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
Ruth Mielke, PhD, RN, CNM, FACNM, WHNP-BC
Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-5383
- Email: rmielke@apu.edu
- Office Location: 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, School of Nursing
- 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
Marcella Hardy-Peterson, DNP, RN, WHNP
Program Director, Professor School of Nursing
- Phone: (909) 894-6148
- Email: mpeterson@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, IE 208 Q
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
Kathleen Ruccione, PhD
Professor, Program Director, SON PhD Program (Interim)
- Phone: (626) 815-6000
- Email: kruccione@apu.edu
Diana Lynn Woods, PhD, APRN-BC, FGSA, FAAN
Professor
- Phone: (626) 815-6310
- Email: dwoods@apu.edu
- Office Location: Monrovia Regional Site, Room #221
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
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
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, MSN, FNP-BC
Program Director, Assistant Professor School of Nursing
- Phone: (619) 876-7654
- Email: athurman@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, SD #107
Sharon K. Titus, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
- Phone: (630) 780-8756
- 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
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
Dayna M. Holt, CPN, CRNI, VA-BC
Program Director, Entry Level Master's Program at San Diego Regional Campus and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (619) 718-9655, Ext. 2140
- Email: dholt@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Room #113
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
Melinda McLaughlin, MSN
Assistant Professor School of Nursing
- Phone: (410) 241-3990
- Email: mmclaughlin@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus
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 Marie Pack, MBA
Assistant Professor and Chair of Online Education Committee
- Phone: (626) 815-6000
- Email: bpack@apu.edu
Koy Parada, PhD(c)
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, CHS, EdD
Department Chair, Nursing Education and Assistant Professor
- Phone: (760) 807-0904
- Email: jereyes@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus, Suite 300, Room #117
Nicole Ringo, MSN/ED, RN, PhD
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, Assistant Professor
- Phone: (626) 535-3179
- Email: vjsmith@apu.edu
- Office Location: West Campus, Building 1, #314
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
Dawn Eliades, MSN, RN
Instructor
- Phone: (805) 231-4051
- Email: deliades@apu.edu
- Office Location: West Campus, by Cell or Zoom
Joy Ericson, MSN, RN, CPN
Instructor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5960
- Email: jericson@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room #434
April Gacuya, MSN
Instructor
- Email: agacuya@apu.edu
Lydia Garcia-Usry, RN, MSN, PHN, DNP
Instructor School of Nursing
- Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2289
- Email: lgarciausry@apu.edu
- Office Location: High Desert Regional Campus, Victorville Room #200A
Taemin Jin
Instructor, School of Nursing
- Phone: (626) 815-6307
- Email: tjin@apu.edu
- Office Location: Building One, Room 344
Richard Mendez Jr
Instructor
- Phone: (626) 815-6000
- Email: rmendez@apu.edu
- Office Location: Inland Empire Regional Campus, Room 208E
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, Office #116
Adjunct Professor
Tracy Fulton, DNP, MBA, MSN
Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing
- Phone: (619) 246-5297
- Email: tfulton@apu.edu
- Office Location: San Diego Regional Campus
Professors Emeritae
Barbara Artinian
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Lina Badr, PhD, PNP, FAAN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Connie Brehm, PhD, FNP, PHN, RN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Pamela Cone, PhD, RN, CNS, PHN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Vivien Dee, PhD, RN, NEA-BC,FAAN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Felicitas dela Cruz, DNSc
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Phyllis Esslinger, RN, PHN, MSN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Elaine Goehner, PhD, RNC, CPHQ
Professor Emerita, Director of Continuing Education and Adjunct Faculty
Patricia Frohock Hanes, PhD, MSN, MAED, MS-DPEM, RN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Bonita L. Huiskes, PhD, FNP-BC, RN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Constance Milton, PhD, RN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Jane Pfeiffer, PhD, RN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Karla Kendall Richmond, PhD, CNS, RN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Diana Rodriguez, PhD, MS, CNS, RN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Sheryl Tyson, PhD, APRN, CNS
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Leslie Van Dover, PhD, MScN, PN, RN, FNP-BC
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Gail Wallace, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Cheryl Westlake, PhD, RN, ACNS
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
Professors Emeriti
David Colachico, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing
John Doyle, PhD, MFCC
Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing
Rosemary Liegler, PhD, RN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing