APP IBD Preceptorship Faculty Directors
Amy Donegan, MS, CPNP, Nationwide Children's Hospital
Amy Donegan is a nurse practitioner at Nationwide Children's Hospital and is the current co-chair of the RN/APP NSAC. Amy has been involved with the Crohn’s and Colitis foundation since 2007, initially at the local level and more recently, on the national level. She has over 38 years of pediatric nursing experience with 25 years focused in pediatric gastroenterology. Amy works exclusively with the pediatric IBD population. Her main areas of interests are in transition and transfer of care, health maintenance and self-management education. Amy leads a comprehensive, multidisciplinary annual IBD clinic that includes psychology, social work and nutrition support.
Outside of work, Amy loves spending time with her three adult children and husband of 32 years. She likes to ride bikes, play with her two dogs, listen to audio books and watch football and women’s volleyball.
Whitney Gray, CRNP, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Whitney Gray is a board-certified nurse practitioner within the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. She has been specialized as the IBD Nurse Practitioner since 2016. Whitney received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from The George Washington University. She has an Advanced Practice Provider Leadership Certificate from the University of Pittsburgh and a Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Nursing Certificate from the Association of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Nurses (APGNN).
She has been recognized nationally and locally for her expertise in the care of children and adolescents with IBD, having been invited to speak at national conferences through APGNN and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. She has been involved in various leadership roles both locally and on a national level related to pediatric GI and IBD, including on the APGNN Board and on the National Scientific Advisory Committee of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. She has been involved with several research projects related to pediatric IBD and is a member of the ImproveCareNow team in Pittsburgh.
Marita Kametas, DNP, MPH, APN, FNP-BC, CMSRN, COCN, University of Chicago Medicine
Marita Kametas is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Ostomy Specialist at UChicago Medicine, where she provides expert care to adults living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A nationally recognized leader in advanced practice provider (APP) education and program development, she serves as Advanced Practice Provider Program Director for the UChicago IBD Center, Director of the IBD APP Fellowship Program, and Manager of Gastroenterology APP Services at the University of Chicago.
Marita is deeply committed to advancing health and gender equity through clinical care, education, and systems-level innovation. She has earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, with a focus on women’s leadership, health equity, and food insecurity—key drivers of disparities in chronic disease outcomes.
As the Founding Director of ChatAPP: IBD Case Series by APPs for APPs, Marita has created a globally accessible, interactive case-based learning platform that democratizes high-quality IBD education for APPs across the globe. Through this initiative and her national mentorship work with the Crohn’s and Colitis APP community, she is expanding access to specialized knowledge and empowering clinicians to deliver more equitable, patient-centered care.
Marita is a passionate advocate for advancing women in healthcare leadership and fostering inclusive, multidisciplinary care models that address the unique needs of underrepresented and underserved populations. Her work reflects a steadfast dedication to improving outcomes for patients with complex chronic conditions while elevating the role of APPs in transforming healthcare delivery.
She has been recognized with numerous honors, including Distinguished APP at the University of Chicago (2023, 2024), the National APP Week Rising Star Award (2024), Illinois Nurses Foundation 40 Under 40 (2025), and Outstanding APP Innovator at the University of Chicago (2025) and the American Gastroenterology Association Beacon of Hope: Gender and Health Equity Award in 2026.
Susie Lee, RN, DNP, FNP-C, Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Susie Lee is a board-certified family nurse practitioner who has worked at Cedars Sinai IBD center since 1998. She is a specialist in IBD with an extensive knowledge base and collaborates with IBD specialists, medical trainees and multidisciplinary team to coordinate well-rounded care for patients with IBD.
Ms. Lee is a strong and passionate patient advocate, and her expertise and experience make her a great resource for patients, nurses, and physicians. She also is a partner, resources and adviser for the MIRIAD Biobank team, regularly providing input on ways to optimize the research experience for the patients who volunteer to participate.
Ms. Lee received her associate degree in nursing from Langara College in Vancouver, Canada. She earned a BSN and MSN at California State University Dominguez Hills, specializing as a family nurse practitioner. She then received a Doctoral degree in Nursing Practice at Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2017. She is married with two grown-up children and in her spare time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and trying new recipes.
Rebecca D. Lutheran, DNP, CRNP, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Rebecca Lutheran is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. Ms. Lutheran earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Duquesne University and later obtained her master’s and doctoral degree in nursing practice (DNP) from Robert Morris University.
Rebecca is currently working at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center. Rebecca’s clinical focus is the care and management of IBD patients, with interests in self-management, transitions to adult care, and care coordination.
Ms. Lutheran is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and Gastroenterology & Hepatology Advanced Practice Providers Association (GHAPP). She is involved in Clinical Trials at her institution and has served as a leader on many internal projects.
Sharon Perry, MSN, APRN-CNP, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
Sharon Perry is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with over 11 years of clinical experience, specializing in Pediatric Gastroenterology at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a dedicated member of the multidisciplinary Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) team, with a clinical focus on newly diagnosed patients, health maintenance, and the transition of care from pediatric to adult IBD care.
Deeply committed to advancing care for patients with IBD, she is heavily involved with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and the Improve Care Now network, contributing to quality improvement initiatives and collaborative efforts aimed at improving outcomes for children and adolescents with IBD. She also volunteers at Camp Oasis Michigan as the lead nurse, where she supports and empowers children living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in a camp setting.
Mary Kate Preite, APRN, NP, Massachusetts General Hospital
Mary Kate Preite received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and later obtained her masters degree from Georgetown University. She began her career as a nurse practitioner in the gastroenterology department at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. She then came to Massachusetts General Hospital and began working in the division of gastroenterology.
Mary Kate’s clinical focus is in the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. She is also interested in caring for patients with microscopic colitis, celiac disease and general gastrointestinal issues. She is involved in trials investigating the effect of diet on inflammatory bowel disease. Mary Kate has served as a preceptor for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation’s Advanced Practice Provider Preceptorship for several years and has spoken on healthcare maintenance in IBD at the Boston IBD Conference.