Faculty and staff highlights
Honors, Awards, and Certifications
Elda Ramirez, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, ENP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, FAEN, was honored by the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners (AAENP) as a founder of the organization and for her commitment and vision for the profession.
Diane Wardell, PhD, WHNP-BC, and Cathy Rozmus, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN, received the 2024 Journal of Holistic Nursing Excellence in Education Writing Award-Qualitative for their publication titled “Energy Healers’ Distance Healing Experience.”
Janet H. Van Cleave, PhD, RN, FAAN, was named the Suzie Conway Endowed Professor.
The American Stroke Association’s campaign publicizing Jennifer Beauchamp’s, PhD, RN, FAAN, RÁPIDO acronym has won four Communicator awards:
General-Health & Wellness, Excellence 2024
Commercials-Public Service, Distinction 2024
General-Health & Wellness, Distinction 2024
Commercials-Public Service, Distinction 2024
Susan Alderman, PhD, RN, and Stanley Cron were inducted into Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society.
Emily A. Barr, PhD, RN, CPNP-PC, CNM, ACRN, FACNM, FAAN, was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
Barr was also named an associate faculty member of the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics and is a member of the Executive Editorial Board of the Journal of Medical Humanities.
Stacey Crane, PhD, RN, CPON, was accepted into the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators.
Higinio Fernández-Sánchez, PhD, RN, received the 2024 Emerging Nurse Researcher/Scholar Award for the Latin and South American Region by the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Fernández-Sánchez was also selected by the HIV Implementation Science Coordination Initiative for the inaugural Visiting Scholars in HIV Implementation Science Program. In addition, he was selected as a 2024 Health Disparities Research Institute Scholar.
Robert C. Coghlan III, PhD, RN, MA, MSN, CNS, FNP, completed the Executive Policy Research Program at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Annalynn Galvin, PhD, RN, received a poster of distinction award at the American Academy of Health Behavior 2024 Annual Meeting with her study titled “Perceived HIV-related health information needs, behaviors, and outcomes for youth experiencing homelessness at risk for HIV: A qualitative study.”
Joy Harrison, DNP, MSN, RN, LSSGB, received the ANCC Nurse Executive Board Certification (NE-BC).
Presentations by Carolyn Pickering, PhD, RN, and recent graduate Raji Pillai, PhD, FNP-C, were selected as abstracts of distinction at the 2024 Council for the Advancement of Science Conference.
Myron H. Arnaud, DNP, CRNA, and Sara Lewandowski, DNP, MS, BA, BS, RN, CNE, HNB-BC, NC-BC, RYT, were selected among the region’s top 200 nurses by Houston Chronicle.
Lewandowski also received the 2024 DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurse Educators.
Hildreth Eloi, DNP, MSN-Ed, RNC-MNN, and Amy Blok, DNP, CRNA, were selected by students to receive the prestigious John P. McGovern Outstanding Teacher of the Year Awards for 2024.
The redesigned and rebuilt Cizik School of Nursing website received a Bronze Excalibur Award from the Public Relations Society of America’s Houston Chapter.
Faculty Promotions
Vuong T. Prieto, PhD, RN, CHSE, was named Assistant Dean of the Simulation and Clinical Performance Laboratory.
Doncy Eapen, PhD, MSN, RN, FNP-BC; Allison Edwards, DrPH, MS, RN, CNE, CDDN, FAAN; Hongyu Wang, MD, PhD; and Mitzy Kobeissi, DNP, RN, FNP-C promoted to associate professor.
Staff Promotions
Jordon Broussard was promoted to Research Coordinator II.
Merve Erten was promoted to Communication Specialist.
Sherri Green was promoted to Director of Communications.
Regina Holiday was promoted to Research Assistant II.
Felicia Hubbard was promoted to Program Manager.
Bonnie Ladner was named Senior Grants and Contracts Specialist.
Kyle Mader was promoted to Coordinator IV, AV Conference Services.
Alyssa Mata was promoted to Senior Administrative Coordinator.
Koy Murphy was promoted to Administrative Coordinator.
Gene Phillips was promoted to Senior Program Manager.
Stephanie Portillo was promoted to Senior Program Manager.
Miguel Rivera was promoted to Staff Ombudsman III.
Cavishia Roberson was promoted to Senior Program Manager.
Greg Shelley was promoted to Senior Program Manager, Long-term Care Ombudsman.
Layla Suscavage was promoted to Staff Ombudsman III.
Paris Taylor was promoted to Enrollment Coach.
Karen Trevino was promoted to Senior Administrative Coordinator.
Professional Service
Diane Santa Maria, DrPH, MSN, RN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FSAHM, FAAN, was named Director of the Developmental Core of the Texas Developmental Center for AIDS Research (TX D-CFAR).
Susan D. Ruppert, PhD, RN, FNP-C, ANP-BC, FCCM, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, is serving as Chair of the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) Executive Committee for a two-year term beginning July 1, 2024. Ruppert served as chair-elect the previous year.
Mitzy Kobeissi, DNP, RN, FNP-C, was appointed to chair a subcommittee of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Telehealth Committee. She was appointed as the Chair of the NONPF Telehealth Standardized Patient Subcommittee for 2024-2025.
Emily A. Barr, PhD, RN, CPNP-PC, CNM, ACRN, FACNM, FAAN, was named to the Brain and Mental Health Scientific Committee of the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Network.
Robert C. Coghlan III, PhD, RN, MA, MSN, CNS, FNP, was chosen as an Ambassador of the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research.
Riza V. Mauricio, PhD, RN, CPNP-PC/AC, FCCM, CCRN, was selected as the Regional Vice President for the South-Central Region of the Philippine Nurses Association of America.