SON Faculty, Staff Celebrated at Year-End Event

In what has become an annual tradition toward the close of each academic year, the School of Nursing held a recognition event to highlight the contributions of its faculty and staff. The annual year-end luncheon was held May 14 in Evarts Lounge. The event featured a buffet lunch, the presentation of the school’s awards for faculty and staff, and honored Professor Margaret Kearney, PhD, RN, FAAN, who is retiring in June.

Year-end award winners included:

Associate Professor Mary Carey, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN, who received the Professional Advancement Award in part for her work helping to educate nurses about the implications of pending “safe staffing” legislation in New York State.

Assistant Professor Natalie Leblanc, PhD, MPH, RN, BSN, and Deborah Thayer, web developer/designer, who were awarded the Mary Dombeck Faculty and Staff Diversity Awards, respectively, for their roles helping to advance diversity and inclusion efforts among the School of Nursing community and beyond.

Professor of Clinical Nursing Mary Tantillo, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, FAED, CGP, who was named Most Outstanding Scholarly Practitioner for her nationally recognized work treating, studying and advocating for individuals with eating disorders.

Associate Professor Jim McMahon, PhD, and Administrative Assistant Karen Cokeley, who were named Outstanding Faculty and Staff Colleague, respectively, and Dana St. Aubin, a pre-award administrative assistant in the Center for Research Support, who was honored with the Outstanding Staff Member of the Year Award.

Assistant Professor Ying Meng, PhD, RN, ACNP, who was named Most Promising New Investigator.

Marie Flannery, PhD, RN, AOCN, assistant professor, and Marianne Chiafery, DNP, PNP-BC, associate professor of clinical nursing, who were awarded the Josephine Craytor Nursing Faculty Award.

Associate Dean for Education and Student Affairs Lydia Rotondo, DNP, RN, CNS, and Alexandria Duffney, director of enrollment management, who were awarded the Dr. Jeremy A. Klainer Entrepreneurship Fund to help pilot a holistic admissions program.

And Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing Joanne Clements, MS, RN, ACNP, who received the Dean’s Appreciation Award for her work serving as interim director of admissions for the past year.