CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee
Dr. Nicole Evanick, DNP, MSN, RN, is the Department Chair and Chief Nurse Administrator for the Department of Nursing and Health Professions at Pennsylvania Western University. Dr. Evanick has over 17 years' experience teaching nursing in a variety of higher education settings and has dedicated the last 10 years to teaching and coordinating graduate level programs in nursing. Dr. Evanick has presented at both local and international conferences regarding best practices in online teaching methodologies and serves the nursing community by participating in a variety of professional organizations. Currently, Dr. Evanick sits on the board of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Organization of Nurse Leaders.
CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee
Melissa Arthur, MSN, RN, NP-C, CNE, is a highly accomplished healthcare professional and educator with extensive experience in nursing practice and academic administration. She currently serves as the Dean of Nursing, Allied Health, and Natural Sciences at Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC), where she has been a pivotal figure since 2005. Melissa holds a Family Nurse Practitioner License and Registered Nurse Licensure in Virginia, along with her certification from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Melissa began her academic journey with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), then advanced to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Regents College University of New York. She furthered her education with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Old Dominion University. She is currently working with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Old Dominion University. She is currently working on her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Northern Kentucky University. Her professional experience includes roles such as Nurse Practitioner at Halifax Internal Medicine and Radiant Medical Spa and multiple RN positions at Halifax Regional Hospital.
In her educational career, Melissa has held several significant positions at SVCC, such as Interim Dean of Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing Program Coordinator, and Associate Professor. She has taught a wide range of courses within the ADN and PN programs.
Through her extensive experience and commitment to excellence in nursing education and practice, Melissa Arthur continues to make significant contributions to the healthcare community and the academic environment at Southside Virginia Community College.
CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee
Mary DiGiulio, DNP, CRNP, FAANP is the Director of the Nurse Practitioner and the Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA. She is a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and has contributed to the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nurses Academic Practice Partnership Guidelines, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competency Implementation Guide for Nurse Practitioner Faculty and Faculty Practice Toolkit, 2nd edition and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Practice Leadership Network Toolkit.
CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee
Linda Cassar, DNP, RNC-OB, CNE, is an Associate Professor at The George Washington University School of Nursing, where she also serves as the Program Director of the Accelerated BSN program. She has been a nurse for 33 years and has worked primarily with the OB, Newborn, and Women's Health patient population. Her research interests include topics relevant to maternal/child health and student success. Professionally, Dr. Cassar is active in The Association of Women's Health, AWHONN's Emerging Leaders program. Since that time, she has served on several national committees. In 2021, Dr. Cassar was awarded AWHONN Excellence in Education (Scholarly) award.
CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee
Dr. Laura Fennimore, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, FAAN, is an accomplished leader and educator with more than 35 years of experience in healthcare management. She brings her real-world experience and executive knowledge to the classroom to DNP students in the Health Systems Executive Leadership program at the University of Pittsburgh. She is actively involved in professional organizations including the Oncology Nursing Society where she served as the ONS National President from 2018-2020. She is an active member of the American Nurses Association where she serves as a commissioner on the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing. Dr. Fennimore's greatest joy is helping nurses to thrive through evidence-based practice and leadership to improve the lives that they touch every day.
CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee
Kortney Welles, MSN, RN, CMSRN, is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Lehigh Valley Health Work in Pennsylvania. She has 5 years of experience in medical surgical nursing and 4 years of experience in healthcare education. Kortney is a national member of the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) and secretary of her local affiliate, Greater Lehigh Valley Affiliate - ANPD. She has also recently served as the co-chair of the Lehigh Valley Health Network Innovations in Education Symposium.
CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee
James L. Messer, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE, ACUE Advanced Credentialed, a native of southern West Virginia, has been teaching nursing for over twenty years. He enjoys teaching and nursing and by teaching he gets the best of both. Lifelong learning is a commitment, and he truly enjoys learning new things. James wants to leave qualified nurses to care for future patients.
CFPA Academic Publishing & Dissemination Committee
Gretchen M. Wiersma, RN, DNP, CHSE, CNE is both a Certified Nurse Educator and Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator. She helps nurses develop the skills needed to provide exceptional patient care. Working in nursing education now for over twenty years, much of her time has been dedicated to teaching in the clinical setting where she served as a clinical instructor, clinical course coordinator, and Director of Undergraduate Clinical Education. Through her roles, Gretchen has aimed to innovate nursing education, ensuring students receive comprehensive clinical training and recognize the value of a quality clinical experience as well as the barriers in finding and achieving them.
CFPA Advisory Board, CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee
Fallon Hughes, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, is the Senior Director of Nursing Practice, Innovation, Research & EBP at WellSpan Health. Fallon has served as the Director of Nursing Education and Professional Development at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, overseeing a large Nursing Professional Development staff of 37. In addition, Fallon has worked as an adjunct faculty member for Harrisburg Area Community College and The Pennsylvania State University. Her clinical background is adult oncology for which she served as a Nursing Professional Development Specialist for a number of years.
CFPA Implementation & Best Practices Committee
Dr. Cheryl Thompson, DNP, RN,PHCNS-BC, began her nursing career in ICU and home health nursing before transitioning to academia. She completed her MSN in Community/Public Health and her DNP, bringing her clinical expertise into the classroom. Dr. Thompson has extensive experience teaching at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, and has held various leadership roles focusing on curriculum planning and evaluation. She has developed strategies to improve student learning and NCLEX readiness outcomes, publishing, and presenting on these topics. Her expertise lies in fostering student achievement and enhancing nursing education.
