Conversation with Wendy Kaler, CLS, MPH, CIC

Conversation with Wendy Kaler, CLS, MPH, CIC

Welcome back to Voice for Infection Prevention! Today, we’re talking with an incredible leader in the field, Wendy Kaler, whose career journey has taken her from the microbiology lab to Infection Prevention leadership. Wendy started with a background in bacteriology and immunology, originally planning to become an epidemiologist. But after working closely with infection control teams and infectious disease specialists, she made the leap into Infection Prevention—bringing a strong, evidence-based approach to the field. In this interview, Wendy shares her experiences in both academic medical centers and community hospitals, the importance of structured training and mentorship in Infection Prevention, and why IPs need to be more than just infection trackers—they need to be change agents and strategic leaders in their organizations. We also discuss the challenges Infection Preventionists face in gaining leadership support, how to advocate for proper resources, and why standardized competency-based training is essential for the future of the profession. If you’re passionate about Infection Prevention, leadership, and the future of the field, this is an interview you won’t want to miss! Let’s dive in.   _________________________   Voice for Infection Prevention is a production of Clutch Recruitment. Clutch Recruitment, founded by Jacob Hutcherson, is the leading recruiting firm exclusively committed to Infection Prevention & Control recruitment.   Voice for Infection Prevention Website | https://voiceforip.com [https://voiceforip.com] LinkedIn | / voice-for-infection-prevention Instagram | / voiceforinfectionprevention Facebook | / voiceforip Twitter | / voiceforip Tik Tok | / voiceforip   Clutch Recruitment Jacob Hutcherson | / jacob-hutcherson Jonnie Jacobs | / jonnie-jacobs Jordan Turner | / jordan-turner-3ab7731a8 Website | https://clutchrecruitment.com [https://clutchrecruitment.com] Linkedin | / clut chrecruitment Instagram | / clutchrecruitment Facebook | / clutchrecruitment Twitter | / clutchrec

Conversation with Elyse Fritschel, MPH, CIC, CSP

Welcome back to Voice for Infection Prevention! Today, I’m joined by Elyse Fritschel, an Infection Prevention leader whose career path brings such a unique blend of public health, hospital epidemiology, leadership, and even a little bit of aerospace safety into the conversation.  Elyse’s journey into Infection Prevention didn’t begin in a hospital. Her background started in epidemiology and public health, including field investigation work during major infectious disease events, before she made the transition into academic medical center Infection Prevention. Over time, she has grown from staff-level roles into leadership positions across multiple complex healthcare environments, all while bringing a strong perspective on curiosity, continuous learning, and the value of diverse backgrounds in this field.  In this conversation, Elyse shares what it was like moving from public health into hospital-based Infection Prevention, how she built clinical knowledge as a non-nurse, and what she learned stepping into leadership earlier than she expected. We also talk about mentorship, APIC involvement, burnout, and why qualities like curiosity, humility, and relationship-building matter so much in this work. And along the way, her story offers a really thoughtful reminder that there’s more than one path into Infection Prevention — and more than one way to make a meaningful impact once you’re here.  If you’re interested in career growth, nontraditional pathways into the profession, and the mindset that helps people succeed over the long haul in Infection Prevention, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive in. _________________________   Voice for Infection Prevention is a production of Clutch Recruitment. Clutch Recruitment, founded by Jacob Hutcherson, is the leading recruiting firm exclusively committed to Infection Prevention & Control recruitment. Voice for Infection Prevention Website | https://voiceforip.com [https://voiceforip.com] LinkedIn | https://linkedin.com/company/voice-for-infection-prevention [https://linkedin.com/company/voice-for-infection-prevention] Instagram | https://instagram.com/voiceforinfectionprevention [https://instagram.com/voiceforinfectionprevention] Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/voiceforip/ [https://www.facebook.com/voiceforip/] Twitter | https://twitter.com/voiceforip [https://twitter.com/voiceforip] Tik Tok | https://www.tiktok.com/@voiceforip [https://www.tiktok.com/@voiceforip] Clutch Recruitment Jacob Hutcherson | https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-hutcherson [https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-hutcherson] Jonnie Jacobs | https://linkedin.com/in/jonnie-jacobs [https://linkedin.com/in/jonnie-jacobs] Jordan Turner | https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-turner-3ab7731a8 [https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-turner-3ab7731a8] Website | https://clutchrecruitment.com [https://clutchrecruitment.com] Linkedin | https://linkedin.com/company/clutchrecruitment [https://linkedin.com/company/clutchrecruitment] Instagram | https://instagram.com/clutchrecruitment [https://instagram.com/clutchrecruitment] Facebook | https://facebook.com/clutchrecruitment [https://facebook.com/clutchrecruitment] Twitter | https://twitter.com/clutchREC [https://twitter.com/clutchREC]

Conversation with Jennifer Cox, MHA, BSN, RN, PHN, CIC

Welcome back to Voice for Infection Prevention! Today, I’m joined by Jennifer Cox, an Infection Prevention leader whose career journey is such a great example of how this field often finds people gradually — and then continues to challenge and shape them over time.  Jennifer’s path into Infection Prevention started with an early interest in microbiology, then grew through bedside nursing, small hospital experience, and years of learning the profession from the ground up. What makes her story especially meaningful is the way it reflects so many realities of this work: stepping into the role before you feel fully ready, learning through curiosity and persistence, building confidence over time, and continuing to grow through new environments, new responsibilities, and new leadership challenges.  In this conversation, Jennifer shares what it was like to begin in a small rural hospital with limited resources, how she developed as both an Infection Preventionist and a leader, and what she’s learned from working across community settings, large health systems, and now an academic medical center. We also talk about mentorship, certification, professional involvement, team design, and why qualities like humility, curiosity, and a willingness to keep learning matter so much in this profession.  If you’re interested in career growth, leadership development, and the kind of mindset that helps people succeed in Infection Prevention over the long haul, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive in. _________________________   Voice for Infection Prevention is a production of Clutch Recruitment. Clutch Recruitment, founded by Jacob Hutcherson, is the leading recruiting firm exclusively committed to Infection Prevention & Control recruitment. Voice for Infection Prevention Website | https://voiceforip.com [https://voiceforip.com] LinkedIn | https://linkedin.com/company/voice-for-infection-prevention [https://linkedin.com/company/voice-for-infection-prevention] Instagram | https://instagram.com/voiceforinfectionprevention [https://instagram.com/voiceforinfectionprevention] Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/voiceforip/ [https://www.facebook.com/voiceforip/] Twitter | https://twitter.com/voiceforip [https://twitter.com/voiceforip] Tik Tok | https://www.tiktok.com/@voiceforip [https://www.tiktok.com/@voiceforip] Clutch Recruitment Jacob Hutcherson | https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-hutcherson [https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-hutcherson] Jonnie Jacobs | https://linkedin.com/in/jonnie-jacobs [https://linkedin.com/in/jonnie-jacobs] Jordan Turner | https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-turner-3ab7731a8 [https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-turner-3ab7731a8] Website | https://clutchrecruitment.com [https://clutchrecruitment.com] Linkedin | https://linkedin.com/company/clutchrecruitment [https://linkedin.com/company/clutchrecruitment] Instagram | https://instagram.com/clutchrecruitment [https://instagram.com/clutchrecruitment] Facebook | https://facebook.com/clutchrecruitment [https://facebook.com/clutchrecruitment] Twitter | https://twitter.com/clutchREC [https://twitter.com/clutchREC]

Conversation with Linda Dickey, RN, MPH, CIC, FAPIC

Welcome back to Voice for Infection Prevention! Today, I’m joined by Linda Dickey, a longtime Infection Prevention leader whose career reflects just how much this profession has evolved over the years — and how much of its success still comes down to relationships, curiosity, and a willingness to keep growing.  Linda’s journey into Infection Prevention wasn’t something she planned from the beginning. She started in nursing, found her way into the field unexpectedly, and went on to build a remarkable career spanning community hospitals, academic medicine, program leadership, national professional service, and extensive work in areas like healthcare construction and the built environment. In this conversation, Linda shares what surprised her most when she first entered Infection Prevention, how the role changed as the industry moved toward greater accountability and public reporting, and why she believes the people side of the work is just as important as the technical side. We also talk about leadership, team design, career growth, the value of professional involvement through APIC, and what she has learned from helping shape the field over time. If you’re interested in the evolution of Infection Prevention, what makes someone successful in this work, and where the profession may be headed next, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive in. _________________________   Voice for Infection Prevention is a production of Clutch Recruitment. Clutch Recruitment, founded by Jacob Hutcherson, is the leading recruiting firm exclusively committed to Infection Prevention & Control recruitment. Voice for Infection Prevention Website | https://voiceforip.com [https://voiceforip.com] LinkedIn | https://linkedin.com/company/voice-for-infection-prevention [https://linkedin.com/company/voice-for-infection-prevention] Instagram | https://instagram.com/voiceforinfectionprevention [https://instagram.com/voiceforinfectionprevention] Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/voiceforip/ [https://www.facebook.com/voiceforip/] Twitter | https://twitter.com/voiceforip [https://twitter.com/voiceforip] Tik Tok | https://www.tiktok.com/@voiceforip [https://www.tiktok.com/@voiceforip] Clutch Recruitment Jacob Hutcherson | https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-hutcherson [https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-hutcherson] Jonnie Jacobs | https://linkedin.com/in/jonnie-jacobs [https://linkedin.com/in/jonnie-jacobs] Jordan Turner | https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-turner-3ab7731a8 [https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-turner-3ab7731a8] Website | https://clutchrecruitment.com [https://clutchrecruitment.com] Linkedin | https://linkedin.com/company/clutchrecruitment [https://linkedin.com/company/clutchrecruitment] Instagram | https://instagram.com/clutchrecruitment [https://instagram.com/clutchrecruitment] Facebook | https://facebook.com/clutchrecruitment [https://facebook.com/clutchrecruitment] Twitter | https://twitter.com/clutchREC [https://twitter.com/clutchREC]

Conversation with Maureen Spencer, MEd, BSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC

Welcome back to Voice for Infection Prevention! Today, I’m joined by Maureen Spencer, a longtime leader in Infection Prevention whose career has spanned decades of change across healthcare, from the early days of hospital infection control to corporate leadership, consulting, education, and beyond. Maureen’s story is especially unique because she entered the field at a remarkably young age, helping build an Infection Prevention program early in her career and going on to lead across academic medical centers, specialty hospitals, and multi-hospital systems. Along the way, she developed a perspective on Infection Prevention that is both deeply practical and deeply human — shaped by years of clinical experience, leadership, teaching, and a strong belief that changing behavior is at the heart of this work.  In this conversation, Maureen shares how the profession has evolved over time, what she believes Infection Prevention has gotten right, where she believes the field may have gone off track, and why training, reporting structure, and professional identity still matter so much today. We also talk about team design, the value of strong clinical understanding, and her belief that effective Infection Prevention programs are built not just on data, but on education, influence, relationship-building, and culture change.     If you’re interested in the history of the profession, leadership in Infection Prevention, and thoughtful perspectives on where the field should go next, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive in. _________________________ Voice for Infection Prevention is a production of Clutch Recruitment. Clutch Recruitment, founded by Jacob Hutcherson, is the leading recruiting firm exclusively committed to Infection Prevention & Control recruitment. Voice for Infection Prevention Website | https://voiceforip.com [https://voiceforip.com/] LinkedIn | https://linkedin.com/company/voice-for-infection-prevention [https://linkedin.com/company/voice-for-infection-prevention] Instagram | https://instagram.com/voiceforinfectionprevention [https://instagram.com/voiceforinfectionprevention] Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/voiceforip/ [https://www.facebook.com/voiceforip/] Twitter | https://twitter.com/voiceforip [https://twitter.com/voiceforip] Tik Tok | https://www.tiktok.com/@voiceforip [https://www.tiktok.com/@voiceforip] Clutch Recruitment Jacob Hutcherson | https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-hutcherson [https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-hutcherson] Jonnie Jacobs | https://linkedin.com/in/jonnie-jacobs [https://linkedin.com/in/jonnie-jacobs] Jordan Turner | https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-turner-3ab7731a8 [https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-turner-3ab7731a8] Website | https://clutchrecruitment.com [https://clutchrecruitment.com/] Linkedin | https://linkedin.com/company/clutchrecruitment [https://linkedin.com/company/clutchrecruitment] Instagram | https://instagram.com/clutchrecruitment [https://instagram.com/clutchrecruitment] Facebook | https://facebook.com/clutchrecruitment [https://facebook.com/clutchrecruitment] Twitter | https://twitter.com/clutchREC [https://twitter.com/clutchREC]