Local Team Karen Kluge BSN, MS, ARNP, FNP-C Executive Director/Owner Karen has been in the nursing field for over 35 years. She earned her BSN from University of Maryland at Baltimore, and her Master’s as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Florida Atlantic University. Karen has been with Passport Health for over 20 years, starting in Baltimore and then moving to Florida to open Passport Health in Palm Beach, Broward, and Port St Lucie Counties. She has seen the increasing needs for international travel education and vaccination to promote health and wellness during travels. She has provided her services to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Federal Government, and our Military for vaccination and various bio-terrorism response teams. Karen has one daughter and a grandson and lives in Boynton Beach with her two schnauzers. She enjoys volunteering at her place of worship and the Lord is present in her daily life and the workplace at Passport Health. Joan Kluge CFO Joan Kluge is the CFO at Passport Health. She has been working at Passport Health since 2000 and handles all the financials. Joan is originally from Baltimore, Maryland but has been living in South Florida for the past 22 years. She has a son and three grandsons in Maryland as well as a daughter, granddaughter, and four grand-doggies in Florida. She enjoys traveling, swimming, gourmet cooking and walking on the beach. Melissa Bloom, RN Travel Medicine Specialist Melissa Bloom been a Registered Nurse for 17 years and earned her RN at Palm Beach Community College in Florida in 1993. She joined Passport Health in 2006. Prior to joining the Passport Health team, she worked in a pediatric setting for 14 years providing care and education to families on illness, immunizations, behavioral, growth and development of the pediatric patient. She is a strong advocate for preventive care and wellness education. She has spent all her years as a nurse providing individualized and compassionate care in prevention of illness and disease. Melissa is a Florida native and has grown up in Jupiter, Florida. She now resides in Stuart, Florida with her husband and two children, Tanner age 13 and Jensen age 10. Interests and hobbies include any activities that have to do with the beach or boat, softball, and spending time with her family. Ruth Simon, MSN-RN Travel Medicine Specialist Ruth Simon is a registered nurse (RN) with a Master’s Degree in Health Systems Leadership. She has been dedicated to the profession of Nursing since 2009 and began her career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). She has substantial experience caring for geriatrics, adults, laboring, post-partum and neonatal clients. Her nursing motto follows along the lines of disease prevention and health promotion, education, and Madeleine Leininger’s Transcultural Nursing. She believes in incorporating a client’s culture and beliefs into the provision of care. She enjoys family, attending church, singing, music, reading, learning, traveling and cooking. Tessa Onia, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C Travel Medicine Specialist Tessa began her career as a registered nurse in 2012. She graduated from Florida Atlantic University with her baccalaureate degree. She started as brand new RN at a long-term acute care facility at Kindred Hospital. She then worked for Jackson Memorial Hospital as an agency nurse in trauma, rehabilitation, medical-surgical, telemetry and post-surgical floor. She moved to Tampa, FL to pursue her Master of Science in Nursing and Doctorate in Nursing Practice at the University of South Florida while working at Florida Hospital of Tampa as a float nurse. She is a newly board certified family nurse practitioner. She loves to travel, read, and practice yoga on her spare time. Laurie Greenblatt, RN, BSN Travel Medicine Specialist Laurie Greenblatt, now on her 10th year with Passport Health, received her BS in Nursing from the University of Miami. Prior to joining Passport Health, she was the Director of the Skills Lab at Palm Beach State College. Laurie remains a state nurse certifying examiner for the Board of Nursing. Laurie’s hobbies include yoga and reading. Her pride and joy are her children Jaycee, Steven and Lindsay and her granddaughter Peyton. Bailey McAllister Administrative Assistant Bailey McAllister has been working part time at Passport Health since 2002 and full time since 2006. She is a recent graduate from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Art in Art History and Studio Art. Originally from Maryland, Bailey now resides in Delray Beach with her dog, Sasha and bunny, Bunnicula. Bailey loves to travel and has been lucky enough to travel to Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and Peru.
