SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Maha Habre, CEN

Case Western/Lebanese American University DNP
Biography

Maha Habre is a Masters-prepared registered nurse specialized in and passionate about advanced practice emergency and high acuity nursing care. She is currently academically and clinically teaching at the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing at the Lebanese American University. After completing her BS in Nursing at the University of Balamand, she worked as a Staff Nurse at the Emergency Department of the American University of Beirut Medical Center. In 2009, she received the Magnet Champion of the Year award. She later became the first American Board-Certified Emergency Nurse in Lebanon in 2009. She gained her Masters degree in Nursing, Adult Care, with a Minor in Education at the American University of Beirut in February 2012 after completing a summer residency on Advanced Practice Emergency Nursing at the Johns Hopkins University and Hospital. Her areas of practice, teaching, and research experience include but are not limited to: triage, trauma care, sepsis and shock care, brain injury, other emergency and high acuity nursing care, use of simulation in nursing education, and inter-professional health and social care education. Maha is currently admitted into the Post-MSN Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. She is eager to advance the nursing profession and education in her home country Lebanon.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Emergency Care & Trauma Response
Dissertation: Emergency Management of Mass Casualty Trauma in urban and rural settings (anticipated)

Rahwa Haile, FNP-BC, MSN, MPH

Photo of Rahwa Haile FNP-BC, MSN, MPH
Samuel Merritt University DNP
Biography

Rahwa Haile is an Oakland, CA native by way of Eritrea, a country in Northeast Africa. She is a product of Oakland Unified Public Schools and a graduate of San Francisco State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in public health. She went on to earn her Masters in Public Health from City University of New York Hunter College. She has worked as a clinical health educator for nearly ten years and it was while working a family planning health educator in New York when she realized she wanted to switch gears and pursue a career as a clinician. She enrolled in Samuel Merritt University’s Entry Level Masters of Science in Nursing program with a focus in family nurse practitioner August of 2014. During her time at SMU, she realized that she wanted to serve older adults. She graduated in December 2017 and enrolled in SMU’s Doctor of Nursing Program in January 2018. Upon graduation, she plans to apply the skills and knowledge gained from the DNP program and the Jonas Veterans Scholar program to clinical practice. Rahwa currently resides in Oakland, CA and works as a nurse practitioner at a primary care practice in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Veterans Healthcare Scholar – Geriatrics
Dissertation: Screening for orthostatic hypotension among older adults accessing primary healthcare at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center. My proposed DNP project is aimed toward the appropriate and timely screening and management of orthostatic hypotension and its related complications.

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Oakland CA/Alameda County United States

Shannon Halloway, BSN, RN

Rush University PhD
Biography

Ms. Halloway is a BSN to PhD student at Rush University College of Nursing (RCON). Her research focus is on identifying modifiable health behaviors that can help stabilize or decrease the onset of cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults. Her interest in the older adult population was sparked when she was selected by the faculty to be a nursing scholar as part a Robert Wood Johnson funded Comprehensive Gerontologic Education Partnership at Pacific Lutheran University to produce more qualified nurses committed to the care of the older adult. She graduated summa cum laude and was awarded the Ruth Carlson Award in Clinical Excellence, and was accepted into RCON soon after. Under the guidance of Dr. JoEllen Wilbur, her chairperson, Ms. Halloway has published and presented research both regionally and nationally on older adults and physical activity. Current honors include the Diane Cronin-Stubbs Memorial Award, Sigma Theta Tau and Psi Chi honor societies, and the Mary Oakley and Kellog Scholarships (RCON). Her clinical experiences have been focused on the care of older adults in multiple settings, including critical care and home health. Her current clinical position is as the Wellness Nurse for independent seniors living in residential apartments on the Rush campus. A relatively recent addition to the nursing community, she hopes that her fresh prospective will positively impact preventative health care of at-risk older adults.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Prevention research for cognitive impairment, and physical activity in older adults
Dissertation: The Relation Between Physical Activity and Cognitive Change in Older Latinos

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Chicago IL United States

Valerie Halstead, RN

University of Miami PhD
Biography

Valerie Halstead graduated Magna Cum Laude with her BSN in May 2012 from the University of Miami. She received the Edgar Hall Nursing Scholarship, was named the March of Dimes Student Nurse of the Year, and was awarded the School of Nursing and Health Studies (SONHS) Alumni Award. She is part of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society and the Beta Tau Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society. Additionally she serves as an active member on the University of Miami Nursing Alumni Board. Upon graduation she obtained a full time staff position in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. After one year of clinical practice, she decided to advance her education and entered the Doctor of Philosophy Program at the University of Miami SONHS. Her research focus is on intimate partner violence, disordered eating, and health promotion in the college population. She is currently partaking in two research projects. One focuses on examining alcohol screening in the college population and the other aims to gain a better understanding of healthcare providers’ screening and protocol implementation for intimate partner violence. She is excited to continue her research in hopes to advance nursing knowledge focusing on the college population and helping to promote healthy lifestyles amongst this underserved population.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Intimate partner violence, disordered eating, and health promotion in the college population
Dissertation: Intimate partner violence, disordered eating, and health promotion in the college population

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Indialantic Fl United States

Aimee Hamel

University of Minnesota PhD
Biography

Aimee V. Hamel received her Masters of Nursing from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing after completing her undergraduate degree in Biology at Hamline University. She is currently pursuing the PhD in nursing at the University of Minnesota. Throughout her nursing career Ms. Hamel has focused on cardiovascular patient populations, beginning her work at Abbott Northwestern’s Heart Hospital. Subsequent work in heart failure research at the University of Minnesota provided an opportunity to learn about and care for patients in advanced stages of heart failure, including ventricular assist device and cardiac transplant care. Ms. Hamel currently works at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, as a member of the heart failure research team. Her work at the VA has continued to deepen her understanding of heart failure, while bringing a new understanding of the additional challenges it brings to the Veteran population. Ms. Hamel’s research interest is in the area of decision-making in the advanced heart failure population. She is particularly interested in the supportive needs and processes of Veterans who are facing advanced heart failure therapy decisions. She is also interested in increasing the participation of nurses in research and supporting bedside and clinical nurses in developing their ideas into research projects.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Veteran Healthcare – Heart Failure
Dissertation: Heart Failure patient and caregiver decision making

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St Paul MN United States

Gwendolyn Hamid, BA, MSN, RN

Photo of Gwendolyn Hamid BA, MSN, RN
Villanova University PhD
Biography

Gwendolyn M Hamid is a doctoral student at the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing at Villanova University; Her dissertation will focus on the identification of factors related to depressive symptoms in veterans with traumatic brain injury. A second-degree nurse with previous degrees in Biology and English Literature, Gwendolyn earned her BSN from Thomas Jefferson University in 2005. Previously, she worked as a biomedical research technician studying signal transduction in a cell and developmental biology lab. The bulk of her clinical nursing expertise is in cardiac telemetry and acute stroke care, as well as stroke and TBI rehabilitation. Upon completion of her MSN in 2016, she received the Claire M Manfredi Graduate Nurse Leadership Award and the Villanova University College of Nursing’s Medallion for Distinguished Academic Achievement. She currently works as a doctoral research assistant and adjunct faculty member at the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing at Villanova University.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Veterans Healthcare Scholar – Psych-Mental Health
Dissertation: Factors related to depressive symptoms in veterans with traumatic brain injury

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Phoenixville PA United States

Donna Hamill

Wayne State DNP
Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area:
Dissertation: Adult primary care, diabetes, care coordination

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United States

Lauren Hamilton, BSN, RN

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill DNP
Biography

Lauren Hamilton entered the field of nursing as an undergraduate student at West Virginia University. Her introduction to the veteran population occurred as a student nurse fulfilling a clinical rotation at a Veteran’s Medical Center. In 2008, Lauren completed West Virginia University’s Bachelor of Science degree program in Nursing. Lauren had previously completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography, also from West Virginia University, in 2004. Lauren uncovered her passion for the psychological aspects of health care through experience as a staff RN in critical care and post-surgical areas at a series of University based medical centers in West Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Her research interests include holistic models of care, chronic illness self-management and the use of evidenced based mind-body interventions for mental health care prevention and maintenance. A family member serving in the U.S. Marine Corps has exposed Lauren to the military community’s unique culture. Enlightened to the need for culturally relevant care for U.S. military veterans, Lauren is inspired to devote her advanced-practice nursing career to the challenge of improving mental health care services for veterans. Lauren believes that promoting alternative and innovative approaches will be essential in order to provide more accessible, affordable and evidenced-based quality care to this population. In August 2014 Lauren will begin the Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree program with a specialty in the area of Mental Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Veteran Healthcare – Psychiatic-Mental Health
Dissertation: Evidenced-based Yoga Therapy for Veteran’s

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Chapel Hill NC United States

Laurie Hamilton, FNP-C

University of Southern Mississippi DNP
Biography

Born and raised in Mississippi, Laurie spent her childhood providing health care to reluctant pets, dolls, and family members. After high school she decided to make it official by attending nursing school, where she was awarded the Circle of Excellence, the highest honor given students at the college. After gaining experience in a in a rural hospital until it closed, she moved to the challenging and compassion demanding positions of hospice care while working part-time in ICU/CCU to keep abreast of acute care changes. Palliative care proved to be a particular forte so she obtained certification to establish expertise. Laurie served as Director of Nursing for an outpatient hospice where she gained expertise in communication and honed her leadership skills. Through a series of events she found herself working in other areas of nursing eventually settling in Native American Correctional healthcare where she worked full time and pursued a degree in Ministry, and then Master of Science in Nursing. She is currently working with an under served Native American population as a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas-Blaustein Nurse Leader – Adolescent Native American females
Dissertation: Sexually transmitted infection educational project for Native American adolescent females

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Union MS United States

Tessa Hamilton, BSN, RN, PMHNP-DNP Student

Photo of Tessa Hamilton BSN, RN, PMHNP-DNP Student
University of Utah DNP
Biography

Tessa Hamilton grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho where she enjoyed viewing life from the back of a horse. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with her BSN. She spent four years working as an Oncology nurse. She noticed many patients’ and family members’ mental health needs were going unmet. During that time she was nominated to be a physician coach during her hospital’s EMR transition. This opportunity led her to develop strong interprofessional relationships with the physicians; their encouragement in conjunction with her desire to improve mental health resources for her patients led her to pursue a degree as a PMHNP. She accepted a position working as a research assistant alongside Dr. Gwen Latendresse, the director of the Nurse-Midwifery Program. This research project, funded by the Utah Department of Health, increases access to mental health services for childbearing women in rural Utah. Currently, she co-facilitates suicide grief groups through Caring Connections at the University of Utah. She also facilitates mindfulness-based cognitive therapy group sessions via telehealth for women in Utah. Her current research and life experiences have laid the groundwork for many areas of interest including the following: reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, veterans mental health, women’s mental health, PTSD, suicide prevention, telehealth and community health. She is particularly interested in bridging the gap for pregnant or postpartum veterans. As a full-time PMHNP-DNP student, Tessa is honored and humbled to be a Jonas Veterans Scholar and looks forward to the leadership and networking that will occur through this program.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Veterans Healthcare Scholar – Psych-Mental Health
Dissertation: Proposed Capstone project: Evidence-based practice seminar for community providers caring for female veterans of childbearing age.

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Salt Lake City Utah United States

Julie Hammatt, CEN

Idaho State University DNP
Biography

Julie Hammatt is currently part of the inaugural DNP class at Idaho State University. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in English which she received in 1998 from the University of Hawaii, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Idaho State University in 2006, graduating with high honors. Her career has been dedicated to emergency nursing, in both urban and rural communities. She is a Certified Emergency Nurse, and served as the pediatric nurse liaison in the ED. Julie has a passion for rural and community health and improving health maintenance, to include childhood immunization rates. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge and experiences with future nurses through teaching and mentoring. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, the Emergency Nurses’ Association, and a student member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Rural/Community Health
Dissertation: Anticipated- Prenatal, postpartum, and early infancy delivery of Immunization Education and its Efficacy in Adherence to Pediatric Immunization Schedule

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Grangeveille ID United States

Caroline Handschuh, MSN, CNM

Columbia University PhD
Biography

I am currently a PhD candidate at Columbia University’s School of Nursing. I am researching adolescent health risk behaviors and have a strong interest in reproductive health education and resources for adolescents including a broader interest in access to family planning in developing countries. Prior to starting the PhD program I worked for five years as a staff midwife, both inpatient and outpatient, at large urban hospital in New York City. I cared for women experiencing healthy and high risk pregnancies, managed labors and deliveries, and finally assessed women in the immediate postpartum period. While I knew I wanted to pursue further research, this experience made me acutely aware of the disparities in school health education, particularly in poor neighborhoods as well as support for young women and men to make healthy, informed lifestyle choices. I felt frustrated by the limited time I had with my patients during prenatal visits and the lack of continuity for our most vulnerable patients. With my research I am hoping to gain a better understanding of the unique challenges adolescents face, particularly adolescents living in underserved communities, and how educational institutions and health care providers may better serve them. My larger research interests in family planning stem from my experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania. I am particularly interested in how contraceptive information and access are organized in countries such as Mauritania, Mali, and Senegal that have such diverse populations not only in terms of language and ethnicity, but lifestyle as well.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Women’s and Children’s Health
Dissertation: Assessing adolescent health risk behaviors from the perspective of high school students and their parents.

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Brooklyn New York United States

Bryan Hansen

Johns Hopkins PhD
Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area:
Dissertation: Forensic Nursing, Geriatrics, Psychiatric-Mental Health

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United States

Marian Hardwick

University of South Florida PhD
Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area:
Dissertation: Psychiatric-Mental Health

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United States

Heather Harker Ryan

University of Massachusetts-Boston PhD
Biography

Heather Harker Ryan is a third-year student enrolled in the Nursing BS-to-PhD Population Health program at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She received a BA in Anthropology from the Barnard College in 2006, and a BS in Nursing from Columbia University in 2008. She currently works as Program Nurse for the Preventive Cardiology Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, focusing on treatment of children with cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and obesity. Heather is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing, and the Preventive Cardiology Nurses Association. She has been elected President of the PhD Nursing Student Collaborative at UMass Boston for the 2014-2015 academic year, and will begin serving on the STTI Theta Alpha Chapter Board of Directors as Webmaster in September 2014. Heather’s particular interests lie in the social experience of children and families treated for cardiovascular risk factors, as well as medical professional behavior related to diagnosing and treating cardiovascular risk in their patients. Her professional goals relate to ensuring that patient understanding of cardiovascular risk and preference for screening and treatment are fully understood, and specifically incorporated into practice protocols and medical education. Heather also has a passion for nursing theory and theory development, and she hopes to actively incorporate this into future nursing leadership roles.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Cardiovascular health promotion and risk prevention in children and adolescents
Dissertation: Cardiovascular risk and prevention in children

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Chelsea MA United States

Patricia Harnois-Church

University of New Mexico PhD
Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area:
Dissertation: Health policy

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United States

Megan Harper, MSN, RN, CCRN

University of Texas-Arlington PhD
Biography

My nursing career began in critical care after obtaining my BSN from McNeese State University in December 2003. Over the next eight years I took on the following roles: charge nurse, nurse preceptor, staff educator, and coordinator of the Critical Care Internship Program. I earned a MSN from the University of Texas Medical Branch in December 2009 and certification as a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN). I became adjunct clinical faculty in the ADN Program at Lone Star College Tomball (LSCT) in January 2010. In August 2011 I became full time faculty in the ADN Program at LSCT where I maintain current employment as well as per diem status as a bedside critical care nurse. I have served as faculty team leader and co-chairperson of the LSC System-Wide Associate Degree Nursing Curriculum Committee for the past two years. My faculty team at LSCT was recently awarded the Dean’s Innovation Award highlighting our collaborative team approach. I presented the work we have done at the LSC annual system-wide education conference in April 2016. In August 2015 I began the PhD in Nursing Program at The University of Texas at Arlington. My goals are to develop a program of research that will allow me to investigate nursing student success and retention strategies to ensure a population of competent graduate nurses to provide optimal patient care. I belong to the professional nursing organizations: American Nurses Association, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Society, and Southern Nursing Research Society.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Education/Inter-professional education
Dissertation: Single Motherhood as a Predictor of Nursing Student Success

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Spring Texas United States

Courtney Harrigan, MSN, CRNP, ANP-BC

Gwynedd Mercy University DNP
Biography

Courtney Harrigan, MSN, CRNP, APN-BC, is an Adult Nurse Practitioner in Occupational/Employee Health at Abington Jefferson Health. She attended Immaculata University and obtained her BSN. She then attended LaSalle University for her MSN in Adult Health. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau. She has received the Clinical Nurse Excellence Award and the Spirit of Nursing Award. Her areas of interest include pain management, substance abuse, health promotion and health education.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Palliative Care/Pain/Hospice
Dissertation: Pain management and opiod prescribing

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Hatboro PA United States

Eboni Harris, FNP

University of South Carolina PhD
Biography

Eboni Harris is a second-year doctoral student from Simpsonville, SC attending the University of South Carolina. She received her BSN from the University of South Carolina in 2004. During her BSN program she served as the South Carolina SNA State Board Nominations and Elections Committee Director. She completed her Master’s of Science in Nursing program at Clemson University in May 2009. While completing her masters program, she was selected to complete a medical mission in Macas, Equador. She was honored as a Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database Scholar upon degree completion. Eboni is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She currently works as a full time instructor of nursing at the University of South Carolina Upstate. Eboni serves as an advisor for the Student Nurses Association and is passionate about student success. Her commitment to education led her to pursue her terminal degree. She currently serves on the University of South Carolina Dean’s Advisory Board. Her research interest is to developed culturally tailored interventions addressing obesity in African American women.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Obesity
Dissertation: Anticipated: develop culturally tailored interventions addressing obesity in African American women

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Simpsonville SC United States

Gabrielle Harris, MSN, RN, FNP-BC

Duke University PhD
Biography

Gabrielle Harris is a family nurse practitioner and a PhD student in Duke University’s School of Nursing. Gabrielle earned both her Bachelors and Masters of Science in Nursing degrees from Winston Salem State University (WSSU). As a graduate student at WSSU, Gabrielle was a scholar in the Bridge to the Doctorate, a joint program between Duke and WSSU that prepares minority nurses to successfully transition to a doctorate program. Her research interests include parenting in young stroke survivors age 18 to 50 and post-stroke depression. She hopes to one day develop interventions that assist young stroke survivors in establishing normalcy in their lives, specifically as active parents.

Notes

Research/Clinical Practice Area: Jonas Nurse Leader – Cardiac Disease/Stroke
Dissertation: Active Parenting in Young Stroke Survivors

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Madison NC United States