Meet the Staff
Danielle Fenton, MSN,RN, SANE-A
Associate Director/Lead Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
Danielle received her Bachelors of Science in Human Biology from the University of Indianapolis, Bachelors of Science in Nursing from University of Detroit, and her Masters of Nursing in Forensic Science from Xavier University. Prior to working for the MSU Sexual Assault Healthcare Program, she was an ICU nurse and OR circulator, and worked in chronic pain management.
She values empathy, respect, reliability, humor, and health. In her free time, Danielle enjoys spending time with her boys, the outdoors, hiking, traveling, and exercising. She lives by the motto "be the change you wish to see in the world".
Barbara Cromwell, RN, MSW, SANE-A, SANE-P
Clinical Coordinator
Barbara received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology at Oakland University and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Wayne State University. Barbara had a social work career of almost 25 years; primarily working in the City of Detroit in the areas of substance abuse treatment, community education, individual and family therapy, and medical social work.
In the final years of her MSW career, Barbara returned to school at Davenport University and received an Associate Degree in Nursing. As an RN, she worked at Detroit Receiving Hospital until she moved to Nome, Alaska to work in a Native Alaskan Health Corporation. There she developed a grant funded Forensic Nursing Program for patients who had experienced Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Strangulation, and Child Sexual and Physical Abuse. She remained there for 10 years until returning to Michigan and coming to work for the new MSU Sexual Assault Healthcare Program.
Despite the acute, ongoing, historical, or vicarious traumas evident in our work, Barbara has always been an optimist who sees love and life everywhere. Her feeling of hope is stated by her lifelong hero, Jane Goodall, who said,
“I like to envision the whole world as a jigsaw puzzle... If you look at the whole picture, it is overwhelming and terrifying, but if you work on your little part of the jigsaw and know that people all over the world are working on their little bits, that's what will give you hope.”
Brandie Howard, RN, BSN, SANE-A
Nurse Examiner
Brandie studied at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL and received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing. She has been a registered nurse for 16 years. The past ten years have been in the Emergency Department at Henry Ford Allegiance Health in Jackson, MI. Before leaving the Emergency Department, she was a Clinical Unit Leader. She is excited to be present for the beginning of a wonderful program. She believes the Sexual Assault Healthcare Program will be an awesome opportunity for the college and the community to receive excellent healthcare for those that have experienced sexual assault. Brandie also has 3 beautiful children, an amazing daughter-in-law, a spunky granddaughter, an old lady dog, two fat cats, and one lonely fish. In her spare time, she loves to read and travel with her family and Girl Scout Troop.
Sierra Harns, DNP, RN
Nurse Examiner
Sierra studied at Lansing Community College and received her Associates in Nursing in 2017. While working as a Registered Nurse Sierra completed her RN to BSN at Michigan State in 2019. Sierra is also a current Spartan working on her Doctorate of Nursing Practice with a focus as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Sierra has worked in long term care and rehab, medical-surgical units, the emergency department, and most recently in public health with a focus on Maternal and Infant health and the COVID-19 pandemic response. Sierra is very excited to start this new journey as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and was in the first cohort of SANE training through a HRSA grant at MSU. Sierra is passionate about Women’s Health.
Sierra lives at home with her partner, Nolan, and their two rescue cats, Shayla & Eliza. Sierra enjoys spending time with her large family, friends, reading the many books she checks out from the local library, moving her body (hiking, biking, swimming, and doing yoga), gardening in her home garden, and traveling.
Catherine Schoenfeld, CNM, WHNP-BC, MSN
Nurse Examiner
Marin Mackiewiz, RN
Nurse Examiner
Marin received her Associates Degree in Nursing from Lansing Community College in 2016 and spent the first three years of her career working on a respiratory step-down unit at a Lansing hospital. Just prior to the start of the pandemic she started working as a travel nurse and soon found herself giving her all to covid patients. After over two years of working as a covid nurse in states like Hawaii, Arizona, and California, Marin realized it was time for a major career shift as she wanted to feel valued and find purpose in her work. This realization led her to her role as a SANE with the Sexual Assault Healthcare Program.
She prides herself in being empathetic, compassionate, and young at heart. She is passionate about advocacy and empowerment and is eager to share her energy with survivors of sexual assault. Outside of work Marin enjoys spending time with her one-eyed dog, Sully, her family, and her friends. She loves attempting escape rooms and playing board games with her friends, traveling, and is slightly obsessed with the national parks.
Janelle Owens, RN, BSN
Nurse Examiner
Janelle received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan- Flint (Go Blue!) She began her Nursing career in June of 2020 as a Nurse Extern in the COVID ICU at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, MI. Upon graduating in December of 2020, she continued as an RN, remaining on the same unit until moving to Lansing in July of 2022.
While pursuing her bachelor’s degree, she was introduced to a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and knew that she would work to eventually become a SANE herself. Janelle was thrilled to find a position here at the Sexual Assault Healthcare Program; she is keen on providing sensitive and compassionate care to survivors of sexual assault. She ultimately values holistic nursing and this is an environment where she is entirely able to do that.
Janelle lives with her boyfriend, Aaron. In her free time, she most enjoys running, weightlifting, reading, and caring for her many house plants. She values resiliency and lives by the phrase of bahala na, which is a Filipino phrase meaning “determination in the face of uncertainty.”
Taylor Walker, BSN, RN
Nurse Examiner
Taylor is a graduate of Michgian State University's College of Nursing in 2019 (Go Green!) and is honored to be back providing care to Spartans! She completed her SANE training in June 2022 and will be sitting for her SANE-A Certification in September 2023.
Previously, Taylor worked in Nashivelle for Vanderbilrt Health as a Pediatric ICU and Acute Care float nurse and Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan as a Pediatric Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse.
When not at SAHP, she spends most of her time with her MaltiPoo, Benny and he goes everywhere with her. She also enjoys running, going to minor league baseball games, audio books, and documentaries.