College of Nursing Faculty

College of Nursing faculty members positively affect the health of persons, families and communities by educating nurses to provide quality nursing care to diverse populations. The College is committed to providing an environment of scholarship and caring wherein the education of nurses will flourish. Critical judgment, research skills and leadership skills are fostered throughout the programs of study. The graduates of this College demonstrate a commitment to humanism and promote the achievement of healthful living for society.

Profiles of our faculty members:

Deborah K. Armstrong, MS, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 318E
(508) 999-9245
darmstrong@umassd.edu

Marilyn Asselin, PhD, RN-BC
Assistant Professor, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 308E
508-999-8749
masselin@umassd.edu
Areas of clinical specialty: Staff development, organizational and leadership development, continuing professional development, preceptor development.
Areas of teaching interest: Nursing education, leadership, professional/workforce issues, concept development, qualitative research, evidence-based practice, translating knowledge to practice, transitioning to practice.
Areas of scholarship/research: Knowledge utilization, learning among nurses in acute care, transition to practice (RN re-entry,
RN to BS).
Research interests: Knowledge utilization, learning among acute care nurses, transition to practice, nursing workforce issues, preceptor development, nursing recruitment and retention.
Statement about work or self: The major focus of my nursing career has been on the education and professional development of nurses in an acute care practice setting.   I worked as a clinical educator for staff nurses, with a focus on teaching staff to develop expertise in the care of the adult cardiac patient.   I have also worked in a nursing management position, Director of Education, interim Vice President and as Associate Vice President.   In these positions, my focus was on leading the implementation of changes to promote a professional practice environment, leadership development and recruitment and retention strategies.   My research has focused on how acute care nurses, at different points in their careers, learn and transfer knowledge to practice.   In my dissertation work, I examined ways in which gaining new knowledge resulted in changes in nurses' thinking or acting in a clinical situation.    I have continued to study learning among nurses focusing on three different points of entry:   new graduates, re-entry nurses and experienced nurses with new baccalaureate degrees. I am enjoying the transition to teaching and look forward to the opportunity to share my experience and research to assist students in achieving their academic and career goals.

James E. Beaulieu, RPh, Pharm.D
Visiting Lecturer, Nurse Practitioner Program (508) 642-0179
mollyben@comcast.net
Area of clinical specialty: Solid Organ Transplantation; Infectious Diseases; Pharmacology.
Area of scholarship/research: Effects of aging, gender, and ethnicity on the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of medications.
Statement about work or self: It is extremely crucial for all healthcare practitioners involved in the prescribing, distribution, dispensing, and monitoring of medications to appreciate the varing effects of aging, gender, and ethnicity. Once these principlas are better understood the practioner will be able to predict the response, side effects, and potential drug interactions associated with a patient's drug therapy.
It is my goal to help the students understand these principals to guide them as nurse practioners when prescribing, monitoring and adjusting therapy.

Lynn Blanchard-Caesar, MS, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 201
(508) 999-8577
lbcaesar1@aol.com
Area of clinical specialty: Medical-Surgical Nursing; Adult Health.
Area of teaching interest: Health Assessment, Ethical Issues in HealthCare, Medical-Surgical Nursing.
Area of scholarship/research: Mentorship Programs- Stockholm, Sweden
Statement about work or self: I feel teaching is a gift I can bestow upon my students - to help each individual optimally reach her/his educational potential - in order that they might graduate and bring about positive changes in the world through their healthcare knowledge and practice of nursing as evidenced by their compassion and optimal care for others in need.

Amy Bruno, MS, ANP-C, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
MU 5-3
(508) 910-6289
abruno@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Medical-Surgical Nursing; Adult Health.
Area of teaching interest: Disease and Pharmacology; Junior & Senior Med-Surg Clinical.
Area of scholarship/research: Interested in the symptom experience of individuals experiencing disease; cultural diversity and disparities in disease.
Statement about work or self: Work as nurse practitioner in college health office.

Elizabeth Chin, MSN, RN, ANP-C
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
MU 5-1
(508) 999-8687
echin@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Critical Care Nursing
Area of teaching interest: Adult Health
Area of scholarship/research: Currently involved in project developing Computerized Decision Support System to assist novice nurses in the acute care environment.
Statement about work or self: Teach in sophmore and junior level courses. Particularly enjoy working with students in the clinical area, promoting knowledge development and critical thinking in the context of patient assignments.

Ellen Christian, MS, RN
Professor, Adult and Child Nursing
Academic Advising Center
508-999-8758
echristian@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Maternal Child Health; Care of Children & Families; Professional Issues
Area of scholarship/research: Nursing education; family and children
Statement about work or self: I have been involved in nursing education for over thirty years. I am currently teaching the initial professional issues course to Sophomore and RN-BSN students, as well as teaching in the Undergraduate Program. I have had the pleasure of teaching at all levels of the Undergraduate Program due to my involvement in the "Concepts of Family Care" and "Nursing Care of Children" courses. My clinical expertise encompasses the nursing care of both healthy and sick children and their families in a variety of settings. My recent scholarly work focused on early intervention programs and school nursing roles.

Kimberly A. Christopher, PhD, RN
Associate Professor & Chairperson
Adult and Child Nursing
Dion 308C
(508) 910-6445
kchristopher@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Oncology
Area of teaching interest: Research; Oncology.
Area of scholarship/research: Quality of life; survivorship; health promotion; gerontology.
Research interests: quality of life, survivorship, health promotion in chronic illness, gerontology, immigrant health, and coping & adaptation.

Phyllis Currier, EdD, RN
Professor, Adult and Child Nursing; RN Program Director
Dion Building - Room 202B
(508) 999-8583
pcurrier@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Gerontology; Women's Health.
Area of teaching interest: Health Promotion; Chronic Illness.
Area of scholarship/research: Cross-cultural research of depression among Azorean women; assessment of the needs of community dwelling older adults.
Statement about work or self: As RN Program Director, I have worked to eliminate barriers to educational and career progression
for RN's.

Alicia Curtin, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 201D
(508) 999-8504
acurtin@umassd.edu

Nancy M. Dluhy, PhD, RN
Professor, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 308D
(508) 999-8586
ndluhy@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Health; Chronic Illness.
Area of teaching interest: Theory Development; Chronic Illness; Nursing Discipline.
Area of scholarship/research: Knowledge synthesis; symptom managment; issues of chronicity; informatics.
Statement about work or self: Within the three components of the nursing discipline (theory-research-practice) my work focuses on the theory-practice linkage. This involves the development of methods to synthesize theories in ways that are more useful to practice and guide research. In my substantive area of interest, I am developing a mid-range theory of chronic illness (drawing on formal knowledge and that of clinicians in a web site dialogue). One outcome of this has been the development of the UMass Chronic Illness Consortium. It now has 8 Dartmouth faculty, 3 Amherst and 1 Worcester members.

Anne Duggan
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 324F
(508) 999-8589

Kathleen M. Elliott, ANP-C, MSN, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 324F
(508) 999-8589
kelliott@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Health & Cardiovascular Nursing.
Area of teaching interest: Cardiovascular Health, Heart Failure, Emergency Nursing, Women's Health, SouthCoast Hospital Groups Nurse Practitioner, Saint Luke's Hospital-Ambulatory Care, Jordan Hospital-Emergency Room Nurse.
Area of scholarship/research: Improving clinical outcomes in heart failure.

Kerry H. Fater, PhD, MS, RN
Associate Professor, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 318C
(508) 999-8525
kfater@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Health
Area of teaching interest: Med-Surg; Advanced Practice Role and Outcomes; Transition to Advanced Practice Nursing.
Area of scholarship/research: Clinical practice issues; qualitative research methods; surviving sexual abuse.
Statement about work or self: Areas of particular interest for me personally and in terms of student advisement are qualitative research and nursing education. My graduate work in curriculum and instruction has provided expertise in all aspects of program development. My current research is a qualitative study on the healing process of survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Lorraine Fisher, MSN, RN
Director, RN Refresher Program
Please contact Prof. Fisher by email: lorraine.fisher@comcast.net
Area of clinical specialty: Medical Surgical & Adult Health
Area of teaching interest: Jr. & Sr. Adult Health Nursing; Registered Nurse Refresher Program.
Area of scholarship/research: Teaching
Statement about work or self: Currently I serve as President of Theta Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau.

Kathryn L. Gramling, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 318B
(508) 910-6444
kgramling@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Illness Response; Adult Health; Nursing Artistry
Area of teaching interest: Health Assessment; Foundational Concepts in Nursing; Nursing as an Art; Theory in Nursing;
Aesthetics in Nursing.
Area of scholarship/research: Art of nursing; Watson's theory of nursing; narrative inquiry; caring in critical care setting.
Statement about work or self: My teaching has been focused upon undergraduates at the beginning level. I have found the opportunity to blend creative methods in traditional classroom settings, as well as the opportunity to transfer theory to practice.

Maria Grungo, MSN, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 318D
(508) 910-6511

Monica Hanson, MSN, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 201D
(508) 999-8580

Debbie Hawkins (Mitchell), MS, APRN, BC
Visiting Lecturer, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 318D
(508) 910-6519
dmitchell@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, board certified through 2008.
Area of teaching interest: Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing; Undergraduate Curriculum; Addictions Nursing.
Area of scholarship/research: Use of Art forms as a tool for increasing Tolerance and Understanding. Scriptotherapy- The process of writing about aspects of caring for those who are ill.
Statement about work or self: Nursing students at all levels of undergraduate education, inspire me. I think each of us can name our best teachers. They changed our lives not only because of what they knew, but because they pushed us to take risks academically and expanded our vision.

Susan Hunter, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 308F
(508) 999-8507
shunter@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Health, Acute Care, Community Nursing
Area of Teaching interest: Adult Health, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Nursing Research, Nursing Theory
Area of scholarship/research: Nurse-client interaction, mutuality, subjective well-being, chronic illness,
and traumatic spinal cord injury.
Statement about work or self: My recent dissertation work was a qualitative study with individuals who
sustained traumatic spinal cord injuries and were living in the community. The study looked at experiences
of living with injury and sense of subjective well-being through phases of recovery.

Janet Kenty, PhD, RN
Associate Professor, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 201C
(508) 999-8194
jkenty@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Maternity Nursing
Area of teaching interest: Maternal Child Health/Nursing Research
Area of scholarship/research: Pregnant and parenting teens; social support and stress for women in transition.
Statement about work or self: My professional career has primarily focused on maternal child health nursing. Recent research projects include: serving as principle investigator in a study that explored adolescents' perception of mothering and social support; and serving as co-investigator in a study to expand and refine the evaluative component of a secondary school education program aimed at fostering responsible sexual attitudes and behaviors in adolescents.

Lori Keough, MEd, APRN, BC, MSN, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
MU 5-5
(508) 910-6511
lkeough@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Pediatrics; working with underserved/underprivileged populations
Area of teaching interest: Pediatrics, Acute and Chronic Care of Children
Area of scholarship/research: Access to health care for underserved populations and minorities, chronic illness in children, school health
Statement about work or self: Teaching energizes me! I enjoy sharing my knowledge, both practical and theoretical, with students. I feel I have a lot to contribute to future nurses both adult and pediatric.

Jeanne M. Leffers, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 308C
(508) 999-8581
jleffers@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Community Health Nursing
Area of teaching interest: Community Health/Public Health; Vulnerable Populations;Diversity, Culture and Marginalization; Global Health; Environmental Health; Health Promotion; Sociopolitical perspecitves; Nursing Care of Clients with Chronic Disease in the community.
Area of scholarship/research: Risk and vulnerabilty, help-seeking behaviors of immigrants and refugees; environmental health risk concerns of underserved populations; global health; qualitative methods.
Statement about work or self: My nursing career includes broad experiences in public health, community nursing, care of children and families, and care of clients with chronic illnesses in the community that inform my teaching expertise. From my Master's and Doctoral Degree in Medical Sociology, I have a strong concern for the sociopolitical implications of nursing and health care. As a community health/public health nurse, I strongly believe in empowering students and clients to improve health of populations. To meet this vision, I serve with a university effort for inclusive teaching, serve on the board of directors of a community health center, volunteered with a center for immigrants and refugees for more than 7 years, made yearly trips to Guatemala and the Dominican Republic and included nursing students in these efforts. My most recent research focus is directed at empowering members of underserved groups to identify their environmental health risks in order to reduce risk and improve health. Statement about work or self: My nursing career includes broad experiences in community nursing, care of children and families, and care of clients with chronic illnesses in the community that inform my teaching expertise. From my Master's and Doctoral Degree in Medical Sociology, I have a strong concern for the sociopolitical implications of nursing and health care. As a community health/public health nurse, I strongly believe in empowering students and clients to improve health of populations. To meet this vision, I have voluntarily worked with a center for immigrants and refugees for the past 6 years, made several trips to Guatemala and the Dominican Republic and included nursing students in these efforts. My most recent research effort is directed at empowering members of underserved groups to identify their environmental health risks.

Carol Mailloux, MS, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 318A
(508) 999-8578
cmailloux@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Maternal Infant Care
Area of teaching interest: Maternity; Womens Health
Area of scholarship/research: Maternal Confidence
Statement about work or self: I realized from an early stage in my nursing education that I would be a maternal-child nurse. My beginnings were in a fast moving labor room when fathers were just beginning to join their wives! I then realized what family care was and how important any life event is on family. Over the years I have seen many changes in the health care delivery system and would love to see women regain their confidence in their childbearing capacity! It will make child rearing easier to handle and the depth of satisfaction will be greater. I love teaching and sharing the wonder of birth with my students. I am presently interested in preconceptual counseling and genetics, along with looking at models of family centered care delivery.

Mary McCurry, PhD, RNC, ANP, ACNP
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing Dion Building - Room 308F
(508) 910-6092
mmccurry@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Nurse Practitioner; Acute Care Nurse Practitioner; Adolescent Care; Primary Care
Area of teaching interest: Advanced Physical Assessment; Primary Care
Area of scholarship/research: Nurse practitioner's role; diagnostic reasoning
Statement about work or self: My current research projects are: a qualitative study looking at variables that contribute to long-term nurse practitioner job satisfaction; and a paper on the use of "Thinking Aloud" in primary care settings by nurse practitioners. I am a member of the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners.

Karen Pehrson, MS, APRN, CS
Visiting Lecturer, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 201
(508) 999-8582
pehrson@fiam.net

Sonja S. Peterson, EdD, RN
Professor and Chairperson, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 201E
(508) 999-8582
speterson@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
Area of teaching interest: Nurse-Patient Relationship & Communication; Leadership; Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing; Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Intervention.
Area of scholarship/research: Partnering clients with persistent mental illnesses with baccalaureate nursing students; patient violence in medical-surgical settings; effects on nonviolent crisis prevention intervention curriculum; antistigma interventions for clients experiencing mental illness.
Statement about work or self: I serve as Editor of Theta Kappa Chapter's Newsletter. I welcome help from students and Chapter members. We can share both the joys and frustrations of putting together the Newletter! The experience will be invaluable. I also enjoy assisting students in making career decisions about nursing.

Teresa Reynolds
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 308E
(508) 999-8504

Laura Ribeiro MSN, CEN, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing; Clinical Coordinator, NUR 251
MU 4-2
508-910-6575
lribeiro@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Health,Medical-Surgical Care, Emergency Department and Legal Nurse Consultant.
Area of teaching: NUR 251 Clinical Coordinator & Instructor, NUR 250 Lecturer, NUR 325 & 326 Lecturer,
NUR 327 Clinical Instructor.
Area of interest: Interested in Nursing Law and Ethics; Prevention of and Outcomes of Nursing Civil Lawsuits.

Margaret P. Rudd-Arieta, MSN, RN, CPNP
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 319A
(508) 999-8861
marieta@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Maternal-Child Health; Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.
Area of teaching interest: Pediatrics
Statement about work or self Enuresis; asthma.
Statement about work or self: I am ANA certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. I love to teach because I can share my expertise with the future generations of the nursing profession.

Gail E. Russell, EdD, RN, CNAA, BC
Associate Professor, Community Nursing; Graduate Program Director
Dion Building - Room 201D
508-999-8251
grussell@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Community nursing
Area of teaching interest: Community Nursing; Health Care System Management; Health Policy.
Area of scholarship/research: Health care systems research; Management competency development; Chronic illness care model.

Leslie C. Ryan, MS, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building
(508) 999-8503
lfrost@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult and Child Health
Area of teaching interest: Complementary and Alternative Health Care
Area of scholarship/research: Martha Rogers Theory of Nursing; Energetic
Healing; Therapeutic Touch; Healing Touch; Connectedness.
Statement about work or self: Nursing is caring for others as well as caring for ourselves.
Each of us is on a path of growth and learning. There is an energetic connection to all others
with whom we come in contact, affecting our growth and development.

Christine St. Laurent, MS, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 201
(508) 999-8504
cstlaurent@umassd.edu

Carolyn (Lyn) Schwartz, MS, RD
Visiting Lecturer, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 201
(508) 999-8251
cschwartz@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Outpatient; Nutrition Care.
Area of teaching interest: Preventive Health; Weight Management; Heart Health; Diabetes; Fitness; Nutrition through the Lifecycle; Sports Nutrition.
Statement about work or self: My goal is to promote daily wellness through healthy eating and positive lifestyle habits, which can lead to enhanced longevity and improved quality of life.

Kristen Sethares, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, Adult and Child Nursing
Dion Building - Room 318E
(508) 999-9148
ksethares@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Health Nursing; Cardiovascular Disease; Home Care Nursing.
Area of teaching interest: Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing; Care of Individuals with Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Mellitus; Research Utilization; Health Assessment; Gerontology.
Area of scholarship/research: Self-care behaviors in chronic illness populations; home-based interventions for individuals with cardiovascular disease.
Statement about work or self: Areas of particular interest to me focus upon finding methods to improve the lives of individuals living in the community who have a cardiac illness. Current research projects include membership on a team of researchers exploring the impact of peer advisors on recovery from MI/CABG.

MaryBeth Sosa, MSN, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
MU 4-3
(508) 999-8398
G_MSosa@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Adult Health, Cardiac and Medical Intensive Care.
Area of teaching interest: Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Junior and Senior Med-Surg.
Area of Scholarship Research: Informatics. Interested in research focusing on improving quality of patient care and corresponding patient outcomes.  

Sharon Sousa, EdD., APRN, BC
Associate Professor, Community Nursing
Dion Building - Room 202A
(508) 999-8249
ssousa@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Licensed Psychologist & Nurse Clinical Specialist.
Area of teaching interest: Family Therapy; Substance Abuse; Genetics; Major Mental Illnesses.
Area of scholarship/research: Psychotropic medications; refractory mental illness; genetics in psychotic illnesses.
Statement about work or self: My interests in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness have been organized around my training as a clinical nurse specialist and psychologist. I have practiced and published in the area of severe and persistent mental illness, with emphasis on newer medications and interventions that move patients through optimal recovery. Most recently, I am involved with the human genome project as it relates to patients of Azorean heritage with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Barbara Weatherford, MSN, RN
Visiting Lecturer, Adult and Child Nursing
MU 5-4
(508) 910-6290
bweatherford@umassd.edu
Area of clinical specialty: Management and leadership, quality improvement, healthcare systems, interdisciplinary collaboration.
Area of teaching interest: Novice to expert practice development, leadership development, nurse sensitive outcomes, becoming influential , management in today’s healthcare organizations.
Area of scholarship/research: Leadership development, systems improvement, patient safety.
Statement about work or self: I have spent over 20 years in VP for Nursing/Patient Care positions in acute care. Nursing practice has always been the central focus of my career. My administrative focus has been on systems improvements, performance improvement and leadership development in the practicing nurse. Learning how to create work environments that stimulate these practices has been my practice. I am enjoying the transition to teaching and the opportunity to work with novice nursing students through expert nurses as they come to UMASSD. I hope that I can impart my belief that nursing is a powerful entity in healthcare and wields tremendous influence in patient care.