Our NPNSC Executive Board
our npnsc Associate members
PhD and DNP prepared Pediatric Nurse Scientists
Aylin Akca Sumengen, PhD, MSc, RN
Assistant Professor, The University of Alabama
Evaluation of the effect of an education program using innovative technology approaches on disease management in children with asthma
Katheryne Tifuh Amba, PhD, DNP, ACNP-BC, CCRN
Nurse Scientist, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
Population health, care disparities, patient safety and communication
Erin Arcipowski, PhD, RN, TNS
Manager, Research and Outcomes, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Global health, climate change, one health, social determinants of health, emergency preparedness/response
Jinbing Bai, PhD, RN, FAAN
Assistant Professor, Emory University
Cancer symptom science
Lori Batchelor, PhD, RN, CPN, NEA-BC
Senior Director Clinical Talent and Academic Partnerships. Children’s Health System of Texas
Experience of chronic sorrow in parents caring for their children with chronic conditions, and it's impact on parent and family
Deborah Busch, DNP, CPNP, IBCLC, CNE, FAANP, FAAN
Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins University
Pediatric and lactation clinical and educational research, along with APRN/DNP educational research
Christina Calamaro, PhD, PPCNP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Director of Research and EBP for Nursing and Allied Health. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Use of new technology and innovation at bedside to improve delivery of care and patient outcomes
Jennifer Costa, PhD, RN, APRN, PPCNP-BC
Clinical Inquiry Specialist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
The psychosocial experience and relationships of parents and nurses caring for children with cancer
Martha A.Q. Curley, PhD, RN, FAAN
Ruth M. Colket Endowed Chair in Pediatric Nursing, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia & Professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Provide evidence supporting nurse-led interventions that meet child and family needs in the pediatric acute and critical care
Cynthia A. Danford, PhD, CRNP, PPCNP-BC, CPNP-PC, FAAN
Nurse Scientist II, Cleveland Clinic
Family-centered interventions to help families with young children adopt or enhance healthy lifestyle behaviors r/t eating, physical activity, and/or sleep
Kimberly Dimino, DNP, RN, CCRN
Nurse Scientist, Hackensack Meridian Health
Patient and family centered care, engaging frontline nurses in scholarly change projects, academic practice partnerships, new grad nurse preparedness for practice
Leigh Ann DiFusco, PhD, RN, PCSN-BC
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
Improving health outcomes of adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD) as they transition to adulthood; adolescent health behaviors
Beth Ely, PhD, RN
Nurse Scientist, University of New Hampshire
Pediatric pain assessment and management. Procedural related pain coping and management, and pain assessment of children with autism
Media Esser, Phd, NNP-BC, CNP, CWCN
Nurse Practitioner, Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Diaper dermatitis and neonatal skin conditions in the neonatal population, awareness and intervention to the challenging issues of neonatal skin
Chris Fortney, PHD, RN, FPCN
Associate Professor, The Ohio State University
Neonatal palliative care, parent perceptions of infant condition and effect on distress and coping, decision-making, and goals of care
Cara Gallegos, PhD, RN, EBP-C
Associate Professor, Boise State University
Stress and depression in parents of critically ill children and children with special healthcare needs
Perry M. Gee, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Nurse Scientist, Intermountain Health
System nurse scientist conducting research in numerous domains
Jamie Gilley, PhD, APRN, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Texas Children’s Hospital
Pulmonary hypertension severity and outcomes of infants born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Scott Harpin, PhD, MPH, RN
Professor, University of Colorado College of Nursing
Pediatric mental health outcomes; at-risk adolescent health; vaccine hesitancy
Jennifer Hayakawa, DNP, CNS, CNRN, CCRN-K
Director of Nursing Research and Innovation, Children's Hospital Orange County
Joy in work, storytelling, as well as supporting the diverse EBP and research interests of our clinical teams
Mary Heitschmidt, PhD, APRN, CCRN-K, FAHA
Director of Clinical Research, Rush System for Health
Family dyadic research in patients with chronic conditions; Health system research
Karen Hessler, PhD, RN, FNP-BC
Research Nurse Scientist, UCHealth
Pediatric obesity prevention, health care in rural cultures, nursing resiliency, and stress reduction & recovery
Kristin Hittle Gigli, PhD, RN, CPNP-AC
Assistant Professor, University of Texas, Arlington
The role of advanced practice providers in pediatric hospitals care
Lauren Kalember, DNP, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CCRN-K
Director, Nursing Excellence & Inquiry. Texas Children’s Hospital.
Use of innovative education modalities to improve nursing knowledge and confidence in clinical practice
Urvi Jhaveri Sanghvi, PhD, RN
Clinical Data Scientist, Children’s Hospital Colorado
Leveraging continuous physiological signal measurement and improving supplemental oxygen delivery to support the environmental adaptation of infants following extremely preterm birth
Nurse Scientist, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Nurse-led interventions in pediatric critical care, with a specific focus on sleep and circadian rhythm promotion and delirium prevention
Marni Kellogg, PhD, RN, CPN, CNE
Assistant Professor, Dartmouth
Secondary traumatic stress in pediatric nurses and workforce development
Lori Kennedy, PhD, RN ACNP-BC, CCRN-K, CNRN, FNCS
Director, Center for Nursing Science, & Clinical Nurse Scientist, UC Davis Health
Neurocritical care and neurotrauma care and impact on outcomes across the lifespan. And inquiry infrastructure and impact on research and evidence implementation
Neisbe Kutahyalioglu, PhD
Assistant Professor,
Kastamonu University, Kastamonu, Türkiye
Family-centered care practices in the NICU & parent-infant attachment and separation after birth because of hospitalization
Valerie Lapp, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CPN
Nurse Scientist, Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
Children's voice in a hospital setting, pediatric patient advocacy, and missed and delayed care
Rebecca Lash, PHD, RN, CEN, CNL, NPD-BC
Nurse Scientist, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Management of special populations in the Emergency Department including pediatric mental health patients and patients with cancer
Elyse Laures, PhD, RN
Nurse Scientist, University of Iowa Health Care
Pediatric pain assessment in the pediatric intensive care unit. Implementation science with evidence-based practice
Stacee Lerret, PhD, RN, CPNP, FAAN
Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin
Transitions of care and family self management for children with complex chronic conditions, mhealth and telehealth
Kelly Mansfield, PhD, RN
Instructor, University of Utah
Social support for parents and families of children with CHD and heart failure
Margaret, “Meg,” McCabe, PhD, RN, FAAN
Senior Director, Center for Pediatric Nursing Research & Evidence-Based Practice. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Understanding the symptom of fatigue in children from a holistic perspective including biomarkers, environmental impact, and self-reported measures
Clarisa Medina Poeliniz, PhD, RN
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Alivio Community Health Center
The role of maternal obesity on biological lactation outcomes. The effect of breastfeeding as a protective mechanism from cardiovascular disease in women
Elizabeth Monsees, PhD, RN, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA, FAAN
Assistant Professor, Children's Mercy Hospital
Engagement of nurses in antimicrobial and diagnostic stewardship programs
Sara Moore, DNP, APRN, PPCNP-BC, CPNP-AC, NNP, EBP-C
Program Director of Nursing Evidence-Based Practice, Children’s Health
Annette S. Nasr, PhD, RN, MPA, NE-BC
Nurse Scientist, Stanford Medicine Children’s Hospital
The impacts of living liver donation on adolescents and young adults and their families
Tracy Ono, PhD, RN, PHN, CCRN
Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Nursing and Interprofessional Research at Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Health equity among Spanish-speaking families in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit during family centered rounds
Christine Platt, PhD, DNP, FNP-BC
Assistant Professor, University of Utah
Health disparities among families raising children with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses, with an emphasis on children in foster care
Jennifer Peterson, PhD, APRN-CNS, CCNS, CNE, FAHA
Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Biobehavioral outcomes of children with heart disease, nursing interventions to improve outcomes in children with heart disease, academic outcomes in children with chronic illnesses, genetics
Lisa Pompeii, PhD, RN
Professor & Director, Division of Research in Patient Services, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Healthcare workers’ health and safety specific to the pediatric setting
Karen Pridham, PhD, RN, FAAN
Helen Denne Schulte Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing
Support of parents in working together (co-parenting) for care of an infant with a medically complex condition
Kimberly Pyke-Grimm, PhD, RN, CNS, CPHON
Nurse Scientist. Stanford Medicine Children’s' Health
Treatment decision making in children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer, and their families, palliative care and clinical ethics
Amy Ramick, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC
Nursing Research Specialist, Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Impacts of animal-assisted intervention; heartbeat music therapy for children with progressive illnesses; moral obligation of pediatric nurses in an active shooter situation
Debra Ridling, PhD, RN, NEA-BC
Associate Chief Nurse, Practice & Research, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Leading Seattle Children’s Center for Pediatric Nursing Research
Christine Riley, PhD, APRN, CPNP-AC
Nurse Scientist, Children's National Hospital
Evaluating cumulative infant stress burden and associated clinical outcomes in infants undergoing cardiac surgery
Mia Roberts, PhD, CPNP-PC
Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice, University of Colorado, College of Nursing
Integrating behavioral health into adolescent primary care
Mindy Rodden PhD, RN, CPNP-AC
Nurse Scientist, RWJ Barnabas Health
Illness/ & injury prevention
Shameka Rodgers Phillips, PhD, ARNP, FNP-C
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Washington
Patti Runyan, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, EBP-C
Senior Director, Nursing Professional Practice, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
Engagement of clinical nurses in EBP in their practice settings
Zara Sajwani-Merchant, PhD, RN, EBP-C
Program Manager Nursing Research and EBP, Children’s Health Dallas
Social support
Elizabeth Schierholz, PhD, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Children’s Hospital of Colorado
The relationship of the nurse work environment and patient (infant/NICU) outcomes & continuity and transitions of care
Diane Spatz, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, FAWHONN
Professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Human milk and lactation science
Sandra Staveski, PhD, RN, CPNP-AC, FAAN
Associate Professor, University of California San Francisco
Circadian rhythm disturbance and delirium in pediatric post-cardiac surgery
Kathleen Sweeney, PhD, DNP, CNS, CPNP-PC
Associate Chief Nursing Officer. Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego
Transition from pediatric to adult care for children with chronic illness
Julie Van Orne, PhD, RN, CPN, CNL
Clinical Nurse Leader. Cook Children’s Medical Center
The lives and care of children with medical complexity with a tracheostomy
Vicki von Sadovsky, PhD, RN, FAAN
Director, Center for Nursing Excellence, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Symptom and gaming applications for pediatrics
Shirley Wiggins, PhD, RN
Associate Professor. University of Nebraska Medical Center
Pain and symptom management in pediatric populations from acute through chronic forms
page last updated 04.01.2025