Meet the Faculty
Interim Dean
Renee Pozza, PhD, RN, CNS, FNP-BC
Interim Dean and Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-5384
- Email: rpozza@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #303
Associate Deans
Teresa Dodd-Butera, PhD, RN/DABAT
Associate Dean of Research and Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-2120
- Email: tbutera@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #301
Aurelia Macabasco-O’Connell, PhD, MSN, ACNP-BC, FAHA
Associate Dean, Graduate Division and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6309
- Email: amacabascooconnell@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #308
Ruth Mielke, PhD, CNM, FACNM, WHNP-BC, MS, BSN, RN
Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-5383
- Email: rmielke@apu.edu
- Office Location: West Campus, Building One, Room #311
Grace Moorefield, PhD, APRN-BC
Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5377
- Email: gmoorefield@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Office #313
Lynda Reed, DNP, RN, FNP-C
Associate Dean of Evaluation, Accreditation, & Assessment and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5594
- Email: lreed@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #318
Lori Silao, PhD, RN, MN NNP-BC
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Division and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6352
- Email: lsilao@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #222
Professors
Vicky Bowden, DNSc, RN
Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-2034
- Email: vbowden@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room 302
Marie N. Fongwa, PhD, MPH, MSN, RN
Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5380
- Email: mfongwa@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #234
Nabil Hanna, MB BCh
Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5411
- Email: nhanna@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #357
Aja Tulleners Lesh, PhD, RN
Professor
- Email: alesh@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One
Christine Joy Phongdara
Program Director, Entry Level Master's Program at Inland Empire Regional Campus and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2872
- Email: cphongdara@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, 208 H
Lowell Renold, PhD
Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5593
- Email: lrenold@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #302
Associate Professors
Najood Ghazi Azar-Chaaya, PhD, MSN, MSN-Ed, RN
Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6314
- Email: nazar@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #216
Marissa Brash, DrPH, EdD, MPH, CPH
Department Chair, Master of Public Health and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6186
- Email: mbrash@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Suite 604B, Office 306
Eurina Yujin Cha, PhD, MSN, RN, CRRN, PHNA-BC, CHES
Department Chair, Upper-Division BSN Transfer and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6315
- Email: echa@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #217
Tina Escobedo, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Department Chair, Advanced Practice Nursing and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2323
- Email: tescobedo@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, Room #208P; Azusa WCAM Room #318
Karen French, DNP, FNP-C, RN
Program Director, MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Azusa and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-5569
- Email: kfrench@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #317
Sabrina Friedman, EdD, DNP, PMHCNS, FNP
Associate Professor
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Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2265
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Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, IERC, Suite 208G
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Anna Marie Hefner, PhD, MAEd, CPNP, RN
Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-5397
- Email: ahefner@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #353
Mary Lynne Knighten, DNP
Associate Professor and DNP Clinical Residency Coordinator
- Phone: (310) 386-1539
- Email: mknighten@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Online
Hong Li, PhD
Director, APU Institute of Health Research and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6324
- Email: hli@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room 235
Sanggon Nam, PhD, MS
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
- Phone: (626) 815-6187
- Email: snam@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #219
Patricia Quinn, PhD, ANP-BC
Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2159
- Email: pquinn@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #119
Regina Rico, PhD
Director of Skills Labs and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5272
- Email: rrico@apu.edu
- Office Location: West Campus, Building One, Room 315
Kathleen Ruccione, PhD, MPH, RN, CPON, FAAN
Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3050
- Email: kruccione@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #317
Nancy Sabin, DNP
Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2159
- Email: nsabin@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #315
Linda Searle-Leach, PhD
Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 437-7697
- Email: lleach@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Office #236
Mary Ann Shinnick, PhD
Director of Simulation and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6189
- Email: mshinnick@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room 314
Amanda Thurman, DNPc, FNP-BC
Program Director, School of Nursing
- Email: athurman@apu.edu
Sharon K. Titus, PhD, MSN, RN
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6313
- Email: stitus@apu.edu
Brent A. Wood, PhD
Nursing Site Director, Monrovia Site and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6317
- Email: bwood@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #116
Diana Lynn Woods, PhD, APRN-BC, FGSA, FAAN
Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6310
- Email: dwoods@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #221
Assistant Professors
Rose Theresa Anderson, MSN, BSN, RN, PMHNP-BC
Program Director, MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program at Azusa and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2276
- Email: randerson@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, Room #208G
Christina Bivona-Tellez, DNP, MPH, BSN, NEA-B
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (951) 312-2915
- Email: cbivonatellez@apu.edu
- Office Location: West Campus, Room #338
Nemesio Del Rosario, MN/Ed, RN, PHN
Skills Center Coordinator and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 812-6000, Ext. 6312
- Email: ndelrosario@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site
Meaghan Ellis, PsyD, RN, MSN
Department Chair, Entry-Level Master's Program and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2711
- Email: meaghanellis@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #212
Shirley Farr, PhD, RNC, CNS
Program Director, Entry-Level Master's Program at Monrovia and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6306
- Email: sfarr@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #220
Ana-Maria Gallo, PhD, CNS, RNC-OB
Nursing Site Director, San Diego Regional Campus and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2163
- Email: agallo@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Office #108
Ragi George, PhD, MSN/ED, RN, GERO-BC, CMSRN, CNE
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2712
- Email: rgeorge@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, Room #208 Q
Marcella Hardy-Peterson, DNP
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5596
- Email: mpeterson@apu.edu
- Office Location: West Campus
Beverly Kelley, MS, RN, CNS, CCRN
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2338
- Email: bkelley@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, Room #208K
Tasha Lowery, DNP (Cand)
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-4500
- Email: tlowery@apu.edu
Mario Macayaon, MSN/ED, RN, CHSE
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3196
- Email: mmacayaon@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #356
Renee Marquez, DNP, MSN, PMHNP-BC
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2296
- Email: rmarquez@apu.edu
- Office Location: High Desert Regional Campus
Katie McCoy-Hill, DNP, APRN, CCRN, CNS
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-5396
- Email: khill@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #359
Pamela Surla Milligan, DNP, RNC-NIC, FNP-BC
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6350
- Email: pmilligan@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #212
Elsa Murdoch, DNP, MSN, BSN, CLNC, CPHRM
Department Chair, RN to BSN and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2290
- Email: emurdoch@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, Room #208D
Sheryl Nespor, PhD, JD, MSN, BA
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (619) 718-9655, Ext. 2168
- Email: snespor@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #360
Brianna Pack, MBA
Assistant Professor and Chair of Online Education Committee
- Phone: (626) 815-6000
- Email: bpack@apu.edu
Koy Parada, PhD (Cand)
Assistant Professor and Coordinator, International and Urban/Rural Health Nursing
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5500
- Email: kparada@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room 348
David Picella, PhD, FNP, CNS, GS-C
Program Director, MSN Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 4482
- Email: dpicella@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #355
Jenna Reyes, MSN/Ed, RN, PHN, CHS
Department Chair, Nursing Education and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2164
- Email: jereyes@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Suite 300, Room 117
Nicole Ringo, PhD, MSN/ED, RN
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6346
- Email: nringo@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #316
Lawrence Santiago, EdD
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6191
- Email: lsantiago@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #314
Melissa D. Scalia, PhD
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6351
- Email: mscalia@apu.edu
Valerie Joy Smith, PhD, RN, MSN, CCRN
Department Chair, Traditional Undergraduate and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5401
- Email: vjsmith@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #344
Janette Tingson, MSN, RN, CPN
Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6313
- Email: jtingson@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Rom #205
Instructors
Margaret Brady, PhD, RN, CPNP-PC
Credential Director, MSN Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and School Nurse Program and Instructor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5431
- Email: mbrady@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #309
Beth Colangelo, MSN/ED, RNC
Program Director, Upper Division BSN Transfer at High Desert Regional Campus and Instructor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2289
- Email: bcolangelo@apu.edu
- Office Location: High Desert Regional Campus
April Gacuya, MSN
Instructor
- Email: agacuya@apu.edu
Lydia Garcia-Usry, RN, MSN, PHN
Instructor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2289
- Email: lgarciausry@apu.edu
- Office Location: High Desert Regional Campus, Room #200A
Dayna Holt, MSN, RN, CPN, CRNI, VA-BC
Program Director, Entry Level Master's Program at San Diego Regional Campus and Instructor
- Phone: (619) 718-9655, Ext. 2140
- Email: dholt@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #113
Taemin Jin
Instructor, School of Nursing
- Phone: (626) 815-6307
- Email: tjin@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room 344
Bridget Miranda, DNP, FNP-C
Instructor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2117
- Email: bmiranda@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #118
Jessica Oliver, MSN/ED, RN, CPN
Instructor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2193
- Email: joliver@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #111
Stephanie Schlosser, MSN-ED
Program Director, Upper-Division Transfer Program and Instructor, School of Nursing
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus
Karen Soikkeli, MSN, FNP-C, RN
Instructor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2118
- Email: ksoikkeli@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #202
Leslie Stephenson, MSN/Ed., RNC-OB, PHN
Instructor
- Phone: (619) 718-9655
- Email: lstephenson@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #116
Adjunct Professor
David A. Dorman, PhD
Adjunct Professor, Department of Biblical and Religious Studies
- Phone: (626) 387-5819
- Email: ddorman@apu.edu
Professors Emeritae
Lina Badr, PhD, PNP, FAAN
Professor Emerita
- Email: lbadr@apu.edu
Connie Brehm, PhD, FNP, PHN, RN
Professor Emerita
- Phone: (626) 815-6000
- Email: cbrehm@apu.edu
Pamela Cone, PhD, RN, CNS, PHN
Professor Emerita
- Phone: (626) 815-5466
- Email: pcone@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #315
Vivien Dee, PhD, RN, NEA-BC,FAAN
Professor Emerita
- Phone: (626) 815-5387
- Email: vdee@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #313
Felicitas dela Cruz, DNSc
Professor Emerita and Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-5395
- Email: fdelacruz@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #233
Phyllis Esslinger, RN, PHN, MSN
Professor Emerita; President, Western Conservancy of Nursing History
- Phone: (626) 815-6328
- Email: pesslinger@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #240
Elaine Goehner, PhD, RNC, CPHQ
Professor Emerita, Director of Continuing Education and Adjunct Faculty
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5406
- Email: egoehner@apu.edu
Constance Milton, PhD, RN
Professor Emerita
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 6185
- Email: cmilton@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #307
Jane Pfeiffer, PhD, RN
Professor Emerita and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 857-2265
- Email: jpfeiffer@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, Room #208K
Diana Rodriguez, PhD, MS, CNS, RN
Professor Emerita and Associate Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2150
- Email: drodriguez@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #112
Sheryl Tyson, PhD, APRN, CNS
Professor Emerita
- Email: styson@apu.edu
Leslie Van Dover, PhD, MScN, PN, RN, FNP-BC
Professor Emerita
- Phone: (626) 815-5378
- Email: lvandover@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, Room #208I
Cheryl Westlake, PhD, RN, ACNS
Professor Emerita
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5587
- Email: ccanary@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Office #231