Our Team
Danielle Potter, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Program Director, El Rio APRN Residency Program
Danielle Potter is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Program Director for the El Rio APRN Residency Program in Tucson, Arizona. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of St. Francis in Illinois and began her nursing career at Tucson Medical Center in adult and neonatal critical care. She went on to earn her Master of Science in Nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner degree from the University of Phoenix, graduating with honors.
Danielle has spent her career at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), providing primary care to diverse and underserved populations across community primary care clinics, homeless outreach, and a Birth and Women’s Health Center. She joined El Rio Community Health Center, the largest FQHC in Arizona, where she practices as a Family Nurse Practitioner and has taken on numerous educator roles as a mentor, preceptor, and lecturer.
A graduate of the NCA Postgraduate Residency Learning Collaborative, Danielle went on to co-create the El Rio APRN Residency Program and serve as its Program Director. She is the author and Project Director of two federal HRSA grants supporting the program, the ANE-NPR and ANE-NPRF grants, through which she led a significant expansion and enhancement of the program, mentored other FQHCs in developing their own postgraduate nurse practitioner residency programs, and presented on postgraduate training at national conferences, including the National NP Residency & Fellowship Training Consortium and the Beyond Flexner Conference.
Danielle returned to the Program Director role in August 2026 and is excited to be back in this space, continuing her passion for training the next generation of nurse practitioners and expanding access to excellent primary care in the FQHC setting.
She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the Association of Post Graduate Advance Practice Programs, the Consortium for Advanced Practice Providers, the Southern Arizona Advanced Practice Nurse – Nurse Practitioner Society, and Sigma Theta Tau International.
Outside of work, Danielle enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children, baking, gardening, and hiking.
Alexndra Riley, DNP, RN, FNP-C
Clinical Faculty Lead, El Rio APRN Residency Program
Alexandra (Alex) Riley has lived in Tucson since 2008. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia in 2008 and graduated from Arizona State University with her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2013. She has worked at El Rio Health as a family nurse practitioner since 2014.
In addition to her work in the APRN Residency Program as Clinical Faculty Lead, Alexandra works as a provider in the El Rio pulmonary medicine program.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband Matt, two daughters Penelo and Rinoa, and basset hound, Simba.a
Renee Burrous, PNP-C
Pediatric Clinic Lead, El Rio APRN Residency Program
Renee Burrous has a passion for community health and children dating back to her childhood spent in the Petén region of Guatemala. A West Texas native, she has worked as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at El Rio Community Health Center in Tucson, AZ since 2008. Prior to this she was a PNP at Deharo Saldivar Community Clinic and Parkland Hospital’s Newborn Nursery in Dallas, TX.
Before earning her MS in Nursing from The University of Texas at Arlington, she was recognized as Nurse of the Year while working at the NICU at Baylor University Medical Center. She earned her BS in Nursing from Oklahoma Baptist University and has been a preceptor for NPs or RNs for most of her career.
She is the mother of six children including two nursing students and an Occupational Therapist. She and her husband have been licensed foster parents and volunteers in youth sports, church ministries, and community service.
Awungcha Nkemzi, FNP
Didactic Lead
Bio coming soon!
Ione Troudard, MD
Quality Lead – Population Heath, El Rio APRN Residency Program
Ione Trouard grew up here in Tucson and is happy to be practicing as a Family Medicine doctor here at El Rio Grant and Dodge. She focuses on full spectrum family medicine, including care of the underserved, procedure-based medicine, addiction medicine, women’s health, and quality improvement. She is also an Epic Superuser.
She graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School and the University of Arizona Phoenix Campus Family Medicine Residency. In her free time her hobbies include hiking, cooking, gardening, and book clubs.
Darrian Piper, BSHA
Program Coordinator, El Rio APRN Residency Program
Darrian Piper is the APRN Residency Program Coordinator at El Rio Health, where she has been part of the organization since June 2023. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Darrian has called Tucson, Arizona home since 2000, except for a brief time spent in San Antonio, Texas.
Darrian’s passion for healthcare began from personal experience. After being diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2008 and completing treatment, including chemotherapy and multiple surgeries, she became inspired to pursue a career in healthcare. She has been cancer-free since 2010, and her experience as a patient continues to shape her passion for supporting others within the healthcare community.
In 2017, Darrian earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from Grand Canyon University. She began her healthcare career in a non-surgical orthopedic setting before transitioning into home health care, where her career path eventually led her to El Rio Health.
In her role as APRN Residency Program Coordinator, Darrian supports the operations and administration of the APRN Residency Program and enjoys being part of an organization committed to developing the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Outside of work, Darrian enjoys spending time with family, camping, fishing, traveling, and especially going on cruises. She also enjoys exploring new places and making the most of her time with family and friends.