FVC Biographies

William Schaffner, MD
Chairman, Department of Preventive Medicine
Professsor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases 
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Nashville, Tennessee

William Schaffner, M.D., is professor and chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine and professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. He has served as a Hospital Epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University Hospital for nearly 30 years and is an active member of 20 professional societies.

Dr. Schaffner’s work has focused on all aspects of infectious diseases, including epidemiology, infection control and immunizations. In 1996, he was awarded the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology Lecturer Award “in recognition of extraordinary career contributions to infection control and healthcare epidemiology.”

Dr. Schaffner received his medical degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He was also a Fulbright Scholar (Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany) and received his undergraduate degree from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

Thomas R. Talbot, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Chief Hospital Epidemiologist
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee

Dr. Talbot is an associate professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and also serves as the chief hospital epidemiologist for Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Dr. Talbot has a particular interest in immunization of healthcare workers, especially influenza and pertussis vaccination; the risk of secondary transmission from live vaccines; and the prevention of nosocomial infections, particularly surgical site infections.  In 2005 and again in 2010, Dr. Talbot chaired the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Task Force on Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Workers and has served as an expert consultant on national healthcare worker influenza vaccination education and prevention initiatives. 

He is a recognized expert on the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and currently serves as a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC).  Dr. Talbot is also the Chair of the SHEA Education Committee. As a part of his role as the chief hospital epidemiologist, he oversees the surveillance of nosocomial infections, the development of education for staff and physicians, and the implementation of various quality improvement interventions designed to reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated infections at Vanderbilt.

Dr. Talbot graduated from Duke University in 1992 and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1996.  He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins in 1999 and then returned in 2000 to serve as an assistant chief of service on the Osler Medical Service. Dr. Talbot completed his training in Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt in 2003, where he also received a Master of Public Health. 
 

Barbara M. Soule, RN, MPA, CIC
Practice Leader, Infection Control Services 
Joint Commission Resources
Oak Brook, Illinois

Ms. Soule provides consulting services for infection prevention and control across the continuum in acute and long term care, ambulatory care, home care and other special care settings. Her consulting services for Joint Commission Resources, Inc. include program assessment, professional guidance and education, and training primarily for infection prevention and control in both the domestic and international settings.

Ms. Soule received her Registered Nurse diploma from Jewish Hospital School of Nursing, St. Louis, Missouri; her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology/Sociology from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri and her Master’s of Public Administration in Health Policy from The Evergreen State College.

Louise Kuhny, RN, MPH, MBA, CIC
Senior Associate Director , Standards Interpretation Group
The Joint Commission
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois

Ms. Kuhny's primary responsibility is assisting accredited organizations, surveyors, consumers and other individuals in the interpretation of Joint Commission standards. She is also a Joint Commission surveyor for the Hospital Accreditation Program. Kuhny has 20 years of nursing experience. Prior to joining The Joint Commission, she worked in hospital epidemiology, employee health and critical care at several Chicago area hospitals.

Kuhny is certified in infection control by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and led an emergency services team for the Suburban Emergency Management Project (SEMP). She also contributed a chapter to “The First 72 Hours,” a book by Margaret O’Leary on community disaster-preparedness.

Kuhny holds master’s degrees in public health and business administration from Benedictine University, Lisle, IL. She received her bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Illinois at Chicago.