• 2021 – 2nd Quarter
• 2021 – 1st Quarter
  
• 2020 – 4th Quarter
• 2020 – 3rd Quarter
• 2020 – 2nd Quarter
• 2020 – 1st Quarter

Christen Wirth is the President for the Rio Bravo Chachalacas for 2026. Christen has been an RN for 28 years and a Paramedic for 25 years. Christen is the Director for South Texas Health System (STHS) ER at Weslaco and Alamo. She has been with STHS for 4 years and leads a dynamic team of nurses, radiology and lab techs along with registration, security and environmental staff.

She earned her ASN in 1998 from Northwest State Community College located in Archbold, Ohio, BSN in 2011 from Mercy College of Ohio in Toledo, Ohio, and MBA-HCM in 2021 from Western Governor’s University (WGU).  Christen began her nursing career in 1998 working in long-term care and quickly transitioned to acute care in the Emergency Room at numerus hospitals in Ohio and Indiana. She moved to the RGV in 2017 as a ‘travel’ nurse and stayed. Prior to becoming the Director for STHS ER Weslaco and Alamo, she began her leadership journey with Rio Grande Regional Hospital as Clinical Manager and opening the San Juan FSED in 2019, then becoming Director of Emergency Services in 2021.

Prior to moving to the RGV, Christen was very active in her local fire department Sherwood Village Fire and Rescue (Sherwood, OH) as a paramedic, and an EMS instructor for Four County Career Center (Archbold, OH) teaching all levels of EMS classes along with assisting with the development and teaching of the RN to Paramedic bridge course. Christen can be found teaching TNCC and ENPC courses with the Chachalacas throughout the year.

Christen enjoys spending time on the water on the boat, reading, riding motorcycles, spending time with her adult kids and grandkids back home in Ohio, and traveling as much as possible.

Meet Tiffany Alfonso, our 2026 President Elect for the Rio Bravo Chachalacas. She is a Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) and dedicated night shift charge nurse in the emergency department at STHS Heart and PRN at STHS McAllen Level I Trauma Center. Beginning her nursing career in Harlingen at Valley Baptist Medical Center in 2018, she obtained her master’s degree in nursing education at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and serves as an instructor for our TNCC, ENPC, and TNAC courses. She is also an instructor for AHA BLS, ACLS and PALS.

Tiffany is a strong advocate for nursing professional development and strives to motivate others to advance within their careers. She holds certifications in ultrasound guided IV and PICC line placement, advancing to Level 4 within her facility’s clinical ladder program while participating as a member of the nurse staffing committee.  

In her free time, she loves to be outdoors camping with her German shepherd Ekko, rock climb, go on backpacking trips in the mountains, surf and skate, train muay Thai, travel with her family, and settle down playing the piano and reading. 

Clarissa’s journey with the ENA, began at a local level as a dedicated member of the Rio Bravo Chachalacas chapter, where she engaged deeply with fellow members. In 2023, Clarissa took on new responsibilities as a chapter delegate, which opened doors to eventually become President Elect.  Clarrisa was honored to be selected as a 2024 Texas Alternate Delegate for EN24 in Las Vegas, where she had the opportunity to represent our state at a national level. This experience was pivotal, and during her Presidency in 2025, she was further privileged to serve as a Texas State delegate at EN25 in New Orleans. As she transitioned from being a delegate to being elected as the Chapter President, each role has prepared her to pursue my ambitions further, leading her to aim for an elected position as a Texas Director. The ENA has been a steadfast pillar in her professional nursing career and has allowed her to expand her trauma knowledge by becoming part of the Texas Trauma Committee.

Clarissa’s clinical background includes emergency nursing in a variety of settings, from working in the ER to the Nurse Educator to the current Trauma at a Level 1 Performance Improvement Nurse. Her roles have provided her with a profound understanding of care environments and insight into organizational operations. Clarissa is truly passionate about both emergency nursing and nursing education and through my ENA membership. Since 2020, Clarissa has served as an instructor for the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) and have recently taken the Trauma Nurse Advanced Course (TNAC) as a provider as well as an instructor, which allowed her to share her knowledge and passion with fellow nurses.  Clarissa hopes to contribute by focusing on enhancing member engagement, supporting workforce initiatives, and advocating for improvements that benefit both nurses and the patients we serve.  She is eager to collaborate with the team and explore innovative ways to drive the initiatives forward to make a significant difference.

Jessica Montemayor, RN, TCRN has been an emergency nurse for six years, with her entire career rooted in the ED. She currently serves as the Clinical Educator for the Emergency Department at a Level III Trauma Center. Jessica holds her TCRN and is an instructor for TNCC, ENPC, and CPI. She is especially passionate about triage and was drawn to ENA to deepen her competence and clinical reasoning. As Secretary, she brings a balance of logic and creativity, with a goal of increasing engagement and connection within the chapter. Outside of work, Jessica loves dogs, live theater, and can often be found reading or crocheting in her downtime.

Chris Chizek is a proud lifetime member of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) and has been an active member of ENA Chapter 438 – Rio Bravo Chachalacas since 2006. Over the years, she has served as a chapter officer, board member, and TNCC/ENPC instructor coordinating classes for the Rio Grande Valley. In 2024–2025, Chris served as chair of the Texas ENA Trauma Committee and will assume the role of vice chair for the Texas ENA Professional Education Committee in 2026.

A registered nurse with more than 34 years of experience, Chris is an accomplished educator, leader, and clinician specializing in emergency nursing and education. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh (’91) and her Master of Education from The Pennsylvania State University (’94). She holds multiple nursing specialty board certifications and is a passionate advocate for professional development and board certification among nurses. Chris currently serves as the Market Director of Professional Development for Valley Regional Medical Center and Rio Grande Regional Hospital.

Chris is a two-time recipient of the Texas ENA Nursing Education Award (2015 and 2018) and was recognized as a bronze medalist in the Good Samaritan Foundation’s 2023 Excellence in Nursing Awards. Most recently, she was part of the team that received both the 2024 Texas ENA Team Award and the 2025 ENA Team Award for their pediatric mental health conference initiative.

Outside of her professional life, Chris enjoys spending time riding horses with her husband, Joe—a professional rope horse trainer and rodeo cowboy—on their ranch in Los Fresnos, Texas.

Lizeth has 12 years of experience in the nursing field, starting as a CNA and working as an ER technician while pursuing her nursing education. She has developed a deep appreciation for this noble profession.

Her time as both an ER and ICU Nurse has reinforced her belief that nurses truly are a special creation. God made nurses smart, gifted with intelligence, strength, and resilience to effectively care for others.

Michael started with Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville as a night shift tech/secretary in May 2001, which ignited his passion for nursing. He became a Licensed Vocational Nurse in 2002 and worked in the emergency department for 13 years before earning his Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Texas State College in May 2015.

He was quickly appointed as the Registered Charge Nurse for a year before leading him to a promotion as the Trauma Manager in August 2016 and received ENPC and TNCC instructor certifications during this time. In November 2017, he became ED Supervisor, and in July 2021, he was appointed ED Director. Michael accepted the role of Trauma Manager at DHR-Brownsville in June 2025.  He was furthermore honored to be nominated and accept the Lower RGV Director for the Emergency Nurse Association in 2023.