• Amanda Adams, DNP, RN, FNP-BC

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Amanda Adams.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    230 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-2140

    EMAIL: aadams4@buffalo.edu

    Amanda Adams is a clinical assistant professor and family nurse practitioner who works as a primary care provider at the Tuscarora Nation. Her nursing background also includes oncology, having worked in chemotherapy and infusion and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and as an oncology-hemotology clinic lead nurse at Erie County Medical Center.

    Adams is passionate about global health and providing health care to underserved populations. Her experiences providing health care abroad include two interprofessional missions to Greece working with Syrian refugees, as well as missions to Haiti and Senegal.

    Adams earned her DNP from the University at Buffalo School of Nursing and her BSN from the University of Rochester.

  • Kafuli Agbemenu, PhD, MPH, RN, CTN-A

    Associate Professor

    Kafuli Agbemenu.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    201D Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-6023

    EMAIL: agbemenu@buffalo.edu

    The development of culturally-targeted reproductive health education is urgently needed. Health care professionals also need to understand that refugee women are likely to have histories of trauma and, therefore, need care delivered from a trauma-informed perspective.

    Kafuli Agbemenu is an alumna who earned her BS from UB School of Nursing.  She went on to earn an MPH with a focus on behavioral and community health science and global health, as well as her MS and PhD in Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh.

    Her research focuses on examining the reproductive health outcomes of African immigrant and refugee women. Specifically, she conducts research on culturally-congruent family planning education, contraceptive decision making and uptake, pregnancy outcomes, HIV stigma reduction, and access to reproductive health care services for African immigrant and refugee women.

    She also has published studies that found cultural differences between clinicians and Somali Bantu women affect the uptake of family planning in the population.

    In 2019, Agbemenu was named one of the first recipients of the Changemakers in Family Planning grant awards from the Society of Family Planning. This grant also includes membership in the Society of Family Planning.

    Agbemenu advocates for cultural competency in health care, urging providers to be more cognizant of cultural traditions, values and beliefs when providing care.

    In the News

  • Christopher Barrick, PhD

    Director for Research Advancement; Research Associate Professor

    Christopher Barrick.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    201 A Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-3280

    EMAIL: cbarrick@buffalo.edu

    Christopher Barrick's research interests focus on two broad areas: looking at effective ways to disseminate evidence-based interventions into broad clinical practice and using technology to facilitate clinical substance abuse research.

    He has developed an alternate form of the telephone-based clinical skill assessment tool (T-CAT), with an interactive voice recording (IVR)-based approach to assessment. This has promise as a method to allow for improved clinical skill assessment for a variety of training methods in the alcohol and drug abuse treatment fields. Barrick plans to continue to develop the T-CAT measure and compare its usefulness to traditional role play assessment. In addition, he is looking at ways to better integrate computer and interactive voice recording (IVR)-based technologies into broader dissemination and intervention efforts.

    He has also been involved in adapting face-to-face Coping Skills Training (CST) for women with alcoholic partners to a Skills Training program designed to be accessed by individuals at a stand-alone website, and has used computer and web-based technologies to disseminate new models of therapies to community clinicians.

    In the News

  • Yu-Ping Chang, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, FIAAN

    Associate Dean for Research; Professor; Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Endowed Professor

    Yu-Ping Chang.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    201 B Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2015

    EMAIL: yc73@buffalo.edu

    Two of the significant urgent solutions to mitigate the opioid epidemic are to increase access to proper treatment as well as increase prevention efforts … both of which will require sufficient, well-trained behavioral health providers.

    Yu-Ping Chang is the school’s first Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Endowed Professor. Under her leadership, the School of Nursing has increased interdisciplinary research collaborations and funding opportunities for both faculty and students.

    Chang is an accomplished researcher whose work in the mental health addictions fields has been widely published and funded. Her research areas of interest include prescription drug misuse and addictions in older adults and caregiving and medication management for individuals with dementia. Studies she has led have founds that college education is linked to opioid misuse among baby boomers, and that motivational interviewing is an effective tool at curbing opioid misuse in older adults. She is also co-author on several publications that focus on the quality of life and victimization of gay and bisexual men in Taiwan.

    Her current work focuses on integrating behavioral health into primary care. She is the recipient of a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to integrate evidence-based behavioral health models into primary care clinics located in underserved areas in Western New York. The project aims to transform these clinics into fully integrated practices and to examine the impact of the integration using implementation science methods and approaches.

    A few outcomes of the project include improved mental health and substance use among patients, increased routine screening for behavioral health, the introduction of psychiatric consultation through telehealth technology and the use of virtual reality to train providers on behavioral health.

    Chang received a nearly $2 million HRSA grant to increase the mental health and addictions workforce in Western New York through interprofessional education and training for UB students as well. HRSA also awarded Chang a $1.35 million grant to partner with local primary and behavioral health care sites and launch the Opioid Workforce Expansion Program, an interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art addictions training program for UB students.

    Chang is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the Gerontological Society of America and the International Academy of Addictions Nursing.

    In the News

  • James Cozza, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, ENP-C, CHSE

    Simulation Coordinator; Clinical Instructor

    James Cozza.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    321 B Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2233

    EMAIL: jcozza2@buffalo.edu

    James Cozza is a dedicated nurse practitioner, dual board-certified in family and emergency medicine. With two decades of experience, he has had the privilege of providing emergency medical care to diverse communities across Western New York. His journey in healthcare has spanned multiple roles, including emergency medical technician, cardiovascular ICU RN, emergency RN, emergency NP, and flight NP. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was honored to serve chronically ill patients by delivering urgent home care.

    Since 2004, Cozza has been committed to training and mentoring the next generation of medical professionals. At UBMD Emergency Medicine, he had the opportunity to guide numerous nurse practitioners and physician assistants, emphasizing high-quality, patient-centered care for underserved and diverse populations. As a certified healthcare simulation educator and the simulation coordinator at the University at Buffalo School of Nursing, he works alongside faculty to advance healthcare simulation in nursing and interprofessional education.

    With a passion for improving patient outcomes, Cozza focuses on neurologic emergencies and leveraging simulation to enhance diagnostic reasoning in medical providers. He also maintains a strong interest in global healthcare immersion, recognizing the value of cross-cultural experiences in shaping well-rounded, adaptable clinicians. Whether through local or international initiatives, he remains committed to fostering innovative and inclusive medical education.

    In the News

  • Kristin Di Angelo, DNP, MS, RN

    Clinical Instructor

    Kristin Di Angelo.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    231 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-3309

    EMAIL: kmd9@buffalo.edu

  • Suzanne Dickerson, PhD, RN

    Associate Dean, Research Doctoral Program; Associate Dean for Faculty Development; Professor

    Suzanne Dickerson.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    301 E Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3254

    EMAIL: sdickers@buffalo.edu

    Listening to the nurses' voices, it was amazing that in spite of the volume of deterrents to working, they continued to care for their patients … 'nurses-supporting-nurses' could be developed into a strong network to promote a solidarity that could be operationalized through nursing organizations.

    Suzanne Dickerson is a full professor who is an expert in in qualitative methods that are central to translational and pragmatic research. Her hermeneutic phenomenological studies provide evidence that the inclusion of the patient/person perspective provides the scaffolding to understand the importance of context and stakeholder participation, which is pivotal in improving interventions and outcomes to promote health and welfare. Her research focuses on patient/technology interactions, including telemedicine for persons with opioid use disorder being treated for Hepatitis C, cancer patients using internet to seek help and support, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator recipients, sleep apnea patients using CPAP, and mixed methods using phenomenology to study sleep disturbances in cancer survivors.

    Dickerson lead and received a $1.2 million grant funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration titled “Maximizing Capacity to Educate Future PhD Nurse Faculty.” The goal of this grant was to create a distance learning format PhD program, which will allow for more students from varying backgrounds to enroll. The goal is for these graduating students to join the nursing faulty workforce to fill the shortage of nurse teaching professionals.

    Dickerson has been a member of the UB SON faculty since 1991. She earned her BS in nursing from Niagara University and went on to earn an MS in adult health CNS cardio/respiratory and DNS in nursing from the University at Buffalo.

    In the News

    Book Launch: "Doing Hermeneutic Phenomenological Research: A Practical Guide"

    I am very thrilled announce our book launch of: Doing Hermeneutic Phenomenological Research: A practical guide (2020, Sage Publication Inc., ISBN 978-1-5264-8573-1). This book evolved from a team (myself included) of scholars (Lesley Dibley, Suzanne Dickerson, Mel Duffy and Roxanne Vandermause) who participate in the emerging scholarship of the Advanced Hermeneutical Institute that has occurred over the past three decades. The goal of this research is to gain an understand of the meaning of human experience. To discuss philosophical underpinnings of the research, this group of national and international scholars gather annually, bringing in current philosophers to examine the readings from Heidegger and Gadamer, among others. Doctoral students and faculty also attend to engage in the scholarly discussion.  This book is a guide for scholars of any discipline to understand the philosophical way of thinking in designing and conducting Hermeneutic Phenomenological Research. A video of the book launch is below.

    Book launch for "Doing Hermeneutic Phenomenological Research: A Practical Guide"

  • Stephanie Durfee, MSN-Ed, RNC, C-EFM

    Clinical Instructor

    Stephanie Durfee.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    231 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3225

    EMAIL: sldurfee@buffalo.edu

  • Donna Fabry, DNP, CNS, RN

    Pre-Licensure Programs Coordinator; Clinical Associate Professor

    Donna Fabry.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    214 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2101

    EMAIL: fabr@buffalo.edu

    In the News

  • Kelly Foltz-Ramos, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CHSE-A

    Director of Simulation & Innovation; Assistant Professor

    Kelly Foltz-Ramos.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    211 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3216

    EMAIL: foltz@buffalo.edu

  • Susan Grinslade, PhD, RN, PHCNS-BC, FAAN

    Associate Director, UB Community Health Equity Research Institute; Clinical Professor; Community Engagement Coordinator

    Susan Grinslade.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    210 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2234

    EMAIL: msgrinsl@buffalo.edu

    In the News

  • Jennifer Guay, DNP, CNM

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Jennifer Guay.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    221 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3882

    EMAIL: jmguay@buffalo.edu

    I want to educate students to provide outstanding care to patients of all ages. I believe through collaboration and teamwork, we will make a difference in our patients’ lives.

    Jennifer Guay is the RN to BS program coordinator and a clinical associate professor at the School of Nursing. She is also a certified midwife practicing at Kaleida Health.

    Guay's expertise lies in midwifery and neonatal care. Her areas of research include preventing teenage pregnancy and improving the health of mothers and babies. She also is a research advocate for interprofessioal education, including simulation, and innovative education enhancements in the classroom, clinicals, online and in global settings.

    Guay is committed to global health and providing care for the underserved. She traveled with HELPS International for a medical mission in Guatemala, where she taught lay midwives how to manage birth and postpartum complications and to administer neonatal CPR. She also provided care for women across the lifespan while incorporating local traditions and culture into their health care and teachings.

    Guay has presented her research findings both nationally and internationally. She has presented at the International Research Conference in Dublin, Ireland, concerning global nursing. Guay has also presented her research findings on nursing students' use and involvement with technology during baccalaureate programs in Cancun, Mexico, and Madrid, Spain.

  • Melinda Haas, DNP, RN, FNP-BC

    Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs; Clinical Assistant Professor

    Melinda Haas.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    222 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-2389

    EMAIL: mshaas2@buffalo.edu

    Melinda Haas is a clinical assistant professor for the UB SON and a family nurse practitioner at East Aurora Pediatrics. Her areas of interest include pediatric and adolscent care. She received her BS in Nursing from St. John Fisher College and DNP from the UB SON. She is also currently a PhD student in UB's information science program.

    In the News

  • Alyssa Hamel, DNP, RN, PMHNP-BC

    Program Director, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program; Clinical Assistant Professor

    Alyssa Hamel.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    311 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-2389

    EMAIL: alyssawe@buffalo.edu

    Alyssa Hamel's early clinical experience includes several roles as a registered nurse within the Catholic Health System in Buffalo, NY. She began her nursing career on the medical/surgical and stroke care units at Sisters of Charity Hospital, where she also performed the role of charge nurse on an acute medical unit specializing in neurological care. During COVID-19, she also performed the role of acute care nurse at Sisters of Charity Hospital's St. Joseph campus, the state’s first COVID-19 dedicated hospital.

    Early in her career, Hamel also expanded her nursing experience on a global stage, having participated in a nursing mission trip in South East Asia and caring for underserved populations in Kandy, Sri Lanka, where she provided stroke and neurological care in a rural teaching hospital.

    As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, Hamel works at BestSelf Behavioral Health, where she’s responsible for assessing, diagnosing and providing pharmacological management and education for adults with a variety of mental illnesses. She was previously the primary psychiatric provider for the adult eating disorder treatment services. 

    Hamel remains engaged with the wider professional nursing community through her membership in the Neuroscience Education Institute, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society and American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

    Hamel earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from UB in 2011 and a bachelor of science in nursing from D’Youville College. She also graduated from UB School of Nursing’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner DNP program in 2019.

    In the News

  • Megan Heimerl, DNP, FNP-BC

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Megan Heimerl.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    212 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3235

    EMAIL: meganvau@buffalo.edu

    Megan Heimerl is a clinical assistant professor and 2018 graduate of UB's DNP program . She has served in acute and outpatient settings as an urgent care provider, hospitalist, clinical nurse, charge nurse and assistant nurse manager. As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Heimerl has worked as a general hospitalist at Infinity and Buffalo Medical Groups. Additionally, she serves as a US Air Force Reservist—performing annual physicals focusing on both the physical and mental health of 1,200 Air Force Reserve members for deployment readiness. She was the recipient of the 2016 Jonas Scholarship Award and the 2015 ANEW Grant Award.

  • Sharon Hewner, PhD, RN, FAAN

    Professor

    Sharon Hewner.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    311 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2092

    EMAIL: hewner@buffalo.edu

    My experience in a wide variety of health care settings, ranging from intensive and coronary care to long-term care and home care, led me to employ systems thinking about how to improve care transitions, and to consider the role that technology could play in improving care across settings.

    Sharon Hewner is a research professor in the School of Nursing. Her research focuses on the interaction between nurse care coordinators, patients and their caregivers at the time of hospital discharge. Hewner’s team, which includes primary care physicians, nurse researchers, and engineers, examines how technology and health information exchange can improve the delivery of person-centered care during the transition to post-discharge settings.

    Hewner recently completed the Coordinating Transitions project (AHRQ funded). The work utilized a health information exchange to alert nurse care coordinators in primary care when the patient is discharged to ensure an outreach phone call within 72 hours of discharge. The technology that the team developed is now used in an eight county region of WNY. Through avoided hospitalization and emergency department visits, this has resulted in a $1,300 reduction in cost of care per adult Medicaid recipient with pre-existing chronic conditions.

    Hewner’s current research compares the efficacy of community-based care coordination models for complex and high-need patients. An additional focus is using data mining, cognitive work analysis and natural language processing to develop a conversational assistant to support nurse care coordinators in the development of a comprehensive shared care plan that follows the patient throughout the health care system.

    In the News

  • Amy Hequembourg, PhD

    Associate Professor

    Amy Hequembourg.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    304 C Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2608

    EMAIL: ahequemb@buffalo.edu

    Amy Hequembourg is an associate professor for the School of Nursing and has devoted her career to understanding the nature of health disparities among sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) populations. Her research has impacted the field of SGM health in several ways. First, she has identified risks associated with sexual victimization among cisgender sexual minority women, as well as providing insights into their unique post-assault disclosure and coping experiences. Second, she has contributed to an ever-expanding body of research that identifies and elucidates the unique health disparities experienced by bisexual women. Third, her ongoing work as a member of several interdisciplinary research teams seeks to expand knowledge about the link between alcohol use and violence among SGM individuals and within same-sex couples. Her current funded research examines mechanisms linking peer victimization and alcohol use among LGBTQ+ adolescents. 

    In the News

  • Maeve Howett, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, FAAN

    Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives; Clinical Professor

    Maeve Howett.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    102 D Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3247

    EMAIL: mahowett@buffalo.edu

    In the News

  • Francine Intorre, DNP, RN, AGNP-BC

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Francine Intorre.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    317 D Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-3203

    EMAIL: fmm5@buffalo.edu

    Francine Intorre is a clinical instructor in the Adult-Gerontology DNP Program. She received her BS and DNP from University at Buffalo School of Nursing. Her area of focus is our aging community including preventing hospital admissions, communicating across levels of care, aging in place, dementia and caregiver burnout. She hopes to inspire others to enter the field of geriatrics because there is such a growing need to care for this vulnerable population. She believes it is a true joy to honor patients’ stories and be part of their care. 

    In the News

  • Nicholas Jones, DNP, CRNA

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Nick Jones.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    325 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-5084

    EMAIL: najones@buffalo.edu

  • Jennifer Livingston, PhD

    Associate Professor

    Jennifer Livingston.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    301 D Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-2486

    EMAIL: jal7@buffalo.edu

    My research is focused on understanding the pathways through which early adverse experiences with victimization can contribute to substance use, sexual risk behavior and poor mental health.

    Jennifer Livingston is an associate professor committed to the research of violence and substance use among adolescents and to the promotion of sexual health education among children and adolescents. She is particularly interested in understanding the mechanisms through which peer victimization (i.e. bullying and sexual harassment) come to impact adolescent health outcomes, including substance use, sexual risk behavior, mental health, and vulnerability to other types of victimization (i.e. dating violence, sexual assault).

    Another key area of Livingston's interest is the prevention of sexual assault and sexual abuse across the lifespan – children, adolescents, sexual minority youth and emerging adults. She believes that understanding the pathways through which early adverse experiences with victimization contribute to negative outcomes, and the protective mechanisms that can improve these effects and outcomes, can be used to inform intervention and prevention efforts.

    In the News

  • Brian Lowe, DNP, CRNA

    CRNA Assistant Program Director; Clinical Assistant Professor

    Brian Lowe.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    323 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-3458

    EMAIL: brianlow@buffalo.edu

    At a young age, Brian Lowe found himself undergoing a surgical procedure. Lowe was anxious but recalls the nurse anesthetist’s calming words and presence putting him at ease. He credits that experience with setting him on his path to becoming a CRNA.

    In his professional life, Lowe is always seeking ways to provide a similar positive experience to his patients, and, as he embarked on his path to becoming an educator, inspiring his students to do the same.

    “I realized through clinical practice, I could change the lives of thousands, but through teaching, I could change the lives of millions by helping to shape the nurse anesthetists of tomorrow,” Lowe explains.

    Lowe received his DNP from UB’s School of Nursing. He practices clinically at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, New York. He is committed to advocating for CRNAs and the nurse anesthesia profession, and to passing on these values to his students.

    “Practicing to the fullest extent of my education and training is of paramount importance to me,” says Lowe. “I am sometimes the only anesthesia provider in the hospital. It is a huge responsibility that keeps me motivated to work harder, to be always at my best. I have an insatiable hunger for knowledge, to shape my practice using the most current evidence.” 

    Lowe vows to ignite this same passion in all his students. 

  • Catherine M. Mann, EdD, RN, CNS, CNE

    Clinical Professor

    Catherine Mann.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    216 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-6036

    EMAIL: cmmann@buffalo.edu

    As a certified nurse educator with more than 20 years of teaching experience, I strive to improve education to enhance patient-centered care for nurses and other health professionals in practice and in prelicensure and graduate programs.

    Catherine Mann is a clinical professor for the School of Nursing.

    Mann is a clinical nurse specialist in community health with more than 25 years in home health in case management and administrative positions, including in the hospice and palliative care field. Her experience comprises of program coordinator for an innovative master’s in palliative care nursing; teaching palliative care courses; and acting as a clinical educator of inpatient hospice, home hospice and hospice inpatient unit settings.

    Mann’s history and experience have allowed her to contribute to improving care for patients with congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as director of a national demonstration project. She is also privileged to be a visiting scholar at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.

    In the News

  • Gail Markowski

    Program Director, Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program; Clinical Assistant Professor

    Gail Markowski.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    312 Wende
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-3391

    EMAIL: gailbain@buffalo.edu

    Gail Markowski, DNP, ANP-C, ACNP, CCRN, is a nurse practitioner with over 25 years of experience. 

    Markowski is a nurse practitioner in the Cardiothoracic Surgery program at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, where she initiated Catholic Health’s Structural Heart Program and directed its operation. 

    Prior to joining the faculty at UB School of Nursing, she was an adjunct clinical professor at D’Youville College. She also worked as a nurse at Cardiology Group of WNY, Southtown’s Cardiology, Pulmonary Group of WNY, Sisters of Charity Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital.  

    Markowski earned her DNP at Regis University in 2020 and her post-master's certificate in acute care, master’s degree in adult health nursing, bachelor’s degree in nursing and bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University at Buffalo in 2003, 1999, 1983 and 1980, respectively. 

    In the News

  • Carolyn Montgomery, PhD, ANP-C, GNP

    Post-MS to DNP Program Coordinator; Clinical Assistant Professor

    Carolyn Montgomery.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    321 C Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3208

    EMAIL: cam11@buffalo.edu

  • Molli Oldenburg, DNP, RN, FNP-C

    Program Director, Family Nurse Practitioner Program; Global Initiatives Coordinator; Clinical Associate Professor

    Molli Oldenburg.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    310 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2303

    EMAIL: mmo3@buffalo.edu

    Molli Oldenburg, DNP, RN, MSN, FNP-BC, AOCNP, is a nurse practitioner with more than 20 years of clinical experience. Since 2018, she has served as the Global Initiatives Coordinator at the UB School of Nursing, creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience beyond traditional clinical settings. She practices on the Leukemia Service at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and previously spent seven years in rural western New York working in primary care.

    As program director of the Family Nurse Practitioner Program and a clinical associate professor since 2022, Oldenburg develops curricular standards; advises students; and conducts research in oncology, survivorship and global health. She has taught more than a dozen graduate and undergraduate courses, including Social Determinants and Justice in Local and Global Settings. Oldenburg leads UB’s Global Health Initiatives, spearheading mission trips to Peru, Haiti, Ghana, Belize, Greece and underserved areas in Tennessee. She has collaborated with UB’s Dental and Pharmacy schools on interprofessional projects and recently secured a grant from the Elsie P. and Lucius B. McCowan Private Charitable Foundation to support a Global Health Initiative that immerses nursing students in culturally inclusive clinical experiences.

    In the News

  • Sophia Overton, MSEd, RN

    Clinical Instructor

    Sophia Overton.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    226 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-3242

    EMAIL: sophiaov@buffalo.edu

    Sophia Overton, MS Ed, RN, has held various nursing roles since 1992, during which time she discovered a passion for educating underserved populations in health care maintenance and advocacy.

    Recognizing the impact diabetes has on the African American population, Sophia Overton joined Catholic Health System as a patient educator with a focus on diabetes. She then transitioned to a clinical nurse educator with Catholic Medical Partners, where she identified health trends, disparities and gaps in care and uses this information to educate medical providers to reduce or fill in the gaps to the population they serve.  

    Previously, she held positions as a hospice nurse, long-term care school nurse, an RN case manager, a correctional staff nurse, a quality support nurse investigator, a behavior health nurse and an adjunct clinical instructor at UB School of Nursing and Niagara County Community College.

    Sophia Overton received an associate degree in applied science in nursing from Niagara County Community College and a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in nursing education from Daemen College. She’s also a member of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, an international, nonprofit, professional service organization for registered professional nurses. She is also a recipient of the 2021 University at Buffalo School of Nursing’s Patricia H. Garman Award for Excellence and Service in Nursing for her role in the creation and launch of the school’s mentorship program for students of color.

    Sophia Overton’s interests are diabetes, diabetes education and the impact in the African American and Hispanic communities. Additionally, she is interested in mental health, the stigma of a diagnosis of mental illness in the African American community and the relationship between mental health and diabetes.

    In the News

  • Eunhee Park, PhD, RN, APHN-BC

    Assistant Professor

    Eunhee Park.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    201 E Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3701

    EMAIL: eunheepa@buffalo.edu   

    Eunhee Park’s program of research is to develop, implement, and disseminate effective interventions that reduce the harms of risky behaviors, particularly focusing on smoking and substance use prevention among young people with low SES. Her research pursues three lines of inquiry, including the following: (1) understanding mechanisms and contextual factors of risk behaviors among young people, (2) finding innovative intervention strategies using technology, internet, and media, and (3) developing implementation and dissemination plans for sustainable health outcomes.

    In the News

  • Mary Rhinehart, MSN, RN, CCRN-K

    Nursing Skills Coordinator; Clinical Instructor

    Mary Rhinehart.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    225 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3241

    EMAIL: maryrhin@buffalo.edu


    Mary Rhinehart is the nursing skills coordinator and a clinical instructor. Rhinehart has served as Director of Critical Care Nursing Education at the Erie County Medical Center since 2015. She previously served as the Manager of Hospital Development Services for Upstate New York Transplant Services, WNY Division. Her current research relates to improving the clinical judgement among RNs in critical situations through high-fidelity simulation. She received her MS in Nursing and her BSN from Daemen University. 

  • Martha Robinson, DNP, RN, FNP-BC

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Martha Robinson.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    330 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2233

    EMAIL: mr272@buffalo.edu

  • Joann Sands, DNP, RN, ANP-BC

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Joann Sands.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    219 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2342

    EMAIL: jsnyder2@buffalo.edu

    I’ve been a volunteer firefighter/EMT for the last 12 years. I had the opportunity to go on a deployment with the fire department after Hurricane Irene. I also was able to take several nursing students on a deployment to Schoharie County after Hurricane Sandy.

    Joann Sands is a clinical assistant professor at the School of Nursing with a passion for disaster and emergency response management. Her areas of interest include disaster preparedness and response, resiliency after a disaster, disaster epidemiology, emergency management and global health.

    Sands is a member of Consortium for Humanitarian Service and Education (CHSE). This organization runs three interdisciplinary disaster/humanitarian exercises throughout the year with New York Hope, Missouri Hope and Atlantic Hope (in Florida). Students from the School of Nursing attend these exercises to gain experience in the disaster and emergency response field like identifying best practices, understanding of human behavior in the true-to-life settings in which professionals operate.

    In addition, Sands recently participated in the University’s active shooter drill, which included several UB departments and schools, local police and fire departments, students, the FBI, and many other organizations.

    In the News

  • Sabrina Schwartz, PhD, RN

    RN to BS Program Coordinator; Undergraduate Clinical Coordinator; Clinical Instructor

    Sabrina Schwartz.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    221 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-3925

    EMAIL: ss624@buffalo.edu

    Sabrina Schwartz, PhD, RN, is a University at Buffalo School of Nursing alumna, earning her PhD in 2024. She holds a master’s degree in nursing education from SUNY Polytechnic Institute (2016), a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Daemen College (2013), and an associate degree in nursing from Genesee Community College (2010).

    As a faculty member, Schwartz teaches obstetric and maternity nursing in the undergraduate program, preparing future nurses with the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality maternal and newborn care. Her research focuses on the impact of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) transfers on the maternal-infant bond, with the goal of improving outcomes for both mothers and newborns.

    In addition to her teaching and research, Schwartz serves as the faculty representative for the Multicultural Nursing Student Association (MNSA) and is actively engaged in faculty governance.

  • Lynn Scott, DNP-FNP-BC

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Lynn Scott.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    313 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE: 716-829-2610

    EMAIL: lynnscot@buffalo.edu

  • Daniel Jackson Smith, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, CNE, FAAN

    Assistant Professor

    Daniel Smith.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    301 B Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-6066

    EMAIL: dsmith55@buffalo.edu

    Smith's is the Director and Principal of The ROPEH Lab, which stands for Research for Occupational, Public, and Environmental Health. He collaborates with researchers and clinician-scientists from the University at Buffalo, Emory University, East Carolina University, Villanova University, El Centro de Cultura, Arte Trabajo y Educación, the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia en Santa Marta, and La Isla Network.

    Smith’s research program examines the effects of multiple environmental exposures on human health. He has conducted studies to better understand 1) the impact of occupational heat exposure on kidney health and 2) lead exposure on a broad set of community health outcomes. Smith holds methodological expertise that bridges the worlds of community-based participatory research with Spanish-speaking populations and data science. He has conducted quantitative analyses including natural language processing (e.g., sentiment analysis and topic modeling), network analysis, and machine learning (e.g., conditional inference trees and random forests).

    Smith currently serves as the board chair for the Alliance of Nurses for Health Environments where he collaborates with nurses across the globe to promote nursing as a leader in environmental health. Clinically, he continues to practice as a primary care nurse practitioner providing care to the unhoused of Buffalo, NY. He has previously worked as a harm reduction nurse practitioner in Philadelphia, PA. 

    In the News

  • Darryl Somayaji, PhD, RN, CNS, CCRC

    Clinical Professor; Unit Diversity Officer; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Oncology, Cancer Screening & Survivorship at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Darryl Somayaji.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    314 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2178

    EMAIL: darrylso@buffalo.edu

    Access to necessary health programs and services continues to be the biggest challenge to reduce the burden of cancer and improve quality of life especially in underserved populations. Novel strategies, new programs, and interventions are essential to ensure health equity in a complex and evolving health care system.

    Darryl Somayaji earned her BSN from Niagara University. She went on to earn an MSN from D'Youville College with a focus on community health and teaching, as well as her PhD in Nursing from the University of Utah. She also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in cancer and health disparities from the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the University of Massachusetts Boston.

    Somayaji’s research focuses on identifying gaps in equitable health care and understanding barriers to critical cancer services including prevention, screening, treatment and supportive care. This lack of access to necessary health programs and services continues to be the biggest challenge to reduce burden of cancer and improving quality of life, especially in underserved populations. Somayaji is working to correct this challenge and to provide proper care to all and believes novel strategies, new programs and interventions are essential to ensure health equity in a complex and evolving health care system.

    Before joining the SON, Somayaji completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in cancer and health disparities from the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the University of Massachusetts Boston. In addition, Somayaji also served as an adjunct faculty research fellow at Harvard University and an adjunct assistant professor of oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

    Currently, Somayaji is serving as a steering committee member for the 2018-2023 Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, the third of its kind, within the New York State Cancer Consortium (NYSCC). The first priority for this committee is to emphasize the importance of cancer-related health equity.

    In the News

  • Cheryl Spulecki, DNAP, RN, CRNA, ACNP, FAANA

    Program Director, Nurse Anesthetist Program; Clinical Assistant Professor

    Cheryl Spulecki.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    326 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3034

    PHONE: 716-829-3034

    EMAIL: spulecki@buffalo.edu

    In the News

  • Zoe Spyralatos, DNP, RN, PMHNP

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Zoe Spyralatos.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    324 Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-8013

    PHONE:  716-829-2729

    EMAIL: zoespyra@buffalo.edu

    Zoe Spyralatos, DNP, RN, PMHNP-BC, is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and clinical assistant professor at the University at Buffalo School of Nursing.

    Spyralatos advanced through various roles in nursing, beginning her clinical experience as a nursing assistant while pursuing her RN. As an RN, she worked with developmentally disabled individuals in group homes and served as a training instructor at People Inc., while simultaneously earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in psychiatry/mental health.

    Currently, Spyralatos serves as a full-time clinical assistant professor. She also maintains a part-time private practice, where she assesses, diagnoses and provides pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments and education for patients with various mental health conditions.

    Before joining the full-time faculty, Spyralatos was employed as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at BestSelf, a community mental health agency. In this role, she treated patients with a broad spectrum of mental health and substance use disorders across various clinics and as part of an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team. She later reduced her hours at BestSelf to explore other areas within mental health, becoming an adjunct instructor at the School of Nursing while concurrently working with BestSelf. Additionally, she joined the Western New York Developmental Disabilities Services Office, where she focused on the mental health needs of developmentally disabled individuals.

    Spyralatos earned her DNP in psychiatry/mental health in 2019 and her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2016, both from the University at Buffalo. She received her associate degree in nursing from Trocaire College in 2010. Her earlier educational background includes studies in liberal arts and business at Monroe Community College and massage therapy training at the Finger Lakes School of Massage.

    While pursuing her nursing degrees, Spyralatos worked as a licensed massage therapist. Although she no longer practices massage therapy, she maintains a strong interest in complementary and alternative therapies for mental health. She frequently integrates discussions of unconventional mental health treatments into her practice.

    In the News

    Check back soon for news about Zoe Spyralatos.

  • Tania T. Von Visger, PhD, APRN, CNS, CCNS, PCCN, ATSF

    Assistant Professor

    Tania Von Visger.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    201 F Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-2201

    EMAIL: taniavon@buffalo.edu

    Tania Von Visger’s program of research centers on symptom management and quality of life enhancement using integrative approaches, particularly mindfulness-based interventions.

    Currently, she is a co-investigator and study interventionist on “Mellowing Mind,” a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funded study that compares two ways to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among adults from underserved and racial minority communities. She is also completed her post-doctoral training at the Primary Care Research Institute at the UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Science with a focus on implementation science research that is supported by the Health Services Research Administration.

    During Von Visger’s 13 years of experience as critical care clinical nurse specialist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical center, she covered nursing specialty areas in critical care, abdominal solid-organ transplant hemodialysis and acute care surgery. She also provided clinical consultation, quality improvement, education, research and leadership throughout the institution.

    Von Visger’s array of educational, practice and research experiences across the country have instilled a great sense of cultural humility and empathy.

    “My appreciation for cultural diversity, coupled with the opportunity to live and work in many geographic regions of the US (the West Coast, East Coast, Northeast, and Midwest), has afforded me productive and fulfilling life experiences,” says Von Visger. “While people's way of life may vary slightly in a different part of the country, they all have similar basic human needs - to be understood and respected.”

    Von Visger’s dedication to stellar patient care and advancing to the profession is evidenced by her service as a member of several professional organizations. As a member of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Clinical Practice Committee and co-chair on the American Thoracic Society Integrative Therapy Interest Group, for example, she is committed to serving and advocating for patients. She is also an active member of the Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS), where she serves the nursing community by leading, mentoring and coaching young nurse researchers.

    Von Visger previously served as a research assistant professor at UB's Department of Family Medicine and as an adjunct faculty for UB’s School of Nursing. She has also served as faculty at The Ohio State University, Boston College, Johns Hopkins University, and the Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Von Visger received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California at Los Angeles, her bachelor's and master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Maryland and her PhD in nursing from The Ohio State University.

    In the News

  • Carleara Weiss, PhD, MS, RN

    Assistant Professor

    Carleara Weiss.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    301 C Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079                           

    PHONE: 716-829-3261

    EMAIL: carleara@buffalo.edu

    Carleara Weiss, PhD, MS, RN, is a research assistant professor at UB’s Office of Nursing Research. Prior to joining the School of Nursing, Weiss was a postdoctoral associate at the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (JSMBS) Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine. She also spent two years as a T32 postdoctoral fellow at the JSMBS, and five years as a research assistant at the UB School of Nursing.

    Before UB, Weiss was an assistant professor and a graduate research assistant at the Federal Fluminense University in Brazil. Additionally, she worked as a geriatric and oncology nurse in multiple health care settings for six years.

    Weiss’s research focuses on behavioral sleep medicine and circadian rhythms. She is an NIH MOSAIC Scholar, a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society and participates in various professional development workshops and clinical studies.

    Weiss received a PhD in Nursing from UB School of Nursing in 2018 and a master's degree in healthcare, a bachelor’s degree in nursing science, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing education from Federal Fluminense University in 2011, 2005, and 2005, respectively.

    In the News

  • Annette Wysocki, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNYAM

    Dean; Professor

    Annette Wysocki.

    ADDRESS:
     School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    102 A Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-3596
    EMAIL: UBNursingDean@buffalo.edu

    Annette Wysocki was appointed dean of the School of Nursing in July 2022. Her research focuses on the pathophysiology of delayed healing in chronic wounds. She discovered that fibronectin, the major extracellular matrix adhesive glycoprotein in the body required to heal wounds, is degraded. Her research also showed matrix degradation results from both the activation and overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2 and MMP9) and an imbalance of urokinase plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator inhibitor (uPA-PAI), and that colonizing bacteria in open skin wounds can express proteinases capable of degrading extracellular matrix proteins required for healing. 

    Together, these findings led to the development of dressing products to promote healing, as well as diagnostic tests to detect whether wounds are properly healing. She has authored more than 50 scholarly publications and presented her research findings nationally and internationally. She has been funded by the NIH, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research and the American Nurses Foundation.

    Wysocki previously was the first permanent scientific director of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and chief of the Wound Healing Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). At NINR, she started the Summer Genetics Institute, one of the most successful programs ever established at NINR.

    She also served on the board of governors of the NIH Clinical Center, broke ground and was on the design team for the Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center, and helped to initiate the NCI-All Ireland Cancer Consortium.

    In 2019, Wysocki joined Stony Brook University from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she served as associate dean for research and professor in the College of Nursing. At UMass Amherst, Wysocki was instrumental in establishing the UManage Center, an interdisciplinary research center focused on developing technologies to manage symptoms of chronic illness.

    While at UMass, Wysocki also worked with leaders across campus to secure $95 million to establish the Institute for Applied Life Sciences that includes the Center for Personalized Health Monitoring, the Models to Medicine Center and the Center for Bioactive Delivery. She also was on the statewide Life Science Task Force to develop a five-year plan for the UMass system that obtained $300 million in economic development funds.

    A fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, she serves on its Bioethics Expert Panel and the Aging Expert Panel. Wysocki is also an active member of the Research Leader Network for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She has served in many advisory and leadership roles, including as president of the Wound Healing Foundation, and on the board of directors of the Wound Healing Society. She has received numerous awards recognizing the impact of her contributions, including the Distinguished Service Award from the Wound Healing Society.

    As a member of the American Society for Cell Biology, Wysocki served on the Congressional Liaison Committee. She is a Harvard Macy Scholar and a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine.

    Wysocki holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from East Carolina University, all in nursing. She was a postdoctoral research fellow in cell biology at University of Texas Southwestern and Weill Cornell Medical College.

    In the News

  • Cindy Sickora, DNP, MS, RN, FAAN

    Director of Faculty Practice Initiatives; Clinical Professor

    Cindy Sickora.

    ADDRESS:
    School of Nursing
    University at Buffalo
    101 C Wende Hall
    Buffalo, NY 14214-3079

    PHONE: 716-829-0131

    EMAIL: cindysic@buffalo.edu