SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

Carol Ann Gioia is a vastly experienced and dedicated nursing professional with greater than 29 years’ expertise in a variety of clinical and administrative roles within the Thomas Jefferson University Health System. Carol is currently the Magnet Program Coordinator at Thomas Jefferson University, where she supports the Magnet Program in coordinating the ANCC Magnet application for the re-designation. Her role encompasses Magnet education, inter/intra-professional collaboration, and Magnet application development and submission. Before her current role, Carol served as Director of Nursing Operations, where she directed daily operations for nursing and ancillary departments. In her role as DON, Carol collaborated with the senior hospital leaders to ensure quality standards of care were in accordance with current federal, state and regulatory guidelines. Among her multiple achievements was the developing a special care unit for the elderly population and receiving NICHE designation. Carol is the recipient of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation 2015-2016 Nurses for Tomorrow Graduate Scholarship Program and was inducted into the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Student Policy Summit Academy. Carol was selected to lead an international recruitment team that traveled to the Philippines and recruited 100 RNs. Carol was the recipient of the2014 Nursing Leadership Award. Carol received her Associates in Applied Science Nursing degree from Rowan University- Gloucester County College, her baccalaureate degree in nursing from Widener University, her masters degree in nursing from the University of Phoenix and is now pursuing her doctorate in nursing practice from Thomas Jefferson University College of Nursing.

I am a PhD student at Vanderbilt University, and I currently work as a nurse practitioner in primary care. Previously, I worked as a NICU nurse, and then as a nurse practitioner in pediatrics. As an undergraduate nursing student at the University of Virginia, I first became interested in research during an independent study focused on rural health. I designed and carried out a mixed-methods research study investigating maternal perceptions of preterm birth and prenatal care in women who had given birth to late preterm infants. My research interests have continued during my time working as a nurse practitioner in primary care; I have identified many gaps in the understanding of health behaviors, specifically in the pediatric population. My undergraduate research project, along with my experience as a NICU nurse and a nurse practitioner, allowed me to appreciate the relevance and importance of nursing research. I am interested in studying maternal mental health and infant feeding styles in relation to obesity in early childhood, because I recognize that health behaviors are established at the beginning of life.

Tamryn Fowler Gray is currently pursuing her PhD at Johns Hopkins University. Her research interests include patient and family treatment decision-making across the disease trajectory, particularly in cancer care. Understanding that clinical trials are becoming a defining aspect of cancer treatment, Tamryn’s research aims to understand the decisional, sociocultural, ethical, and patient-family factors influencing clinical trial participation. Tamryn earned her BSN and MSN from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to beginning doctoral studies, she was a clinical nurse III at Duke Children’s Hospital on the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Unit and an Education Consultant for the Oncology Nursing Society. In addition to clinical practice, Tamryn taught on faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. She was also an inaugural member of the ONCC Test Development Committee for the Blood and Marrow Transplant Certified Nurse Exam. Her nursing expertise include pediatrics, blood and marrow transplant, and hematology/oncology. Tamryn believes that nurses have the privilege to be with patients during the changing complexities of life. She hopes her research in patient-family cancer treatment decision-making will profoundly impact patient experiences, decision-making, health outcomes, and health disparities. As a PhD student at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, she is learning how to be a strong nurse researcher and leader through the immense amount of support and encouragement from faculty, staff, and fellow PhD students.