Meet the Evaluators

Deborah Herring, RN

Chief Nursing Evaluator 

Deborah is a graduate of the Georgia Baptist Hospital College of Nursing and is a Registered Nurse with 45 years of experience. She previously served as a CNA Training Coordinator and worked 18 years as a surveyor for the Georgia Department of Community Health. She recently retired as the Director of Training and Quality Assurance with the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division of the Georgia Department of Community Health.

At IDM, Deborah’s role is to develop and implement processes for virtual skills evaluation for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) candidates to address the shortage of long-term care personnel in Georgia.

In her free time, Deborah enjoys traveling, crafting, sewing, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.

Patricia Mcafee, DNP, MS, BSN, RN

Nursing Evaluator

Patricia holds Associate degrees in Psychology and Nursing as well as a B.S. in Nursing from Clayton State College and University. She also earned her M.S in Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Walden University.

As a Registered Nurse, Patricia has over 15 years of leadership and clinical practice experience spanning pediatrics, orthopedics, maternal/child health, public health, long term care, and nursing education.

Patricia always makes sure to get a daily walk and in her free-time, she enjoys reading and seeking opportunities for life-long learning.

Pat Rutherford, RN, BSed, MEd, EdS

Nursing Evaluator 

Pat Rutherford holds a nursing degree along with a bachelor’s from UGA in Occupational Studies and a master’s degree in Education Technology, followed by a specialist degree in curriculum design. Through her career, there has been a notable dedication to nursing assistant programs.

Her journey into healthcare began as a high school senior, where she participated in the first Allied Health classes offered by the state of Georgia. This experience led to a position at Georgia Baptist Hospital, initiating continuous training as a nursing assistant, eventually leading to becoming a nursing assistant in 1973.

Serving as a Healthcare Science teacher, Pat was elected as a state officer for Healthcare Science Teacher of Georgia, where she served on the board for several years. This role allowed her to teach several methodologies to other HSTE teachers, focusing on integrating technology into curricula. Pat authored multiple lesson plans for the state of Georgia, including Nursing Essentials and other pathways for Health Science Programs.

Kelly Nadeau, RN, BSN, MN

Nursing Evaluator

Kelly is a Registered Nurse (RN) and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Virginia Wesleyan College. She then went on to attain a Master of Nursing from Emory University.

Kelly completed the Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Previously, she held the role of Director for the Healthcare Preparedness Program at the Georgia Department of Public Health from 2009 to 2023. Prior to that, she served as the Trauma Program Manager and held the position of Emergency Preparedness Chair at Dekalb Medical Center from 1989 to 2009. Kelly also contributed as a pathophysiology instructor at both Clayton State University and Governor’s State University.

Outside of work, Kelly enjoys traveling with her husband and is also interested in genealogy research.

Kim Just, RN, BSN

Nursing Evaluator 

Kim is a registered nurse and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Brenau University. She has worked as a nurse for over 20 years in many areas including oncology at Emory University Hospital, inpatient and outpatient hospice, and in home care for medically fragile children. She also has a BS in Nutrition from Georgia Southern University.

In her free time she enjoys long walks with her dogs, reading, gardening and spending time with her 3 grandchildren.

Canessa L. Johnson, RN

Nursing Evaluator

Canessa L. Johnson is an RN with a Bachelor’s in Health Administration and experience as a Legal Nurse Consultant. She believes that “quality health care is obtainable when one is committed to care and compassion.” Her career philosophy centers on excellence in healthcare, whether through hands-on direct care or indirect care such as training, policy writing, enforcement, and regulation. She holds the belief that there is no room for compromise, as life and dignity depend on it.

Canessa has served the healthcare community in various roles, including as a Charge Nurse in two major metro hospitals and as the Director of Nurses in several long-term care facilities. She was also a Corporate Wellness Coordinator across multiple states, and the Director of Regulation and Compliance for the Georgia Department of Community Health.

Throughout her career, Canessa has trained Long-Term Care Administrators, Certified Nurse Aides, and Medication Aides. Currently as a Nurse Evaluator for the CNA VSE program, she is evaluating CNAs across the state, finding this position to be an extremely rewarding opportunity that she holds in high esteem. Canessa is collectively helping to meet a statewide testing deficit one evaluation at a time, which she loves.