Candidate Bios

You should have received a recent email asking you to cast your ballot for the upcoming board. Here is a little more information about the candidates to help you make an informed decision.

David Skalka

David Lee Skalka Jr., MS, JD, FNP-BC, is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) who is currently employed at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center, Kaysville Family Medicine, and CGSN.  He was recently awarded an internship as a Department of Veterans Affairs Geriatric Scholar.  He has served as on the Board of Directors for the Utah Ambulatory Association (UAA) where he actively participated in lobbying for legislation at the Utah Capitol. He has started several successful small businesses.

His education started at West Penn Hospital School of Nursing (Pittsburgh, PA) with a diploma in nursing.  He completed his BSN at the University of Phoenix (Salt Lake City, UT) and MSN at Frontier Nursing University (Lexington, KY) in family practice.  He completed his Juris Doctor at Concord Law School (Los Angeles, CA) with a minor in healthcare policy. David is an avid golfer, eagle scout, veteran of the United States Army, and president of college class.

As the candidate with the education and experience of an attorney, lobbyist, leader, and a working nurse practitioner, David is uniquely prepared to assist UNP with removal of the consultation and referral plan this upcoming legislative session and to assure full practice authority for NPs throughout the state.

Jean Walker

Jean has been a nurse since 1971.   She has worked in a myriad of capacities as a nurse, including the operating room, newborn nursery, neurosurgery and Med-Surg floors in the hospital.  Jean served as president of the Utah Chapter of the American Academy of Neurosurgical Nurses from 1990-1995.  Jean is published in the AORN journal (1990), Journal of Opioid management ( 2013) and  Journal of Pain Management (2012). She presented a poster at The American Academy of Pain management in 2012. She is an expert witness for Nurse Practitioners.  She has provided service in multiple research studies at Lifetree Clinic Research.

Jean graduated from Westminster College in 2000 with her MSN, and began practicing as a Nurse Practitioner with Neurosurgical Associates in Salt Lake City.  For the past 12 years,  she has worked in the field of pain management, and currently works at Park City Spine and Pain Clinic.   Jean received her DNP from the University of Utah in December of 2011.

Jean feels UNP provides an invaluable service to Nurse practitioners of our state and wants to foster continued support for NP practice, promote growth of the profession and provide support for our continuing educational needs.

Tausha Jensen

See attched CV.

Pam Phares

My interest in serving as Secretary on the UNP Board stems from my involvement in numerous scope of practice issues in Ohio where I have worked and lobbied for practice changes for more than 20 years as an advanced practice nurse. Our battles in Ohio to expand APRN scope of practice have been difficult, but not insurmountable. I was involved in campaigning in the Ohio Legislature, first as a master's student and later as an APRN, and testifying along with many other APRNs in front of the Ohio Board of Nursing for regulatory changes that resulted in APRNs obtaining prescribing privileges in the late 1980's through the mid 1990's. I was most recently involved in working with our state legislative representatives to vote for changes in opioid prescribing to include Schedule II narcotics and medications, changes which came to fruition in the spring of 2012.

I wish to continue to represent APRNs in legislative scope of practice changes through the UNP professional group so that APRNs may become more independent in practice and realize the full potential of their scope of practice abilities. I am new to Utah as an educator and practicing APRN, but the issues of other professionals working to restrict APRNs' scope of practice are universal regardless of the state in which one practices. This move to restrict APRN practice, particularly the efforts of the AMA, continues to concern me a great deal. Any role I can play to prevent this from happening, I will gladly pursue. I would like to be part of the effort to preserve, as well as expand practice parameters of APRNs in the State of Utah. I feel that my involvement as Secretary to the UPN Board will allow me to meet and have meaningful dialogue with professionals who can influence or be influenced by the work that the UPN does on behalf of all of its advanced practice associates who are members. I believe my past experiences with legislators and other professional committee work will benefit the UNP. My desire to serve in this capacity remains a high professional priority. I ask that you consider my nomination for the position as Secretary of the UNP Board. Thank you.

Michelle Litchman, MS, FNP-BC

See attached CV.