Nice to Meet You
We’re a community of nurses, educators, and leaders redefining what it means to care—for others and for ourselves. What began as a response to crisis has grown into a movement rooted in reflection, education, and collective healing.
Note from Founder
Debriefing the Front Lines is dedicated to:
The nurses at Children’s Hospital National Medical Center Burn Unit in Washington, D.C. with whom I owe my survival.
The nurses at Allegheny Health Network Burn Unit in Pittsburgh, PA who shapedme into the nurse I am today by simultaneously teaching me compassion and grit.
The nurses at Life Healing Center in Santa Fe, NM who pulled me from the depths of despair as I navigated the intersection of my own trauma as a 23% burn survivor and that of my patients.
The nursing students turned colleagues transformed into community, who in teaching them I continued to learn more about myself.
The hospital partners across the country who have shown institutional courage by utilizing debriefing as an intervention to address occupational trauma.
The healers and change-makers I’ve crossed paths with in all my lifetimes and locations, you are the fabric that holds the dream alive for a more compassionate and humane world.
About Us
Headquarters
Built in Baltimore, Maryland
Purpose
To acknowledge the emotional toll of nursing and normalize the need for support.
Debriefing the Front Lines (DTFL) began as a grassroots initiative and has evolved into a national nonprofit organization dedicated to trauma-informed nursing education, debriefing, and community well-being.
Branches
Florida · Texas · California · Iowa
Founded
March 26, 2020
16 days after a global pandemic was declared
March 16, 2020
Began receiving calls New + veteran
nurses were reaching out
Our Story
March 26, 2020
Facilitated first
debriefing session
January 2021
Built an NC-BC Team
July 2022
Hospital + corporate partnerships expanded our offerings to include all healthcare workers
September 2024
Began a consulting project supporting the Maryland Patient Safety Center to implement a Debriefing Initiative in perinatal units across the state of Maryland
February 2025
Exapnded our Debriefing
Faciliator team
Present
5 years
11 months
5,003 Sessions
Our DNA
Our work is grounded in the belief that sustainable healthcare begins with sustainable nurses. Our core pillars guide how we teach, collaborate, and support the nursing community.
EDUCATION
Powerful instrument to enlighten and drive individual and systems change while learning more about ourselves and the world around us.
SELF REFLECTION
Cultivates awareness when used as an introspective practice to foster well-being.
DEBRIEFING+PEER SUPPORT
Provides a structured container to experience the power of being heard and establish a sense of safety in the aftermath of occupational trauma.
CommUNITY
Offers a sense of belonging, alleviates feelings of isolation and is a powerful reminder that alone is no longer enough.
Meet the team Debriefing the Front Lines
MSN, RN, NC-BC, CHSE, SOAR
Burns, Education, Program, Consulting
Founding Executive Director
Tara Kosmas
MSN, RN, NC-BC, CHSE, SOAR
Critical Care Rural Healthcare
Debriefing Facilitator Director of Sobriety Support
Michelle Oakley
MSN, RN, NC-BC, CHSE, SOAR
Pediatric Oncology Hospital Based Nurse Coach Bereavement Coordinator
Debriefing Facilitator
Kacie Salas
MSN, RN, NC-BC, CHSE, SOAR
Critical Care Virtually Integrated Care Hospital Based Wellness
Debriefing Facilitator
Janaye Decker
Community Acknowledgment
Founded in March 2020, Debriefing the Front Lines is a grassroots nonprofit organization. Sixty-eight percent of our funding comes directly from the generous donors of our community. Your support fuels the sustainability of our scholarship-based debriefing programs for nurses.
This is the kind of support that cannot be silenced—one that saves lives, restores hope, and preserves the heart of healthcare. Thank you for recognizing that to care for nurses is to care for the future health of our communities.
Moments That Move Us
A glimpse into our community events, retreats, and collaborations. Each image tells a story of connection, courage, and care shared among nurses across the country.
Impact Reports
Our annual impact reports highlight the reach and outcomes of our programs, education, and partnerships through the years.
Debriefing the Front Lines has earned its GuideStar Platinum Seal! Explore our nonprofit profile to learn more about how you can help make a difference with your support.