Sara Mulka is a nursing educator and simulation leader with over two decades of clinical and academic experience. As the Director of Simulation and Assistant Professor of Nursing at Elmhurst University, she oversees the design, implementation, and evaluation of immersive, high-impact simulation-based learning experiences that strengthen clinical judgment, interprofessional communication, and student readiness for real-world practice. With a foundational background in neonatal intensive care nursing and a deep commitment to curriculum innovation, Sara specializes in bridging the gap between theory and practice through evidence-based simulation. She has developed and led interdisciplinary simulation experiences, advanced faculty development in simulation pedagogy, and played a key role in establishing a state-of-the-art simulation center aligned with national best practices and accreditation standards.

Mrs. Ferguson has experience working with students ages 3-18 in public schools as well as experience working with adults in skilled nursing facilities. Her specializations are in treating young adults with needs in the area of social-pragmatic communication and emotional regulation challenges school-aged children with language disorders and adults with cognitive-communication disorders. With respect to undergraduate and graduate student learning Mrs. Ferguson has a specialized interest in using both low fidelity and high fidelity simulation experiences to increase carryover of skills. Mrs. Ferguson has worked as both an on- and off-campus clinical supervisor for undergraduate and graduate-level students and has taught Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology for a speech-language pathology assistant certification program. At Elmhurst University she has taught a number of undergraduate and graduate courses including Educational Settings in Speech-Language Pathology Principles and Methods in Medical Speech-Language Pathology, Clinical Methods undergraduate practicum courses and graduate practicum courses.Mrs. Ferguson has collaborated with the Illinois Speech-Language Hearing Association to develop and disseminate continuing education for speech-language pathologists in the area of ethics and is an active member in the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Administration and Supervision Special Interest Group. She has obtained the Award for Continuing Education from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association over the two most recent renewal cycles.