Elevate Your Leadership: Tools, Techniques, and Inspiration for Every Level

Session Description: This pre-conference event is open to all attendees who are looking to grow their leadership capabilities, whether you are new to a leadership role or a seasoned professional. Through expert-led sessions and interactive discussions with your industry peers, you’ll gain practical tools and insights to lead more effectively, foster high-performing teams, and drive meaningful changes in your organization.

John Delano

Multisite Director, Infection Prevention, Advocate Health

John Delano is a Certified Infection Preventionist with over a decade of experience advancing patient safety in diverse healthcare settings. He currently serves as Multisite Director of Infection Prevention for Advocate Health’s South Chicagoland area, leading strategies to reduce healthcare-associated infections and ensure regulatory compliance. He has developed electronic tools, led multidisciplinary education initiatives, and implemented interventions that improved infection rates and hand hygiene. He has also mentored Infection Preventionists pursuing CIC certification and built high-performing teams. John has presented at national APIC conferences and published on disinfection and quality improvement. Passionate about innovation and equity, he leverages data, research, and systems thinking to improve outcomes. He holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and is currently pursuing a DrPH in Advanced Leadership.

Angel Mueller

System Director Infection Prevention, UnityPoint Health

Angel Mueller is a certified Infection Preventionist with over 17 years of progressive infection prevention and control and leadership experience. She is the System Director of Infection Prevention at UnityPoint Health where she provides leadership and strategic direction for multiple hospital, ambulatory and home care settings throughout Iowa, western Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Angel has served in multiple leadership roles in the Eastern Iowa APIC Chapter as well as the APIC Professional Development Committee. Through her work on the Professional Development Committee, Angel contributed to the 2019 APIC IP Competency Model update, was a participating author of the article introducing the model and helped develop the Infection Preventionist Career Development and Advancement Guide. A few of her proudest IP moments were becoming an APIC Fellow in 2017 and obtaining her Advanced Leadership Certification in Infection Prevention and Control in 2025.

Catherine Kroll

System Director of Caregiver Health, Infection Prevention, and Clinical Research, PeaceHealth

Catherine Kroll, MPH, CIC is the immediate past president for the Oregon and SW Washington APIC Chapter and committee member of the APIC Policy Committee. She is also the System Director for Infection Prevention at PeaceHealth, a 9 hospital system located in the Pacific Northwest. She has a passion for building and maintaining strong community partnerships to produce measurably better patient outcomes. Prior to 2014, Kroll worked for 9 years in governmental public health in local, state, and federal agencies. Before moving to Southwest Washington, Catherine completed be BSc in Microbiology at Montana State, a Master in Public Health at Emory University and an applied infectious disease epidemiology fellowship with the Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service. When she isn't collaborating to prevent infectious diesases, you can find her hanging out with her goldendoodles working to perfect her neapolitan wood fire pizza.