Dr. Rachel Adler is a seasoned anthropologist and a psychiatric nurse practitioner with extensive experience conducting qualitative and mixed-methods research with vulnerable populations. Her book, Yucatecans in Dallas, Texas: Breaching the Border, Bridging the Distance, is based on over two years of intensive, binational, ethnographic research with a community of Mexican migrants in Texas. In her more current work, she merges her social science expertise in culture, ethnicity, and gender with her extensive clinical knowledge of psychiatry and psycho-oncology. This combination of skills makes her uniquely prepared to conduct culturally relevant interventional research with cancer survivors in the University of Arizona Cancer Center's predominantly Hispanic catchment area.  Rachel Adler became a nurse during her first sabbatical to broaden her skill set in medical anthropology and to become a more effective researcher with real-world impact. For more than a decade, Dr. Adler has integrated her nursing practice with her anthropological scholarship to advance translational science, serving as the site PI and co-investigator on several federal grants, allowing her to contribute to the literature on psychosocial oncology, psychiatry, men's mental health, research methods, and veterans' health.

Dr. Terry Badger's research focuses on symptom management, including reducing psychological distress, for cancer survivors and their caregivers.  Her contributions to science include documenting the effectiveness of telephone delivered psychosocial interventions in improving symptom management and quality of life.   Her second contribution has been the investigation of telephone delivered psychosocial interventions that reduce health disparities for English-speaking and Spanish-speaking cancer survivors and their caregivers.  Lastly, Dr. Badger dyadic analytic methods to document the critical influence of members of the survivors' social networks or caregivers have on cancer recovery.  Dr. Badger currently has NIH funded R01s as well as CHERC funding from the American Cancer Society. 

Additional Links: Publications on My NCBI

Dr. Aleeca Bell's program of research, developed from her 27 years as a Certified Nurse Midwife, focuses on women and infant perinatal outcomes, and the underlying oxytocin system. Her predoc and postdoc funding investigated epidural anesthesia and synthetic oxytocin relating to cortisol and immediate newborn behaviors. Subsequent private foundation and NIH KL2 funding added to an established, longitudinal, British dataset revealing: a genetic-epigenetic susceptibility in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) to postpartum depression; and a positive birth experience supports maternal mental health and caregiving. Pilot work led to an NIH-funded R01 award (2020-2025) conducted as PI at UA. By targeting women with a history of childhood adversity (expecting their first child), the RCT determined 1) the efficacy of Massage+, a behavioral infant massage, on improving the quality of mother-infant synchrony; and 2) the role of the oxytocin system underlying the efficacy of Massage+ and mother-infant synchrony, respectively. A unique contribution to the literature will be characteristics of the oxytocin system across pregnancy and postpartum including data on infant oxytocin, and maternal OXTR DNA methylation, gene expression, and genotype, and a potential oxytocin biomarker. This perinatal dataset with multiple birth and psycho-social measures is available to students.

I wanted to be a nurse from the age of 4. My grandmother was a nurse in the depression era and told me fascinating stories. I also had several medical issues throughout my life and knew if I became a nurse I could improve patient experience. I graduated from the UofA college of Nursing in 1986. I began working at El Dorado hospital in 1986 on a oncology unit. I became charge nurse in three months time. When our hospital closed in 2006 I was a nursing supervisor for the hospital. During my time at El Dorado, I worked on telemetry and med surg. I also performed home health visits to medicare patients and worked in an oncology office. I also began teaching part time for Pima Community College (PCC). At PCC I taught several first semester skills labs and a clinical rotation which was half long term care and an introduction into acute care at the hospital. After El Dorado closed I worked for Maxum agency and worked several facilities in town. I then accepted a position as house supervisor at Saint Joseph hospital November of 2007. I thrived in this role and realized I loved mentoring and educating others. I decided to go back to school after 25 years of nursing and obtained my masters in Nursing Education from Grand Canyon University May of 2013. I applied to the UofA nursing college in hopes of teaching for my alma mater and was hired. I currently am the Chair of a 10 unit course in second semester. It is Management of Acute and Chronic Illness across the life span. This is an introduction into Medical surgical nursing, birth to death.

I am alumni of University of Arizona's accelerated BSN program. I graduated in December of 2002. I obtained my Masters Degree in Nursing in 2016 from Grand Canyon University. I also have a BS in Zoology. I am an Ohio and Arizona native and love desert life. I am thrilled to be a Wildcat in the role of Nursing Faculty!

Dr. Cara Busenhart's career is marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence in maternal-newborn health and the broader landscape of nursing.

Dr. Busenhart's impact extends beyond the classroom and clinic. Her dedication to advancing the profession is evidenced by her prestigious fellowships as a Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (FACNM) and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN). These national recognitions highlight her significant contributions to midwifery education, practice, research, and policy. Further demonstrating her commitment to accessible education and professional development, Dr. Busenhart is also the co-host of The EngagED Midwife podcast and the co-founder of DeliverED Exam Prep, initiatives designed to support and empower aspiring and practicing nurse-midwives through comprehensive resources and engaging discussions.

A true advocate for accessible healthcare, Dr. Busenhart has been at the forefront of building a robust rural health workforce through significant grant-funded initiatives. Her innovative projects aim to bridge critical healthcare gaps, ensuring that underserved communities have access to high-quality maternal and newborn care. Furthermore, her influence is deeply felt in policy and regulatory arenas, where she actively shapes the future of nurse-midwifery practice and quality perinatal care in her state and on a broader national scale. Her work in these areas ensures that nurse-midwives are respected members of the perinatal care team and are empowered to practice to the full extent of their education and training.

I have been a registered nurse since 1991 with a concentration in women’s health and obstetrics.  I completed my advanced education journey with a BSN in 2010 and MSN in 2011.  I worked at Arizona State University as a clinical assistant professor but changed my faculty position to University of Arizona (U of A) as a Senior Lecturer in the Masters’ Entry to the Practice of Nursing (MEPN) in April 2017.  I am certified in Inpatient-Obstetrics since 2006 but aspire to be certified in nursing education.  I will accomplish this in 2019.  I am also experienced in medical-surgical, women’s health, and fundamentals nursing.  I am actively involved in interprofessional education, developing innovative student learning resources, several university committees, and volunteer activities.  I am a member of American Nurses Association (ANA), Arizona Nurses’ Association (AzNA), and Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nursing (AWHONN).  I am actively involved in my memberships and am the chair of the annual AzNA conference poster presentations.

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Dr. Chen X. Chen is the Sorensen Endowed Professor at the College of Nursing, with a joint appointment in the College of Engineering. Her research integrates pain management, women's health, and biobehavioral science, with a focus on dysmenorrhea-menstrual pain. She aims to improve its measurement, uncover underlying mechanisms, and enhance clinical care. Her work has been supported by several NIH institutes, including the National Institute of Nursing Research, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, and NICHD. She currently leads a $2.9 million NICHD-funded R01 project investigating the vaginal microbiome's role in dysmenorrhea. Dr. Chen has over 40 peer-reviewed publications, cited in more than 50 countries, and featured in popular media. A dedicated mentor, she supports early-stage investigators across disciplines and has been recognized with the Indiana University Trustees Teaching Award. She serves on committees for the U.S. Association for the Study of Pain and the Council for Advancement of Nursing Science, and reviews grants for NIH and the VA. As Co-Director of the UA Center for Health and Technology (CHaT), she leads interdisciplinary research and educational initiatives bridging healthcare and technology. Dr. Chen is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a Mayday Fellow.

Additional Links: Publications on Google Scholar

DNP - Adult Gerontology Acute Care, University of Arizona, 2017
B.S.N. - Nursing, Ohio University, 2013
A.A.S. - Nursing, Henry Ford College, 2012

Dr. Edmund's nursing career began by obtaining a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of North Dakota.  After years of nursing, her leadership skills developed in a corporate capacity by educating professional adult learners nationwide for many years.  After returning to higher education with the completion of a DNP, with a focus on family practice nurse practitioner, she practiced neurology and general practice, which culminated in owning and operating a primary care office.  The experience provided an opportunity to accept and train future nurse practitioners from all over the country.  During this time, it was clear that the number of psychiatric nurse practitioners was inadequate, so she returned to higher education again to obtain her certification in psychiatry as an NP.  Her research interests include emergency care of mentally ill patients, crisis care of dual-diagnosis patients, and rhabdomyolysis identification within the dual-diagnosis patient.  She is working clinically, providing crisis psychiatric care to patients in several underserved areas of Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Edmund joined the University of Arizona in 2016 as a Clinical Assistant Professor, where she is part of a team of expert educators and clinicians to prepare competent, highly dedicated psychiatric clinicians.  Since joining UA Faculty, she has been awarded the Suzanne Van Ort Award (peer award for teaching), the Daisy Award, and the Excellence in Teaching Award, which is awarded based on student feedback.  Given her background as both FNP and PMHNP, she has a clear understanding of the benefits of integrative care, especially in underserved communities. She wrote and was awarded 2 million dollars in funding from HRSA with the goal of expanding healthcare practitioner training in integrative and underserved areas.  The project will continue through 2025.  Dr. Edmund also currently serves on the Executive Board of the International Society of Psychiatric Nurses (ISPN). 

Dr. Elam, a native of Richmond, Virginia, earned a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia in 2010 and Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice in 2011 from Virginia Commonwealth University.  Most recently, he completed a PhD in Health Related Sciences in 2018, also at VCU.  Dr. Elam has practiced nurse anesthesia in various settings, including urban medical centers in Central Virginia, community and rural hospitals across Iowa, and most recently at hospital and outpatient facilities in the Tucson, Arizona metropolitan area, where he is also a clinical assistant professor at the University of Arizona.  Dr. Elam’s research interests include postoperative patient safety, regional anesthesia, and trends in ERAS. 

Dr. Sheila Gephart, PhD, RN, FWAN, FAAN is a Nurse Scientist with expertise in informatics, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and implementation science. Her work started in the NICU when she was working at the bedside as a nurse and was troubled by the sudden development of NEC in a cluster of preterm infants. She developed and has refined a tool for NEC risk recognition called GutCheckNEC. She has worked with parent and clinical stakeholders to create a toolkit called "NEC-Zero."  She has also worked in informatics, focused on clinical decision support, predictive modeling, and technology burden. She is currently refining GutCheckNEC and using telehealth delivered mentoring (Project ECHO) to improve adoption of NEC prevention practices in the U.S. She enjoys working students across all levels, mentoring junior colleagues and service-leading across the university.

Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Arizona College of Nursing, Tucson, AZ

Advanced Practice Clinician, TribalHealth, Scottsdale, AZ

Dr. Godfrey is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Arizona (UA) College of Nursing (CON), is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner, and holds certification in public health. At Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, her DNP degree studies encompassed a leadership focus with public health training at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, specializing in American Indian Healthcare. She also practices as an advanced practice nurse in emergency healthcare for tribal nations with TribalEM.

Dr. Godfrey is a proud member of the Navajo Nation and is a strong advocate for increasing the presence of individuals from groups underrepresented (UR) in health profession fields. Her primary focus is creating equitable academic opportunities for students from historically marginalized populations. She is the current program director for the HRSA Arizona Nursing Career Apex and Transitions Scholars program and lead on an Indian Health Services award (American Indians in Nursing Career Advancement Transition Scholars) aiming to increase the number of Native American nurses practicing in tribal communities. She also co-leads the UA CON Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force. Additionally, she serves on the interprofessional UA Health Sciences EDI task force, is the chair-elect on the inaugural Western Institute of Nursing Diversity and Inclusion committee, and a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Network to promote diversity, equity and belonging in nursing research and education in the United States. Lastly, she is engaged in efforts to establish a tribal-specific Arizona Health Education Center to develop health sciences education opportunities with tribal communities in Arizona.

Judith S. Gordon, Ph.D., is a Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Research and Executive Director for Research Initiatives in the College of Nursing. She is also a Professor and was previously Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Gordon received her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Oregon, Eugene. Previously she was a Senior Scientist at the Oregon Research Institute, Eugene.

Dr Gordon’s areas of expertise include public health tobacco cessation interventions delivered in dental and medical settings, self-help tobacco cessation programs,  educational tobacco cessation programs for healthcare practitioners, computer-based tobacco prevention programs, multi-behavioral interventions to address weight, physical activity, and tobacco, and the use of mobile health technologies (e.g., mobile apps) for lifestyle change and medication adherence.

Dr. Gordon has been the PI or Co-Investigator on more than 30 projects funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, and presented widely at national and international scientific conferences. She has served on several proposal review committees, editorial boards, and professional societies.

Dr. Herring started his journey in nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  After graduation He served in the United States Air Force at Wilford Hall Medical Center where he discovered his passion for critical care.  After his tour of duty and subsequent appointment in the DOD, his journey continued by working with the Oklahoma Organ Sharing Network.  The exposure to critical care, perioperative care, and an extreme level of independence with this job made him want to continue his educational path in advance practice.  Dr. Herring attained anesthesia training at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte/Carolinas Healthcare System School of Nurse Anesthesia.  He graduated in 2005 and served in several rural health facilities and critical access hospitals.  During that time he also took part in surgical mission teams to the Dominican Republic.  The yearly service trip eventually evolved in to team leadership in 2012.  In 2016, he started a Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Duke University.  His scholarly project brought together a diverse team of educators, international health scholars, and clinical experts to design and impliment a virtual orientation program for volunteer international health team members to improve their level of confidence and their global health and cultural competence.  Dr Herring accepted a role as an clinical assistant professor in the Doctor of Nursing Practice- Nurse Anesthesia program at the University of Arizona in September of 2018.  He and his wife have relocated to Tucson, AZ.

Ann oversees strategic marketing, branding, communications, website content, and management, among numerous other responsibilities for the University of Arizona's College of Nursing. In collaboration with the Office of the Dean, she liaises between the College of Nursing and its three academic divisions to address their marketing and communications needs.

Dr. Kristie Hoch, DNP, CRNA, MS, RRT, FAANA is the Program Administrator for the University of Arizona's DNP-Nurse Anesthesiology program. She chose to become a CRNA after serving with them in Desert Storm. Kristie has years of experience as a CRNA in every practice model and setting, to include office based, critical access, academic teaching hospital and trauma centers. She has served as the Rural Facilities Director and Recruiter for an all CRNA company prior to becoming an educator. She chose to become an educator to influence the future of the profession she loves by ensuring students are prepared to provide anesthesia autonomously and by incorporating evidence-based practice. She is a strong advocate for CRNAs. She has served in state, regional and national positions in Nurse Anesthesiology. 

Maria Kenneally

DNP, FNP-BC

Dr. Maria Kenneally earned her Bachelor of Science of Nursing in 1996 at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. She went on to receive her Master of Science in Nursing with emphasis as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Concordia University in Mequon, WI in 2003.  She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Minnesota State University, Moorhead in 2010.

Dr. Kenneally spent five- and one-half years teaching as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Missouri State University from 2010 thru 2015.  Dr. Kenneally served on the committee helping to develop the DNP program, and transition from the MSN FNP to the DNP FNP degree.  Dr. Kenneally is well versed on writing curriculum for coursework.  While at Missouri State she was asked to teach the Women’s Health course and Pediatric course neither of which had any curriculum formally written or placed on Blackboard. She also taught various aspects of the Family Practice 1, 2, and 3 didactic coursework. Dr. Kenneally has experience with in classroom and online formats. She has worked with students on their MSN projects as a chair and has been involved as a chair or member of various MSN and DNP projects.

Other academic positions held include Adjunct Faculty at Chamberlain University online MSN, FNP program,  Clinical Site Supervisor with Grand Canyon University  MSN, FNP program, and Adjunct Nursing Faculty for RN, BSN through Herzing College in Wisconsin.

Dr. Kenneally has co-authored several CNE series pharmacologic articles in MedSurg geared toward RN’s.  She has presented both podium and poster presentations at local and national conferences. 

In addition to her higher education roles, Dr. Kenneally continues to work as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has been active in family practice since 2003, taking care of various patient populations throughout the lifespan.

Dr. Chiyoung Lee is a nursing scientist dedicated to advancing the understanding of the etiology and assessment of neuropsychiatric symptoms, with a particular focus on the biopsychosocial underpinnings of pain and pain-related emotional and cognitive symptoms in older adult populations with chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Building on this foundational work, Dr. Lee's research aims to develop sophisticated intervention strategies to reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms. These strategies include noninvasive neuromodulation approaches, particularly home-based transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) for older adults with knee osteoarthritis and/or ADRD. Additionally, her work employs lab-based experimental paradigms to assess pain-related brain responses, utilizing advanced Quantitative Sensory Testing, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), and functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to enhance understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying tES effects. Her ongoing efforts focus on systematically optimizing tES treatment protocols and refining approaches by varying key stimulation parameters based on empirical findings to ensure clinical applicability. Dr. Lee currently serves as a co-investigator on a NIH/NINR-funded R01 study, which incorporates multimodal interventions-combining tES with mindfulness-based meditation-to more effectively address neuropsychiatric symptoms among older adults with knee osteoarthritis. She is also the Principal Investigator of two funded projects: the ORP Core Facilities Pilot Program at the University of Arizona Research, Innovation & Impact and the 2026 USASP-Mayday Clinical/Translational Research Award. Both projects aim to develop tailored neuromodulation-based interventions to achieve comprehensive pain relief for individuals with knee osteoarthritis experiencing chronic widespread pain.

Additional Links: Publications on Google Scholar

Dr. Ashley A. Lowe is an Assistant Professor and Community-Engaged Translational Scientist at the University of Arizona College of Nursing Since 2024. Her research focuses on the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based interventions, with a particular emphasis on pediatric asthma management and school-based health systems. As the Program Director of the Stock Inhaler for Schools Program, she leads a statewide initiative that ensures access to rescue medications for over 850 schools across Arizona. This program, the longest consecutively funded school-based research initiative in the United States, serves as a model for translating evidence-based practices into real-world settings. Over the past eight years, she has trained thousands of school nurses and staff in medication administration and intervention strategies, significantly improving asthma management and health outcomes in schools. Her expertise in implementation science and dissemination (D&I) methods drives her work in advancing scalable and sustainable health interventions. Her publication record in peer-reviewed journals highlights her contributions to the field, and she actively mentors graduate students across public health, medicine, and nursing disciplines. An active member of the American Thoracic Society, she collaborates with local, state, and national organizations to drive impactful, community-focused research initiatives.

Dr. Marianne Matthias, PhD is Associate Dean of Research and a Professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Arizona. She is a health services researcher who focuses on patient empowerment in healthcare contexts, with particular interests in treatment decision-making in chronic pain care and behavioral interventions to improve chronic pain care and advance health equity. She has specific methodological expertise in qualitative methodology and clinical trials. Dr. Matthias recently completed a VA-funded study as principal investigator of a randomized controlled trial focused on patient activation and communication for Black Veterans with chronic pain. Currently she leads a VA-funded clinical trial of an intervention to increase the use of evidence-based nonpharmacological pain treatments and a study funded by NIH's HEAL Initiative focused on increasing access to treatment options for Black patients with chronic pain and comorbid depression. In addition, she is a co-investigator on a number of other funded studies, including a study funded by NIH's HEAL Initiative testing a mindfulness-based intervention to improve pain management and reduce opioid use among rural veterans. She serves on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of General Internal Medicine and Pain Medicine and has published over 130 scholarly articles. 

Dr. Beth Meyerson is the Beverly Benson McCord Endowed Chair of Nursing, a Professor of Nursing and of Family and Community Medicine, and the Policy Director for the Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction at the University of Arizona.  Dr. Meyerson also directs the Harm Reduction Research Lab with a national, transdisciplinary faculty from 9 universities. Meyerson's research is focused on the reduction of opioid overdose death and bloodborne illness and infection through policy and practice innovations in medicine, pharmacy and nursing. As the Beverly Benson McCord Endowed Chair in Nursing, Dr. Meyerson also seeks to understand the unique needs of aging populations at the intersection of pain and opioid use disorder to improve patient screening, diagnosis and treatment. As experts in implementation science and community based participatory action research (CBPAR), Meyerson and her team partner with people who have lived/living drug use experience, with opioid use disorder treatment providers, funders and regulators through the Drug Policy Research and Advocacy Board.  Meyerson's Current research focuses on aging and opioid use, opioid use disorder treatment.

Additional Links: Publications on Google Scholar

Dr. Helena Morrison's research program focuses on understanding mechanisms of brain injury during ischemic stroke, with particular emphasis on neuroinflammation, microglia function, and sex differences in stroke outcomes. Her work spans from acute injury responses to chronic consequences of stroke, utilizing advanced imaging techniques including MRI and optical methods to investigate cellular and molecular changes in preclinical models. Her clinical background in intensive care nursing informs her translational approach, bridging bedside observations with laboratory investigations to identify novel therapeutic targets. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles and maintains active collaborations both nationally and internationally. Dr. Morrison has received multiple awards recognizing her research contributions and teaching excellence. She actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students, having supervised numerous honors projects and served as chair or committee member for PhD and DNP students. Her research is supported by federal grants from NIH and NSF, reflecting her commitment to advancing stroke science through rigorous translational research.

I have been a nurse for over 25 years. I feel nursing is the greatest profession on earth. I started nursing in the Critical Care setting in 1997. My areas have included: ICU, Open Heart Recovery Room, Disease Management, Cardiac Rehab and the Progressive Care Unit. I started teaching nursing students in 2010. By 2012 I had received my MSN with an emphasis in Education. I also like to work in the Community. I worked with the Arizona Department of Education and the Arizona Department of Health and lead the development of The Arizona Resource Guide to Managing Food Allergies in Arizona Schools. This allowed me to speak at many conferences and schools across the State in regards to this important issue. In 2023 I received my PhD in Nursing with a minor in Educational Leadership. My research focus is moral injury in nursing.