant with the project who joined the UW Oshkosh CCDET team in January 2022 after her retirement from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in 2021. Shari has a degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology and worked in human services for over 30 years. She served as the Deputy Administrator of the DHS Division of Quality Assurance for 10 years; prior to that she was a policy analyst and the Director of the Office of Caregiver Quality during which time she was responsible for the administration of the Wisconsin Caregiver Program and had statewide oversight of caregiver misconduct investigations, the maintenance of the Caregiver Misconduct Registry, caregiver background checks of license holders of regulated facilities, and the administration of both federal and state nurse aide training and testing requirements. Her prior work experience includes loss prevention, employment and training services and welfare reform policy. In all her roles, Shari has drafted policy and program manuals, crafted presentations and provided training to a variety of audiences. She participates in several substance use disorder awareness organizations in memory of her son.

Gay Pustaver, is a professional consultant with the project and has been a trainer for UW Oshkosh CCDET since 1996, covering a wide variety of topics for W-2 workers, child support workers and caregivers. Her personal experience with caregivers includes her mother’s 13-year residence in a nursing home, eventually succumbing to Alzheimer’s disease. She has a BS and MA in Sociology from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois. She is also a certified Custody Mediator and has served Door County, WI since 1997. In addition, Gay recently retired as Executive Director of a non-profit budget and credit counseling agency and is a certified consumer credit counselor, housing counselor and student loan debt counselor. She has facilitated Caregiver and Dementia-related trainings since 1999.

Mary Van Rossum is a Professional Consultant who joined the UW Oshkosh CCDET team in August 2023. Mary has 36 years of experience as a Registered Nurse, having worked in multiple arenas, from obstetrics to hospice. Mary retired in 2022, most recently working for the Division of Quality Assurance as a State Surveyor for the Bureau of Nursing Home Resident Care for 10 years, the State Nursing Home Nurse Consultant, and both the Regional Field Operations Supervisor and Director for the Northeastern Regional Office of BNHRC. Mary has experience training new state surveyors as well as consulting with facilities regarding the state and federal regulations. With a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, Mary is passionate about improving quality of care for the frail, elderly, and disabled citizens of Wisconsin, as well as supporting front line staff in their roles.