Dean and Professor
Professor and the Dean of the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies; Dean Peragallo’s clinical specialty is in public health nursing. Her research interests include HIV/AIDS prevention in Latino women. Dean Peragallo teaches public health nursing research, special topics in nursing research, nursing science, and program planning and evaluation. Dean Peragallo completed a DrPH at the University of Texas, a MS in nursing at the University of West Virgina, and a BS in nursing at the University of Chile.
Telephone: (305) 284-2107
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
Assistant Professor of Clinical at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Albuja completed her Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Track and Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of Miami. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner and currently has a shared role with the department of Pediatrics at the Miller School of Medicine Pediatric Mobile Unit. Dr. Albuja’s clinical work includes working with women and families in the Miami metro area. She teaches in Pediatric health and is interested in research and community outreach in maternal child health and health disparities.
Assistant Professor of Clinical
Dr. Mary E. Asher is a clinical nurse specialist specializing in post anesthesia/recovery nursing, pediatrics and adult health nursing. Her varied nursing background allows Dr. Asher to teach across the undergraduate curriculum. Her expertise is in care of the surgical patient across the life span. The focus of her clinical expertise is incorporating the QSEN competencies into clinical learning experiences for undergraduate nursing students. Her research interests include patient safety, care of the geriatric surgical patient, and perianesthesia nursing.
Telephone: (305) 284-6147
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Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing, Simulation Co-ordinator
Ms. Bell teaches didactic and clinical anesthesia and advanced pharmacology. Her research focuses on profiles of minorities in nurse anesthesia and simulation in anesthesia. Ms. Bell studied at the University of Pittsburgh, earning both a BSN and MSN in Nursing. She also completed a MACP in Counseling Psychology at Trinity International University.
Telephone: (305) 284-2573
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Program Director for Nurse Anesthesia Program and Lecturer
Rossana Bizzio, MPH, RN, FAAN is program director for the nurse anesthesia program at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, where she teaches clinical anesthesia. Ms. Bizzio is a certified registered nurse anesthetist. She has also served as a consultant for Eisai Lusedra and Cadence Pharmaceutricals. Ms. Bizzio researches the incidence of LEMS and small cell carcinoma with use of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants. She completed her MSN in biology/nurse anesthesia at Central Connecticut State University and is currently pursing a PhD at the University of Miami.
Telephone: (305) 284-2572
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Research Assistant Professor
Shonali M. Choudhury is a research assistant professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She completed her PhD at the UCLA School of Public Health with concentrations in community health and women’s studies. She joins the faculty after working in the non-profit research realm in various organizations in Hartford, CT. She most recently was part of a team of researchers at the Institute for Community Research for the Translation of the Risk Avoidance Partnership (RAP) for Drug Treatment Clinic Implementation – “RAP-Clinic.” She has previously taught at and the University of Massachusetts School of Public Health and Health Science and Quinnipiac University where she has organized community HIV awareness events. She is a member of international organizations such as the International AIDS Society. She is also a section councilor for the Population and Reproductive Health Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Her research focuses on HIV prevention and harm/risk reduction among vulnerable population such as sex workers and drug users both globally and nationally.
Telephone: (305) 284-8363
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Associate Professor
Associate professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Cianelli completed a PhD in nursing at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also studied at Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Chile, earning a BSN in nurse midwifery and later serving as a professor in the Escuela de Enfermeria. Dr. Cianelli completed a Master of Public Health at the Universidad de Chile. Her clinical specialty is midwifery. She teaches and conducts research in women’s health, health disparities, and international health. Dr. Cianelli also studies HIV prevention and was the recipient of a Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research traineeship at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
Telephone: (305) 284-2147
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Lecturer
Ms. Corrales is a lecturer at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Diabetes Educator and has a shared role with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. She manages the Extreme High Risk Diabetes clinic at Jefferson Reaves Sr. Health Center. She received a BSN from the University of Florida in 2003 and an MSN from the University of Miami in 2006. Her clinical work experience includes diabetes research, transplant medicine, family practice, and pediatrics.
Associate Professor
An assistant professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. His clinical specialties include pediatric nursing and HIV/AIDS nursing. Dr. De Santis conducts research on HIV and HIV risk in vulnerable populations. He is president of the Metro-Miami Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) and serves as a clinical consultant with the HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau. Dr. De Santis teaches nursing and health care of infants and children, growth and development, and human sexuality. He completed a MSN in parent-child nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina and a PhD in nursing from Barry University.
Telephone: (305) 284-5039
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Lecturer
Diego Deleon, MD is a lecturer at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Deleon completed a MD in general medicine at the Universidad Central del Este, School of Medical Sciences San Pedro de Macoris. He teaches basic sciences, including human anatomy, systemic human physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. Dr. Deleon’s future research interest lies in transcultural medicine.
Telephone (305) 284-2590
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
Cynthia Foronda is an assistant professor of clinical at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Her special interests include Nurse Education, Distance Education, Virtual Clinical Simulation, Transformative Education through Study Abroad in Low-Income Countries, Transcultural Nursing, Ethnic Minority Student Retention in Nursing, and Health Beliefs and Practices of Mexican Americans. She has served as a member of many community organizations including Project BEYOND (Beyond Ethnic Youth Opportunities for Nursing Diversity), the Waukesha Hispanic Nursing Project, WCTC Diversity Committee, WCTC Internationalizing the College Committee and served as the chairperson of the WCTC Recruitment and Retention Committee. She has educated nurses since 2003 and has a variety of clinical experience including pediatrics, neurology, orthopedics, cardiac, pulmonary, hematology/oncology, long-term acute care and community health. She has an emerging research program in Distance Education with a focus in Virtual Clinical Simulation.
Telephone: (305) 284-2080
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Research Assistant Professor
Karina Gattamorta earned her PhD in Research, Measurement, and Evaluation at the University of Miami. She previously earned her BA in Special Education and Psychology from the University of Miami and an EdS in School Psychology from Florida International University. Karina has focused her research on investigating methods of assessing bias in a variety of testing situations. She has co-authored papers in Applied Measurement in Education, the Journal of Educational Measurement, and the Journal of Early Intervention. She also has first-authored manuscripts under review in Applied Measurement in Education and the International Journal of Testing. She has experience with quantitative and qualitative research, data analysis, measurement, item response theory (IRT), statistics, and program evaluation and is proficient in a variety of statistical analyses including advanced techniques such as structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-level modeling (MLM). Currently she is teaching statistics courses in analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression, and introductory statistics.
Telephone: (305) 284-1572
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Assistant Professor
Rosa Maria Gonzalez-Guarda is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies. Dr. Gonzalez-Guarda graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor in the Science of Nursing (BSN), from Johns Hopkins University with a Master in Nursing and Public Health (MPH), and from the University of Miami with an Interdepartmental Doctorate in Nursing, Epidemiology and Psychology (PhD). In the past she has worked on community health nursing projects, public health programs and research targeting African Americans, Hispanic Americans and other vulnerable populations in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Her current research focuses on the intersection of substance abuse, intimate partner violence and risky sexual behaviors among Hispanics and the development of culturally tailored interventions to address these. She is the principal investigator of a community-based participatory research study aiming to develop a domestic violence prevention program for Hispanics in Miami-Dade County. She is also currently serving as a committee member for an Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation joint initiative on the future of nursing.
Telephone (305) 284-8374
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Lecturer
A lecturer at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Ms. Gottlieb is a certified nurse-midwife and director of the nurse midwifery program. She is also sexual assault nurse examiner. She teaches nurse midwifery, genetics, prenatal/postpartum/gynecological health care, health assessment, and obstetrical and newborn simulation. Ms. Gottlieb’s research interests include nursing and genomic health care, and anticipating genetic certainty after disclosure of an abnormal obstetrical ultrasound. Ms. Gottlieb completed a MSN in nursing from Boston University and is a PhD candidate in nursing at Florida Atlantic University.
Telephone: (305) 284-6256
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Associate Professor of Clinical
Associate professor of clinical at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She has completed an MSN in nursing from Barry University and a PhD in nursing from the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Hall specializes in community health, public health, gerontology, and diabetes. She is a board member for the Community Partnership for the Homeless in Miami Florida. In 2008, Dr. Hall received a public service award from the University of Miami. She teaches a systems approach to population based nursing, community based psychiatric mental health nursing, community health nursing & fundamental of nursing, and growth and development.
Telephone: (305) 284-6723
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
Dr. Jones is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gerontological Nursing. She worked for the past eight years at Cardiovascular Consultants as a Nurse Practitioner in the Electrophysiology Dept. in Hollywood, FL before coming to the University of Miami. She holds an associate of science degree in nursing from Abraham Baldwin College, Tifton, Ga., a BSN degree from Georgia Southwestern University, Americus, Ga., a MSN from Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Ga., and a post Masters Certificate as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Nurse Specialist from Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton. She recently received her DNP from the University of Miami; the focus of her master's degree was on developing a protocol for assessing and managing inmates with hypertension and diabetes. Her Capstone project in the DNP program was developing a heart failure clinic for an underserved area.
Telephone: (305) 284-2081
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
Ms.Kauschinger is an lecturer at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She earned a PhD in interdepartmental graduate studies at the University of Miami and an MS in nursing from Pace University/New York Medical College. She is a certified family nurse practitioner who specializes in family practice, HIV/AIDS, and substance abuse. She teaches HIV/AIDS, advanced practice nursing of adults, advanced practice nursing integration, and clinical fundamentals of nursing.
Telephone: (305) 284-6026
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Assistant Professor
Dr. Lawson is the former director and founder of the Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE) Program and Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Emergency Department at the University of Virginia (UVA). She most recently held a joint position at the UVa School of Nursing as a Research Assistant Professor before coming to the University of Miami. She holds an associate of science degree in nursing from Kauai Community College in Lihue, Hawaii and a BSN, MSN, and PhD from the University of Virginia. The focus of her master’s degree was on Forensic Nursing and her PhD research was focused on genital injury patterns in women after sexual assault and consensual intercourse. Her most recently funded research projects included addressing Motivations for seeking Emergency Department Care among Rural and Urban Patients and Genital Injuries over time in Women after Consensual Intercourse based on Skin Color.
Telephone: (305) 284-8655
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Research Assistant Professor
Dr. McCabe is a Research Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing and Health Studies at the University of Miami. He earned his PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of Miami. He completed his Doctoral Psychology Internship at the VA Ann Arbor HealthCare System/University of Michigan, has a MS in Community Counseling and an EdS in Mental Health Counseling from Indiana University, and has a BA in Psychology from Purdue University. Dr. McCabe teaches courses on statistical analysis for health care and behavioral sciences. His research interests are the etiology and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders, health disparities in the incidence of and interventions for substance use and mental health disorders, longitudinal analysis methods, and the influence of culture on psychological measurement.
Telephone: (305) 284-1530
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
An assistant professor of clinical at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. In 2009, Dr. McKay received the Faculty of the Year Award at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She teaches assessment and medical surgical nursing courses, critical care, and the RN-BSN Program. Dr. McKay is an advanced registered family nurse practitioner and specializes in adult critical care. She earned a DNP and BSN in nursing from the University of Miami. She also holds a MSN in nursing from Barry University.
Telephone: (305) 284-2342
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Research Assistant Professor
A research assistant professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies; Dr. Mena earned a BA in psychology from Emory University and a PsyD in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She is a licensed psychologist with specializations in family therapy, individual therapy, families affected by substance abuse, and families affected by immigration-related separations. Dr. Mena teaches biostatistical applications for nursing practice. Her research interests range from adolescent substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors, HIV/AIDS risk reduction among adolescents at risk, to minority populations affected by substance abuse and other mental health disorders and culturally-tailored interventions.
Telephone: (305) 284-5119
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Assistant Professor
Emma McKim Mitchell has recently completed her PhD in nursing at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her research focus has been in sustainability practices in nursing and nursing interventions abroad. Mitchell has demonstrated to have substantial interest and experience in research in South America particularly. She is a part of national and intercultural nursing associations, has participated in many presentations, and has been a representative for students in the University of Virginia. Mitchell has been active in the community and globally and shows creativity in her all-encompassing vision of the future of nursing.
Telephone: (305) 284-3816
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Associate Dean for Research and Professor
Dr. Mitrani is Associate Dean for Research and Professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She completed a BA and a PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Miami. Dr. Mitrani is a licensed psychologist with clinical specialization in family therapy and families affected by HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, Alzheimer’s disease, and immigration-related separations. Her research focuses on family functioning in HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and caregiving, health disparities, and research infrastructure. Dr. Mitrani teaches research methods, measurement, and health disparities.
Telephone: (305) 284-9139
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Senior Lecturer, Nurse Anesthesia Program
Ms. Mitzova-Vladinov is a Senior Lecturer in the Nurse Anesthesia Program at the School of Nursing & Health Studies. She earned a BSN from California State University Northridge (2001) and MSN from the Anesthesiology Nursing Program at Florida International University (2006). Prior to joining the SONHS Mitzova-Vladinov was Chief CRNA at the University of Miami Hospital; her clinical specialties include cardio-vascular, thoracic and neuro anesthesia.
Telephone: (305) 284-7393
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Assistant Professor of Clinical, Director of Undergraduate Clinical Placement, International Programs Coordinator
Dr.Ortega is a valued undergraduate lecturer, director of undergraduate clinical placement and director of international programs at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. He holds a BSN, MSN, and PhD from the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. He teaches Adult Health III, Role Transition, Pathophysiology, Leadership and Management, International Health “Transcultural Nursing”, Across Life Span, Leadership and Management, and Adult Medical Surgical.
Telephone: (305) 284-1269
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Research Assistant Professor
Dr.Parker is a research assistant professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She has completed a DSc and MS in nutrition at Harvard University. She is a licensed dietitian/nutritionist who specializes in nutrition during HIV disease, and dietetics, nutrition, and women's health. Dr. Parker researches nutrition in women’s health and nutritional issues among women with HIV. She is a co-investigator scientist for the National Women’s Health Initiative Study (1998-2010). Dr. Parker teaches nutrition for nurses, health care professionals, and personal nutrition for college students.
Telephone: (305) 284-2581
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Lecturer
As lecturer at the University of Miami School of Nursing and health Studies, Carmen Rosa Presti currently teaches Pathophysiology. She specializes in medical-surgical, and has experience as a Nurse Practitioner in the community. Rosa Presti has obtained a baccalaureate in Nursing in 2003 and an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner degree at Barry University in 2008.
Telephone: (305) 248-4497
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Lecturer
a lecturer at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Ms. Riquelme completed a MSN in high risk prenatal nursing at Vanderbilt University. Her clinical specialties include maternal/newborn, adult medical surgical, psychology nursing and pediatric nursing. Ms. Riquelme teaches theory and practice in the areas of maternal/newborn, and adult medical surgical. She also teaches clinical psychology nursing and pediatric nursing.
Telephone: (305) 284-1553
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
Deborah Ann Salani is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies. Deborah has been practicing as a pediatric nurse for greater than 25 years. She practiced as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Hematology/Oncology and Pediatric Critical Care for approximately 10 years. She also practiced as the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner on the Pain Management Team. Her administrative experience includes leading the Emergency Department, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and Hemodialysis Unit at Miami Children’s Hospital. Deborah has also practiced as a milieu therapist and psychiatric nurse at a Children’s Psychiatric Facility.
Telephone: (305) 284-6487
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Professor
A research professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, Dr. Santisteban is a licensed psychologist with a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Miami and a BA in psychology from Rutgers University. He specializes in family therapy, health disparities, and adolescent drug abuse/mental health/treatment. Dr. Santisteban teaches culturally-tailored interventions, community-based research, translational research, quantitative research methods, family therapy process, and methods in family therapy outcomes research.
Telephone: (305) 284-4271
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Assistant Professor
Dr. Schiavenato is an Assistant Professor of Clinical at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. He received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Florida State University and earned his PhD in Nursing from the University of Central Florida with a focus in Innovative Technologies. His research interests lie in the application of technology to assess pain in vulnerable groups such as premature infants and other pediatric and non-verbal patient populations. Dr. Schiavenato’s laboratory applies novel tools to interpret physiologic and behavioral signals including facial expressions, in an attempt to decipher the presence and intensity of pain in humans who are unable to communicate it. His interdisciplinary lab brings together scientists, clinicians and students representing diverse fields such as nursing, biomedical engineering, psychology and medicine.
Telephone: (305) 284-6379
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Lecturer
A lecturer at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She completed a BSN and MSN in nursing at the University of Miami and is currently pursing a DNP at Case Western Reserve University. Ms. Sikkema is an adult nurse practitioner who specializes in adult medical surgical nursing, cardiology nursing, and acute care/urgent care/critical care. Her research interests include cardiovascular risk reduction pharmacology, health care disparities in cardiovascular care, and nursing leadership. Ms. Sikkema teaches health assessment and acute care pharmacology, diagnostics, and nursing of adults.
Telephone: (305) 284-1525
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
Kenya Snowden currently teaches role transition and adult health as a Lecturer at the University of Miami school of nursing and health Studies. Snowden is also currently a member of the Emergency Nurses Association as she has had substantial experience in emergency care ranging from the University of Miami Hospital, Jackson South Community Hospital, South Miami Hospital and many locations. She has begun her academic experience acquiring her bachelors degree in nursing at Florida International University and has continued with a Masters degree in Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Adult Nurse Practitioner at the University of Miami School of Nursing and health studies. Snowden has previously worked as teacher assistant and clinical instructor, teaching the assessment of all major body systems and patient interview techniques .
Telephone: (305) 284-4135
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Vice Dean and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs (Undergraduate) and Professor
Dr. Ugarriza is the Vice Dean and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs (Undergraduate) at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Ugarriza completed a MSN in nursing at the University of Miami and a PhD in nursing at Case Western Reserve University. She is a clinical specialist, adult psychiatric mental health nurse. Dr. Ugarriza’s research focuses on mental health with a special emphasis on issues pertaining to the mental health of women. She won a Fulbright Scholar award for a teaching grant project in Cyprus during 2003-2004. Dr. Ugarriza teaches community psychiatric-mental health nursing, death and dying, health assessment, and theoretical bases of nursing.
Telephone (305) 284-1551
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Senior Lecturer, Interim Associate Program Director - Nurse Anesthesia Program
Jorge A. Valdes is a Senior Lecturer and Interim Associate Program Director for the Anesthesia Program at the University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies. He is native to Miami and a graduate from the University of Miami where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in 1997. Valdes began his nursing career as an ICU nurse at Baptist Hospital; in the fall of 1999 he packed up and went to Minnesota to attend the Mayo Clinic’s nurse anesthesia program where he earned a Master’s in Nurse Anesthesia in 2002. He moved back to Miami in 2003 and began his career as a nurse anesthetist at Baptist Hospital, becoming the chief CRNA in 2006. Jorge began Doctoral studies in 2009, and is currently enrolled in the University of Miami, School of Nursing and Health Studies for his PhD.
Telephone: (305) 284-4113
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
Dr. Villegas is an Assistant Professor of Clinical at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Villegas completed a PhD in Nursing at the University of Miami. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and a Master’s degree in Nursing from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. She is a Chilean Nurse Midwife and in the past she has worked on different clinical settings and research projects targeting Hispanic population. Dr. Villegas’ teaching areas are Fundamentals of Nursing Practice and Maternal Health. Her research interest lies in women’s health, STI and HIV prevention and the use of technology for prevention. Dr. Villegas has focused her research on the use of the internet to deliver a STI and HIV prevention intervention among young women.
Telephone: (305) 284-9069
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Lecturer
Goldie Wasman is a Lecturer at the University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies; she holds a BSN from the University of Florida and an MSN from the University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies.
Telephone: (305) 284-6166
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Research Assistant Professor
Andrew J. Wawrzyniak is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies. Dr. Wawrzyniak received a B.A. in Psychology & Biology from Lake Forest College, a M.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a M.A. in Psychology from New York University, and his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Wawrzyniak’s post-doctoral experience has included research at University College London, Uniformed Services University, and the University of Maryland Medical Center. His main areas of research include individual differences and health psychology, with specific concentrations in psychoneuroimmunology, psychoneuroendocrinology, behavioral cardiology, health behaviors, positive psychology, and socioeconomic predictors of health and disease. Dr. Wawrzyniak’s current work includes examining biobehavioral triggers of heart failure, cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress in healthy participants, and investigating characteristics of infection in a hospital setting. His teaching areas include statistics, evidence based practice, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and genetics.
Telephone: (305) 284-1306
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Lecturer
Nomi Weiss-Laxer is a Lecturer of Public Health at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Ms. Weiss-Laxer graduated from Vassar College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (BA), from Tulane University with a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies (MA), and from Brown University with a Master in Public Health (MPH). She has experience in both research and community-based public health initiatives in the areas of HIV prevention, childhood injury prevention, childhood asthma and vulnerable populations/health disparities. Ms. Weiss-Laxer has worked as a health educator, an interventionist on a family-based HIV prevention intervention for Latino families and a project coordinator for an emergency department-based car seat safety program. For the past two years, she was the Project Manager of the WHO Collaborating Center for Nursing Human Resources Development and Patient Safety at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She currently teaches Introduction to Public Health, Global Health and Health Promotion, Disease Prevention.
Telephone: (305) 284-9067
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Assistant Professor of Clinical
An assistant professor of clinical, Carol Wilkinson completed her Doctorate degree in Nursing Practice (DNP) at the UM School of Nursing and Health Studies, she earned a Masters degree in Nursing (MS) and a Bachelor in the Science of Nursing (BSN) from Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. Dr. Wilkinson’s primary teaching areas are Medical/ Surgical, Fundamentals of Nursing Practice, Critical Care Nursing, Community Heath Nursing RN to BSN, Pediatric Nursing and Prenatal/ Postpartum/ Gynecological Healthcare. Wilkinson’s research interests include Diabetes and HIV/AIDS in Haitian Women.
Telephone: (305) 284-4756
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Assistant Professor
Dr. Jessica R. Williams is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Her clinical specialty is in public health nursing and research interests include adolescent behavioral health, violence prevention, implementation science and evidence-based practice. Dr. Williams’ research focuses on better understanding the factors that contribute to risky behaviors among youth and the development and testing of interventions targeting the prevention of these behaviors. Her research also examines strategies to increase the implementation of evidence-based practices in healthcare. Dr. Williams teaches research methods and evidence-based practice. She earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Master in Public Health (MPH) from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (BA) from the University of Florida.
Telephone: (305) 284-3072
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Associate Dean for Health Studies
Dr. Zdanowicz received an M.A. in biology from S.U.N.Y Binghamton in 1985 and completed a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Pharmacology at St. John’s University in 1992. After completing his doctorate, he went on to work as a research scientist at North Shore University Hospital-Cornell Medical College in the area of endocrinology & metabolism. He assumed a full time faculty appointment with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences in 1996 and served as Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Director of Graduate Studies from 2002-2004. Dr. Zdanowicz received the Trustee’s Awarded for teaching excellence in 2000 and was Pharmacy teacher of the year at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences in 2001. In 2004, Dr. Zdanowicz moved to the South University School of Pharmacy in Savannah, Georgia where he served as chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences from 2011-2013. While at South University the students voted him Pharmacy Teacher of the Year in 2005, 2006 and 2008 and 2010. He was promoted to full professor in January of 2008. Dr. Zdanowicz currently serves as the Associate Dean for Health Studies in the School of Nursing and Health Studies. Teaching areas included pharmacology, pathophysiology and pharmacogenomics. His current research interests include pharmacogenomics, cardiovascular pharmacology, curriculum development and active learning techniques. Dr. Zdanowicz currently holds membership in a number of professional societies and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and two textbooks.
Telephone: (305) 284-4680
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